This attractive corner villa was one of two homes designed by prominent New Plymouth architect Frank Messenger in 1908 for a particularly deceptive man who went by the name of 'Benjamin Enroth' - real name Ebenezer Thorne.
In 1898, Mrs Clara Berridge purchased the section bounded by Devon Street West, Belt Road, and Davies Lane, and she and her ailing husband William Berridge, soon shifted into the house on the property known as 'The Grange' - located approximately where 358 Devon Street West now stands.
William died in September 1903, and soon after, Mrs Berridge opened a private nursing home at 'The Grange'. In 1906, a man who called himself 'Benjamin Enroth' came to stay at the nursing home, and two months after arrival, made an offer of marriage to Mrs Berridge - this was initially declined. However, on leaving the nursing home, Enroth continued to write to Mrs Berridge, and returned in February 1907 where he made another offer of marriage - this time Mrs Berridge accepted. The pair were married, and continued to live at 'The Grange'.
The only hint that Benjamin was not quite who he seemed, was a strange accusation made by Benjamin's daughter in 1907. Whilst on a visit to Auckland, Benjamin's daughter told Clara that Mr Enroth already had a wife in Brisbane - whilst Clara was upset, Benjamin was able to convince his 'wife' otherwise, and they continued to live amicably.
In 1907, 'Benjamin Enroth' wanted to build two rental homes on the property and subsequently had ownership of the property transferred from his 'wife' to himself - with a provision that ownership would revert to Clara and her children upon his death. The homes were constructed in mid-1908, with prominent New Plymouth architect Frank Messenger calling for tenders for the construction of two homes for Mr B. Enroth in May 1908. The present villa at 58 Belt Road was one of the homes constructed, with the other, formerly located at 352-354 Devon Street West, since demolished.
'Benjamin Enroth' died at New Plymouth in May 1911, and it was only upon his death that the true extent of his deception was revealed. 'Benjamin Enroth's' real name turned out to be Ebenezer Thorne, and he did indeed have a wife living in Brisbane - Miss Sarah Elizabeth Lane. 'Enroth' had married Miss Lane following the death of his (presumed) first wife Miss Hoopell, but later left Miss Lane to return to England, where, whilst still married to Miss Lane, he married a widow, Mrs Earle. Upon Mrs Earle's death, he received the proceeds of her estate and moved to New Zealand - where, whilst still married, wed Mrs Berridge.
'Benjamin Enroth's' web of deception caused significant problems for Mrs Berridge when she tried to claim back her property from the Public Trustee upon 'Benjamin's' death as per his will - the trouble was that Benjamin not only procured ownership of the property and built the houses (with a government loan) using a false identity, but he also had more than one will.
Eventually Mrs Berridge reclaimed ownership and continued to rent out the property for a period before it was eventually sold. The McGrath family lived in the house for a number of years.
Puke Ariki holds a file containing original documents and photographs from the 'Enroth Case' (ARC2013-898 ).
Related items:
The Enroth Case: A Much-Married Man (Taranaki Herald 5 February 1914)
The Enroth Case: In Favour of Mrs Berridge (Taranaki Herald 21 April 1914)
Taranaki DP2936 Sheet 1 (1908), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Please do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.
