The dead tell tales

The Hamilton Municipal Pools are again in the news – Hamilton City Council has advertised its intention to apply for a resource consent to demolish them. The council owns the pools but has to follow due process as the pools are listed as a Category B Heritage Building on the District Plan.

William Gruar is one of the names that comes up in the history of the pools – or to give then their original name, the Coronation Baths. That name was used only briefly - they have also been called the Tepid Baths, and affectionately, ‘‘The Munies’’.

After opening on December 23

1912 the baths were used for almost

100 years and at one time attracted

80,000 swimmers a year. They have been used for recreation, swimming lessons, competitions, carnivals and therapy. As well as being used by the wider community, the baths were also used by residents, central city and Hamilton East workers, schools and organisations, including police, fire brigade and hospital staff. They would be handy for the residents of the proposed apartments’ development in Hamilton East.

The pools have been closed since May 2012 due to lack of maintenance. Since then they have further deteriorated; they have been declared unsafe in an earthquake. The closing of the pools caused controversy among Hamiltonians. Their construction was also fraught: in 1908 council planned a poll of ratepayers asking for a loan to construct the baths, as well as other construction projects. The matter was deferred and deferred again until July 1911. Construction on a site on the lower river terrace had to be abandoned because of unstable ground. Work began on the current site but the contractor went bankrupt. In May 1912 William Gruar of Hamilton firm Gruar, Morton and Sample Ltd took over the contract and completed the construction of the baths.

William Gruar came to Hamilton in about 1910, having worked in Southland, Otago, Taranaki and Auckland. In 1911, with David Morton and George Sample he took over the hardware business Goodfellow Ltd, though they soon changed the name to Gruar Morton Sample Limited. After Gruar fell out with his partners the business became the Hardware and Metal Stores Ltd. Gruar opened a shop with offices – the building was L-shaped and opened to Victoria St and Garden Place.

In May 1919 Gruar was elected to Hamilton Borough Council. He was also a member of the National Efficiency League and the Winter Show Association. He was seen as ‘‘a man of strong convictions who left no stone unturned to further a cause . . . a born fighter whose influence was swiftly felt.’’ Even three years after his death he was remembered as the man who breathed life into the Hamilton Draughts Club.

Gruar died after a motor accident in November 1920. He was driving to Cambridge when it hit a hidden log on the verge ‘‘which caused the car to bound heavily forward and capsize’’. He and his wife Bertha were pinned beneath the car, but the other occupants, his daughter and her baby, escaped serious injury. Gruar died a week later; Bertha was hospitalised for several weeks. After she recovered she continued to manage their property. Gruar’s business acumen led him to property investments as well as his support of significant bathing facilities, the Hamilton Municipal Pools.

If you want to make a submission regarding the proposed demolition of the poolscheck the the council’s website or get forms from the council offices.

Note:

William Gruar was killed in a car accident in 1920. He was buried in the Masonic section of the Hamilton East Cemetery. In the same family grave are his wife Bertha (died 1953), his daughter Violet (died 1962) and her husband and cousin 2nd Lieutenant Frederick Gruar (died 1923).