Kete New Plymouth

Detail from circa 1890s view of Waitara

The northern portion of this two-storied building was constructed in 1882 as an addition to Samuel Joll's butchery shop (constructed sometime in the late 1870s or early 1880s) - it was later used as a boarding house. 

The architect for the additions was Ed Wickham and the builder a man named 'Wilson' - the construction cost was £390.

The building survived on this site until 1920

This single storey timber house was very likely constructed in 1882 by/for Thomas Rowe. 

Soon after construction Thomas encountered financial difficulties and the house was advertised for sale by auction by 'order of the mortgagees'. 

An advertisement in the Taranaki Herald described the house as: "Section 7, Block 104, Raleigh West, with new Villa Residence, late the property of Mr. Thomas Rowe, and being one of the best buildings in Waitara".

The house is a very early example of a Waitara 'villa', with the high stud and placement perpendicular to Browne Street (facing north) being key

With the majority of early English settlers to New Plymouth hailing from Cornwall and Devon, their descendants often looked to those regions when naming roads in the city later on. Doone Street in Lynmouth was inspired by the heroine of the celebrated Victorian novel Lorna Doone, set in Devonshire.

Written by Richard Doddridge Blackmore in 1869, Lorna Doone is an historical romance about farmer John Ridd and his love for the beautiful Lorna. Blackmore (1825-1900) was not born in Devon but often described himself as a Devonian after a childhood spent

This attractive bungalow residence was constructed for plasterer George Knight in 1924 - it was originally located at 269 Courtenay Street and relocated to its present site in 1971.

A permit for the construction of a house on Town Section 2058 Courtenay Street, was granted to George Knight by the New Plymouth Borough Council on August 20th 1924 - Jones and Sandford were listed as the builders and the estimated construction cost was £1500. It seems likely George completed the exterior stucco plastering himself.

George Knight is listed as residing in the house until the early 1940s,

Culzean Grove runs off Glamis Avenue in Bell Block and was named after an opulent castle in Scotland.

In 1975 the Totara Park Development Company created a subdivision in the area called Kingsdown with the slogan “Not just a place to live, but a way of life”. The company was a subsidiary of M.S.D. Speirs, now known as the Speirs Group, who had pioneered fast food restaurants in New Zealand with their Big Tex chain.

The name Kingsdown was chosen to incorporate that of prominent local family the Kings, who had previously owned the land. In keeping with the royal