163 Molesworth Street (1905)

This villa is thought to have been constructed in 1905 - it is clad in rusticated weatherboard and retains its original sash windows.

The permit that probably relates to the construction of the villa was granted by the Borough Council to Mr Pinson on 6 September 1905 for the construction of a residence on Town Section 1970 (should be Section 1969), Molesworth Street - Hartnell was the builder, and the estimated construction cost was £215.

History of Town Section 1969

It was put up for auction by the Crown Lands Office on 13 November 1853. 

The section was owned by E. W. Stockman prior to June 1880 and was to be auctioned in a deceased estate auction on 19 June 1880. The article mentions “with five-roomed house”, likely to be the building marked on Skinner’s 1880 map on the eastern side of the section, now an empty area of section at 165 Molesworth Street (the home at 167 Molesworth Street has 165 as its street address and incorporates the land at 165 Molesworth Street). The original cottage on section 1969 was probably similar in style to the surviving cottage on neighbouring Town Section 1968.

Town Section 1969 is thought to have been purchased by Henry John Honeyfield, who owned the section in 1894 when it was the subject of the Land Transfer Act 1885 – it’s thought that the section was subdivided at this time, and current numbers 163 and 165 Molesworth Street formed. The section was reduced in size following construction of the railway deviation around 1906-07.

On 24 January 1914 it was auctioned as part of the deceased estate of A. E. Pinson (Ada Ellen Pinson, died 6 May 1908). It appears Ada Pinson also owned the neighbouring Town Section 1968, as this was also for auction as part of the estate.   

The sections were purchased by an A. A. Pinson (presumably A. E. Pinson’s spouse or other family), because Town Sections 1968 and 1969 were again for sale by auction as part of the deceased estate of A. A. Pinson.

It appears the sections were then purchased by another family member, as Part Sections 1968 and 1969 were again offered for sale by a Mr F. Pinson (possibly Frank Pinson) of Hāwera in May 1918 for “£550 cash or an offer”. By this stage both cottages were advertised as being “five roomed” and “currently let to tenants”. One property “needs a bit of doing up” – presumably the cottage on Part Section 1968. 

Taranaki Land Deeds Index I5, page 577.