This single-storey wooden house was located in upper Brougham Street. Town section 698. (Collection of Puke Ariki ARC2010-220 - cropped)
The date of construction is unknown, although it could date from the 1850s. On an 1884 map of New Plymouth the house is clearly marked and the owner is listed as J.B. Roy. John Barton Roy (1855 - 1926) was a New Plymouth solicitor and mayor of the town. He served as mayor on two separate occasions, 1888-89 and 1893-1897.
At some stage (most likely the 1890s), the building became the premises of the accounting firm, Bauchope and Webster.
In 1909 the listed occupier was the solicitor Oliver Samuel. It is likely that at this stage Samuel used the building as an office and city dwelling. The Samuels also owned Hapurunui (later Burgess House) at the time and this was their address on the electoral roll. After Mr Samuel died in 1922, his wife Rosamond moved permanently into the Brougham Street house. Hapurunui had by then been sold to Charles and Ann Burgess.
A Mrs Williams was listed as the occupier in the early 1950s.
On 1 January 1977 the house was leased by the Taranaki Society of the Arts. The landlord at the time was Mr. Tom Waddell, and the rent was set at $62.58 per month. The society stayed in Brougham Street until 1985, after which which they moved to the Gables in Brooklands Park. It was a fortuitous decision; a short time later Tom Waddell died and the property was sold for redevelopment. (Taranaki Society of Arts 1933 - 2008, Carol Wischnowsky, 2009)
This house and the neighbouring one were demolished in November 1988, and a new motel (Brougham Heights) built on the block between Powderham and Vivian Streets.
Taranaki Land Deed Index I3 p.278 (Section 698)
Related document:
From the archives: Clearing the city buildings for progress (Taranaki Daily News 28 September 2013)
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