House

66 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro, Wellington
❰ ❱
WCC 2010
WCC 2010
An aerial view of Wellington, 1934. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: 1/2-122291-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
An aerial view of Wellington, 1934. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: 1/2-122291-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
‘66 Abel Smith Street, dwelling,’ 26 February 1898, 00053:41:2649, Wellington City Archives
66 Abel Smith Street, dwelling, 26 February 1898, 00053:41:2649, Wellington City Archives
Cityview GIS 2012
Cityview GIS 2012
Map

  • Constructed

    1898

  • Architect(s)

    Unknown

  • Builder(s)

    W.R. Johnson

  • The house is a typical tall and narrow Victorian villa. It has aesthetic value for the design, proportions and ornamentation of the street façade. 

    The building has had an uneventful history that is representative of many inner city residential properties.

    The building has some value for its contribution to the sense of place and continuity of Abel Smith Street, but this has been somewhat diminished by the redevelopment of the street as a commercial zone in recent years.

  • Downloadable(s)

    Download this content as PDF

  • close History

    • This pair of houses at 66 and 68 Abel Smith Street appears to have experienced a fairly typical, if uneventful, history that is representative of many inner city houses. Captain Romerill had an interest in both properties at the end of the 19th century and his name appears on building permits for alterations to 68 Abel Smith Street in 1898 and as the property owner at 66 Abel Smith Street when it was built in the same year.  

      The two houses are on the same title and have been sold as a pair throughout their known history.  They were sold at frequent intervals in the early 20th century and a typical owner was the optician Ernest Mark Sandstein who owned the houses from 1910 – 1915.   

      The area around Cuba Street to the south of Vivian Street experienced a decline in fortunes in the mid-20thC, and parts of Cuba, Vivian and Ghuznee Streets became known as Wellington’s ‘Red Light District.’ The most notable personality associated with the property during these years was Clare Hallam (1885-1976), a property owner and boarding-house keeper who made her name and fortune from her willingness to rent boarding house accommodation to homeless alcoholics and others who struggled to find long term housing. Hallam, who also hired rooms by the hour, was described by Canon Walter Arnold, the City Missioner as ‘a very lovable rogue,’ for her ability to combine business acumen with ‘philanthropy of sorts’.   One of the houses she owned on Abel Smith Street was raided by police in 1943 and found to be occupied by prostitutes and ‘drunken servicemen’.  Hallam sold the properties at 66 and 68 Abel Smith Street two years later, at the end of WWII. 

      Although houses and cottages once predominated Abel Smith Street these two houses are the only ones, on this street block, to have survived redevelopment and to remain in residential use. The area around Cuba and Abel Smith Streets has since gentrified and its fortunes have improved with the completion of the inner-city bypass at nearby Karo Drive.  The buildings that were once vacant, awaiting demolition or relocation to suit the new roading scheme, have since been demolished or moved. New businesses have opened in the refurbished buildings at Willis Street, Tonks Grove, Abel Smith Street and Cuba Street. The buildings at 66 and 68 Abel Smith Street now appear to be owned as investment properties and let for residential use. 

  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      The building is a typical tall narrow two storey Victorian villa with a side entrance that is accessed via a narrow side alley. The street elevation features a rectangular bay window with sash windows at ground floor with a pair of linked sash windows above. The roof is ‘supported’ by eaves brackets and these repeat on the bay. There is an empty site the east of the building and the simple, unadorned, east elevation is visible from the street.

    • Materials close
      • Timber structure
      • Weatherboard cladding
      • Timber sash windows
      • Corrugated mild steel roof
    • Setting close

      The two buildings at 66 and 68 Abel Smith Street are located on a street block between Victoria Street and Cuba Street. On the eastern side of the pair of buildings is an open car park, separating them from a dry cleaner store (non-heritage) which marks the corner of Cuba Street and Abel Smith Street. To the west is a non-descript two storey commercial building, and the nearest heritage building of note is the former Wellington Education Board Building (1939) immediately opposite at 65-69 Abel Smith Street. 

      The two remaining timber houses in this street block of Abel Smith Street can be seen as a reminder of the residential use of upper Cuba Street in the early 20th century. It is unfortunate that the poor quality of their surrounding buildings, landscape and streetscape detracts from the aesthetic value of these buildings.

  • close Cultural Value
    The house is a typical tall and narrow Victorian villa. It has aesthetic value for the design, proportions and ornamentation of the street façade. 

    The building has had an uneventful history that is representative of many inner city residential properties

    The building has some value for its contribution to the sense of place and continuity of Abel Smith Street, but this has been somewhat diminished by the redevelopment of the street as a commercial zone in recent years.

    • Aesthetic Value close

      • 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?

        The house is a typical tall and narrow Victorian villa. It has aesthetic value for the design, proportions and ornamentation of the street façade. 

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

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

        The building has had an uneventful history that is representative of many inner city residential properties.

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaeological

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

        The building is located in the Central City archaeological site reference NZAA R27/270. Pre 1900 building.

    • Social Value close

      • 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?

        The building has some value for its contribution to the sense of place and continuity of Abel Smith Street, but this has been somewhat diminished by the redevelopment of the street as a commercial zone in recent years.

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • 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?

        The building has retained a significant amount of original exterior fabric and therefore has authenticity.

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      16/2.1

    • Legal Description

      Lot 2 DP 6355

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      Not listed

    • Archaeological Site

      Central City NZAA R27/270

    • Current Uses

      unknown

    • Former Uses

      unknown

    • Has building been funded

      No

    • Funding Amount

      Not applicable

    • Earthquake Prone Status

      Unknown

  • close Additional Information

Last updated: 10/6/2017 2:14:19 AM