Clad in rusticated weatherboard, this two-storey commercial building was constructed for Miss Mary L. Gledhill (probably Mary Lavinia Gledhill) in 1883. The architect was probably Henry Taylor, who advertised for tenders for the construction of a shop and dwelling in Devon Street, just before the Herald reported the amounts for tenders received for the construction of a shop for Miss Gledhill.
Henry Taylor was the architect to the Taranaki Education Board and designed both the original New Plymouth High School and Central School; despite designing many Taranaki buildings, very few seem to have survived.
Miss Gledhill occupied a building on this site prior to 1883, when the property was owned by Thomas Hodgson. Following the death of Hodgson, the eastern-most part of Section 890 was purchased by Miss Gledhill in May 1883, with the building constructed sometime after this time - tenders were called for in TH 8 August 1883. The building, occupied by 'Gledhill', is clearly marked on Skinner and Sole's 1884 map of central New Plymouth.
The building appears to have remained in Miss Gledhill's ownership until her death on 7 September 1927 - the property was transferred to the Public Trustee in December 1927.
The building has lost much of its original detailing and sash windows - originally it had two single-pane double hung curved sash windows characteristic of buildings of this period.
Related items:
Town Section 890, Taranaki Land Deed Index I13 Page 154 and I13 page 158 (Archives New Zealand)
Taranaki DP4959 Sheet 1 (1928), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
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