History
A regular column filled with insightful information about the early days of our region, the first settlers, and their trial and tribulations. Featuring Marjorie Prictor, Ivan Tomas and Lyn Johnston, Albertland Museum.
www.albertland.co.nz
2012
As the Albertland pioneers settled into their new homes, they began planting flowers and fruit trees they were familiar with in England.
Farmer, builder and minister, W.E. Vickery moved to Wellsford to farm his father’s land-holding on what is now Wellsford Valley Rd, following some years spent at Glorit where he had a lease on a bush block.
My grandfather, Harold Marsh wrote in his diary on 2 August 1905 ‘Went to the Neal-Payne wedding at Port Albert. Took some photos of the bridal party etc.’ Those photographs are beautiful and marriage records provide basic data, but they don’t give details! So I had yet another browse through Papers Past online and found a report of this wedding.
To make medical appointments these days, you need to phone in advance as the doctors are usually pre-booked for at least a week. However, it is comforting to know that accidents and emergencies are still provided for, and sick children can be seen at any time, if necessary.
2011
During the first week of April, 1924 the western side of Rodney County, from Te Hana to Puhoi and Ahuroa, experienced the worst flood following heavy rain, in the history of the area.
If a child goes missing today, the anguished parents can call on modern resources for help. Mobile phones, special search teams, even helicopters are all available at a moment’s notice. We can only imagine how the pioneers coped when one of their children disappeared.
The Gibbs family came to NZ from Hampshire, England in 1874 aboard the clipper ship Dorette. Harriet Gibbs was only nine when the family arrived, but her memories were still vivid when she wrote them down in 1940.
A database of men and women who served World War I and World War II, who had connections with this area, is being compiled to complement the Memorial Rolls to be found locally at Wharehine, Port Albert, Wellsford, Tauhoa and Tomarata.
With the Rugby World Cup about to ‘kick off’, I thought a brief history of the game in Albertland might interest readers.
Like so many pioneer buildings, the ‘Old Port Albert Boarding House’ was eventually demolished.
Albertland had its fair share of gumdiggers when gum was a valuable commodity. As fields worked out some men tried their luck elsewhere. Here are excerpts from a letter written by Stan Rogers to Harold Marsh when he and his mates were in the far north field at Hohoura.
Another foray into the ‘Papers Past’ website produced a detailed account of a 'Batchilor tea party' in 1866.
Recent newspaper articles about the 2011 A & P Shows reminded me of the Albertland settlers and their agricultural shows mentioned in books, diaries and letters.
Seeing photos of the recent flooding near the Hoteo River brings to mind how those floods were used in the past.
As W H Farrand was acting Coroner, the inquest was held at John Curtis’ accommodation house on Tuesday the 13th and present were also a jury of six “good and lawful men of the neighbourhood” of which John Curtis was the foreman.
2010
A death in the bush: Part I - December
While we take modern communications for granted with landlines, cell phones and so on, spare a thought for the early settlers and contractors who had no such facilities until the odd telegraph office or phone service came into being.
Wash day by Marjorie Prictor – October
It is often thought to be a never ending chore when gathering up the washing and preparing it, but I never do it without being thankful that this is not the nightmare it must have been for my grandmother.
Hardy settlers by Lyn Johnston – September
Next time you worry about keeping children amused on a lengthy car trip, spare a thought for the early pioneers and how they travelled with their families.
Coates of Kaipara by Ivan Tomas – August
The Kaipara area has contributed much to the development of the north with the waterways providing access to the land for the early settlers and also for the transportation of their goods.
Anniversaries and visitors by Lyn Johnston – July
There was the rare sight of a steam locomotive stopping at Wellsford Station for servicing at the end of May. It was hauling a special passenger excursion to Whangarei and many locals were there to admire it.
Jose Luie Sentin DeSouza - Kaipara Connection by Ivan Tomas – May
Grandfather of the Lewis family Jose Luie Sentin DeSouza was born on one of the mid-Atlantic Nine Islands, off the coast of Portugal.
A bit of bush poetry by Lyn Johnston, Albertland Museum – April
In 1897, Edward (Ted) and Walter Witheford, Harold Marsh, Ben Blackburn and his elderly father had a fencing contract on Okahukura (Tapora). Ted Witheford wrote the following verse about their experience ......
Albertland - then and now by Marjorie Prictor, Albertland Museum – March
1862 saw the arrival of our ancestors with all their hopes and ambitions for life in a new society, a new land, a new beginning. They were shortly to be disillusioned with little that they encouraged measuring up to expectations.
