Parnell: School belle

Charm and character abound in what was originally a school mistress' home, writes Lucy Richmond.

40 St Georges Bay Road, Parnell.

There's nothing like a home with a bit of history attached. Built in 1881, this house was originally home to Mary Ellen Clayton, the founder of Melmerly Collegiate School, which used to be next door.

The private school for girls, which had aviator Jean Batten among its pupils, averaged about 80 students with around 30 boarders. By 1924 it could no longer compete with the two church-backed schools of Diocesan and St Cuthberts, and it closed.

The building still stands, however, and the school mistress' home has witnessed a few changes of ownership over the years.

"The house was turned into flats in the 30s," says owner Dianne Cole-Baker, "and then it was bought by a firm of architects who used it as their offices."

"They then sold it on, and the new owners employed the architects to convert it back into a house for them."

Dianne and her husband, Roger, bought it 14 years ago. "We bought this home from the heart," she says. "It has such a comfortable, easy feel to it. We were looking at something else at the time, we saw the for sale sign and put an offer in straight away, because we knew it would go."

The couple, who have six children between them, now have their own memories embedded in the place. "Roger and I were married from here," says Dianne.

With its return verandah, kauri floorboards and bay windows - some of which feature the original glass panes with bubbles in them - along with the odd leadlight window and pressed steel ceiling here and there, the house has really fired up the pair's interest in the old buildings and history of Parnell.

Roger is chairman of the Parnell Community Committee, which started Parnell Heritage, an organisation that seeks to preserve the historic parts of the suburb.

"This house has definitely been an influence on us; it's got lots of soul," says Roger. "Parnell is losing some of its older buildings, which is such a shame. We'd rather hang on to this than sell it to someone who won't respect its past."

The home is pretty much as the Cole-Bakers found it, except for the kitchen they put in two years ago and a few minor alterations here and there.

The kitchen area and family room were added in the 1980s, as was the small loft room up a dinky flight of stairs off the main hallway.

"This is a great child's room," says Roger. "We built a cupboard into the chimney stack and opened up the storage area in the roof from here, which has accommodated a lot of our children's belongings over the years, some of which are still here."

With the formal lounge flowing into the dining room, which in turn flows into the kitchen, the house is superb for parties.

"We've had around 60-odd people here at one time," says Roger. "It's excellent as all these rooms open to the verandah, so there's plenty of space for everyone."

Downstairs is a self-contained, one-bedroom flat, which the Cole-Bakers rent out.

Along with all things historical, gardening is another of Dianne's passions. She has reworked the front garden into a cottage-style area, with roses, lavender and a crab apple tree among its star performers.

To satisfy their appreciation of Parnell's old buildings, the Cole-Bakers are downsizing to an apartment in an historical property in nearby Brighton Road.

"You won't find us going far," says Dianne. "We still want to be able to walk to the library and the restaurants. We love it here."

Vital Statistics

BEDROOMS: 3

BATHROOM: 1

GARAGE: 2

SIZE: Land 734sq m, house and decks 305sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: $1 million-plus. Auction November 2.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1-2pm.

CONTACT: Jill Jackson, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 021 745 424.

FEATURES: Historical kauri home built in 1881. A return verandah, formal lounge and dining room, updated kitchen, decks, lawn, off-street parking and a one-bedroom self-contained flat.