Houses

• 1926
• 44 Aro Street, additions to dwelling (00056:7:B616)
• 2002
• 44 Aro Street, additions and alterations (00078:1458:93314)
• 2004
• 44 Aro Street, pergola and shed (00078:1366:120260)
• 2005
• 44 Aro Street, dwelling additions and alterations (00078:2030:133178)
• 1925
• 46 Aro Street, additions to dwelling (00056:5:B428)
• 1929
• 46 Aro Street, garage and tool shed (00056:68:B6535)
• 1971
• 46 Aro Street, repile dwelling (00058:748:C33864)

• 1899
• No. 44
• 1899
• Robert Rice – occupation unknown, Anna Flynn – occupation unknown
• 1914
• Succession of tenants: Jessie Burton – occupation unknown, Edward Murphy– Engine driver and Ellen Murphy, Felix Newfield – Union secretary and Georgina Newfield
• 1967
• Stan Noble – Salesman
• 1975
• T. Melesala – occupation unknown
• unknown
• No. 46
• 1899
• Bernard Watts – Boot maker, William Brown – Letter carrier
• 1920
• Francis Brown – Despatch clerk
• 1941
• Bentar Westheim – Tie manufacturer, Sidney Reille – Driver, Charles Hutton – Civil servant, Leonard Hamilton – Clerk

Not assessed

These buildings are identical double storey villas, with exteriors that are basically in original condition. They have been built in a late Victorian Italianate style.  

Each is essentially rectangular in shape, with a hipped roof, double storey bay, and a side entry with a verandah above the doorway, capped with a balustrade. Balusters are cut out patterns, the fretwork below the verandah, and the eaves brackets are the principle decorative elements of these dwellings. Both of these villas are rectangular in plan, and clad in rusticated weatherboard, with corrugated iron hipped roofs surmounted by a chimneystack. The street facades have a two storey square bay window, with groupings of sash windows, and a main entrance incorporating a verandah above. The entrance porch and verandah balustrade both feature finely detailed wrought iron filigree. There is also another entrance on the western elevation.   

Rusticated weatherboards

Corrugated iron roofing

Timber joinery

The houses at 44-46 Aro Street are part of the group of houses that make up the Aro Street cottages historic area. They are well preserved externally and are excellent representatives of the period in which they were constructed. These houses have a simplicity that is indicative of their age and purpose as workers’ housing.

The area is confined to the older, visually compatible structures that flank Aro Street, an area that has coherence as all the buildings were constructed between 1875 and 1910 and share similarities in history – predominantly that of working class people of the area – and in design and the use of construction materials. The area shares a homogeneity of design, appearance, and construction, and most of the buildings are typical of their times.

• Architectural

  Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?

  These two houses are of architectural value as representative examples of Victorian Italianate dwellings, a popular style from the period of their construction. They are identical double storey villas, with exteriors that are basically in original condition.

• Group

  : Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?

  These buildings are a part of the largest collection of intact working class buildings in Wellington, giving them an important local significance. These houses should be recognised for their outstanding group heritage value.

• Townscape

  Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?

  These houses are of townscape value as they are extremely prominent in the streetscape as they are among the most obviously decorative of the houses in the historic area, and due to the double height bays, as well as the quality of the wrought iron filigree on the verandah/entrance.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important historic event, theme, pattern, phase, or activity?

  Their historical significance is primarily associated with the fact that the area has an almost unbroken history of working class life, and the houses consistently reflect this history.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important person, group, or organisation?

  Although these houses have had quiet histories, No. 46 was owned for a number of years by Sir Kerry Burke and the late Helen Paske, giving this building a historical association over and above those of the typical Aro Street house.

• Archeaological

  Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?

  This area of the Aro Valley is known to have been occupied pre 1900, so the risk of discovery of archaeological materials is relatively high. These buildings were also constructed pre 1900.

• Identity Sense of place Continuity

  Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?

  These houses contribute to the sense of place and continuity on Aro Street due to the retention of their original features and their long standing place on the street.

• Authentic

  Does the item have authenticity or integrity because it retains significant fabric from the time of its construction or from later periods when important additions or modifications were carried out?

  Allied to their consistent history is that these houses retain a significant amount of authenticity and have had few negative exterior alterations.

• Representative

  Is the item a good example of the class it represents?

  These houses are good representative of the types of dwellings that were being constructed at the turn of the century. They are constructed in materials, and using techniques, that were common to the period.

• Local

  Is the item important for any of the above characteristics at a local, regional, national, or international level?

  These buildings are a part of the largest collection of intact working class buildings in Wellington, giving them an important local significance

Not assessed

• Kelly, Michael. ‘Aro Valley Cottages Heritage Area – Aro Pt 2 doc.’ Unpublished report prepared for Wellington City Council, 2002.
• Wellington City Archive
• 1899 Wordsworth Street [44, 46, 48 Aro Street], three dwellings (00053:56:3551)
• 1926 44 Aro Street, additions to dwelling (00056:7:B616)
• 2002 44 Aro Street, additions and alterations (00078:1458:93314)
• 2004 44 Aro Street, pergola and shed (00078:1366:120260)
• 2005 44 Aro Street, dwelling additions and alterations (00078:2030:133178)
• 1925 46 Aro Street, additions to dwelling (00056:5:B428)
• 1929 46 Aro Street, garage and tool shed (00056:68:B6535)
• 1971 46 Aro Street, repile dwelling (00058:748:C33864)

• Inventory Report

Not available