James O'Dea (architect)
James O'Dea was a New Zealand architect. O'Dea migrated to New Zealand in 1875 and initially worked as a carpenter before transitioning into architecture. O'Dea's architectural career was across the North Island but most of his work was in Wellington. Little of O'Dea's work has survived but several buildings are heritage listed with Heritage New Zealand and the Wellington City Council.
Early life
James O'Dea was born 1853 in County Clare, Ireland, United Kingdom. O'Dea was trained in carpentry and left for New Zealand aboard the Hannibal via London in 1875. O'Dea arrived in Nelson 6 August 1875 and moved to Westland.Career
In 1877 O'Dea was working as a carpenter in Reefton. O'Dea had possibly moved to Whanganui by 1880 but this is uncertain. In November 1880 O'Dea was in Durban, Colony of Natal. Poor working conditions and high living conditions prompted O'Dea to return to New Zealand in 1881. O'Dea likely moved to Hawera or Patea upon his return and by 1884 he had moved to Hamilton. O'Dea did work for the Hamilton Borough Council but the relation soured and he filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against the mayor over a payment dispute in 1886 and later moved to Hawera and Auckland. By 1888 O'Dea was in Wellington. In Wellington O'Dea designed roughly 150 buildings, notably Our Lady's Home of Compassion in Island Bay. By the 20th century O'Dea's business had become successful and he was looking to hire a draughtmans and two years later his son joined his business. In 1906 O'Dea designed the Our Lady's Home of Compassion building in Island Bay but there was controversy over structural deficits in the building, with some blaming the architect. John Swan was hired instead of O'Dea for the repair works. In 1907 broke his leg and stopped his practice.In 1910 O'Dea was selling designs at an 80% discount but no building permits were issued with his name, suggesting that no one had bought these designs. In 1911 O'Dea was promoting ferroconcrete, stating that it would make other materials obsolete and that 'its age is as unlimited as that of the aqueducts and bridges built by Rome when she was mistress of the world' but there is no record of him after that and he faded into obscurity and died in 1930 without undertaking any further architectural work.