This home started life in 1894 as one of three similar villas constructed on Victoria Road between Pendarves and Gilbert Streets - extensive renovations were carried out in the early 1990s by then owners Mary and Murray Boulter, and the home is now unrecognisable as an 1890s villa.
Town Sections 1025, 1044, and 1045 were purchased by W. Shephard in August 1894 from New Plymouth Land Agent W. J. Spurge. Advertisements were then placed in the Taranaki Herald in late August 1894 by architect P. G. Smith calling for tenders for the erection of three cottages for W. Shephard Esq, on Carrington Road.
The three villas appear to have originally been named "Mount Pleasant" (probably Section 1045 - this home), "Holmwood" (probably Section 1044 - 1 Victoria Road) and "Brookside" (probably Section 1025 - since relocated). All three villas were listed for sale as "recently built" in December 1894 using these names. Puke Ariki holds a panoramic photograph showing the villas, dated 1896.
The home was originally clad in ship-lap weatherboard and would have had single-pane double hung sash windows - it would have looked almost identical to neighbouring 1 Victoria Road. The home is now clad in painted plaster, a clerestory roof runs the length of the house, and a second gable has been added at the northern front of the building.
Related items:
Town Section 1045, Taranaki Land Deed Index I1 Page 150 and I13 Page 332. (Archives New Zealand)
NP home's designer roof draws the eye (Daily News 7 April 2001 p.33)
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