Basil Benseman

Basil Benseman was born in Nelson and lived in Whanganui. As Frank Stark writes: "He served as an anti-aircraft gunner and truck driver during WWII in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Italy before returning to an apprentice training scheme in Wellington.

Before long, he had established B E Benseman Bricklayer, which from 1946 to 1985, built a significant portion of Whanganui. Bas worked on many landmark buildings around the city including the Embassy Cinema, St Marcellin School, Whanganui Intermediate, the Government Life and State Insurance buildings, the War Memorial Hall, Power Board Building, Queens Park steps and the Whanganui Regional Museum, among hundreds of others."

See also:

• Frank Stark 'Museum: The Architect and the Artisan' Whanganui Chronicle, Sept 17, 2017.