Sir John Ilott
Publicity House 1930’s
John Ilott wanted to be a doctor like his grandfather. Just as he was about to leave Wellington for England in 1903 to begin his training, his father became ill. Ilott (known as Jack), had to step in to his father’s press agency business. From this turn of events, the father and son partnership grew a successful agency, Ilott Advertising. By 1910, the agency had Shell, the Bank of New Zealand, Edmonds, Fleming’s Creamota and Cadbury as clients. They employed artists, copywriters, account executives and media buyers.
Once established in business, Ilott had more time for travel. Alexander Turnbull was a friend of both Ilott and his father. Turnbull inspired him to begin collecting. Ilott’s focus was Pacific material, examples of early printing and illuminated manuscripts. As such, Ilott was an appropriate person to lead the Friends of the Turnbull Library when it was established in 1939. He gifted five illuminated manuscripts to the Library in 1958 and then each following year made further gifts. The collection included 29 etchings by Rembrandt, 12 engravings by Durer and 12 by Whistler. Ilott received a knighthood in 1954 and Hon. LLD in 1964. He died in 1973 aged 88 and is interred in a large family plot at Karori Cemetery (plot Public 2/J/355) with his wife, Hazel, his parents and his daughter.
J. Ilott Advertising took over the lease of a building located on the corner of Harris Street and Jervois Quay in May 1928. By then the building was nearly 30 years old. It was designed by Clere, Fitzgerald & Richmond for Turnbull, Hickson and Palmer (printers, bookbinders and lithographers). The building was later used by the Circa Theatre and then demolished in 1995 as it was deemed an earthquake hazard. The green space next to the building (previously 2 Cuba Steet demolished in 1972), and the former Publicity House came to be known as Ilott Green. The remnants of building’s perimeter walls and its entry steps remain.
This image of Publicity House on the corner of Jervois Quay and Harris Streets shows the Town Hall in the distance on the left, when Cuba Street ran down to meet Jervois Quay (this section of the street is now a footpath between the Town Hall and the Michael Fowler Centre).
References:
Bagnall, A. (1973, October 1). Sir John Ilott. Turnbull Library Record 6 (2), 41
https://teara.govt.nz/en/advertising/print
Business premises, Jervois Quay, Wellington. Raine, William Hall, 1892-1955 :Negatives of New Zealand towns and scenery, and Fiji. Ref: 1/1-018086-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23045635
Ilott Green, corner of Jervois Quay and Harris Street, August 2026. Note the Town Hall far left is all that remains from the 1930’s image.
Publicity House detail from above image.
Publicity House, corner entrance steps. August 2026
Publicity House, second entrance and floor. August 2026.
John Moody Albert Ilott. S P Andrew Ltd :Portrait negatives. Ref: 1/1-018367-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22408928
Ilott plot at Karori Cemetery (ref plot Public 2/J/355), courtesy of FindaGrave.