While passing through Waimanu Road in Suva, on your way to or from the hospital, you can’t miss an impressive colonial style wooden mansion perched on the hillside.
Welcome to Borron House of Borron Rd, once home to one of colonial Suva’s wealthiest planter families, whose patriarch was James M Borron.
Before the Borrons bought the parcel of land, it was previously owned by the Cuthberts who were originally from Dublin, Ireland and arrived in Fiji in 1870.
Mr Boron Sr. bought the property in 1890 but it was his son James Sawers Kidston Braddock Borron who supposedly built the house in 1927.
It was designed by architect R.A Derrick – historian, museum curator and a popular figure in Fiji’s technical education movement.
Fiji Museum literature states that Mr Brown (snr) was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to a well-to-do Scottish family.
He arrived in Fiji in 1872, two years before cession, and worked on several plantation on the island of Cicia, Kanacea and Mago in the Lau Group.
“His home on the Mago estate was considered one of the most beautiful houses in Fiji and while possibly considering a future Suva residence, James M Borron purchased a 90- acre property at Samabula in 1890 from the Cuthbert family,” the Fiji Museum says.
At the time of his purchase, Borron Sr. was working as a manager for the Mago Island Sugar Company and then the Holmhurst sugar estate.
Mago Island was once a bustling economic powerhouse, its claim to fame was the quality of cotton it produced for the world market.
According to available literature, the island’s first owner, under a freehold title, was Rupert Ryder who purchased the island from Somosomo chiefs after they adopted Christianity and removed islander in the mid 19th century.
Mago islanders were among Cakaudrove subjects who sided with Ma’afu’s army.
As punishment for their defection, Tui Cakau sold Mago to Ryder and its inhabitants (five villages) were relocated to Namalata, Vanuabalavu.
On Mago, excellent cotton was produced. The island even won prizes at large international exhibitions.
Ryder, who later became Fiji’s minister for trade and finance, was a talented planter and businessmen who pioneered the cultivation of a unique type of cotton on Mago known as “Sea Island Cotton”.
This cotton gained international attention for Mago Island and Fiji after winning gold medals at exhibitions held in Paris and Philadelphia in the late 1800s.
Borron House has accommodated an extensive list of world dignitaries and diplomats including Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of former US President, Franklin D Roosevelt and the Princess Royal, Princess Anne.
Other guests included the sixth Secretary- General of the United Nations, Egyptian Boutros Ghali, British princes Prince Edward and Prince Andrew and Pacific Heads of State.
The house was also used by Fijian statesman Ratu Sir Lala Sukana for a few years prior to his passing upon he death, he was laid at the estate until his burial in Lakeba in 1958.
In the colonial days, the location where Borron House stands was called Rairaiwaqa.
It was one of the highest points in the Suva Peninsular where one could easily spot an approaching vessel out at sea.
The Fiji Museum says the creation of Samabula Camp as part of the fortifications against the Japanese in World War II started at the Borron House residence with an underground battle chamber.
After completion of the facilities, Borron House was used as the New Zealand Force Headquarters.
Later its grounds were taken over by the American Armed Forces as Divisional Headquarters and used by American Admirals and Generals while in transit to war zones (1940-1945).
Prior to his death, Mr Borron wished that his home, one of Suva’s most impressive residences be preserved for the people of Fiji. It was in 1959 that he retired from Mago Island and settled fulltime at Borron House.
It is believed, the Suva City Council purchased a portion of the Borron House grounds to widen Waimanu Road.
‘ In the year of 1977, the impressive building, regularly admired by those who viewed it, its gardens and furniture, were handed over to the National Trust of Fiji under a deed of gift by Mr Borron.
However it was after his death that the National Trust of Fiji acquired full management of the estate.
During 1980, Borron House was permitted by the Government of Fiji to be used a state guesthouse to host VIP guests.
In 1982, the management of the house was taken over by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.
Who would have thought that the house would be used as hostage space for holding Government cabinet ministers in the 1987 coup.
In 2012, the Fiji Museum stated that here were tunnels under the house which were used by the US soldiers during WWII.
“Yes, we verified that there are tunnels and rooms underneath Borron House, used no doubt as a bomb shelter should the house be bombed,” The Fiji Museums adds.
“The entrance to the tunnel inside the house was locked when we wanted to see it and the entrance from the garden was sealed.”
Renovations to the house was done over two years in 1991 which included the demolition of the existing staff quarters, a new security unit, a service road and new car parking space, however in 1993 cyclone Kina cause major damage to the house.
In the same year, Sir David Beattie, former Governor General of New Zealand visited Fiji and stayed at Borron House.
What is interesting is that the remains of 21 Fijian soldiers who served and died in Malaya from 1952 to 1956 were returned and laid in state at Borron House in September 1993.
In 2006, Borron house became the resident of Ratu Josefa IIoilovatu Uluivuda.
In 2011 the house was used to host a farewell reception for the former U.S Ambassador to Fiji Steven McGann and a retreat for the 18th Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders Summit.
The house was used as residence by former Fijian President Major General Joji Konrote in 2017.
In 2020, the Office of the President formally handed back Borron House to the custody of the Construction and Implementation Unit (CIU) of the Ministry of Economy.
(This article was written using information from the Fiji Museum/Fijian History Website)
