Vogel House
Vogel House in Lower Hutt, New Zealand is a large family home built in 1933 (designed by the Architectural firm Helmore and Cotterill) for James and Jocelyn Vogel. Jocelyn Riddiford was the daughter of Vivian Riddiford of Woburn, Lower Hutt (1879-1934), and the great grand niece of Governor Sir George Grey. In 1932 she had married James (Jim) Vogel. James Vogel was the grandson of Premier Sir Julius Vogel (1835-1899) and the great grandson of Premier James Edward Fitzgerald.
As early as 1963 the Vogels were making overtures to the Government to present the house to the nation as an Official Residence for the Prime Minister. Much was also made of the fact that the property was gifted in the centennial year of parliamentary government in Wellington, given the role that the ancestors of the Vogels had played its formation. The government accepted the offer on 13 July 1965 with one of the conditions being that the Vogels could remain in the property until their deaths.
As the Government did not expect that the property would come into their possession for a number of years, little thought was given to the future use of the building. At one point there was an idea that the house and grounds could be turned into a New Zealand Administration College, the extensive grounds providing ample room to construct the necessary buildings. However, in 1966 the Vogels decided to leave the house for family reasons and retire to their residence in the Marlborough Sounds. This left the Government searching for a use for the property.
The Vogels suggested that the Australian High Commission, who were looking for a temporary residency, would be a suitable tenant, and by mid 1966 the Government had entered into discussions with the Vogels over this proposed new use for the building. The Australian High Commission were known to be keen to secure the Vogel property as it adjoined the temporary American Embassy and the residence of the United Kingdom Trade Commissioner adjoined the Vogel House property. From 1967 to 1976 the house was occupied by the Australian High Commission.
Since 1977 the house has been used as the official residence of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, when Rob Muldoon renovated it, entertaining the Queen there in February 1977. However his successor David Lange preferred to live in central Wellington, in a rented flat close to Parliament.
Since 1990 the Official Residence of the Prime Minister has once again been Premier House in Tinakori Street. Vogel House is now a ministerial house, and was used by the Governor-General from 2008 to 2012 while Government House was being renovated.