This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. The following text is the original citation considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Information in square brackets indicate modifications made after the paper was considered by the NZHPT Board. DESCRIPTION: The land on which Wills Jewellers stands, part of Section 1104 City of Nelson, was granted to Thomas Askew on 13 December 1851. Askew had arrived in Nelson with his parents in 1843 and the Nelson census of 1849 has him living in Bridge Street. Despite living on Town Acre 224 where he then built a house and shop in 1852, the Ratings Rolls for 1864 specify that Askew had a house and shop built on Section 1104 in 1855. The building was let to various people and Askew does not appear to have occupied it himself. In 1883 [it was] sold to John Ogilvie, a cooper. When Ogilvie was adjudged bankrupt in 1889 the property was sold to Mary Rogers, a widow. [At Ogilvie’s bankruptcy hearing he said he bought the property in 1880 on deferred payment and that he built the shop and dwelling on it.] Mrs Rogers died in 1903 and her widowed daughter Mary Ellen Browne lived in the property until her death in 1930. It was then transmitted to her two married daughters, Mary Eleanor Naylor and Frances Lucy Soper. On Mrs Naylor's death it was transmitted to Mrs Soper (1963) and when Mrs Soper died it was transferred to her niece Marjorie Eleanor Froom Naylor (1964). Marjorie Naylor was an artist well-known for her portraits and landscapes. She operated Gallery 29 from 29 Bridge Street, living and working there until her death in 1985 when the present owners purchased the property from which they have since operated their jewellery business.