The Greenpark First World War memorial hall and obelisk as photographed in 2010. Since the photographs were taken the hall has been demolished and the obelisk has been relocated to the Greenpark Memorial Park across the road.
Minister of Defence Sir Robert Heaton Rhodes laid the foundation stone of the Greenpark Memorial Hall on 27 April 1922. He returned to open the hall on 7 August the same year. A few days after the opening war widow Mrs Charles Andrew unveiled the granite memorial obelisk in front of the hall. This was inscribed with the names of her husband and seven other local men who had given their lives.
The Greenpark Great War roll of honour in the hall listed 38 names: the eight fallen men, 27 men who also served, one man who died in camp, and two men who were still in camp at the date of the armistice. After the Second World War it was joined by another roll of honour, this time listing 33 men: four fallen, 28 who also served, and one who was in camp at the end of war. The Greenpark Memorial Park was also opened across the road from the hall.
The hall suffered significant damage during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and was demolished in 2012. A replacement building, the Greenpark Community Centre (sometimes referred to as the Greenpark Memorial Community Centre), was opened in the memorial park on Sunday 22 May 2016. The foundation stone and rolls of honour from the old hall were placed in the new centre.
The First World War obelisk has also been relocated to the memorial park.
Images: Francis Vallance, 2010
Text: Bruce Ringer, 2024
Find out more about the people listed on this memorial from Auckland Museum's Cenotaph database