Maranui (1892)

This 1890s two storey villa is located at 25 Maranui Street, Welbourn.

The land was originally owned by well-known businessman Newton King, with ownership transferred to builder and property developer James Cartwright George in 1892. A newspaper article from November 1892 advertising nearby sections on Avenue Road states that "A handsome residence for Mr J. C. George is approaching completion" putting the completion date around late 1892.

The builder of the home was George Cliff. 

The house has boasted a number of notable owners over the years including lawyer Clement Govett (father of Monica Brewster), newspaper editor Thomas Currie List and magistrate William Woodward.

More recent owners include the Stonnell family, who bought the property in 1969, followed by the McKenzie family in 1974 and the McAlpine family in 1993.

Maranui's gardens were once extensive, with as many as five gardeners employed. The land has gradually been sold off including a plantation at the rear to the Council in 1944 (this now forms part of Pukekura Park) and in 1946 part of the land was taken for State housing (now Maranui Street). Further land was sold to the Masson family in 1959.

Sharon McAlpine (the owner of Maranui from 1993) has written a history of the house which is available in the Taranaki Research Centre at Puke Ariki (TRCT993.482 MAR). 

Related documents:

Fairytale home for a family (Taranaki Daily News 5 September 2015)

Family honours historical treasure (Taranaki Daily News April 2021)