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The old house on the corner of High St / Raleigh St in Greymouth.
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DescriptionWe are the proud current owners of the old girl on the corner of High St/Raleigh St in Greymouth. We have been trying to track down old photos of the house, as we would love to have some framed and hung. Many people we speak to have fond memories of the house and its past owners, but we wondered if anyone had any pictures of it?
We have spoken with the past 2 owners, History House and have looked through the archives in the library - but nothing yet. Can anyone here help out?Map[1] ContributorCara McDonald
We have spoken with the past 2 owners, History House and have looked through the archives in the library - but nothing yet. Can anyone here help out?Map[1] ContributorCara McDonald
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Location (city or town)GreymouthHigh StRaleigh StEventThe old house on the corner of High St / Raleigh St in Greymouth.
Category Information
Category TagOld Houses
From Facebook
CommentsHelen Crowley
I with 2 other colleagues "flatted" we called it for abt 3 years from 1978-1981. Frank COTTON was the owner from Runanga. Loved it & the pot belly to ensure hot water & our wringer washing machine too, etc Transported a few trailer loads of sheep manure for our vegetable garden. The oxalis weed bad I am afraid history of is unknown but pleased it is kept maintained as we tried to do when living in it! No ghosts haha
Cara McDonald
Helen Crowley thank you so much for your recollections Helen! If you are ever in the neighbourhood please pop in, we would love to hear your memories and what has/hasn’t changed in the home
Helen Crowley
Cara McDonald Oh Cara would love to pop in & see. I live in NSW & when visit home always pass the house & looks just the same though renovations obvious from side view!! Coming home again March next year so could be an option. Btwn now & then will check out photos I took whilst living there. So loved the wee front verandah - was my "swatting"/studying area bk in the day ...... I maintained the lawns & wee garden beds & vegetable patch behind bk garage that was/is??? Thank u Owen Stephens
My family rented it during the early mid 70's
Cara McDonald
Owen Stephens if you ever come across any pictures of your family in the house we would love to see what it used to look like inside Feel free to pop over if you’d ever like a trip down memory lane
Paul China Lee Armstrong
One word... jealous!!! Any ghosts
Joe Kelly
That is a lovely looking house. When was it built?
Eddie Parsons
Didn’t the Parr family have it in the early 1960s as I lived further up High Street where the Mobil petrol station is, the Glen family lived beside the two story house for years
Alan Perrin
Eddie Parsons Hello Eddie. The Cottons lived there for many years also. Cheers.
Jennifer Gaskell
Eddie Parsons Yes they did.
Sandra Hughes
Eddie Parsons yes I remember the Parr family, Tom and Nancy Hornsby had it before them
Karen Potter
Eddie Parsons parts did have that house
Clare McDonnell
Cotton family owned it early 70's I think
Kay Lindbom
Clare McDonnell I went to school with Edith Cotton in the 50’s and she lived there then
Petal Cotton
OMG how stunning is that house
Rob Absalom
I have a vague recollection that my grandparents, Tom and Agnes Hornsby, owned the house at one time then moved across the road to the lowset home which had verandahs front and side. As a youngster I remember my grandfather had the most amazing gladioli flowers around the fence and front verandah.
Cara McDonald
Rob Absalom someone in an earlier comment mentioned your Grandparents having lived there. Good to know gladioli’s grow here - beautiful flowers, perhaps we ought to plant some!
Calum Stannett
Rob Absalom Are these your grandparents?
Anne Hines
Pop into paper plus and ask for Edith - she lived there
Jennifer Gaskell
Definitely the Cotton Family there years ago, Edith was at School with me, before they lived there, Mr and Mrs Cotton lived in the Grey High School Hostel, if I remember Mrs Cotton was the Matron in charge.
Jennifer Gaskell Mrs Cotton was the matron when I was there. She was a lovely kind lady....Maye Dunn.
Laura Mills Detlaff
Admin
Whites Aviation pic of it, 1951
Cara McDonald
Laura Mills Detlaff brilliant, thank you so much!! We’ve looked at lots of the Whites Aviation pics from History House and this is the best angle yet
Sharon Tucker
My great aunty Ida Bignell owned this house close to the time it was built. Uncle George was a carpenter so maybe he was the Builder.
