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Those Were the Days
A SIMPLE, HONEST RECOLLECTION OF EARLIER DAYS

 

 “The Good Old Days”
AND MY INVOLVEMENT IN SUCH A FULL AND REWARDING LIFETIME

by Les Pooch
4.8.23 – 14.4.05

 “Life is for Living”
and it has been a good life!

Leslie Arthur Pooch
Born in Hawera, 4th August, 1923. Pooch family tree

Table of contents:

 

New Lynn

Shifted to New Lynn in 1925. A fair proportion of my early life was spent in New Lynn and all my primary education was gained at the New Lynn District School where I was actively interested in all the various school activities, social, sporting and (not the top of the class) educational. I captained both the school’s intermediate and senior rugby football teams and featured in long-distance running but everything came to an abrupt halt when in 1936, in my eleventh year (standard 6) I suffered a serious bone disease which necessitated 18 months on my back in traction in hospital, during which time I sat and gained my Certificate of Proficiency. We had 3 hours schooling in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. It was not easy. The following 24 months were spent alternatively at home and in hospital.

During the depression years of the late 1920’s and mid 1930’s my father ran a greengrocery business from our home. He built a van body onto the remains of an old 1926 Rugby car that had been wrecked and it was my responsibility, young and all as I was, to help him in a number of ways, weighing up bags of potatoes, trimming greens, sorting fruit and packing up his van ready for the road. He seldom arrived home before 7pm and was away by 7am in the morning. The best part was in school holidays when he would take me with him to the markets on Mondays for fresh produce. I realise now that he could not afford it but he always bought a bun and a cake for my lunch. Sometimes I would sneak my fishing line into my pocket and go to the wharf by the markets to catch sprats. He was a good Dad and my Mum was a good Mum - Fabulous parents! As a family we were truly blessed. There was no money to spare in fact very poor but we were really rich in many other ways.    They set standards we follow through right to this day.

My first year at Seddon Memorial Technical College was on crutches; ­a time that I often reflect upon for the many kindnesses and considerations afforded me. Those kindnesses, together with the friendship of a primary school neighbour and her two girlfriends, all of whom were at school with me, during my years of incapacity at home has, I feel, been the motivating force which has caused me to hold the feelings towards my fellow man and especially the underprivileged that I hold today. People are my most prized possessions.

After 1 year and 1 term at Seddon Tech. I commenced work in 1940 at the princely wage of 12s 6d which in todays currency would be $1.25 a week.

I paid Mum 50d board, Dad made sure that I banked 50d and the rest was my pocket money. Some times I was required to work overtime for which 3 hours I received 15d. That was great as it gave me more pocket money. I could not afford to bus to work, so, apart from very wet winter days I push-biked the 9 miles to town and back again at night. My bike was a very heavy single-speed cycle with a power generator on the rear wheel for lighting when it was dark.

During the early stage of the 2nd World War, (my Dad had returned to his trade, that of a Brass and Iron Moulder) was in an essential industry and as such was exempt from military service but accepted a high voluntary position with the Emergency Precaution Services which was responsible for ensuring that blackout restrictions were enforced. I acted as his runner/assistant, necessitating many nights, often on cold winter nights on patrol.

By 1939 I had rid myself of crutches and was really starting to enjoy life after all the incarceration. In 1943 I joined a a youth educational, cultural and social club rising to the position of President. During the time of my membership the late Sir John Allum, the then Mayor of Auckland City called a meeting of the leaders of interested Youth Organisations with the aim of coordinating the many youth activities in Auckland. Regrettably, after 3 years, the organisation died. It was excellent while it lasted, especially for those who attended the many seminars, most of which were held at the Auckland Teachers Training College.

It was during 1943 that I met a lovely red-headed young lady. 18 months later we became engaged and another 18 months later we were married in 1946. Already 58 years of happy life together. A true partnership.

My entire working life has been spent in the printing industry. commencing as an apprentice compositor, rising to foreman, then in order to gain further experience, worked on a country newspaper for 18 months before returning to Auckland working as a foreman for Collins Bros. the stationery specialists for a few months before being invited to understudy the Works Manager who was retiring. A couple of months later I assumed the position of Works Manager, a position I held for some years.

In 1960 I commenced business on my own behalf from which I retired in 1985. It was in 1961 that I was appointed a Justice of the Peace.

New Lynn days

New Lynn in those days was a great place to grow up in. It was real country, plenty of open fields, scrub land and bush, ever inviting to be explored, limited only by the imagination of a young boy’s mind.

The roads were mainly unmetalled although I can remember Titirangi Road having a dual carriageway of concrete laid. Hutchinson Avenue where I lived was for a number of years a formed but just clay road. Around 1930, to give out-of-work men a job, (relief work) broken bricks from the brick works were spread over the road and Charlie Dale, the idol of all young boys (because he was the driver of the Council’s steam roller) then rolled over and over it to flatten it out.

Our footpaths were still unsealed in those earlier days but they were great for us to race our trolleys on which we had built from whatever wheels and materials we could find. Every boy had a trolley and/or a cart but trolleys were popular - they allowed for more imagination, tow trucks, fire engines, racing cars, etc. etc.

For a while I had a “Star” paper run which took me from the corner of Islington Avenue, right along Golf Road to the “Red Letter Box” on the corner of Golf Road and South Lynn Road then down to Parker Avenue where Jack Clark had his plants nursery. All of this on an old bike with one full pedal on one side and only the shaft of the pedal on the other. We could not afford a replacement pedal.

Speaking of Jack Clark, he was my idol, not just because he rode a huge “Indian” motor bike, nor because he always waved to me and nodded his head whenever he passed but more-so because he encouraged me to visit his nursery and gave me little jobs to do. I felt very important, I cannot ever remember receiving any monetary reward for the time I spent with him but I often came home with plants. I would follow him around and listen to him as often as I could. His first wife Jean was a very warm, friendly and loving mother-image person and she was a great cook. My reward, if I could call it that, ultimately came from Jack who incidentally envisaged, planned and developed Eden Gardens in Epsom, when he phoned me to invite me to conduct his second marriage to Miriam on 4th March, 1985 in his favourite spot in Eden Gardens followed by an afternoon tea during which Jack offered me the choice of any of his paintings. He was a very competent and prolific water colour and acrylic scenic artist. I had already acquired three of Jack’s macrocarpa root carvings as well as a couple of his other works.

I saw Jack many times after the wedding but did not realise that his lifespan was ebbing away. He was born on 26th September 1906 and died on 16th January, 1992. I attended his funeral service, would loved to have the spoken of my high regard for him but the opportunity did not present itself.

Some time later I was invited to Eden Gardens to witness the interment of his ashes, it was a most moving occasion for I felt he was now “home”. Following the simple little ceremony a light luncheon was served and an invitation to select one of his smaller paintings as a remembrance of the occasion. I selected four, one each for my sister, my two brothers and myself. Photographs that I had taken of Jack and his gardens around his original house, I gave to his only child, Ross following the afternoon tea.

In those early days, everybody had a garden and an orchard but the fact that we had a huge orchard did not stop us from raiding where there were different fruits from what we had in ours, although this did not happen very often. But one day we boys found an orchard deep down in the bush; who it belonged to I know not but there, to our eye’s delight were some really big, deep yellow fruits which we just had to have. We never took more than we could comfortably eat at the time, so, climbing up the tree we picked one each and sat down to consume that newly-found fruit. To our dismay, on the first bite, it was awful!. Sour, astringent, woody! !. We later found out that they were quinces, a fruit that my father really liked, but we never told him of our find.

School was great - despite the fact that I think I received more strap than most - not that I was really naughty, well, yes, sometimes I was, but it was mainly from my high-spiritedness which led me into trouble.

Our classes were big, one photo that I have has 48 in it at standard 3 and that number was quite normal. Mind you, the teachers taught in those days and talking in class was absolutely forbidden. Our school was a “District School” being primmer one to standard six (Form 2). Kowhai Intermediate School was the only Intermediate School those days and had not been operating for very long.

We were poor financially, the only time that we wore shoes was to Sunday School and they had to be cleaned and polished on Saturdays. Yes, they did need cleaning and polishing because on the way home from Sunday School there was a creek with eels in it and that was too much for an adventurous boy who had a little time on his hands as he sauntered home.

I was Christened on 12th November 1927, the 46th person to be Christened in the almost newly built St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in New Lynn at the age of four years. I can still remember certain aspects of that day. My Godmother Ethel Laing (Brooks at that time) was there, my Godfather Bill Ireland was not but he sent me a big book of animals which I still have to this day. My elder brother Vincent (Digger) was Christened the same day, No 47 on the Register.

We lived well up Hutchinson Avenue, 4 houses plus an empty section past Willerton Avenue, now No.85. We didn’t have numbers in those days. It was half a mile to School and one and a half to the “Village” as it was called in those days and about half a mile to Carter’s grocery store on the corner of Seabrook and Gardner Avenues. Theirs was the nearest telephone should one be needed in an emergency. Bread was delivered daily - one could choose what was required from a large oval wicker/cane basket - Collard’s had a big “Indian” motor bike with a large box as a side-car in which the bread was stored, and sometimes currant buns!.

Most of the shops in the “Village” are still there although dramatically altered, much changed from what they were. I remember Lance Grey’s the Chemist whose shop was at the near end to the railway lines. Just along from there, next to their shop was Ainsworth’s house which ultimately became a Funeral Parlour, next was Mr Eyles the shoemaker who incidentally supplied the leather straps that the teachers used on us for misdemeanours then there was Naylor’s butchery, Mrs. Wells’ drapery, Mrs. Pilkington’s sweet shop, Gillchrist’s fish shop and Alex Pollock’s grocery in the very early days. Around the corner was “The Hub” a big dairy, ice creams, drinks, etc. At the back of the railway station was a very small brick building which contained not only the Post Office of it was occupied by Reg Elcoat the Solicitor. That little building has gone through many uses and at present is a small printing works.   

There was a Railway Overbridge in those days and we were warned that it was not legal to walk across the railway lines. Pedestrians must use the bridge. We loved to stand on the top overlooking the lines and be engulfed with the steam and sometimes smoke as the engine passed underneath. And to watch the boiler being topped up with water from the huge water-tower alongside the line was always of interest to us. One “naughty” thing we occasionally did was to place a half-penny on the line so the engine would run over it and flatten it. We never used a penny because a whole penny could buy so much.

Towards where Lynmall now stands was the Auckland Bus Company’s depot and of special interest to we boys was where they dumped their old, worn and broken parts of busses. And there, was a treasure trove for bits for our trolleys. And if one was really lucky, ball bearings, some of them an inch in diameter - great for playing marbles but more of intrinsic value, they could be traded.

