When the New Plymouth Borough Council bought this corner site in 1945 it was anticipated that it would eventually make an ideal site for a new town hall.
Located on the site at the time was the 30 room Marsland View Boarding House. The immediate aim of the purchase was to provide accommodation for men employed by the municipal electricity authority. The large house was to be converted into six flats for the workers.
The longer-term aim was to build a modern four-storey town hall complex. Mr Darby, chairman of the electric light and tramways committee, describes his vision for the building in this report published in the Taranaki Daily News.
Despite the obvious enthusiasm for a new municipal complex nothing eventuated and in 1976 the house was demolished. The site is now a car park at the back of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church.
The house was originally built (c1890s) for Mr F.L. Webster, one of the owners of the Egmont Flour Mill. The "Thirteen-room" residence was advertised for sale in 1894, but it was not until 1901 that the house was sold, and an auction held on site of surplus furniture and sundry outdoor items.
Miss Baker bought the property in 1915, turning it into a private hospital. In 1922 the Taranaki Daily News reported that she had decided to close the hospital and take a "well-earned rest". In late November 1922, L.A. Nolan held an auction to dispose of all the hospital fittings. Mrs Golding purchased the hospital building and set about converting it into the twenty-two bedroom "Marsland View" Private Hotel.
Related items:
Town Section 955, Taranaki Land Deed Index I1 page 226. (Archives New Zealand)
Town Section 955, Taranaki Land Deed Index I13 page 414. (Archives New Zealand)
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