188 Powderham Street (circa 1906)

This double bay villa is thought to have been constructed for Mr Honnor in the early 1900s, and was originally located on Part Town Section 969, Liardet Street (second house from the SE corner).  

Frank Messenger may have been the architect and is known to have designed a building on Town Section 969 in 1906 - on 14 September 1906, a permit was granted for the construction of a 'cottage' on Town Section 969 - Messenger was noted as the architect, and the estimated construction cost was £399.

In 1968, the New Plymouth City Council purchased the property and converted the building into the New Plymouth Public Relations Office, a forerunner to the later Ngāmotu New Plymouth isite Information Centre.

The villa was relocated to its current location in the early 1990s to make room for the construction of a new information centre on the corner of Liardet and Leach Streets. 

Double bay villas are uncommon in New Plymouth, and it is one of the few villas to have been relocated to an area within central New Plymouth - helping to maintain the character of inner-city residential areas.

The exterior of the building is in relatively original condition, being clad in rusticated weatherboard, and retaining its original sash windows.

Town Section 969 (Liardet Street), Taranaki Land Deeds Index I13, page 223.

Related documents:

Vote Split Over PRO Building (Daily News 13 March 1992)

New PRO Office Gets Go Ahead (Daily News 17 July 1992)