88-Year-Old's Villa Sale to Fund Cataract Surgery

After nearly nine decades on the same Auckland street, 88-year-old David Barson is saying goodbye to his rundown Ponsonby villa for a reason that speaks to the power of simple joys.

The proceeds from the Brown Street property will fund cataract surgery, allowing Barson to return to what his great niece calls "his world of books." For a man who once had over 2,000 volumes categorized across an entire room he lovingly labeled the "book room," being unable to read has meant losing his greatest passion.

Barson's connection to Brown Street runs deeper than most people's ties to any place. He first lived at number 63, then moved to number 76 when the local primary school expanded. He never learned to drive, so he walked to Auckland Hospital every day for 36 years, where colleagues remembered him fondly as a beloved staff member.

After retirement, Barson turned his curiosity outward. He'd visit the library to gather bus timetables and walking track information, then set off to explore Auckland's history on foot. His daily walks up Brown Street to Ponsonby Road became a neighborhood fixture, as did his stops at his friend Danny's house at number 45.

The villa itself tells the story of a man who lived simply and deeply. There's still an outside toilet, original timber lining in the lean-to addition, and rusty paint tins from when Barson and Danny renovated the front balcony decades ago. The wash house contained both an original wringer and a newer washing machine because Barson preferred the old one for just a few shirts.

His great niece Vivienne Lee describes him as "the loveliest man" who remains sharp and kind despite recent falls that made living alone impossible. "He is still doing well and loves a good conversation but misses his street and his lovely neighbors," Lee says. Barson still tells family he might go back to live in the house one day.

Sunny's Take

Beyond books, Barson collected entire magazine sets from the 1960s on history, war, jazz, and movies, plus huge collections of VHS tapes and cassettes. His tastes ranged from classical to Motown, and neighbors always checked on him over the years. Lee says if the family had the means to modernize the dwelling for Barson's future, they would keep it in a heartbeat.

The property goes to auction in early February. For Barson, the sale represents not an ending but a return to the adventures he's always found between the pages of a good book.

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