'The Bungalow' 5 Gilbert Street (1911)

This large double gabled transitional villa is located in a prominent position opposite the Gilbert Street entrance to Pukekura Park. In July 1911, a permit for the construction of a residence on Town Section 1046 was granted by the Borough Council to Boon Bros, who also designed and built the home; the estimated cost was £750, although in a dispute over the valuation of the home, the construction cost was given as £900.

The home appears to have operated as a boarding house under the name 'The Bungalow' from early 1912, with the first proprietor being Mrs R. C. Whitham, who operated the boarding house until mid-1917. 

Related item:

Town Section 1046, Taranaki Land Deed Index I4 Page 238 - note the small map at the foot of the page has the street labelled 'Gill Street" - this is a mistake. (Archives New Zealand)