This three-storey reinforced concrete building on Egmont Street was designed by the firm Messenger, Griffiths and Taylor in 1925. It replaced a building - also known as 'Egmont Chambers' - which was destroyed in the large blaze of 1916 that also destroyed a number of other buildings on the Egmont and Devon Street corner. This earlier two-storey building was designed by Mr John Maisey for Mr W.D. Webster in 1902.
A building permit was issued to Mr Albert Brown on 7 December 1925 for shops and offices on town section 652, at an estimated cost of £2500.00. It was built by Mr Brown who was listed on electoral rolls as a carpenter. The Taranaki Daily News praised the building for its "pleasing appearance" and noted that the reinforced concrete construction would allow for extra stories if needed in the future.
At 3.20 p.m. on Saturday 18 May 1957 smoke was seen seeping from the rear of the Egmont Chambers Building. The alarm was raised and two fire engines and fire police were dispatched to the scene. Deputy Fire Chief Leonard Goodman lost his life while trying to extinguish the fire in the basement. Only the basement and first floor were damaged by the fire.
Related items:
Town Section 652, Taranaki Land Deed Index I3 Page 107 (Archives New Zealand)
Taranaki DP970 Sheet 1 (1896), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP1144 Sheet 1 (1898), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP1283 Sheet 1 (1899), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP3902 Sheet 1 (1920), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki (Lot 2) DP4067 Sheet 1 (1919), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Egmont Chamers (NPDC CBD Heritage Inventory report, Chris Cochran, 1995)
Deputy Fire Chief Dies in City Blaze (Sports Herald 18 May 1957)
Investigation Into Fatal Fire (Taranaki Herald 20 May 1957)
Memorial service (Taranaki Herald 21 May 1957)
Tragic Fire page 1, 2 and 3 (New Plymouth Photo News #5 13 June 1957)
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