A UNIQUE HOUSE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17165, 15 October 1926, Page 7

A UNIQUE HOUSE

WALPOLE’S OLD HOME AUCKLAND VICARAGE TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION (Special to (lie Herald.l AUCKLAND, this day.' A house of unique interest in New Zealand, since it was the first home of the eminent novelist, Hugh Walpole, will shortly disappear from Auckland, as it will to-day 1.0 offered at auction for removal. The house stands in Parnell road, next to St., Alary’s Cathedral, and was the first vicarage of St. Mary’s, in it, in the year 18X4, Hugh Walpole, who is now on the front rank of modern novelists, was horn. His father, then vicar of St. Mary’s, is now Bishop of Edinburgh. The house is one of the oldest in Purnell, having been built about .lSfi.S for Archdeacon Maunscll, who was the second incumbent of hit. Mary’s, having succeeded Archdeacon Kissling. The next accupants of the house were Hugh Walpole’s parents, but as it did not please them the new vicarage, which is at present occupied by Canon .Tames, was built at the rear of the ehureh. A few years later the old vicarage was let, and was for a long time occupied by the late Dr, E. D. Maelvellar. Hugh Walpole was only a few years old when his parents moved to New York, where his father had accepted an appointment as professor in a theological college, and there are residents of Farnell who still remember the great novelist as a little lad with groat brown eyes. To Mrs T. Ward, of Parnell, then Miss Neta Kissling, belongs the honor of having taught little Hugh his A.B.C.