Back to School - I can remember all of my teachers. Reunion time was great, really great to see them all, even Willy Wonker (W. W.) Edgerley our Head Master. We were really scared of him and I am sure to this day he hated us. My first teacher in Primmer One was Miss Grant, Primmer two was Miss Deem, Primer 3, Mrs. Pomeroy, then I skipped Primmer four, into “The Bungalow” a middle-situated building which is still there and Mrs. Pomeroy again for Standard One. She was a good teacher, though very hard, with a thick long Smith and Caughey ruler which she hit our nuckles with for any reason. She was most interested in Maori and other ethnic cultures and craft and we spent a lot of time outside with nature studies, acting out historical events, etc.

Millie Martin (she was beautiful and attractive, we thought) for Standard Two, Mr. Rogers (a Glenora League Player) in Standard Three, Norman Fox in Standard Four, Miss (Biddy) Goodyear in Standard Five and again Mr. Fox in Standard Six.

It was in my Standard Six year, mid 1936, that I became hospitalised and my schooling schedule changed dramatically. I thought that being in hospital I would miss out on my schooling but no, there were two teachers at the hospital, mine was Miss Ross and she kept me up to it despite the fact that I was flat on my back, unable to sit up at all. They supplied me with a sloping, like an A-frame, work board for me to write on or read from. But her teaching must have been good for I passed my Standard Six exams, in those days called “Proficiency” while in hospital.

I was a long time in hospital, 18 months the first spell, and I now think that I was at the age when hormones start to work. I had a very warm appreciation of and feeling for, most of the nurses who gave a lot in response.  One nurse, Whittaker was her name was so fond of some of the young long-term boys in Ward 23M that most nights, even when she was not on duty, she would come over from the Nurses Home, after lights-out to tuck us in, give us a warm cuddle and bid us “sleep tight”. She was a well-built, amply proportioned mother figure, something that we all needed for often we were despondent at our lengthy incarceration. My autograph album contains names of many such wonderful nurses. Another nurse was Grace McCullough who took great interest in me and when I was finally rid of my plaster cast, into a calliper (steel brace from my arm pits to my toes on my right leg) she was the one who during her time off taught me how to walk again, very firmly and carefully holding the caliper frame around my body to ensure my steady progress.

Throughout the entire time I spent in hospital, which included two Christmases, I was visited only twice by our local Vicar, both times just prior to Christmas. The first visit he brought a cake of soap and a flannel; the second he brought a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush! On the opposite side were the regular visits that I had by the local school Dental Nurse, each time bringing fruit, comic books and chocolate. Nurse Tollerton was her name.

My first release from hospital was after 18 months, I was permitted to go home encased in plaster from under my armpits to the end of my toes on my right leg. My Dad made a special spinal bed, long enough to lie full length, sprung to a manageable height, like a pram, with four pram wheels so it was moveable. In this I could be wheeled to various parts of the section, preferably to inside the front gate so that I could speak to passers-by.

It was at that stage that over-the-road, life-long friend and neighbour Bessie Crutcher told mum that she and two other girls I had gone to school with, Irene Whylie and Rhoda Kennel, went to the pictures each Saturday afternoon and offered to take me with them, they offered to push me all the way to the pictures and back, (about one and a half miles each way) Mr. Popovic the proprietor of the Delta Theatre cleared two rows of seats to make room for my spinal bed at one side and if I recall correctly, he never ever charged me. Rain or shine, they did this for me and while I have lost contact with Irene and Rhoda, I still have regular, supportive relationships with Bessie, often staying with her in her home at Taupo.

When I was ultimately out of plaster and walking on crutches, Bessie told me that she went to Bible Class on Sunday afternoons and would I like to go with her. I didn’t know where she went but thought that as she had proved to be such a wonderfully supportive person, I would like to go with her. And that was how I became a “Methodist”, something I am appreciative of. They were so alive, accommodating and supportive.

Where we lived was a tight little community. They were the kids we went to school with, played with, shared with, supported, learned from, especially their parents who were also our parents, teaching, explaining, chastising whenever necessary.

Milkman Mr. Dawe carried two large buckets of milk on a yoke over his shoulder; he had a one pint dipper to measure out whatever milk was required. If we ran out of milk and often, with no refrigerator in those days, our milk would go sour, we had a farmlet 200 yards down the road, Mrs. Dickinson, who also sold cream (a luxury) and home-made butter.

Some of our neighbours of the past are still associates at this time; Freda Pollock who became my step-sister when, after my father’s death, my mother married her father. We still enjoy a very close sister/brother relationship. There was also Lillian and David Derrick, Bill Power, the Spargoes and Savage families to name just a few.

 

 

Birkenhead

Since taking up residence in Birkenhead in 1950 my community life and lifestyle has been a very active one. I had resided there for only a few weeks when I was invited to join a committee whose object was to raise the money necessary for the erection of a kindergarten in the district. I agreed and within a few months I found myself Chairman. Six years later, after much fund-raising, the Kindergarten was occupied and officially opened by Lady Norrie, wife of the then Governor-General. Lady Norrie proved to be a keen, very interested and most gracious lady.

My Kindergarten days were lots of fun albeit hard work. The numerous and often hair-brained methods of fund-raising, collecting bottles, ladies baking, and the men selling meat pies to motorists waiting in the queues waiting for the ferry boats on the weekends, (no bridge in those days).

When the Council wanted the land where the Kindergarten was built (to add to that they already owned) in Hammond Place, long and protracted arguments ensued. The majority of the original Kindergarten folk had passed away and I was about the only person who knew the true history of the site I was called upon to assist and support the committee of the time in their negotiations with the Council to ensure a fair deal. After much haggling and the determination of the Kindergarten Committee, the Council agreed to provide a piece of land (the top, not now required, part of Mahara Avenue) build a new building and landscape and develop the land. The new, present Kindergarten was opened in July, 1993.

Once opened, I quietly withdrew from active interest although I still feel that part of my heart is still in that Kindergarten. For the official opening I presented a Pepper Tree which stands beside the sand pit, dedicated to the former Committee Members who with me, worked so hard to provide the original Kindergarten in Hammond Place.

My long and active association with the Birkenhead Kindergarten ceased in 1993 following the receipt of the New Zealand Education Award presented to me by the then Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Kath Tizard “for outstanding service and support at the Birkenhead Kindergarten”.

While still actively associated with the Kindergarten I was elected onto the Birkenhead School Committee where I served as Chairman for 14 years during which time I was also Chairman/Organiser of the School’s 5Oth Jubilee celebrations. A feature of those celebrations was the raising of funds, the building and Official Opening of a completely stocked Memorial Library, dedicated to one of our former teachers the late Arnold Cliffe. Sadly, in their wisdom “because of earthquake risk” the Government of the day had the original two buildings demolished and in so doing the adjoining new Library also. As I had personally made a significant contribution to the funding of that Library I am still saddened by their action and look for the day when the school will once again have a library of comparable size.

My last school activities were the founding of the Birkdale (now named Birkenhead) College where I worked closely with the late Brian Gerrard, assisting him with the planning of the Vice-Regal Official Opening of the College.   I subsequently became  President of  their P.T.A. for two years.

Shortly after our arrival in Birkenhead (1950) we joined the Zion Hill Methodist Church. I have served many of the offices through to the highly important position of Circuit Steward. Early in my time I accepted the position of Organiser of the Birkenhead Old Folks Reunion where senior citizens of the District were treated to an Honouring Age afternoon, a position I held for about 35 years.     Sadly this function ceased a few years ago.

Through the efforts of the late Norman King, our M.P. for the District, I was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1961.

It was also through the kind assistance of Norman King who conveyed my persistence at petitioning Parliament to alter the Marriage Act to enable persons other than Ministers of Religion to conduct marriage ceremonies. I was one of the first in N.Z. to be appointed a Marriage Celebrant in 1977. This appointment has provided much pleasure for me and others.

In 1965 Honorary Membership of the New South Wales Justices Association was conferred upon me in recognition of services to the Parramata Branch of that Association, culminating in my organising, on behalf of the Royal N.Z. Justices Federation, a Fraternal Delegation for 92 Justices and partners to Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane where we were received and welcomed by their various Associations.

That was a strenuous but most successful undertaking, which was the starting point for me of many years of tour escorting to many parts of the world, Japan, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Penang, Singapore, Bali, Noumea, Norfolk Island, Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue and Pango Pango, and for a number of years on the London Shoppe Programme escorting Kiwis to Los Angeles for a few days on their way to London where I spent 3 days getting them confident on the tubes as well as sight seeing. They would then go their own varied ways, I would spend a few days in England before meeting up with a group who had finished their holiday and escort them back to N.Z. spending a few days in either Hong Kong or Singapore.

Though retired (I say I have lost the “re” and am now just “tired”), I still find time and a litle energy to assist in any way I can, my fellow beings, my J.P. duties, my Marriage and Funeral services as well as being a good listener and helper for many people from all walks of life within the community.

 Early in my time in Birkenhead I became involved in both local and National elections and for many years now, acted as a Supervising Deputy Returning Officer. I consider myself to be totally non-political, having never been a member of any political party, acknowledging the good and respecting the views of any with whom I might disagree from all sides of the discussion.

Freemasons
My Masonic career commenced with my Initiation in May 1959. In September that year I was appointed a steward and a few years later, in recognition of my work within the Lodge, a position of House Steward was created to which I was appointed. In the intervening years I have acted in many differing ways from taking an oversight of proceedings at refectory, looking after candidates at the time of their entry into Freemasonry and continuing to be their mentor/guide as they proceeded through their Masonic career, also as a “Johnny on the spot” on numerous special occasions and during times of emergency.

In 1972 I was invited by the late Charles Kidd to join Syd Birse, Keith McCallum and Andy Johnson to plan for a big Fair to raise funds for the Mt. Roskill Masonic Village during 1973. My main responsibility was for general layout of the grounds, allocation of the stalls, certain purchasing, printing and publicity. I continued in that capacity alongside many other Brethren until, because of ill-health, two years before the last Fair was held although I was still active on the last two Fair days.

In 1973 I was invited to join the Tawera Rose Croix Chapter where my natural Christian interests led me into once again, elevation to House Steward. In recognition of my long services to the Chapter and Freemasonry in general, the Chapter elected me an Honorary Member and in August 2003 I was awarded the prestigious medal the Rose Croix d’honeur.

Rose Croix de’Honeur

August 2003 saw yet another memorable occasion when I was invested with the prestigious medal, the Rose Croix d’Honeur, a coveted award presented in recognition of my effort and support throughout not only the Rose Croix and other Masonic involvements but my many community activities.

