This two-storey building at 66-68 Devon Street East was probably constructed about 1900, the exact date is unknown.
Alfred George Catran moved his stationery business here in 1903 from a shop on the north side of the Devon Street East hill. Jim Corrigall bought the business in 1914 and the family name was to be linked with bookselling, and this building, for nearly one hundred years.
Jim Corrigall died in 1921, aged 32, leaving his widow Bertha and young son Jack to run the business. Additions to the shop were carried out in 1949 adding an extra 1110 sq feet (338m) of floor space. These alterations were designed by noted New Plymouth architect, Thomas Bates.
Jack Corrigall remained with the business until he retired at the age of 78, in 1984. His son, Ian, took over the business until it was sold in 2003.
Following this the business traded under the "Paper Plus" name, until this too closed.
Legal description: Part of Town Section 913, Taranaki Land Deed Index I3 Page 112 and I13 Page 314.
Related documents and plan:
Alfred George Catran Obituary (Taranaki Herald 5 June 1917)
Jack & Jill Have Held The Till (Advertisement in TNL Centennial Supplement 1976)
Corrigalls 100 years in NP (Daily News 3 June 1999)
Corrigalls (City of Challenge Vol II c1980)
Taranaki DP4934 Sheet 1 Sections 913 And 914, ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Please do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.
