99 Lemon Street (circa 1840s-60s)

The early history of Town Section 1581 is somewhat unclear. A list of New Plymouth Town Section allocations dated 3 September 1842 notes the Plymouth Company as being allotted the section. However, it seems the section was later allocated to Isaac Goodall, who by November 1855 is reported as being in arrears with his road rates for Town Section 1581. Goodall is again reported as being in arrears with rates for the section in 1856 and 1857. However, it is unclear if Goodall ever actually lived on the section, or even in New Plymouth.

The first entry in the Taranaki Land Deed Register for Town Section 1581 is for a mortgage from 'Nelson' to 'Wood' on 19 September 1857. It is possible the Nelson referred to in the transaction is Mr Christian Nelson, who was appointed ferryman at the Waitara River in mid-1866, when it seems he and his family relocated to Waitara. William Old may have acquired Town Section 1581 during the mid-1860s (possibly on Nelson’s departure to Waitara) as he mortgaged the property in 1867 and again in 1868; he is also signatory to a reconveyance to ‘Nelson’ dated 1861. William Old received the Crown Grant for Town Section 1581 on 27 December 1869, although this was not recorded until 1882.

William Old owned a farm near Lepperton, and it is entirely possible he acquired the Lemon Street property during the conflict of the early 1860s, and on returning to his farm once hostilities had settled, rented out the cottage. By 1868, it seems Old had returned to Lepperton, as he claimed he was driven off a portion of his land by a local Māori named Horapapera who threatened to shoot him if he returned. It seems Old may have been exaggerating the threats, and his failure to attend two meetings with the accused drew strong public criticism. He is listed as residing at Manutahi in the 1872-73 edition of Wises Street Directory. 

In June 1876, Alfred Chivers purchased the property from Old. This purchase is noted in the 1875-76 New Plymouth Town Board rates book, with Old’s name replaced by Chivers during 1876. The property had a valuation of £18 that year, and the property being liable for the fire rate indicates a dwelling was present on the section at that time. Alfred had arrived in New Plymouth with his wife Susan in 1874 as part of the assisted emigration scheme. Alfred was to become the Borough Carter for many years, and the couple are thought to have lived in the cottage with their children until November 1884, when it was sold to Sarah Cassell. 

Little is known about Sarah Cassell, but she retained ownership of the cottage until her death in early 1908. Upon Cassell’s death, Town Section 1581 was subdivided and the western portion with the cottage was purchased by Charles Peapell. Soon after purchasing the property Peapell relocated to Whanganui, although he retained the Lemon Street property as a rental. Peapell sold the property to J.J. Cook in May 1920, who then sold the cottage to railway employee John J. Hanover in October of that year. The property title was issued to Hanover under the Land Transfer Act in 1928. 

This cottage is very similar in style to some of the prefabricated cottages erected by early settlers - these were partially constructed before departure and assembled by the settlers after their arrival. For an example of a prefabricated cottage erected in New Plymouth, see the linked photograph of Shaw Cottage. If the front section of this cottage was indeed pre-fabricated, it may have been constructed out of Baltic Pine as was Shaw Cottage. However, Baltic Pine did not withstand the New Plymouth climate and rotted very easily - by the time Shaw Cottage was demolished in the 1930s, much of the Baltic Pine had been replaced with native timbers. It is possible the front section of this cottage met the same fate, although further research is required.

Town Section 1581, Taranaki Land Deed Index I1 Page 118 and I13 Page 568.