The Post Office was named as Hutt Upper and opened on 24 October 1859 until 1 October 1875 and which point the name changed to Upper Hutt.
The first Postmaster was Mr Peter A Wilkie (i) who was listed as a storekeeper.
In 1880, the office was moved to the railway station (ii). A posting slot is visible at the far end of the building. The post office remained here until shifting to a new two storey building that opened on 2 April 1909(iii) .
The colour photo taken in 1966 shows the 1909 building which was situated in Main Street at the corner of Geange Street.
The building was demolished on 10 July 1970 to clear the site for the construction of a new Post Office which was built of the same site.
The foundation stone for the new building was laid on 13 May 1969(iv) prior to the demolition of the old building. The new Post Office building opened on 16 September 1971(v) . The photograph taken in 1989, shows the branding for New Zealand Post installed following the split of the Post Office on 1 April 1987 to Telecom, Postbank and NZ Post. The public area of New Zealand Post closed on 31 March 2000 and reopened in Books and More in The Mall on 3 April 2000. It then relocated on 1 August 2024 to Lagans Pharmacy, 10 Main Street.
For the names of the various Postmasters of Upper Hutt refer to “Postal History Corner” in two weeks’ time.
i Dominion Vol 2 Issue 473 3 April 1909 – Opening of New Post Office Upper Hutt – https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19090403.2.112
ii Upper Hutt Library Heritage Collection – https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/199
iii Upper Hutt Library Heritage Collection – https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/22271
iv Upper Hutt Library Heritage Collection – https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/24255
v Upper Hutt Library Heritage Collection – https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/187
A “thank you” to Andrew for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.
13/08/25
The Upper Hutt Connection 