200 Willis Street has recently been up for sale. It was originally known as the McGavin House as it was designed by the architect William Turnbull for Major General Sir Donald Johnstone McGavin. It is in the Edwardian Tudor style. The house was built in 1907 and was both a home for Donald and his family and also consulting rooms for his medical practice.
Donald was born in 1875 in Chatham, England. He undertook his medical training at Mason University College in Birmingham and afterwards at the London Hospital. He served as a civilian surgeon in the Boer War before coming to New Zealand. In 1903 he married Mary Allan Chapple. The following year he commenced practice in Wellington as a surgeon.
In 1915, Donald went overseas on active service to command No 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital. This was initially located at Port Said and the Hospital received casualties from Gallipoli. In 1917 he was made DSO for his role in the evacuation of the wounded during the heavy offensive at Messines. In 1918 he was made CMG and in 1919 he was recalled to New Zealand. He was knighted in 1921 for his services to medicine.
From 1920 to 1924 he was honorary surgeon to the Governor General. He was a member of the Prisons Board and the War Pensions Medical Appeal Board and a president and trustee of the Wellington Club.
In 1930, the family relocated to a new house on Oriental Parade designed for them by the architect William Meek Page. It is in the Georgian Revival style. Donald lived in the house until his death in 1960. Mary died in 1955. Both were cremated at Karori Cemetery.
Major-General Sir Donald McGavin, 1924. Courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19241023-43-01
McGavin house courtesy of https://wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz/buildings/301-450/351-mcgavin-house-and-surgery
300 Oriental Parade courtesy of https://wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz/buildings/151-300/244-apartment-building-300-oriental-parade