'Waiake' 88A Carrington Street (1904)

The story of the present house at 88A Carrington Street begins at a sale of Education Board leases in May 1902, when Stephen Boothby White and G. H. Maunder purchased the lease for lot 2 of sub 4 of Education Reserve W; they paid a total of £22 10s. Two months later, during July 1902, White and Maunder surrendered their lease for this property and had the section subdivided in two, with new (separate) leases for each portion granted to White and Maunder. Stephen White’s lease incorporated the southernmost portion of the original property (lot 2b of sub 4 of Education Reserve W), and was subject to both a yearly rental of £15, and the condition that improvements to the value of £200 must be made to the property within a specified timeframe.

It was on lot 2b of sub 4 of Education Reserve W that S. B. White had the original portion of the present house constructed during 1904. The plans for the house were approved by the Taranaki School Commissioners during March 1904, with White first appearing as residing in Victoria Road (the then name for present Carrington Street), in the 1905 edition of Stones Street Directory. The house in its original form appears to have followed the layout of a typical timber bay villa, this being the present southern portion of the house. The architect and builder for the original house are presently unknown.  

The man for whom the house was built, Stephen Boothby White, was born at Luborough England and educated at Lowth. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1880 and after a short time farming at Omata (Barrett Road), took a position with businessman Newton King, and later with lawyer Mr Henry R. Richmond. In 1888 he started in business on his own account, first taking over Mr Handy’s general store in Eliot Street, before opening a drapery shop in Devon Street during 1896.

His two sons, Percy J. H. White and George S. White, became partners in the Devon Street business in April 1904. The firm then traded under the name S. B. White & Sons, which it retained until 1920, when the firm became a limited liability company under the name Whites Ltd. The firm would continue to trade under the Whites name for much of the twentieth century, with Whites later business premises, constructed in stages during 1922 and 1934, still standing at 13-15 Devon Street West.

Stephen Boothby White held the lease for the property until his death in 1914, when the lease was transferred to Frederick Alfred Lichtwark, who held a sale and purchase agreement with the executors of S. B. White’s Estate. Lichtwark only held the lease for a short period before selling his interest to Samuel Kindberg and Andrew Kindberg during October 1915. Lichtwark is noted as the occupier in the 1916 edition of Wises Post Office Directory, with Mrs Matilda Kindberg noted as the occupier from the 1917 edition until the 1931 edition.

The lease of the property was acquired by New Plymouth architect Horace Victor Griffiths during 1931 or 1932; Griffiths resided at neighbouring "Elmstone", located at present 92 Carrington Street. Griffiths soon had the property subdivided into 7 lots and set about constructing houses on the property; the first being present 84A Carrington Street, completed during early 1932.

The next occupant of the house at 88A Carrington Street was machinist Frances T. Eaddy, who is recorded as residing at the house from about 1932 until 1938 or 1939, after which time teacher George Henry Davey is listed as the occupier. It seems Davey remained living in the house for a considerable period of time. The house was sold in 1981, 1984, 1993, and in late-2019.

The original villa has been considerably enlarged and now comprises a number of additions, although many of the original villa features survive. The house is set-back from the street and surrounded by mature trees, with the original section having since been subdivided into smaller allotments.

See: DP1292; DP1774; DP1843; DP6375;  

Books

The History of Whites 1888-1948, by Eric H. White, TRCT381.1 WHI