AmandaTauberpage2



Now here is a funny thing to start it off, the land that Acton was originally on belonged to Mr. __Black__, and then Henry __White__ bought it off him. Henry White was a wealthy man from Christchurch. Henry lived in the house with his wife Alice and two sons Stanley and Eric, and his daughter Lynely plus several maids and a gardener. He was quickly became known throughout the district as “Millionaire White”.

Henry lived in Acton until he had a stroke and decided to move back to Christchurch to be nearer to a physician and it is here that he died in 1926. By this time Lynely died of tuberculosis and the two sons went to farms in the Waingake Valley.

Upon Henry's death Acton was sold to Mr. Henry Wallis Barker in 1927. Mr. H.W. Barker never married and the farm was left to his nephews, Walter Denzil Barker and Percival Frank Barker, in 1956. Percival never lived in the house and Walter, more commonly known as Buster, moved in, in 1950. The Barker family lives at Acton until it was sold in 1956 to Mrs Evelyn Pauley. She lived there with her husband and family until her husband died and she decided to move to Wellington. Since then some of the children have continued to live in Acton.

Out of all the people living at Acton Mr. White had the most interesting history and it is important as it gives some clues as to where the design originated from and who is possible architect.

Then the property was then purchased by the Taubers, who undertook 18 months of major renovation works for the house, gardens, tennis court and new cottage.

media type="custom" key="3844449" Scroll down for newspaper clipping on Percival Frank Barker.

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