No. 43 St David’s Road had a modest start, being built for one Edwin Hawkes in 1908 at the time of the gold rush. The architect is believed to be Robert Howden who was known for being a Classic revivalist and whose work shows a Beaux-Arts approach. Hawkes sold it to Julius Wertheim sometime around 1915. Wertheim was a solicitor and notary and was very much involved in the community (an attribute which seems to have rubbed off on the present owner). No. 43 was then sold to the Hunt family in the mid-1920’s, during whose tenure the evolution of the property into its current form began in earnest!
The Hunts bought a single storey home which then proceeded to grow in parallel with the fortunes of the family firm, Williams Hunt Chevrolet (in old Eloff Street). It first gained elegant gables on the north façade, and then a short while later the entire roof came off and a second storey was added (with the gables being elevated to keep up with the new roof!) and the lantern was put in place above the new staircase. The grand Burmese teak staircase was installed running up the centre of the entrance hall and wrapping round to a gallery, and with American rosewood panelling downstairs and upstairs. This was all orchestrated by an Australian architect friend of the family, George White – quite a visionary achievement.
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