Maureen Cassey
Sharon Tucker
Would Ida Bignell be related to the firm Russell and Bignell that built houses around the Greymouth area in the 1890’s
My grandfather worked for them when they built the Reefton Racecourse grandstand then moved with them to Wanganui to build some grand old homes up that way
Calum Stannett
Sharon Tucker thanks so much for your message. I found your Great Auntie's name on a 1925 Westland electoral roll with the address 'High, Raleigh Sts' which I presume will be this house. Do you have any more information about her
Viv Hitchcock
Try this fb page
May be an image of train and text that says 'West Coast South Island history CENTLEMEN Search Facebo About This page historic photos from around West Coast ofthe Island of New Zealand.. continue Reading Group by Admin Team 31,814 members West Coast History and Recollect Add People West Coast South Island history> Private group 31.8K members Group See More Photos Joned- Photos Events Files Albums Invite Write something... Anonymous post See All Photo Recently Active Groups Chat New Zealand Travel Tips (NZ... new Home Friends Video NEW AY Marketplaçe FORWARD NELS... Notifications Menu'
Clare Pierson
From the 1940s until now that house has always been kept looking like that!
Clare Pierson do you recall if it’s ever had a different paint job? Or always the cream/green combo that it presently is?
Clare Pierson
Cara McDonald As far as my friend and I can recall it has always been cream. Could be wrong.
Carolyn Luck
Just checked Edith is on facebook
Carolyn Luck
The Cotton’s lived there for many years.
Edith was their daughter, her married name is Sara.
My sister in laws sister and husband owned it, will ask my sister in law if there are any photos.
Cara McDonald
Carolyn Luck thank you so much, if you could ask your relatives if they’ve got any pictures tucked away in an album that would be much appreciated
Diane Burling
It's always liked like that that I remember growing up.. inside has prob been modernized though. Gorgeous house
Cara McDonald
Diane Burling we are very lucky that one of the past owners (Scott Williams) did an AMAZING job renovating the interior. A beautiful and warm family home to raise kids in
Diane Burling
Cara McDonald yes I knew they were renovating it when they lived in it
Rob Lamb
love the fence!
Rosslyn Weaver
Mrs Robinson _ her 2 daughters lived there before the Cottons
Deb Bn
Have you tried Archives Nz , and Papers past
Reply
Cara McDonald
Deb Bn great suggestions
Alva Mundy
It is beautiful
Tessa Daisy
Love that house
Hazel Oldham
Have you tried the museum
Cara McDonald
Hazel Oldham yes, we did, and they weren’t able to track anything down unfortunately.
Hazel Oldham
Cara McDonald maybe the archives I'm Wellington .there may not be any photos except with some older folks who have them in their photo collection
Johanna O'Connell
You could contact these guys, your place might be there. https://natlib.govt.nz/collections/a-z/photographic-archive
Photographic Archive
NATLIB.GOVT.NZ
Photographic Archive
Photographic Archive
1d
Reply
Cara McDonald
Author
Johanna O'Connell thanks so much, that’s a great idea
I with 2 other colleagues "flatted" we called it for abt 3 years from 1978-1981. Frank COTTON was the owner from Runanga. Loved it & the pot belly to ensure hot water & our wringer washing machine too, etc Transported a few trailer loads of sheep manure for our vegetable garden. The oxalis weed bad I am afraid history of is unknown but pleased it is kept maintained as we tried to do when living in it! No ghosts haha
Cara McDonald
Helen Crowley thank you so much for your recollections Helen! If you are ever in the neighbourhood please pop in, we would love to hear your memories and what has/hasn’t changed in the home
Helen Crowley
Cara McDonald Oh Cara would love to pop in & see. I live in NSW & when visit home always pass the house & looks just the same though renovations obvious from side view!! Coming home again March next year so could be an option. Btwn now & then will check out photos I took whilst living there. So loved the wee front verandah - was my "swatting"/studying area bk in the day ...... I maintained the lawns & wee garden beds & vegetable patch behind bk garage that was/is??? Thank u Owen Stephens
My family rented it during the early mid 70's
Cara McDonald
Owen Stephens if you ever come across any pictures of your family in the house we would love to see what it used to look like inside Feel free to pop over if you’d ever like a trip down memory lane
Paul China Lee Armstrong
One word... jealous!!! Any ghosts
Joe Kelly
That is a lovely looking house. When was it built?
Eddie Parsons
Didn’t the Parr family have it in the early 1960s as I lived further up High Street where the Mobil petrol station is, the Glen family lived beside the two story house for years
Alan Perrin
Eddie Parsons Hello Eddie. The Cottons lived there for many years also. Cheers.
Jennifer Gaskell
Eddie Parsons Yes they did.
