The Rise and Fall of New Zealand's Richest Family: The Larnachs

The Rise and Fall of New Zealand's Richest Family: The Larnachs In 1878, the Colonial Treasurer floated a three-million-pound loan in London. Larnach Castle wasn't just a house — it was a monument to enterprise, the place where a ballroom rose after the money ran out. Italian marble. Venetian glass. A tower above the harbour. But on 18 November 1895, the Colonial Bank handed its books to the BNZ. William Larnach, holding 1,800 shares, said it almost deranged his mind. On 12 October 1898, Committee Room J's locked door was burst open. Today, another family owns it, and one of them is Dunedin's mayor. This is the story of a family that outspent its ledger — and what an estate under £5,000 says about appearances. This is not just the story of a castle. It's the story of a house outliving the family it flattered. #LarnachCastle #Larnach #LostNewZealand #NZHistory #RiseAndFall #NewZealand