Newspaper Article 2022 – Home hosted murder acquittal party

Home hosted murder acquittal party

Spacious manor in Hastings with colourful history now on market

Gary HamiIton-Irvine

A sprawling 1920s Hastings manor which once hosted a murder acquittal party and has history as a doctor’s surgery, is on the market.

The leafy property at 507 Fitzroy Ave, next to Cornwall Park, was last sold in 2001.

The $395,000 purchase price was the record sale that year across Hastings.

That is a far cry from the average property price across the Hastings District currently, which is now over the $1 million mark, according to OneRoof.

The home on Fitzroy Ave has been with the same family since 2001 but the owner is now looking to downsize.

Among its colourful history the four-bedroom home, which can easily function as a five-bedroom home, was owned by late businessman Will Franssen who purchased it in 1965.

He ran highly-successful establishments such as the Hawke’s Bay Farmers ‘ Tearooms and Mayfair Hotel in Hastings.

Franssen ripped up the property’s tennis court to put in a large swimming pool at the home, which still remains today.

Among the gatherings he hosted at his house, Franssen held a celebration for the murder acquittal of Arthur Allan Thomas in 1979, after Thomas was released from prison having spent nine years behind bars.

A Royal Commission found evidence had been fabricated by police in the initial investigation and he had been wrongly convicted of killing two people.

“Clearly Franssen was a supporter of Arthur Thomas when he was trying to claim his innocence and when he was acquitted of murder they say he popped a whole lot of champagne at his house when Thomas was released, and they held a big party,” Richard Purchas, a Sotheby’s Hawke’s Bay sales associate, said.

Photos show Thomas at Franssen’s home during a celebration that year.

Thomas, now aged in his 80s, has subsequently been charged with four historical sexual offences against two women.

His first trial was held last year and the jury failed to reach a verdict, and a second trial has been set down for later this year.

Franssen owned the home for decades until it was sold in the 1990s.

Part of the large property was subdivided during the 1990s and is now occupied by other homes. It now stretches across 0.4ha and includes a wide variety of trees and picturesque landscaping.

“They say he popped a whole lot of champagne at his house when Thomas was released, and they held a big party.”
Richard Purchas, a Sotheby’s Hawke’s Bay sales associate

Purchas said the home was initially built by a Dr Toswell and his wife in the 1920s, and they included a doctor’s surgery and waiting room in the design, which remain part of the home and can be used as a fifth bedroom.

“The home has two entrances, one is the entrance for the family, the other is the entrance for the surgery.”

The home was designed by architect Rene Natusch who is behind multiple outstanding buildings around Hawke’s Bay.

The property is being sold by Purchas and fellow sales associate Fiona Horne, from Sotheby’s International Realty Hawke’s Bay.

An open home is scheduled tomorrow from 11.30am to 12.30pm.

Photo captions –

Arthur Thomas (wearing a tie) at the Franssen home in 1979 after being acquitted of murder.
PHOTO / HAWKE’S BAY KNOWLEDGE BANK The historic property in Hastings is up for sale.

The historic property in Hastings is up for sale.
PHOTO / SOTHEBY’S