Charles Tringham

Tringham was born in Winforton, Hertfordshire, England, in 1841. It is believed that Tringham was educated in woodworking in England. On December 1864, Tringham arrived in Auckland aboard the Talbot and gave his occupation as a carpenter. Tringham soon left for Wellington and started a partnership with builder William Lawes.^[2][1]

In December 1866, Tringham quit his partnership to work as a builder and undertaker. The following year he was advertising as an architect and receiving architectural contracts.^[2] Most of Tringham's early contracts were houses, possibly worker's houses given that single tenders were called for multiple houses.^[3] In April 1868, Tringham married Margaret Hunter Bennett, Bennett was the daughter of the Registrar General and this marriage may have elevated Tringham's social status and helped with obtaining high profile contracts. Tringham ended up receiving contracts for wealthy and high class citizens such as Sir William Fox and Thomas Coldham Williams.^[2] One of the most notable designs of Tringham's was Westoe, a large Italianate residence for William Fox, second premier of New Zealand. Westoe was possibly inspired by Osborne House and has an asymmetrical façade.^[4][5] Tringham worked almost exclusively within Wellington Province, although he did design the Oruawharo Homestead in Takapau.^[3] In 1885 Tringham was responsible for planning the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition.^[6]

Tringham was one of the main architects in Wellington up to the 1890s. Tringham was responsible for over 340 designs.^[3]

In 1895, Tringham was elected as president of the Wellington Association of Architects. Tringham later retired from architecture and took up sheep farming in the Wairarapa at Pigeon Bush, near Featherston until his death in 1916.^[2][6] Outside of architecture Tringham served as a director for different companies, owned shares in mining corporations, and owned land in Petone.^[3]