Sandra Hughes
Eddie Parsons yes I remember the Parr family, Tom and Nancy Hornsby had it before them
Karen Potter
Eddie Parsons parts did have that house
Clare McDonnell
Cotton family owned it early 70's I think
Kay Lindbom
Clare McDonnell I went to school with Edith Cotton in the 50’s and she lived there then
Petal Cotton
OMG how stunning is that house
Rob Absalom
I have a vague recollection that my grandparents, Tom and Agnes Hornsby, owned the house at one time then moved across the road to the lowset home which had verandahs front and side. As a youngster I remember my grandfather had the most amazing gladioli flowers around the fence and front verandah.
Cara McDonald
Rob Absalom someone in an earlier comment mentioned your Grandparents having lived there. Good to know gladioli’s grow here - beautiful flowers, perhaps we ought to plant some!
Calum Stannett
Rob Absalom Are these your grandparents?
Anne Hines
Pop into paper plus and ask for Edith - she lived there
Jennifer Gaskell
Definitely the Cotton Family there years ago, Edith was at School with me, before they lived there, Mr and Mrs Cotton lived in the Grey High School Hostel, if I remember Mrs Cotton was the Matron in charge.
Jennifer Gaskell Mrs Cotton was the matron when I was there. She was a lovely kind lady....Maye Dunn.
Laura Mills Detlaff
Admin
Whites Aviation pic of it, 1951
Cara McDonald
Laura Mills Detlaff brilliant, thank you so much!! We’ve looked at lots of the Whites Aviation pics from History House and this is the best angle yet
Sharon Tucker
My great aunty Ida Bignell owned this house close to the time it was built. Uncle George was a carpenter so maybe he was the Builder.
Maureen Cassey
Sharon Tucker
Would Ida Bignell be related to the firm Russell and Bignell that built houses around the Greymouth area in the 1890’s
My grandfather worked for them when they built the Reefton Racecourse grandstand then moved with them to Wanganui to build some grand old homes up that way
Calum Stannett
Sharon Tucker thanks so much for your message. I found your Great Auntie's name on a 1925 Westland electoral roll with the address 'High, Raleigh Sts' which I presume will be this house. Do you have any more information about her
Viv Hitchcock
Try this fb page
May be an image of train and text that says 'West Coast South Island history CENTLEMEN Search Facebo About This page historic photos from around West Coast ofthe Island of New Zealand.. continue Reading Group by Admin Team 31,814 members West Coast History and Recollect Add People West Coast South Island history> Private group 31.8K members Group See More Photos Joned- Photos Events Files Albums Invite Write something... Anonymous post See All Photo Recently Active Groups Chat New Zealand Travel Tips (NZ... new Home Friends Video NEW AY Marketplaçe FORWARD NELS... Notifications Menu'
Clare Pierson
From the 1940s until now that house has always been kept looking like that!
Clare Pierson do you recall if it’s ever had a different paint job? Or always the cream/green combo that it presently is?
Clare Pierson
Cara McDonald As far as my friend and I can recall it has always been cream. Could be wrong.
Carolyn Luck
Just checked Edith is on facebook
Carolyn Luck
The Cotton’s lived there for many years.
Edith was their daughter, her married name is Sara.
My sister in laws sister and husband owned it, will ask my sister in law if there are any photos.
Cara McDonald
Carolyn Luck thank you so much, if you could ask your relatives if they’ve got any pictures tucked away in an album that would be much appreciated
Diane Burling
It's always liked like that that I remember growing up.. inside has prob been modernized though. Gorgeous house
Cara McDonald
Diane Burling we are very lucky that one of the past owners (Scott Williams) did an AMAZING job renovating the interior. A beautiful and warm family home to raise kids in
Diane Burling
Cara McDonald yes I knew they were renovating it when they lived in it
Rob Lamb
love the fence!
Rosslyn Weaver
Mrs Robinson _ her 2 daughters lived there before the Cottons
Deb Bn
Have you tried Archives Nz , and Papers past
Reply
Cara McDonald
Deb Bn great suggestions
Alva Mundy
It is beautiful
Tessa Daisy
Love that house
Hazel Oldham
Have you tried the museum
Cara McDonald
Hazel Oldham yes, we did, and they weren’t able to track anything down unfortunately.
Hazel Oldham
Cara McDonald maybe the archives I'm Wellington .there may not be any photos except with some older folks who have them in their photo collection
Johanna O'Connell
You could contact these guys, your place might be there. https://natlib.govt.nz/collections/a-z/photographic-archive
Photographic Archive
NATLIB.GOVT.NZ
Photographic Archive
Photographic Archive
1d
Reply
Cara McDonald
Author
Johanna O'Connell thanks so much, that’s a great idea
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West Coast New Zealand History (7th Dec 2023). The old house on the corner of High St / Raleigh St in Greymouth.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 29th Mar 2026 20:15, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/33024