A tribute to John Street MNZM from the New Zealand Maritime Museum

On 21 December 2023, we lost John Street. John was a remarkable man whose life spanned two extraordinary eras: John’s working career encompassed some of the most formative decades of our maritime heritage, followed by a time when John and others like him helped lead a fight to preserve the heritage that was so hard won by earlier generations.

From a young age, John was an advocate for all things marine. For the industry that he helped shape. For those at the top of the sport, and for those in the early stage of their journey to excellence. And, in later years, for the preservation of the past.

In the course of his life John rubbed shoulders with legends. For most of us, names like Percy Vos and Ted Ashby are historical figures we have heard talk of but never met. John knew Percy Vos personally, delivering his order of hardware and supplies to his boatbuilding shed in Hamer Street each week. Ted Ashby, the shipwright for which the famous scow is named, visited Fosters many times each day.

A group of long-serving members in 2020. The men meet weekly at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron 's clubrooms for aperitifs and lunch. 
Top-left to right: John Beck, John Street, John Mingaye, John Robb, Bill Donovan. Bottom: Bruce Marler, Peter Marler, Chris Wood.  Image: New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa Southern Studios

After his retirement, John turned his focus to the preservation of maritime heritage, locating the yacht Thelma in the Mediterranean and returning her to New Zealand. He founded the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust which went on to recover and restore seven major boats: Frances, Ethel, Waitangi, Ida, Gloriana and Rainbow II. More recently in 2018, he was instrumental in recovering Daring from her watery 150-year old resting place in the Kaipara Harbour and ensuring she had a secure future and promise of restoration.

John’s contributions to the Maritime Museum not only included his wisdom and governance knowledge as a valued board member. He also ensured that Breeze, a traditional wooden brigantine,came into our collection, and today is still regularly seen on the Waitematā in full sail. Likewise of a half-model of Peter Blake’s Blake Magic, a caulking mallet given to him by Ted Ashby, and a vast array of artefacts and objects preserved from both the Fosters business and his personal collection – of which there are too many to list here.

One Man’s Treasures Exhibition Opening, 2019
Left to right Museum Director Vincent Lipanovich, John Street and Tautoko New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

In 2019, the Maritime Museum was honoured to present the exhibition ‘One Man’s Treasures: John Street & the Fosters Collection’, celebrating the man behind the historic Fosters ship chandlery, and reflecting on his vision and determination to preserve the maritime heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand.  

In John we had someone who was not only passionate about maritime heritage, he was also generous with his time, his energy, and his love of all things nautical. For the Maritime Museum, he was a catalyst who made things happen – he was there at our beginning, and over the decades he contributed a remarkable amount, strengthening our collections and our ability to keep important vessels sailing so that they could be enjoyed by everyone.

Quotes from colleagues and friends

“John lived in the past in a lot of ways. He didn’t need anything swanky. He was a lover of antiquity, passionate about not having a cell phone.  John totally trusted in friends and business colleagues and delivered huge loyalty to those people,” - Larry Paul – chair, Classic Yacht Charitable Trust

“I had a wonderful hour and a half with John in his study before he crossed the bar. He said you have to trust people. To me, that is his lasting words. John loved people, he could always remember names. He was a peoples’ person.” - Baden Pascoe, author and historian

“John was keen to see there was a nucleus of people looking after our fleet. Setting up the New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School and the Classic Yacht Trust were his biggest achievements but the Breeze acquisition and donation to the Maritime Museum was his living legacy as far as the Museum was concerned.” - Bob Hawkins, Volunteer, New Zealand Maritime Museum

“John was patient with the various museum staff who didn’t have maritime knowledge and we knew to dispense with small talk and move onto the topic at hand when contacting him. We will remember his voice, his anecdotes and his generosity and we will continue to look after his special collection too.” - Jaqui Knowles, New Zealand Maritime Museum