The presentation was made at the conclusion of the August meeting of the Chapter. It was deemed to be of such importance and also in recognition of the support that I had received from my wife that Gwen was invited along with David and Judy as well as the wives of the Officers of the Chapter. They were welcomed into the Lodge Room, Gwen was seated along-side me and duly welcomed and recognised.

The Presentation and Address was given by my very long-time friend Bro. Jack Christie, M.B.E.

Jack had really done his homework, tracing my life from birth, schooling, youth and community involvement before detailing my long and active service within Freemasonry.

It was obvious that he had spoken to many folk to enhance his already comprehensive, personal knowledge of my life. About 20 minutes and without any notes!.

When I enquired if he had any notes that I may get a copy of, his reply was “who needs notes - I know all about you!”

The Lodge Room was enriched by the presence of numerous high-ranking Officers, all of whom were close, personal friends of mine who came especially to share with and support me on this very special and rare occasion. Among those attending were:

M.Pursuivant Bro. Gordon Griffiths, 33°, Past Sovereign Grand Commander
V.Pursuivant Bro. Jack Christie, M.B.E., 33° Lieutenant Grand Commander
M.Illustrious Bro. Geoff Burton, 33°, Grand Treasurer-General
V.Illustrious Bro. Robin Holford, 33°, Sovereign Grand Inspector General
V.Illustrious Bro. Arthur Wilson, 33°, Sovereign Grand Inspector General
V.Illustrious Bro. John Crowe, 32°, District Grand Recorder
Illustrious Bro. Dick Wilison, 32°, Director of Ceremonies
Illustrious Bro. Bain McGlashan, 31°
Illustrious Bro. Frank Wilson, 31°

Guests and Members were then invited to join the Master and Distinguished Guests at supper.

More speeches followed and of course, my reply which I purposely tried to keep short (as I had drafted it) but there was so much more that had to be said in reply to the other speakers it went on a little longer.

I concluded with paying tribute to my long partnership with Gwen and of her at-all-times support for all my various activities. “Without her encouragement I could not have achieved much of what I have”.

 

Retirement

In the earlier days of my retirement I was very actively engaged in work and social/community matters but the later years have been frustrated by numerous health problems and hospitalisation, Hip replacement followed the next year by a total Knee replacement and 2002, a few months of terribly disabling Facial Shingles. One big thing after another hopefully, a clean run from now on.

The Shingles left me terribly lethargic which caused me to take the decision to sell off (for what I could get for it) my printing plant. This was a really BIG decision as it had been my life-blood for over sixty years!. This meant also the end of the producing my very special Christmas Cards which everybody looked forward to receiving throughout our married life. Nobody could appreciate the trauma of making that decision but it had to be made.

In 1996 Gwen and I celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary with a big party with close on 100 of our closest friends. Unfortunately we could not find a hall big enough to invite the many others that we would have liked to. All our family were there together with our two bridesmaids and Best Man. At the time of writing this (October 2002) David and Geoffrey were starting to plan for my own 80th birthday celebration.

As well as the Educational Services Award referred to previously, four other awards were received,

In 1990 the New Zealand Government, to celebrate 150 years since founding, struck a limited number of special “1990” Medals and I was one of those so selected “in recognition of services to New Zealand”.

In 1992 the Masonic Grand Lodge of  New Zealand awarded me their second highest honour possible, that of having my name entered on their Roll of Honour “in recognition of Eminent Services to the Grand Lodge of  New Zealand”, entitling me to place the initials “R.H.” after my name.

In 1996 the North Shore City Council awarded me the honour of receiving their Civic Award “for voluntary services to the North Shore Community”                                               

These were all very proud moments in my life. 

Financially we have never been rich but in many other directions, family, friends, health, enjoyment of life, we certainly were very rich, we could  ask for nothing greater.

We are very proud parents of our four children and of their achievements.

Gwen and I have based our family life and life-style on the examples set by our own parents. They did well with their limited resources in very difficult times but the standards and examples that they set have provided us with something with which we can justifiably feel proud.

The Duffus (Gwen’s) and Pooch standards we have passed on to our children will, undoubtedly carry them through their life and beyond in their children. We are extremely proud of them and their achievements.

David, a Degreed Food Technologist, has worked hard and has more than made his mark both here and overseas as a consultant sharing his knowledge and abilities.    Grandfather Duffus would have been proud of his financial expertise.

Wilma, School Teacher, very much a reflection of the serene, empathetic nature of her mother, has proved herself as a wonderfully competent teacher, one who truly loves her calling.

Mary-Anne, home-maker, a bright and breezy lass who has inherited many of the “feeling for others” characteristics of her father, has proved herself to be a very popular member of other groups. Helpful, supportive and caring especially for we “oldies”.

Geoffrey, the last of the gang, our Computer Wizz, has done exceptionally well in his field. We often wonder where he will be progressing next. There has just got to be another door there just waiting to be opened.

The children have been of great support to Gwen and myself. Whenever there has been problems with health or there is something needed to be done at home, “working bees” they have always been there, such is their inherent quality of life.

After 59 years of marriage, through some hard times, ill-health times as well as outstandingly good times of travel overseas, holidays or simple sharing and caring at home, we, now, in our Golden Years, are enjoying each other’s warmth and sharing supportive companionship more and more as each new day presents itself. Gwen has supported me completely in every activity into which  I ventured, the “silent partner” in a wonderful partnership. Long may we be spared to carry on as we are, and continue to be an example to others.

 

Anawhata

Early in my life I was taken to Anawhata on the west coast where we camped, firstly in tents, then in the caves under the cliffs and later, after splitting a huge Kauri log on the beach for joists and framing, my Dad built a small cottage on land owned by Walter Parker, right on the edge of the beach at the southern end. My Dad was a most industrious and competent man. We enjoyed the use of that cottage for close on 20 years until the death of Mr. Parker when we were informed that the stepson who had inherited the property did not want us there on his land any more. Ultimately the cottage was dismantled and the materials added onto another relative’s cottage which strangely caught fire and was destroyed some years later.

Anawhata days were magic, pure magic. It was there that my Dad taught me how to fish, and so many other things about the coast, of life and nature. We spent many weekends and all school holidays there as we grew up with numerous cousins and a few other families. We spent our honeymoon there, took our children there and while it is still a very special place for me, unfortunately its difficult inaccessibility prevents me from going there owing to my physical condition but I have wonderful memories of those days.

There were so many “interests” there, not only fishing, there was also the river which ran far into the deep Waitakerie bush up to the old Kauri Dam which was used in the very early logging days to release water which would carry the Kauri logs down to a recovery point. Up the river was Forgie’s cottage and early in my life, “Anna” a large clinker-built dinghy which Forgies used to get to the beach itself. Sadly a huge flood carried Anna down the river and out to sea, never to be seen again. Subsequently they had other boats but none as grand as Anna.

I remember the day that we were fooling around in Anna, tipping her over in a deep corner below Forgie’s cottage, losing one of the rowlocks. That was the only time I ever saw Mrs. Forgie wild - and was she wild!!!

We dived and searched for ages but never found it. Eel fishing in that part of the river was great, big ones - and being a stony river they were excellent eating.

I well remember, when quite small, Pa Bethel (who owned quite a large area of land at Anawhata) would take me on his Konaki, a sledge with a sledge at the front and two wheels in the middle, which was pulled by his horse, over the hills to Te Henga (now better known as “Bethells”) and back for the day. I often caught small fish for his cat which he used to take to the beach from his home in Avondale. My reward was a handful of raisins. Pa only had to show a sugar bag to the cat and it would get into the bag itself, knowing that there was a trip to Anawhata ahead.

When going to Anawhata even for just a weekend, one had to take everything required with them as there was no way to get fresh supplies other than a 3-hour walk to Piha to collect anything that may have been ordered, then another three hours back with mainly bread in our sugarbag rucksacks which in those days were called “pikaus”. We did that trip willingly as ice creams were available there at Piha and that was a real treat. If we were vigilant, we may find a soft drink bottle or two which could be sold back to the shop; that increased our spending power. We didn’t worry about meat at the beach as there was always plenty of fish, crayfish and mussels. If one wanted meat there were always rabbits to shoot.

Anawhata was absolute paradise - those were good years - sadly our present generation does not have the benefits that we so enjoyed.

 

Seddon Memorial Technical College days

Seddon Tech days were quite an experience for me, having lived in a close family life in what could be called a country district. I well remember my first day. I travelled in the train from New Lynn to Mt Eden station and walked from there with other boys to Wellesley Street where the College was situated. Nobody knew what to do or where to go but very soon we were herded into the huge assembly hall where we were addressed on the rules, etc. of the College by the Principal, Mr. G.J. Park. Boys sat on the floor of the hall, girls on chairs in the circle.

As I was on crutches, I could not sit on the floor - Mr. Park pointed me out and instructed me to occupy one of the chairs at the side of the hall where the teachers were seated. He also “wanted to speak to me after assembly”. Wow! what had I done so soon after entry!!

But I soon found out that Mr.Park was a leading light in the Crippled Children’s Society and although he had the name of being very stern, to me, he had wonderful empathy. He informed me that my book and stationery costs etc. would be met by the Society, I only had to ask at the book-room, also that I was to avoid stairs as much as possible (and there were many) and that I was permitted to take a short-cut through either the girl’s playground or the Hall where girls were often having Phys-ed stripped to their black bloomers! That was a bit too much for me and usually kept clear of the Hall.

Train Students had the option of boarding the train at either Auckland or Mt. Eden stations, both of which entailed a long walk both to and from Tech. Boys walked on one side of the road, girls on the other, but there again I was privileged, being permitted to walk either side “in case another student, girl or boy may carry my bag for me”.

Military Drill and sports were not on for me so I was invited, along with others with ill-health to attend art and craft sessions which was most interesting.

My classes included English, Maths, History, Geography, Art, Shorthand writing as well as many periods of printing training, endeavouring to sort out where our interests lay, the direction that we would ultimately become engaged in, Compositor (which was my ultimate) Letterpress printing Linotype or Bookbinding.

My earliest interest was to become an automotive electrician (don’t know why) but Mum had already had a talk with Mr. Park who, because of my physical condition, combined with my artistic abilities had recommended Typography - and so it had already been decided for me. I have no regrets.

The Gymnasium Instructor, Mr. Leeves gave me some special exercises to strengthen my arm and chest muscles. The hardest part of gym. was that it was four floors up and that was a lot of stairs!

Once back to New Lynn Station, I still had over a mile to walk to home.

 

Harvison & Marshall days,     
Collins Bros. days

After only one year plus one term at Seddon Tech. I was keen to get out into the work force and was referred to my very first appointment for an interview with a firm called Harvison and Marshall in Albert Street.

