Charles Tilleard Natusch

Lewis Tilleard Natusch, but always known as Charles, (4 October 1859 – 16 July 1951) was a noted New Zealand architect and quantity surveyor, known particularly as a builder of fine houses for wealthy clients.

Born and raised in London, England, he was trained there as an architect, travelled to the United States and Canada in 1882-3, returned to England, and departed with his wife, Ada, and their first two sons, for New Zealand in 1886.

For the next 30 years, Natusch established himself between Wellington and Hawke's Bay particularly as a builder of fine houses in a variety of styles. These ranged from those which had an Italian influence such as Bushy Park (1905) near Wanganui through Tudor style like Maungaraupi (1906) in Marton. Other examples of his work which reflected his concern for making use of local materials were Erewhon (1898) near Taihape, Matapiro (1907) in Hawke's Bay, Atawhai (1908) in Palmerston North. He also introduced innovations into commercial and industrial buildings as well as churches.

Charles and Ada had ten children, with three of the sons, Aleck, Rene and Stanley, becoming architects and quantity surveyors and carrying on the family firm as Natusch & Sons. Rene's son, Guy Natusch, continued the family firm until his retirement around 1997.

Noted works

1884 Westward Ho Hotel, Southend-on-Sea
1890 Gwavas, Hawkes Bay
1898 Erewhon, Taihape
1900 Te Aute College Chapel
1901 Westella, Fielding
1903 Silverford, Napier
1904 St John’s Cathedral, Napier
1905 Bushy Park, Kai Iwi
1906 Wellington Stock Exchange
1906 St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Hastings
1906 Maungaraupi, Marton
1906 Shalimar, Palmerston North
1907 Matapiro, Hawkes Bay
1908 Atawhai, Palmerston North

External links

• Dictionary of New Zealand Biography

Persondata
Name	Natusch, Charles
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	4 October 1859
Place of birth
Date of death	16 July 1951
Place of death