This large two-storey villa is located on the corner of Victoria Road and Gilbert Street. The corner section was originally part of Town Section 1064 and on DP 561 (dated December 1892) it is shown as being in the ownership of the 'Recreation Grounds Board'.
The house was built in 1901-2 (tenders were called in November 1901) for the surveyor, George Henry Bullard. It was designed by the architect James Sanderson and was initially known as "Hillcrest", later changed to "Walkerville".
Additions were made to the home in 1905, designed by notable New Plymouth architect Frank Messenger.
Another well-known New Plymouth architect T.H. Bates bought the house about 1944 and was responsible for further alterations to the house carried out in 1945 and 1951.
Related items:
Living history in the city centre (Taranaki Daily News 21 November 2015)
Standout villa borders Pukekura (Taranaki Daily News 18 January 2020)
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