I was interviewed by Mr. Harvison who, while he was very keen for me to have the job, he said he would like to meet my father. At that time, apprentices were bound by their father to the apprenticeship.

Both sides were satisfied and I was duly accepted on a six months trial before any papers were signed. I still have my apprenticeship contract.

I cannot remember exactly but within the first year, Mr. Marshall who was the person/partner teaching me the trade suffered a disagreement with Mr. Harvison and he suddenly left, leaving me on my own, a very raw apprentice doing everything in the comp-room of a medium-sized printing establishment.

With the departure of Mr. Marshall, a junior partner, Mr. Seymour who was a letterpress machinist kept a watch over me, helped/advised me as best he could, the rest was up to me to use my head and use my intuition to the best of my ability. I guess today one would use the expression “self-taught”.

I worked long hours at times but Mr. Harvison appreciated my efforts and regularly increased my remuneration beyond that of my apprenticeship contract, to such a degree that after serving only four of my six-year contract I was receiving full journeyman’s wages. But “I was not to make mention of the fact to the other machinist apprentices”.

It was wartime and labour was hard to get so I had to do everything from my side of the industry, seeking guidance where necessary but mainly working things out for myself. But I made it, keeping four machinists and two machinist apprentices going all the time.

As the years have rolled on, I have become increasingly grateful for Mr. Harvison who at first appeared an unsmiling and gruff person but on looking back, he was an astute businessman, a kind empathetic man.

In order to gain further experiences I ultimately left Harvison and Seymour, much to the disappointment of the partners, to try my hand at selling printing for a short time. That was a disaster - I was a more “hands-on” person. I spent a few months making cutting formes then moved on to what was supposed to be a “partnership” in a printing works in Warkworth. The partnership did not eventuate and after 18 months with one child and another on the way, returned to Auckland where I filled in for a friend in business while looking for a suitable position.

I answered an advertisement for Comp/printing Room Foreman with Collins Brothers Ltd. the Book and Stationery manufacturers .   They were very pleased to obtain my services.

I had been in that position for only a few months when the Managing Director summoned me to his office. Again, “woops”, what had I done to be called to his office!? He informed me that they had been keeping an eye on me and were impressed with my application to my job. Whew!!!

He then informed me that Mr. Alexander the Works Manager was shortly to retire and they would like me to understudy him prior to taking over as Works Manager. That offer was too good to be true, I thought, although my acceptance was with certain reservations about some of the aspects of manufacture which would be strange to me but I accepted graciously, doing both the printing room foremanship and learning what I could from Mr. Alexander until a replacement foreman could be engaged for the printing room.

That was not an easy job. I had to be “Jack-of-all-trades” setting all the different machines which I had to quickly learn how they worked, long hours were involved, first boat to town in the morning, 8-o’clock boat home two and three nights a week plus quite often Saturday mornings.

It was during my first few months with Collins (1950) that we bought our home in Birkenhead. We paid the princely sum of Two Thousand Eight Hundred Pounds ($5600 in todays money), with a 25 years mortgage at 5% interest. Would I ever be able to pay all that off? We had a mortgage of 1800 pounds, Gwen’s Dad loaned us 500 pounds, the owner left 200 pounds in, I had to sell our little car, a 1929 Morris Minor Convertible for 80 pounds, plus all I had in the bank - and we were there!     

Busy as I was, my second mortgages had to be paid off (with interest) so to supplement my income, I undertook gold lettering (blocking) on the insoles of shoes for Marler Brothers. They were very demanding over quick delivery, so often after working overtime, I would come home, have some tea, then into my little back room until the wee hours of the morning blocking insoles. But I earned enough to meet my commitments and paid off the two second mortgages, with enough to enable us to make certain “luxury” purchases such as a washing machine, fridge and a small radiogram.

Once I had cleared the second mortgages and purchased such “luxuries” as our first Fridge and washing machine, (no more stoking the copper) I gave up the blocking as it was telling on my general health. But it was that extra hard work that afforded us that  extra cash that we saved which started the little backlog that we have to enjoy today, maintaining our not ostentatious way of living.

Collins was a good firm, very old fashioned, but lacking in direction as far as progressive attitudes was concerned. I had continual struggles trying to convince the management of the necessity to upgrade the machinery and introduce new methods. The standard reply was two-fold, “you are doing a very good job with what we have” and “Glasgow would never agree”. Unfortunately both the Manager and the Accountant were “paper and pens people” with no manufacturing, productional experience.

A change of management came with the appointment of a new manager from England who was a more progressive man but soon came under the influence of the accountant and although I did manage to make some small machinery purchases, little was possible, with only one exception, that of a new Heidelburg printing machine.

One small new machine especially opened a new world for us production-wise. It not only reduced dramatically the times taken for certain operations but also opened opportunities to manufacture certain goods that had been previously not economic to produce..

One good thing that the new manager introduced was that I should be present at the Travellers’ Sales Meetings held a couple of times a year.

At those meetings I could hear any comments about my productions and also hear of any lines that they would like to have to offer. I was very happy thinking up new lines, mostly more of a personal stationery line and redesigning the covers of our very full range of manufactures.

The travellers were most appreciative of this aspect of the meetings and productivity increased greatly.  Some new machinery did make a difference but so much more was not forthcoming.

But the pressure of the job with very long hours plus the fact that Gwen was expecting another child started to tell on my health and I was warned by my Doctor to “ease up or be carried out”. As Works Manager I had the full responsibility of three floors although I did have a foreman in the printing room - I needed a foreman on the two top floors to relieve me of some of my manual duties so that I could afford more time to the “paper work”. I received, in the early stages, a sympathetic hearing from the manager but the accountant, counting the pennies, declared it not a necessity. I ended up telling the manager that because of my health and the expected baby it would have to be either assistance be given or I would have to consider resigning. The manager offered to pay for assistance in the home but that did not help the work situation.

And so I left, my relationship with the accountant was far from amicable, made even more-so a couple of weeks later when Mr. Collins himself from Glasgow arrived on a visit and was more than surprised and very disappointed that I had been allowed to leave. He asked to see me, asked a lot of awkward questions, suggested that I should go back but I felt that the atmosphere could not ever change so declined to even consider any further the suggestion.

Mr. Collins did ensure that I received a reasonable compensation plus a share of my superanuation fund that I had contributed to.

All my predictions on the question of upgrading machinery, etc. ultimately came true. Collins Bros., then the largest stationery manufacturer in the country was ultimately taken over by one of the smaller operators, another firm started up an envelope manufacturing plant with very modern machines and so that was the end of what had been N.Z.’s largest envelope manufacturer.

Even in the book publishing business the name Collins does not feature in large letters as it once did. Sad, very sad, for I still have many happy memories of my days with them.

 

Our Wedding Day and Honeymoon at Anawhata

March 16th 1946 was a great day - but I must go back a little before that day.

Gwen and I met at the Auckland Young People’s Club in 1943. Gwen’s mother had recently passed away although I didn’t realise it at the time.

I was President of the Club at the time and one evening my attention was drawn to the back row of the Club where a young lass with shiny red hair was sitting.

After the meeting was over I introduced myself to her, got a cup of tea for her together with a plate of carefully selected cakes - and we then chatted for quite some time. I was strangely moved, a feeling of, I realise now as “love at first sight”. Although I certainly did not know anything about “love” I was more than happy to share time with her and that was how it all began.

Gwen lived at Takapuna for a while with her father who declared that he wished to re-marry and so Gwen had to look for board elsewhere. As far as the new wife was concerned, Gwen was not wanted. Gwen found board at Narrow Neck with Vena Wallis, the wife of an overseas soldier.

Vena was young, bright, breezy, vivacious and full of fun, helping draw us closer and closer. We three are still very good friends.

Our friendship grew and developed, deepening to the stage 18 months later, announcing our engagement. It was natural progression.

When Vena’s husband Ralph returned from overseas duty, Gwen then went to live with her father and step-mother at the home at 367a Great South Road. It was a large section, large lawns, big trees with a hammock stretched between two of them - but that is another story!.

I spent quite a lot of time out there with Gwen but for her it was not a happy time. And numerous things happened there which contributed to Gwen looking forward to our wedding. Nell, that was her name, did not come to the wedding.

And so I come to 16th March 1946.

As I write this, (18th March 2003) we are holidaying for a few days, celebrating our 57th Wedding Anniversary of the Big Day.

There is a lot of that day that has faded into the background but lots of the good things still remain clear in my mind.

Best Man (my brother Digger) together with Neil Hickman my Groomsman and I were picked up from home at Mt. Albert by Ivan Dow who was the salesman at Harvison and Seymour and taken to St. Stephen’s Church in Herne Bay. We waited for what seemed a very long time in a dark and most uninteresting vestry, just the three of us..

At  last the Minister came and invited us to accompany him to the front of the Church. Wow! The Church was full!! - full of all our good friends and there, sitting there directly in front of me, smiling, looking very happy was Mum and Dad. To reassure them that all was well with me, I gave them a big wink. That was naughty! I should not wink in Church!! And the first opportunity following the ceremony that she had, Mum let me know!!!

I must admit I cannot recall much of the ceremony but coming out of the vestry after the signing and recessing down the aisle, all those people here to wish us well, rapturously happy, smiling, congratulating, shaking my hand, yes, hand for the other was holding very firmly onto Gwen whose extreme shyness of those days, floating on the air of happiness, I feared that she might just float right away.

Once outside there were people everywhere and the girls from work had spent many hours on the punching machine making confetti - I believe there were two cartons the size of 4 gallon tins full - and we got the lot. The footpath as far as one could see was covered and I had more than my share in and around me. When going to the photographers Gwen told me that she was full of it but quickly added that she had Betty her Bridesmaid to help her! Blow!!.

Our Wedding Cars were a matched pair of Packhard Limousines. I had never sat in anything like that before and felt quite regal. Off we went to Bellwood Bridal Studios in Karangahape Road for formal photos. We did have a candid cameraman who only took a few photos at the Church.

Then to the Commodore Lounge for our Wedding Breakfast. It was an upstairs venue where The Warehouse Downtown now stands in Customs Street.

It was a traditional meal for those days, Sandwiches, Savouries, an assortment of Cakes (No smorgasbord those days) plus Fruit Salad (and for an extra 3 pence we could have ice cream). Through Digger who worked for the Dairy Company, we had that absolute luxury of fresh cream -unheard of in those war and post-war years.

While on the question of costs, we had the unenviable task of telling Gwen’s father that the meal was to cost 4s (40 cents) a head (and later told him that we would like ice cream at 3d a head extra) He didn’t make any comment but we often wonder what his thoughts would have been.

