Maranui (1892)

This 1890s two storey villa is located at 25 Maranui Street, Welbourn.

The land was originally owned by the well known businessman Newton King, with the ownership transferred to builder and property developer James Cartwright George in 1892 - a newspaper article from November 1892 advertising nearby sections on the Avenue Road states that "A handsome residence for Mr J. C. George is approaching completion" - putting the completion date at late 1892.

The builder for the home was Mr G. Cliff. 

The house boasts a number of notable owners over the years including; lawyer Clement Govett (father of Monica Brewster), newspaper editor T.C. List and the magistrate William Woodward.

More recent owners include the Stonnell family, who bought the property in 1969,followed by the McKenzie family in 1974 and the McAlpine family in 1993.

The gardens were once extensive and at one stage up to five gardeners were employed. The land has gradually been sold off - a plantation at the rear to the Council in 1944 (now part of Pukekura Park) and in 1946 part of the land was taken for State housing (now Maranui Street) and further land was sold in 1959 to the Masson family.

Sharon McAlpine (owner from 1993) has written a history of the house which is available in the Taranaki Research Centre at Puke Ariki (TRCT993.482 MAR). 

Related documents:

Fairytale home for a family (Taranaki Daily News 5 September 2015)

Family honours historical treasure (Taranaki Daily News April 2021)