French's Cottage, 98 Gover Street (circa. 1867)

John McDonald was the original recipient of the Crown Grant for Town Section 1139 in 1858. In 1862 he sold the section to John French, a farmer who is thought to have moved into town during the Taranaki Wars - it is likely French constructed the original section of the cottage circa 1867 (the section appears to be empty in 1866, and John French took out another mortgage on the property in 1867).

John owned the property until 1882, when it was sold to D. Power. The property was sold to A. M. Bramley in 1891. In 1906, when the property was subject to the Land Transfer Act, it appears to be in the ownership of Annie Richmond.

The original section of this cottage is the middle east-west gable - this is clearly indicated on Skinner's 1880 map of New Plymouth. This section is built in the distinctive 'saltbox' style and was likely originally clad in vertical board and batten. The front section of the cottage encroaches onto part of Town Section 1120 and was likely added in the 1890s -1900s.

Related items:

Town Section 1139, Taranaki Land Deed Index I1 Page 336 (Archives New Zealand)

Taranaki SO799 Sheet 1 (1898), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)

Taranaki SO7202 Sheet 1A (1930), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)

Taranaki DP7181 Sheet 1 (1952), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ) 

Taranaki DP8419 Sheet 1 (1958), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)

Rebirth for city cottage (Taranaki Daily News 17 February 2007)