Our Wedding Cake was a truly magnificent affair. Ray Kennerley, a member of our Young People’s Club iced it for us - denies any description - it had the most delicate and intricate decorations all around the sides, across the top with ever so delicate small while icing swans around the top edges. At that time we were still on rationing with meagre amounts of sugar on coupon each week. Mum cut us down on sugar usage plus cadging where she could to enable us to collect sufficient sugar for icing the cake. My cousin Hec Harris worked for Henry Berry and arranged for them to grind the sugar into icing sugar. And so we had sufficient for our beautiful cake. The top tier was sealed in a tin before being cut some 20 months later at the Christening of our first-born, David.

Honeymoon? Ah, yes, that was great!. Ivan Dow drove us from the reception to Gwen’s home then to our flat in Ponsonby, on to my home in Mt. Albert to collect all our food requirements for the fortnight then off to Anawhata. On the way Ivan’s car broke down but a little time later we got it going, thank goodness.

We reached the top of the hill just on dusk. Anyone arriving at the top of the hill could always expect a welcome from Colonel Todd and this time was no exception. Conscious of the impending darkness, I put my pack on my back, took Gwen’s suitcase in my hand and started off but didn’t get far when Toddy caught up to us “you two were married this afternoon” he proclaimed. Yes, we were. Toddy demanded that we leave our heavy piquau with all our food for a fortnight, only take what we needed for the night, and he would take the rest down the next morning.  He kept  his word for which we were most grateful.

We reached Parker’s house and they demanded that we go in for a few minutes, which we did and then down to the “Little Brown Owl” our cottage.

We were, by this time, after such a big, long day, so tired that we literally collapsed into bed - a  strange experience for both of us, having somebody in bed next to you.

Anawhata was and still is the most relaxing place one could ever find. The sound of the pounding waves, the lovely warm sunshine, plenty of good fishing and swimming, walking and talking together - alone - it was heaven. Just the two of us - just what we needed!.

One day we walked over to Piha for fresh supplies, intended staying the night in Hec’s batch but Gwen (aftermath of the stresses of pre-wedding) developed a very sore throat and so we decided to return to Anawhata. Relaxation was the remedy and we had plenty of that.

Two weeks later, Ivan returned to take us back to our flat in Ponsonby to commence life together as husband and wife. In those days girls did not normally go back to work after marriage so Gwen was at home while I went back to work at H & S, working frantically to catch up on what had piled up in my absence.

And so began, and continues today, a very happy relationship. It has not always been easy and at times darned hard, there were times when the greengrocer arrived that Gwen would not answer the door as she didn’t have the money to buy anything - and that happened quite often. We have “done it together” and that is the secret for any married couples, “together” with that ever-so-necessary word “respect” for each other.

I  have been persuaded by David and Geoffrey to add to this Anawhata Chapter after answering some of their questions.

There are so many memorable aspects that one does not know where to start nor what will be of interest to others against what is pure, selfish, nostalgia.     Perhaps the best place to start would be  the stream (or as we called it “the creek”)        (Photo was taken in the bend just below Forgies’).

From earliest days the creek has played an important part in life surrounding the Anawhata area.

A clinker-built dinghy was the only alternative  to a trek over the hills for Forgies to get to the beach for swimming or fishing.     Well up past Forgie’s  there still remains the relics of  a large dam that held back the water which, when tripped (opened)  would rush down the valley, taking with it the Kauri logs that had been felled and rolled into the bed of the stream, ending up around the flat land opposite and a little below Forgie’s. 

On that flat was, and I guess still is, the remains of a huge Kauri log, probably more than 8 feet wide and 24 feet long which had come down from up the valley and jammed against the bank, too difficult to dislodge so just left where it lay to rot away.   Logs brought down the steam to that flat were then moved to a position where they could be winched up to the top of the hill, then by bulloch team, on to the top of the hill overlooking the northern end of Piha where it was placed on skids (the skid-rails were still there in the mid 1940’s but now grossly overgrown) down to Piha where they were either milled or winched up to the top of Piha hill overlooking Karekare before being  skidded down to Karekare where it would then go on rail-tracks to Whatipu before being floated up the Manukau  Harbour to Onehunga - a long journey from Anawhata.

One of the logs floated down the stream, overshot  catchment area and ended up on Anawhata beach where it lay for many years before my Dad, assisted by Steve Derrick, a neighbour of ours from New Lynn, split it into timber suitable for the entire framing of our beach cottage affectionately called “Little Brown Owl” because of the colour of the paint used.

First of all a hole was drilled into the centre of the log, a charge of gelignite was placed in that hole and with one sharp explosion the log lay clean open.    The grain was beautifully straight which made it so much easier to split the various 4x3, 4x2 and 3x2’s for the floor joists and framing.   So good was the grain there was only a minimal amount of trimming necessary to obtain perfectly straight lengths of timber.

The stream was an endless activity in so many ways.   Eel fishing was always exciting as well as an additional source of diet although there was always plenty of good schnapper and other fish.

The first thing that we kids did after our arrival for Christmas holidays was to gather flax sticks to make rafts which we poled up and down the creek.    We held races, were Tom Sawyer, pirates, etc.

Swimming, source of drinking water and ablutions - even in the depth of winter, that is where we washed, everyone up to their knees, which meant that older ones were further out than little ones, for morning washes and cleaning teeth.

In my earlier days I remember at high spring tides, mullet would swim up from the sea, swollen by big waves that would run well up the creek, possibly to spawn, then back again to the open sea before the tide receded after high tide.     Occasionally we would manage to capture one of these mullet, hitting it with a supple-jack stick - not often though.

I have seen the creek in very high flood after heavy rains in the Watakeries; scouring out a deep 6 foot chanel in the sand as it went.    That was exciting and scary.    So much for the creek.

When we first camped at Anawahata we lived in a large centre-pole tent that Dad had made, right on the edge of the beach by Father Atkinson’s cave.     I think it may have been our second year there, I was quite small, a huge landslide occurred just along from the cave and Dad considered it too dangerous for us to remain there so he moved us and all our camping gear across the flooded creek to a piece of  flat land inside Bull Point alongside Albert Troughear’s camp.  

Albert was a white affluent man who owned a new Baby Austin motor car.    Albert was determined that it would be possible to drive his car down the sledge-track onto the beach - which he did.    But getting it back up the hill again was another story.    Extra horse (man) power was needed to coach his baby Austin up the hill again.    That was the first time a car had ever been on Anawhata beach.

In those days the cars could be driven over the extremely rough terrain to the top of the knoll where the sledge track began.    All that land is now covered in titree and gorse.    In the earlier days it was grass upon which sheep grazed with a little low wind-blown titree.

We spent a couple of years at Piha while Mum was having Ngaere and Ivan then we returned to good old Anawhata.

At that time we cleared out and formed a shelter in one of the caves along from Father Atkinson’s cave and pitched our large tent on a flat clearing in front just off the beach.     There we stayed for some years until Walter Parker invited us to build a cottage on a piece of his land on the southern edge of the beach.

As I have previously mentioned, the whole framework came from the split Kauri log.     Weatherboards came from my God-father Bill Ireland who was building the Croydon Road railway overbridge - 12x1 pine.     Two big square windows and roofing iron came from my Grandfather’s blacksmiths building in Mount Albert, a door from goodness-knows where likewise a Dover stove which served us so well for many many years.

In the holiday season we would put up tents for all the extra people to sleep in and they would stay up until well after Easter.

Thanks to the New Zealand Co-op Dairy we had running water.      Digger obtained some 1” pipes, formed a little dam further up the hill towards Parker’s and gravity did the rest.     It was pure luxury having not to carry water any more.

Besides fishing there were other sources of good food; mussels, crayfish, mushrooms and blackberries in season as well.

Long before land-yachts were even thought of, cousin Holland Allely, a keen yachtsman designed  and built a triangular-shaped contraption with a sail which we ran up and down the hard sand when the tide was out..   Two push-bike wheels in the front and a  small flat wheel at the back for steering

The Anawhata days, especially “Little Brown Owl” days hold so many memories that a whole book would have to be written to contain even a fraction.     Visitors were always welcome; we were the first to meet people as they came down the hill and there was always a “cuppa” offered.     Of course visitors or campers arriving usually had fresh buns or cakes which we graciously shared.

Once “Little Brown Owl” was built, we were privileged to be able to drive down to Parker’s house which made it so much easier and less distance to carry our belongings.      Prior to that our cars were parked at the top of the hill and we had to carry everything down.    We thought nothing of three or four loads one after the other - it was hard work, a large piquau on our back, a sack of potatoes on top and something in our hands!       We were hardened to it and we did it willingly.

After we were married and had children, Gwen would spend most of the six weeks Christmas holidays at the beach with the children and after my two weeks holiday were over I would go back to work, returning each week-end.      Many and varied were the ways of getting there.    We did not have a car.     A number of times when I had a lot of provisions to carry, the best way was to push-bike all the way, a few times I would meet up with Mr & Mrs Scrivner who were in town shopping and obtained a ride with them and a couple of times I had a ride with John Ansell who lived at Waiatarua to the beginning of the Anawhata road.       Despite stringent petrol rationing he would take me the extra distance but it was still a long walk from there to the beach with a heavy pack.    A couple of times, when all else failed, I took the 3pm bus to Titirangi and walked all the way from there, arriving long after dark.

Returning home on Sunday nights was usually OK as I could line up somebody returning for a lift.  Of course if I had  biked out I had to bike back home again.      Hitch-hiking was not an accepted thing in those days and I was never offered a lift in all the times I walked.

Upon arrival at the beach I was naturally very welcome - I had fresh supplies for the following week and I always tried to include some little cakes or other goodies as a treat also bread, butter, tomatoes and fresh milk, etc.      Unfortunately ice cream would not last during the long journey.

Fishing in those days was good.    Off at day-break to either Keyhole or Flat Rock, according to the stage of the tide, then back again before breakfast with sufficient fresh fish for everyone.     The smell of our breakfast fish frying  still lingers in my memory; and maybe there could be a few spuds over from the night before to make chips.

For a real fishing expedition or crayfishing it was Fisherman’s or Pearson’s far to the left, almost to White’s Beach, or to Cannibal’s Creek which was quite dangerous to get to.

There were plenty of mussels and paua also sea-eggs (Kina) which we didn’t touch.

When we swam, we all swam together at the same time for safety reasons and we never ever had any trouble.      We knew the Coast and respected it.    We read the waves and were always on the look-out for the “big ones”.   If it was rough, Dad would stand watch while we all swam.

