Barochan 226 Remuera Rd

Barochan at 226 Remuera Road was designed by architect John M. Walker and built in 1916. Extended in 1935 by architect William Gummer, Barochan is a substantial home, one of Remuera’s finest.

Barochan was said to be named after a house in Campbelltown, Scotland owned by the Fleming family, although there are other sources stating Barochan was situated in Houston, Renfrewshire, Scotland (Part of National Library of New Zealand Fleming, Charles Alexander (Sir), 1916-1987 : Papers / Series 14 Genealogical files )

Owners of Barochan in Remuera have included some notable people.

Barochan was built for the Fleming family – George Herbert and Winifred Fleming, who inherited a substantial private income from a great-uncle with an iron manufacturing business in Scotland. They had three children – Charles, Joan and Alan.  Their eldest son Charles Alexander Fleming was born in Auckland on 9 September 1916, and the family grew up in Remuera in very comfortable circumstances. Charles attended Remuera School, and then transferred to King’s Preparatory School and King’s College (1930–33). He was knighted for his contribution to palaeontology, science and conservation in 1977. [1]

Another owner was Norman Berridge Spencer, Remuera lawyer with his father Percy at Spencer and Spencer. He engaged architect Horace Massey to design the entrance gates, [2] as well as the gardens.[3] Norman Spencer also donated the clocks on the former Remuera Post Office in 1962.[4]

Recently Barochan has undergone extensive restoration and renovation prior to being sold.[5](6)

[1] R. K. Dell. ‘Fleming, Charles Alexander’, Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2000. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5f9/fleming-charles-alexander (accessed 3 July 2023)

[2] Massey H List of Houses Michael Brewerton. Research report BArch–University of Auckland, 1993.

[3] Massey Horace list of houses & gardens Michael Brewerton. Research report BArch–University of Auckland, 1993.

[4] New Zealand Herald 28 February 1962 in Auckland Scrapbook Oct 1961, p281 (Auckland Libraries). https://remueraheritage.org.nz/story/the-old-remuera-post-office/

[5] https://www.oneroof.co.nz/news/43053

[6] A many-storied house, by Wayne Thompson. The Hobson September 2019. P34-38.