Francis Penty was a well-known early Wellington architect and sanitary engineer. One of the houses he designed was 89 Brougham Street, for John Cole Edwards.
[no photo attached to newsletter 26 but space allowed for it] Francis Penty was born in England in 1841 and came to New Zealand in 1887. His training and experience as an architect in England made him very highly respected in Wellington. By 1896 he had designed 150 private houses, as well as commercial premises.Penty also took part in public affairs and served as a councillor representing Cook Ward from 1892-1895. He was apparently an energetic councillor and a member of the Electric Lighting, Public Library, Private Streets and Public Works Committees. His forte was, understandably, sanitation and he was credited with doing much to forward the work of improved drainage in the city at the time.
Interestingly, he was of the view that “so far as the City Council is concerned, politics should be left severely alone, and that all should conspire together for the general good of the city as a whole” and that “matters of necessity should claim the attention of the Council first, and luxuries subsequently”!
Information obtained from the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Volume 1, 1897.