Knowing the Coast as I did, I personally took part in a number of searches when somebody had drowned at Piha or elsewhere down the Coast but, knowing the Coast as I did, I stressed that the current off Anawhata was a deep one and further out in a northerly direction and to expect to find what they were looking for at Maori Bay or the southern end of Te Henga in so many days after the drowning.      Surface drift did bring in odd bits of dunnage from ships and once, after the Piha surf-boat had capsised the broken oars from the boat arrived on our beach.

In the very early days, up until the late 1930’s Mobbs had mules and donkeys to pull his sledges.    I can only just remember the mules running free but the donkeys were for many years, even well after we were married, tame enough to ride on.

Oh how I wish that I could spend some more time there to relive those wonderful days but the reality of it is a physical impossibility so I will just have to indulge myself as often as I wish with my precious memories.    And the other equally impossible wish would be for our children, especially our grandchildren to gain some practical experiences of what it was like for me.

 

My Marriage Celebrant Involvement

About 28 years ago, we had a very shy, quiet young girl as a boarder. Her parents lived on Waiheke and it was not possible for her to live there and work in Auckland so she asked us to take her in. Sue Anderson was her name.

Sue had a very pleasant young man as a companion and she brought him and her brother when she came to meet us. Stephen spent quite a lot of time at our place and we saw a lovely relationship develop. One winter evening, while sitting in front of the fire, Sue, knowing that I was a Justice of the Peace, asked me if I would conduct their Marriage Ceremony. Sadly I had to inform her that J.P’s could not conduct such a ceremony. Sue was devastated!. Family tensions had not made things easy for them - her family were J.W’s and Stephen’s were Anglican and neither could agree on venue so I was the answer, so they thought. Ultimately they were married in the Registry Office, Sue beautifully dressed as a Bride. A reception was held to which we were invited.

But Sue’s disappointment caused me to think deeply about the possibility of J.P’s gaining authority to conduct weddings. I spoke to our then Member of Parliament, Hon. Norman King who suggested I write to him, give him all the information I could together with letters of support (from Mr. McGlashan, Chairman of the Auckland Education Board, Rev. Don Sherson, my own Methodist Minister and Rev. Frank Wright, local Anglican Vicar).

Norman King was the then Minister of Social Welfare and he enlisted the support of Hon. Martyn Finlay, Minister of Justice both of whom worked hard on my behalf. In the meantime there had been a change of Government but that did not deter their interest. Back again to the Labour Government and finally, one day, I received a letter from Norman together with a copy of the “Amendment to The Marriage Act” as passed by Parliament.

A few weeks later I received a letter from the Registrar enquiring if I would consider accepting an appointment as a Marriage Celebrant. I was overjoyed at the prospect. At the same time they appointed the Presidents of the five Justices of the Peace Associations to the office. And so, a long-longed-for dream came true and at the time of writing I can claim around fifteen hundred weddings to my credit. Some have not lasted the distance but most have, lots of them are still close friends, some are now or have, celebrated their Silver Weddings.

Not only have I conducted their weddings but also had the privilege of conducting a Naming Ceremony for their babies. Sadly, because of my close relationship with couples, when bereavement is theirs, either one of the couple, a parent, sibling, and most sadly of all, a baby dies, they come to seek my help as far as a funeral service is concerned. Two very sad occasions was when firstly a still-born baby and a few years later, the same family where the baby lived only two minutes. But the satisfaction of helping someone in their distress far outweighed the emotional stress I was under. That couple are still my good friends.

I see my work as a Celebrant as a service to the community and am saddened at the “commercial” attitude adopted by some Celebrants. There are so many additional Celebrants now appointed that what was once a very demanding service is now only an occasional request.

Selling off my Printing Equipment

At the time of writing, the past three years has not been easy. Three years ago, a hip replacement, two years ago a complete knee-joint replacement and last year facial shingles which robbed me of two stone in weight and took six months to get anywhere near my normal self. That illness really took it out of me and I sometimes wondered if life was worth fighting for. But the alternative holds no attraction!.

That last illness caused me to reflect seriously over what time I may have left and what could I do to make the most of that precious time.

It has left me so lethargic, lacking in my normal “get-up-and-go”.

The decision did not come easy but it was to dispose of my printing equipment. That was a huge decision - it hung very heavily upon my mind - it was like a bereavement - but it had to be.

My attitude changed somewhat when I was approached by a man who had set up a small operational museum of printing equipment in Feilding.

He was overjoyed to get my Hopkinson & Cope (circa 1850) hand printing press as well as odd bits and pieces together with some of my display type. I was very pleased to let him have such equipment as it was going to continue to be used.

Other fonts went to hobby printers and book-binders. It is going to take some time to finally clear out everything if ever but the fact that it is going to be used is the salve that healed any sadness that I did have at the beginning. I am going to miss not being able to potter about doing my Christmas Cards, etc., but I will use any energy/time that I have in enjoying what time I have left.

Both Gwen and I enjoy our new caravan and hopefully we will be spared time to make the most of it, taking those lovely little holidays here and there, just we two, continuing to re-discover each other - redeployment of my time.

 

Tour Escorting  --  how it all began and continued

During 1972 the Royal Federation of Justices of the Peace in New Zealand were considering sending a Fraternal Delegation to Australia. As I had visited a number of New South Wales Branches, my opinion was asked on the feasibility of such a move and subsequently submit my suggestions of a suitable itinerary.

Having submitted what I considered a balanced tour of formal, social and sightseeing activities embracing Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane, the Federation were most impressed and asked me to make the necessary contacts. I stressed that I had no experience in tour organising but was prevailed upon to make the necessary contact with the various Australian States outlined in my suggestions.

All Associations contacted warmly welcomed the suggestion of a Fraternal Delegation, making helpful suggestions as far as official, social and sight-seeing activities went and so it was all on!.

I finally agreed to be the organiser/manager but declined to be the leader in favour of the President of the Royal New Zealand Federation who had indicated his interest in participating.

We were extremely well-hosted.   In Melbourne there was a Dinner Meeting as well as sightseeing, in Adelaide the Mayor organised a Lord Mayor’s Reception and the South Australian Association took us for a full-day trip to the Barossa Valley.

In Canberra we were invited to the residence of the New Zealand High Commissioner for morning tea. On the journey from Canberra to Sydney we stopped at Bowral for a beautiful dinner which was prepared by the local ladies organised by our very good friend Elaine Jennings.

On to Sydney where we were afforded a very formal welcome and dinner as well as sightseeing. As an Honorary Member of that Association I was made most welcome.

From Sydney to Brisbane where again all stops had been pulled out to ensure that the very best of everything was made available. Again there was a quite formal dinner followed by many speeches, presentations and social activities.

It was a formidable task, 93 in the tour party - far too big, which caused a lot of problems and some friction but I managed and apart from a couple of niggly tour members it was a resounding success as evidenced by the number of compliments received from many quarters.

So successful, socially, was the tour, that shortly after our return a number of localised dinner parties were organised by various members and every time the question was “where are you taking us to next year”.

After considerable pressure, having been bitten by the “travel bug” I worked out where I would like to go, discussed the area with the travel agents who put together a package including Japan and Hong Kong. It was a really relaxed and interesting tour for my party of 36 members, 22 of whom had been with me on the J.P’s tour to Australia. It was on this tour that there was a group of 12 people, none of them had ever met before, formed what we affectionately named “the family”, a group that to this day, still hold very close friendships. Sadly some have passed on. They are still included in our conversation whenever we meet.

 The following year our tour took us to Honolulu, Los Angeles with side trips to Disneyland and Universal Studios, 28 from the previous tour still with us!

For quite a few years I took two tours a year, one at Christmas and the other at Easter including return visits to such places as Japan, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bali, Noumea, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Fijian Blue Lagoon Cruises, San Francisco, Los Angeles Anaheim, San Diego, Las Vegas and Norfolk Island many times.

It was during one of our trips to Bali that I was badly let down by the travel agents. I caught the back-wash from some of the tour members. That decided for me that I would not take any more tour parties and informed the travel firm in a very positive way.         

Shortly after returning from Bali, Gwen and I were invited to a formal reception hosted by an important Singapore businessman whom I had got to know quite well when I took my tour parties to his warehouse for shopping. At that function I was approached by three important-looking businesmen. They turned out to be three of the departmental heads of Atlantic & Pacific Travel. They obviously knew all about me, why I was distancing myself from my former travel agents and invited me to join their team of escorts on their London Shoppe programme. Having already decided against escorting I declined but they insisted on my calling at their headquarters for a “quiet talk”.

As I was nearing retirement from business, they made a good offer “if I would escort a small group that they were sending off to London, look after them for 3 days in Disneyland, accompany them on the plane to Gatwick Airport, London, then get them on the train to the city, my responsibility would end. For that consideration they would cover my airfare, accommodation, plus expenses. I weakened! And so I became one of Atlantic & Pacific’s tour escorts - something that I have never regretted. They were a good firm, very supportive. And it has given Gwen and I chances to visit parts of the world that we would never have otherwise seen.

That tour started off our “Big O.E.” 3 months tour of England, Europe and especially Scotland where Gwen’s father came from.

On all but one London Shoppe tour I was fortunate to take Gwen with me which made it so much more worth while.

London Shoppe tours always spent 3 days in Anaheim where we spent time in Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Tijuana in Mexico, San Diego, Universal Studios and more.

After 3 days in Los Angeles we flew to London and spent 3 days with the group, orientating them on the use of the tube trains, taking them on a tour on a London Bus, shopping in the streets nearby. By the end of the three days they were confident enough to make their own way.

That was then to be “our time” to travel around. I always made sure that I had at least seven days free before meeting up at Heathrow Airport with another tour party who had completed their holiday, to bring them home through either Singapore or Hong Kong for 3 or 4 days.

Singapore was always an exciting place for tourists, and the SHOPPING!!.

I invariably had problems at the airport with excess baggage with so much being bought while in Singapore. Fortunately I was always able to talk my way around the problem and only once had to pay excess in Hong Kong.

Wherever we were on our last night, I always organised a “last night dinner party”. They were always great fun, and appreciated.

Back at Auckland Airport, baggage retrieved, through Customs, I waited outside to bid farewell aa they came out. Appreciation was always quite profuse.

It was great being back on good old Kiwi soil, family waiting to take us home and especially to see what goodies we had brought with us.

Escorting was in the main, a pleasurable experience, memories of which we have stored away, to be brought out now and then. Nostalgia is a fine remedy to give one a big lift.

 

Four Score Years  -- and not done yet

August 2003 was not the end of the year but for me it certainly turned around and ended what had been a fairly traumatic seven months and like the first burst of spring, it came in with a resounding trumpet-call of celebrations which lasted throughout the whole month.

August fourth was my birthday - seems a long way back to 1923 (though I cannot remember it) to that day when I was born in Hawera.

