This early bay villa was constructed during the mid-1880s for accountant Paul Champion Morton and his wife Mary Lewis Morton.
The recently subdivided allotment at the corner of Devon Street West and Cutfield Road was purchased by Mary Lewis Morton during September 1886, with the present house constructed as the Morton's family home soon after.
The Morton's appear to have resided in the house until Mary's death in 1903, after which time ownership of the property was transferred to the Trustees of Mary's estate, with Paul moving to a house in Young Street and this house rented out.
In 1907 the property was purchased by George Fox, before being transferred to his wife, Maude Maria Fox, during 1912. The Fox's don't appear to have lived in the house themselves, and it seems they continued to rent it out.
In 1934, Maude had the property subdivided into three allotments, selling allotments 2 and 3, but retaining allotment 1 with the existing house. Following Maude's death in 1939, allotment 1 with the house was transmitted to Robert Arthur Neville Fox, who retained ownership until the property was purchased by Vera May Robinson in 1952.
Related items:
Town Belt A, Taranaki Land Deed Index I1 page 556. (Archives New Zealand)
Taranaki DP61 A Sheet 1 (1883), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki (Lot 1) DP5458 Sheet 1 (1934), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
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