The section on which this cottage stands was purchased in October 1875 by Manuel Silva. Previous owners of the land included the clergyman William Aylmer and the architect Samuel Farr. Silva, a Spaniard, probably built the cottage immediately after he bought it. Newspapers used to line the attic room confirmed the date of 1875.
After Silva’s death in 1906, it was sold to a member of the Kotlowski family. Members of the family owned the cottage from then until 1962.
The cottage is of one-and-a-half storeys, with the attic floor lit by windows in the gable end. The lean-to is original. The verandah roof has a slight concave curve; the attractive double verandah posts are seen on other Akaroa dwellings. So is the lattice work at the ends of the verandah. With its double-hung windows, verandah, attic bedroom and lean-to this cottage is a classic of its kind.