Celebrations commenced a few days previously when Gwen and I were invited to a special birthday luncheon by Jenny Jupp, (the mother of one of my favourite brides), one of her ways of expressing her gratitude for conducting her daughter Tracy’s wedding and a few years later, Tracy’s lovely little baby’s Naming Ceremony.    Jenny not only produced a beautiful meal but also a birthday cake.

A couple of weeks later was the big celebration dinner party complete with eighty carefully-chosen guests representing my eighty years ranging from the eldest at 93 to our youngest 7 months old great-grandson Tai.

Those who were present will already know the format of the programme, but for others a sketchy description would be helpful.

Quite a lot of thought went into the question of the theme for the party and ultimately I came up with the thought of sending out the invitation in the form of a “Summons” calling recipients to act as Jurors with myself being the accused charged with “getting old”.

I drafted out what I thought would be a suitable format but at that stage Geoffrey took over, took the draft to England with him, altered, added, embellished, ultimately producing the finished product which met with general approval.

The “summons” (invitation) was posted out in a long brown window envelope with only the wording “SUMMONS TO APPEAR” and the recipient’s name and address visible in the window space.

Some of my “friends” received quite a shock when it arrived in the post, a few kept it until their husband arrived home from work but upon opening the envelope it was very clear to them that it was going to be a real “fun” afternoon.

The afternoon before the function was spent setting up the hall resplendent with smart red and white striped tablecloths, nicely decorated and supplied with ample stocks of refreshments. Outside in the foyer was a 16’x 2’ photo/memorabilia board covering photos etc. from my baby photograph, through the various stages of life and including Certificates of Merit awarded for my many community contributions, family occasions photographs also a selection of my “special” Christmas Cards which have been most appreciated in the past 57 years.

Guests started to arrive well before mid-day, mingled around in the foyer, took pleasure in the photos board, chatted with each other, renewing old friendships, having not seen each other for a long time.

David, (as Prosecutor) was the Master of Ceremonies. At 12.30 he donned a Policeman’s helmet and blowing a whistle as he rushed around through the guests demanding that “the Jurors” should take their seats in the “temporary” courtroom.

Once order had been achieved and everybody seated, he formally read out the charge against me. Those not present would have to view the video to appreciate the hilarity that followed.

David asked if I had anything to say. I took the opportunity to welcome everybody and claimed that as every accused had the right to a fair trial and a good meal before being “put down” I called for an adjournment in order that a meal could be served. It was a beautiful meal.

The main course over, it was time for the “trial” to begin.

David removed his policeman’s helmet and donned a blonde Dolly Parton style wig and called upon the first “witness for the prosecution” my elder brother Digger who spoke at great length on my life-time, some of which he grossly exaggerated or entirely made up but interspersed with many humorous interjections.

The second witness for the prosecution was my sister Ngaere who rambled humorously in and out of a mixture of truth and fiction much to the delight of all present.

First Counsel for the Defence was Dennis Waller, a man gifted with oratory and he discredited a lot of what had been levelled at me, especially questioning the credibility of the Prosecutor David, mentioning exploits when a student at Massey University in Palmerston North.

Dennis is the C.E.O. of the Endeavour Charitable Trust of which I am a member and to mark the occasion, Dennis, on behalf of fellow Trustees, presented me with a scale-model of Captain Cook’s ship The Endeavour, a gift that I really treasure.

The next witness for defence was an old friend Richard Merralls who spoke of my “simplicit, sometimes child-like way of life, one of New Zealand’s gentle men of nature, a pleasure to know”.

Final witness was another long-time friend, Dick Willson who amongst other connections is the Director of Ceremonies of the Tawera Rose Croix Chapter of the Masonic Lodge.

Dick referred to my “sense of humour, great ability to simplify areas where it was needed to be brought back to earth, a wonderful supporter and worker”, ending up with the announcement that he would like to share a “Masonic Secret” with everybody present, much to the surprise of both Masonic and non-Masonic guests.

His announcement (which had been kept secret until now) was that “in recognition of my life, community and Masonically, I had been awarded the prestigious Rose Croix Medal of Honour, the actual presentation of which would take place the following week. He also mentioned that this was only the third medal to ever be presented in New Zealand and that it was restricted to ten holders at any one time.

A questionable method of deciding guilt or otherwise ensued and it was decided that I was “guilty of ‘getting old’” and was placed on parole with an additional ten years of community service on top of the sixty already served and to come up for review in ten years’ at the time of my 90th birthday”.

And Jurors with the responsibility of attending that hearing in August 2013, the venue to be advised.

Before the “Court” was adjourned, our son-in-law Ian Stewart paid a warm tribute to his membership in the family and referring to the charge of “being old” paid a lovely tribute to Gwen, whom he described as “my elixer of youth”.

That proved to be a fitting closure to what all had agreed had been a wonderful and memorable afternoon.

We relive the occasion often as we watch the excellent video of proceedings which was produced by my very good friend Trevor Bartlett.

 

My Welcome to guests at my 80th Birthday Party

I guess some of you could have been a little shocked when you received your invitation to be present here today - carefully folded and enclosed in a window envelope with the word “SUMMONS TO APPEAR” partly visible.

Thankfully, you had the courage to open the envelope to reveal its true contents - much to your probable relief. But it will afford you, to some degree, the nature of he afternoon. But it doesn’t end there.

I have often taken the micky out of you and now there are some, especially members of my family who will take delight in taking the micky out of me. I can take it - and may they be forewarned, there is only one who is older than me and his recollections can be proved a little sketchy and exaggerated. That makes me the next eldest - I know so much more about them than they do about me, so watch your words!.

But on the other side of the coin, I have a distinguished, true, honest and reliable defence team present who will steadfastly refute any scurrilous effort proposed by the prosecution to convict me.

Yes, it is true, I did have a birthday on 4th August but that has gone.

So this is not a birthday but a celebration of a long life, well-lived, satisfactorily served; looking forward to the warmth of golden years.

Unfortunately there was no hall large enough to hold all the people whom I would have wished to invite to share a meal with me in gratitude for all the friendship and support I have received throughout my life. You are the carefully-chosen ones.

There are friends here from all walks of life. For me, each and every one of you have made a significant contribution to my life thus far.

Some of the relationships go back almost beyond memory. I could, if I wished, recall details of occasions when each of you have slotted yourselves indelibly into my past.

And I am in no way overlooking the most important person in my whole life, Gwen, the way in which she has filled my last 57 years. (Introduce family members and refer to those people who are missing)

The summons that ordered you to attend here today clearly set out the charge against me but as you know, every accused is entitled to a fair trial and more importantly a good meal before being condemned.

I cannot plead ignorance of all that has been levelled against me but you worthy friends of the Jury and the public in the gallery will, I trust, show compassion as the prosecutor will do all he can to force me financially and physically into a rest-home situation. Bear in mind, any costs will become a drain on your inheritance.

Or, hopefully, witnesses will sway him into final submission, that on weight of evidence, there has been far in excess of good over anything that may have been questionable in my life.

I call for an adjournment while a meal is served. Control of the proceedings is in David’s hands.

 

  

Family Christmas Holidays

Christmas  holidays have, ever since my very early days been most memorable times and still are, even though, for the past few years it has been just the two of us.

Anawhata days came to an end at the time of the death of my father in December 1960.     Christmas 1959-60 was to be our last holiday there as we had been informed by Parker’s step-son  that we were no longer welcome there on their property.

And so, our first holiday away from Anawhata was Christmas 1960 when we rented accommodation at Jolly Fisherman’s Lodge in Leigh owned by Mr & Mrs Taylor.   It was peaceful and restful - just  what I needed after the sudden death of my father three weeks before.    Right on the edge of the beach, accessible only at low tide.

The following years we rented various beach cottages , the emphasis was always on the family and togetherness, something that had been instilled  in me by my parents, their actions and involvement right from my very earliest days.

When Mary-Anne was a baby in a basinette we spent an Easter at Orua Bay on the shores of southern Manukau Heads.   We stayed in what I think was an old Army Hut, practically no facilities at all apart from what we took with us, certainly no refrigerator for keeping her milk in  (it went sour but she still drank it).    We had plenty of Piper which were netted just off the beach.     Gwen and I returned to Orua Bay for a few days in 2003, celebrating our 57th Wedding Anniversary.

Gwen’s sister Rita arranged for the rental of a cottage on the water’s edge just before Oamaru Bay in Coromandel.    We saw quite a bit of Rita and her family and Brother-in-law Joe James brought his boat and outboard for me but we had trouble with the motor so didn’t get much use of the boat.

Not necessarily in the correct order, in 1962 there was a cottage right on the beach at Whangamata.     Aunty Dot (not a true Aunty) a very dear old friend of my mother, and Uncle Laurie arranged for our accommodation which was well set up.    They had a little Terrier dog called Towsie.    Geoffrey was quite small at the time and he and Towsie got on very well, walking together with Geoffrey holding firmly onto Towsie’s tail - the first of the “Guide Dogs”.

My early holidaying at Anawhata , close to the beach and water has had a profound influence on our family vacations.   Almost everywhere we have spent our Christmas holidays  have been very close to the beaches and water..

For more years than I can remember, we had a Christmas Tree in the corner of the main room and there were always a number of un-named little parcels for the odd person  who may be there at our “present-opening time”.   We usually invited one or two people who would  otherwise not have the pleasure of witnessing the children’s excitement and pleasure of that moment.    They were the recipients of our un-named little parcels.

There was Waihi Beach (this time back from the beach),      Mary-Anne was at the push-chair stage.  Ruby and Joe Hitchen who worked for me at Collins Brothers spent  a week with us and Ruby took a great interest in Mary-Anne and a couple of years later she looked after Mary-Anne when Gwen and I went on an overseas trip.

Taurakura, on  the road to Whangarei Heads, not on the beach, but with extensive views over the bay.  Toby Sheen, one of  Collins Brothers had a house there and arranged a cottage for us.    Toby had a big clinker-built boat and took us out in it, also for fishing.

To Oakura, Wilma was in her teens.   For her company we invited Jackie Crompton to be with us.  That was the year that “Snoopy’s Christmas” was a hit tune and Christmas never comes around but that tune is played and reminds us of that holiday.     It was that year that Kath and Jack Neville rented a cottage over the road      It was a good holiday.     Squire Haydon, the then Headmaster of our Birkenhead School owned a house next door and he looked after us very well, fishing as well as social activities, including us in social interaction with his neighbours.

Mr. Massey who owned the cottage offered to sell it to us for the sum of $30,000 but purchase was an impossibility for us at that time.    Today I guess it would be worth over one million dollars such a large section and right on the beach.

