Three junk-filled Christchurch homes owned by late musician George Stewart sell for $1.185m

The three-bedroom property at 1/18 Bordesley St, Phillipstown, sold for $350,000 against a capital value of $405,000.

An aerial view shows the cluttered grounds and detached garage of the Ruru Road property, one of three Christchurch homes formerly owned by musician George Stewart. Photo / OneRoof

Its original listing carried the headline “Storage Wars – House + Everything Inside”.

The listing described the property as an opportunity for buyers willing to look past its current condition.

Piles of debris, branches and discarded household items cover the grounds of the Ruru Road property, which fetched $500,000. Photo / OneRoof

“Bring your ideas, bring your builder, and take your time walking through it,” the listing said.

“This isn’t about presenting something polished and perfect. It’s about the opportunity that comes with buying a property in its current condition and deciding what the next chapter looks like.”

Meanwhile, the two-bedroom townhouse at 1/25 Cumberland St, Richmond, was advertised under the headline “Buy It All, Keep It All”.

It sold for $335,000, compared with a capital value of $385,000.

Discarded tyres, scrap metal and other belongings clutter the front yard of the Bordesley Street property in Phillipstown. Photo / One Roof

The listing described the property as an opportunity for first-home buyers, investors or renovators prepared to take on a project.

The largest of the three properties, a four-bedroom house at 10 Ruru Rd, Bromley, fetched $500,000 against a capital value of $550,000.

Its marketing also emphasised the property’s potential for buyers willing to look beyond its condition.

Overgrown vegetation and discarded items line the side of the Ruru Road property, which sold for $500,000. Photo / OneRoof

Stewart was a musician known for playing instruments including the musical saw, harmonica, whistles and bones.

His musical history stretched back to at least 1969, when he performed with the Mainland Hoedowners at the National Banjo Pickers Convention in Ngāruawāhia.

He later performed as part of the George Stewart Trio and became a familiar face at music venues and clubs around Christchurch, including the Richmond Club and the Empire Hotel in Lyttelton.

An aerial view shows the overgrown grounds and piles of possessions surrounding the Phillipstown home, which sold for $350,000. Photo / OneRoof

Christchurch music enthusiast Stephen Reed, who collected several of Stewart’s recordings, said he first heard him playing the musical saw on Smokey and Lorraine Marshall’s Old Time Country Show on Plains FM in the early 2000s.

He later tracked down recordings featuring Stewart playing the saw, singing and whistling, including an LP released by the George Stewart Trio titled Turkey In The Straw.

Stewart also performed with Christchurch Irish folk group Colonial Fare and the Kokatahi Band on the West Coast.

An aerial view of the Cumberland Street townhouse shows assorted belongings piled around the rear courtyard and garage. The property sold for $335,000. Photo / OneRoof

Although Reed never saw Stewart perform live, he recalled a story from a friend about the musician playing a saw that had just been used to cut a tree branch.

“After that George apparently got out his bow and played a tune on that same saw,” he said.

In a tribute, fellow musician Gregory F. Shannahan remembered Stewart as a distinctive character and companion at musical events.

“A very unique person I was glad to call my pal,” he wrote.

Stewart died at The Village Palms Rest Home on July 8, 2024.

His death notice remembered his love of music, family and friends.