A number of young designers from Wellington Polytechnic passed through their studio and workshop. Leod Hais clothing was always a collaboration, with input from designers, sales staff and customers. Peter and Lesley were also able to draw on a network of established Wellington clothing industry allies like suit-makers, and small, cut, make and trim manufacturers.

They started a wholesale operation selling to well known shops in Auckland, Hamilton and Dunedin. This lasted hardly a year as costs of financing this, together with slow payments, made it too difficult and detracted from their own business.

Women’s wear was soon added, quickly becoming half their business with many women still having a Leod Hais blouse or a dress in their wardrobe today.

Lesley recalls that Wellington’s main shopping district had a special vibe in the 1980s. Late night shopping only happened on Fridays. This saw young revellers dropping in to Leod Hais while making their way from work on Lambton Quay to the pubs, clubs and restaurants of Te Aro and Courtenay Place.

Leod Hais became well known for making a quality classic product that outlasted seasons – good textiles, with inventive finishing. Within a few years they expanded to stores in Auckland and Christchurch.

Peter and Lesley were fortunate to have some great characters managing and selling in their stores. These staff did their best to make a scene for a community whose fashion and lifestyle gaze looked towards London, New York, Melbourne, Sydney and Los Angeles.

Sourcing fabric was their biggest challenge, as international travel was very expensive in the 1980s so they had to be inventive with the fabrics they could find. These might be end-runs from major clothing manufacturers in Europe, imported by New Zealand-based wholesalers, or they might import fabrics themselves, directly from Germany.

Running a small scale, low-capital business was always a seat-of-the-pants operation, but their small clothing runs lent Leod Hais the air of a bespoke clothing maker, rather than a store selling racks of the same garment in the same fabric.

By the late 1980s, the removal of import tariffs and sales taxes saw a flood of cheap goods imported to New Zealand. The younger end of their target age group was also now looking for more casual, lower-priced clothes, and soon Rip Curl, Billabong and others came to New Zealand offering a style of clothing that Peter and Lesley were not interested in making.

These factors combined to affect boutique retail manufacturers like Leod Hais, which closed its doors in 1995.

The Leod Hais garments that Wellington Museum has acquired, show fascinating innovation and quality have stood the test of time. These garments are a testament to the high-quality fabrics, manufacture, and attention to detail for which those involved with Leod Hais can be justifiably proud.

Te Waka Huia o Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho Wellington Museum shares the stories of the people of Pōneke. We actively collect and preserve historic and contemporary objects for our current audiences and future generations. To ensure we continue to bring vibrancy to our city, we will be introducing an admission fee for international visitors. 

As a charity we rely on the generosity of our funders, donors and the dedication of our teams and supporters to keep Pōneke stories alive. Funding is crucial to enable us to continue to share our city’s stories, people and history, adding to the vibrancy of Pōneke and showcasing to Aotearoa, and the world, what makes this city so unique and loved.   

We continue to balance the commitment to maintain quality and maximise access to our experiences. The museum is accessible for all New Zealanders – admission will not be charged for New Zealand residents, but as a charity we always encourage and appreciate donations. 

Admissions changes for International visitors will come into effect on Tuesday 1 October 2024. 

Curious, elaborate bottles from an Edwardian pharmacy form part of a collection which tells the story of a progressive family who, more than 100 years ago, valued education for their sons and their daughters.

Te Waka Huia o Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho/Wellington Museum was recently gifted the Castle Chemists collection by the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand. This is significant for Wellington. Castle Chemists is an institution in Newtown, still operating as a pharmacy more than 100 years after it was opened by John Castle in the late 1800s.

Standing at 139 Riddiford St, Newtown, Castle Chemists is an interesting building. Inside it is still laid out in much the same way as it would have been 120 years ago. It’s typical of the modest, late Victorian two-storey, wooden shops that give so much character to Newtown. The building also displays mock crenellations, teeth-like projections you see at the top of medieval castles, no doubt a play on the family name. Inside you get a real sense of an Edwardian pharmacy, full of curious, elaborate bottles with strange Latin writing across the front.

Many of these bottles, and the ones that Wellington Museum have just acquired, were collected by John Castle’s son Ronald.

The Castle family were interesting people. Five of the seven children John and Annie Castle brought into the world became pharmacists themselves. Mavis and Mona Castle were among the earliest women pharmacists in New Zealand. The family ran pharmacies all over Wellington, with their location in Newtown the oldest, and the only one still operating under their name, although now with new owners.

The family were not only successful pharmacists. John and Annie believed all their children should have a full and broad education. Indicative of his progressive mindset, John Castle was one of few New Zealand men to sign the Women’s Suffrage Petition which led to New Zealand women winning the right to vote in 1893.

John and Annie’s youngest daughter Zillah became an accomplished musician, receiving a violin scholarship to the Royal College of Music, London, in 1931. A multi-instrumentalist, she played as a soloist, with orchestras and on radio broadcasts throughout her life. She and her brother Ronald (also an accomplished musician) shared a house on Colombo St, Newtown. This was full of rare books and musical instruments from across the world. These collections are now with the Alexander Turnbull Library and Auckland Museum.

By the 1970s most of the second generation of the Castle family had retired. Ronald Castle, the youngest son, and owner of their Newtown pharmacy, acquired many of the family’s old medicine bottles and equipment, keeping them in an informal museum above the business. Ronald retired in 1981 and his collection was acquired by the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand. Recently, as the society was moving premises, they felt the time was right to give the collection a new long-term home.

We can’t say when the Castle Chemists collection will be on display, as good things take time. Our collections staff first need time to catalogue dozens of bottles, books and apparatus. They also need to make sure the chemicals stored in the bottles are safe in the long-term, for visitors and our other collections. Rest assured, under the care of Wellington Museum, the fascinating stories of the Castle family and these touchstones to our past will be looked after for future generations to ponder and enjoy.