1971 and 1972 saw us at Tauranga Bay, this time in our caravan with a large walk-way awning.   Right on the beach only 4 feet away.    Many are the memories that come flooding back of those days.    Mary-Anne was in her mid-teen years, there was a group of young macho-men, also mid-teens, who were in an old silver caravan on site at the camp.   They were interested in Mary-Anne and she likewise them.    From that year on her bedroom furniture has never been shifted!    Enough said.    They became engaged, married, produced  two children and still going strong after 28 years.

I took a keen interest in activities at Tauranga Bay; collecting bottles to support the first aid unit that a camping Doctor and I had started, organising Housie evenings, etc. but mostly running the first aid unit.   The Council recognising the good work we were doing allocated one of their little units on the beach-front as a first aid station.   Sunburn was the main problem but also fish hooks in fingers and legs (some I was able to remove but others had to be taken to the local hospital in Kaeo).   One group of campers were keen scuba-divers and they were more than generous by supplying me with quantities of scallops in reward for my first aid attention to their members.

We went caravaning around the East Cape visiting Te Araroa where the roosters commenced crowing at the very first peep of dawn,Tolaga Bay with its very long wharf, then down to Gisborne and Te Karaka where my God-father Bill Ireland lived.    While at Te Araroa we visited the East Cape lighthouse where the keeper was Arne Mitdgard and his wife Cissy.    As the children were interested, Arne offered me the key so the children could see inside the lighthouse - very exciting!

We kept in touch with Arne and once drove up to Cape Reinga where he had been transferred.    They were very pleased to meet up with us again , ending up with his invitation to ‘come up and spend next Christmas holidays with us in the assistant Lighthouse-keeper’s cottage”      This was an offer too good to miss, we did just that.    We continued going back to the Cape  for three years.      

I helped Cissie in the Post Office and shop, spoke to tourists and showed some of them, especially children  through the lighthouse, thoroughly enjoying our times up there.     Sadly we have lost touch with Arne and Cissie and fear that they may have died.

Having “been there, done that”, we were at a loss as to where to go next.     We had spent time at Awakeri Hot Springs so we got out our maps and the AA book.    Waipu Cove was one place we had never been to also Papamoa another so we visited both and were impressed with them, so, for the last four years we have spent 10 days at Waipu Cove in a small (only 12 sites) camp, then home

for 3 days before going to Papamoa for 10 days where we had a wonderful site overlooking the main camp ground and right out to sea.        From there we would move on to Taupo to visit Bessie then home again.      Where next?      Goodness only knows.

We enjoyed our camping, better still renting beach cottages but best of all has been our caravanning

 

Our Family

We have been truly blessed and continue to be richly rewarded by our four children, all different  in their natures, vocations and interests, yet all have the “family support and togetherness” that I saw in my parents and the good things of life that they showed me.    

Apart from David who was born in Cornwall Hospital, all were born on the North Shore from our home in Birkenhead.     All attended Birkenhead Primary School for their primary education.

Click here to view our family tree

 

David Leslie Pooch

David’s entrepreneurial skills started to develop at an early age.   As soon as he was big enough to climb, he would struggle up to sit on the letterbox on our gate and enquire of the people walking down to the wharf “have you any lollies?”.    Probably that was where his “sweet tooth” and especially his love of Mother’s home-baking comes from.

For a while our two-bedroom home was stretched to the limit to accommodate four children, relieved a little when we converted our large bathroom into a small bedroom for David, leaving the two girls to share the second bedroom  -  one side tidy,  the other side “lived in” and Geoffrey in a cot in our bedroom.    With the purchase of a washing machine we could then take out the copper for boiling the clothes and convert the wash-house into a bathroom/wash-house.

David was born on 29th October 1947.    Gwen had been admitted to hospital with Toxaemia two weeks before David was born, not allowed out of bed at all which meant that David had to do more than his fair share during the birth.   One of the nurses said “he looked like a very tired little old man”.      Named after one of the solicitors Gwen worked for, a man in whom we had high regard.

Being the first Grandchild for my parents, he was a very welcome addition to the family and within their modest means spoiled him.    From a small age, as soon as he could walk (we were living on Ponsonby Road) I made a special seat for my bike and every Saturday morning I would sit him on that seat and pedal all my way to Mt. Albert to have lunch with Mum and Dad -  or perhaps  to be more honest, David would entertain his Grandparents!

David stayed with them when Wilma was born and again with Wilma when Mary-Anne was born.   Dad built a platform at the back of the section overlooking the railway station so that David could watch the trains coming and going.

He went through all the “boys growing up” stages, when old enough he had a small Lambretta motor-scooter, then a big, heavy NSU motor-bike and his status symbol for Massey was a big old car.    Fortunately we didn’t know too much of the history of that period.

We did go down to Massey University at Graduation times and gleaned just a little of the boys’ lifestyles  -- enough said!!!.              

 

Wilma Janice Pooch

Wilma was born at “The Gables” in Birkenhead on 27th November, 1949.   She was a very placid baby and as our first daughter was equally welcome into our family circle.     Her serene nature has remained with her throughout her life; she is quiet, very thoughtful and considerate of others.

She took an active part in the Girls Brigade and we were proud of her when she was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh Award for her work and achievements in her Brigade work.

From Northcote College where she was a member of  their Dramatic Group as well as their Netball teams she went on to Teachers’ Training College at Northcote where she graduated.

Like David, she was the proud owner of a motor-scooter but that came to a sudden end when she was knocked off her scooter by a car-driver making a U-turn in front of her.    

After numerous teaching appointments, especially one at Otara where she proved to be quite a “mother image” to the many-cultured little ones, after rather rough treatment by the Head of one country school she took time off, joined a Community Group at Port Charles and has made such progress and acceptance there that she now seems to actually run the whole establishment while at the same time teaches part-time at Colville School and part-time organising the Colville Play-Centre.

David was a bit of a torment to Wilma and we clearly remember breakfast times when the corn-flakes packet would be strategically placed between them because “David is looking at me”

Wilma remained throughout, a close “good friend” to her mother and regular weekly long phone-calls keep them in touch with each other and what is going on in their individual worlds as well as her regular trips to Auckland to visit us.

 

Mary-Anne Lynette Stewart

Mary-Anne - another “Gables” baby who arrived before the Doctor could get there was born on 17th June, 1956, the tiniest of our babies at 5lbs6ozs.    The day that we brought her home, Joyce Souster, our long-time baby-sitter called around to view the new baby.    Joyce was highly amused at her size, promptly went home, returning with a “walky-talky doll” outfit which fitted perfectly.

She was very popular in the street and often “went missing” but we only had to look in at one of two houses opposite - she would have been “borrowed” - and there she would be, sitting on the bench “assisting” Mrs Verran with her baking, or at least sampling the uncooked ingredients.

Her side of the room was neat and tidy, a place for everything and everything in its place!

Mary-Anne showed great promise with her Ballet training but just as she was making good progress up the grades, one of her ankles gave way and that was sadly the end of her ballet.    She was a keen net-ball player and loved the social interactions

At that time also, boys started showing interest - 17 of them if I remember correctly, one after the other.     We knew immediately when one of the boys had lost favour for her bedroom door would be shut, usually not quietly, the whole room, heavy furniture and all would be completely shifted around and rearranged.     Peace would then be restored - till next time!.      Wilma had gone by now so she had the whole room to herself.

And then, one Christmas at Tauranga Bay the sun and everything else shone brightly for her.     There were a group of young “macho-men” teenager lads in an old silver caravan in the camp-ground  -  Ian was one of them  -  and her room was never rearranged ever since!     Twenty-eight years later their relationship remains solid despite some hardships along the way.

Like Wilma, there is a strong  supportive relationship for our family life and never a week passes without a visit.

 

Geoffrey Robert Pooch

Geoffrey, the last of the crew was born at the new North Shore Hospital on 1st May, 1959. 
Geoff's life story   Geoff & Chris's website

A few days after coming home, before the Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened for vehicular traffic, people were permitted to walk over the bridge and on that day, Geoffrey was carried over, probably the youngest person on that occasion - we didn’t see any other babies amongst the crowd.

Back home, he disliked the isolation of his cot, despite it being in the corner of our bedroom, and  would not settle down.    In desperation, in need of  sleep ourselves, we would take him into our bed and he immediately settled and went to sleep.      We would then carefully put him back into his cot, Sometimes there would be a repeat performance.

While at primary School he displayed an interest in electronic things.    Mr. Turvey our local hair-dresser was an amateur radio ham and Geoffrey spent a lot of time with Mr. Turvey.     One day I bought an electronics kitset for him, something that he could make all sorts of gadgets.      His room was a constantly changing world of electronic wizardry, burglar alarms, you name it.       I think that the kitset was the start of his present-day vocation although we did think that he may join the Air Force in the avionics division but upon reflection I don’t think that discipline of Service life would have suited his gentle nature.

His other love was of our cats, Sparky in particular.   He would drape the cat around his neck like a stole and walk around with it there, at times he would ride his bike up the road with the cat around his shoulders.

He was not sports minded although he did have a try at soccer,  loved his membership of the Every Boys’ Rally.

Geoffrey was always proud of the fact that he was the very first pupil to be enrolled at the then newly-founded Birkdale College - truly a foundation foundation pupil.    He was highly thought of by Brian Gerrard the Principal and many of the staff who still, after all these years, remember him and recall Geoffrey’s willingness to do anything for the betterment of the College, sometimes at the expense of his study times.

Like the other children, there is a very strong bond between him and we parents, a very strong and supportive bond and although far away in England, E-mails and once a week phone calls are a regular occurrence for which we are most grateful.

 

Final Chapter

On March 7th, Les was diagnosed with terminal cancer, metastatic melanoma had moved from his skin to his brain, lungs, adrenal gland and probably everywhere else. We were told by the doctors that his prognosis was for rapid decline, and life expectancy of weeks rather than months. They were right, as he died on 14th April 2005.

So he got busy, and sat down with son Geoffrey at the computer and typed up his funeral service, notes for the minister and everyone else, sorted out wills and finances, making everything ready for his passing.

Daughter Wilma moved into the family home, and provided wonderful care for Les & Gwen. David rushed back from his overseas trip, the family rallied together to make his few weeks as valuable as possible.

A special request he had, was to have a park bench erected on the hill above his favourite Anawhata beach. He summoned the energy to travel there, and to sit on the spot where he would like the bench to be built.

The family is very grateful to all those who helped in the last few weeks, especially the North Shore Hospice who were wonderful.

His funeral service was held at Zion Hill Methodist Church, over 300 people attended to pay respects to a man who lived a very full life. We are so grateful that he took the time to write his life history. Thank you for taking the time to read it.

 

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