This two-storey building in Fenton Street was built in 1920 for a recently amalgamated firm of solicitors.
It was announced in the Taranaki Daily News on 10 November 1919 that Messrs. Spence and Stanford would amalgamate with Messrs. Rutherford, Macalister and Coleman once new premises were erected in Fenton Street, "between the National Bank and Mr.Newton King's machinery department."
Tenders were called for by the architect, John D.Healy in December 1919 and the Taranaki Daily News reported in January 1920 that the contract had been let to the Stratford builder, Mr W. Simmons. The estimated cost was thought to be about £5,000.
As the legal firm did not need the whole building some offices were leased out to other businesses.
Stuart Greenhill and Jo Stallard bought the building in 2016 and over the following years converted the downstairs into a gin-distillery, coffee-roastery, cafe and art gallery. The upstairs are now living quarters.
In 2020 the building was listed as a category 2 historic place on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero.
Please do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.