16 Walter Street is a small four-room “worker’s” cottage of a type that was once common throughout Te Aro. It is located on a narrow 104m2 section and is the sole surviving example of a row of six similar cottages that extended from No.10 to No.2o Walter Street.
Walter Street runs through the centre of Town Acres 121 and 122 and is a narrow side lane situated to the south of Ingestre (now Vivian) Street. Town Acre 122 appears to have been developed in the 1870s, and Walter Street was occupied by at least 13 households by 1878. The cottage is visible on the Thomas Ward map of 1892 as one of only 16 houses on the street; but, as many of the larger houses were subdivided into multiple tenancies, it is difficult to identify the property accurately until 1909 (when the Post Office directory first lists the modern house numbers).
An unattended candle caused a house-fire in 1905 that injured Mr John Weston, his wife, and two of their three children. All appear to have survived. The fire damaged the roof and the two upstairs bedrooms, and there was extensive water damage to the ground floor rooms. The cottage was owned by Dr Lowe, a dentist, and insured for £220, and although the extent of the fire damage and subsequent repairs are unclear, it is possible that the house was substantially rebuilt at this date. The house was repaired or rebuilt by 1909 when Mrs E L Weston, an “off cleaner”, was listed as head of the household.
David McGill wrote, in 1981, about proposals to redevelop Walter Street, and of the close-knit community that once lived in the cottages and houses that lined the narrow lane. No. 16 was owned by Molly Molloy, a long time resident of the street, and was well maintained and in good condition. It stood in stark contrast to the derelict and vacant neighbouring cottages that were due for demolition.
Thirty years later and Walter Street is still awaiting redevelopment. No. 16 stands alone amid various parking lots, and the cottage is currently occupied by Awa Press publishers.
