History – A remarkable woman

Mildred Bennett was one of the many children of prominent Port Albert pioneer John Shepherd, who was manager of the Port Albert Co-Operative Store in the late 1800s. Mildred married George Bennett who bought the store from his father-in-law. Near the store was the Co-Op Store Manager’s house which also provided accommodation for travelers and became known as the Port Albert Boarding House. Mildred and George managed both store and boarding house for many years.

In 1910, tragedy struck the family. The Auckland Star of 8 August reported: ‘A boating fatality occurred at Batley (Kaipara), at the junction of the Otamatea and Arapaoa rivers, during Friday night, by which George Bennett storekeeper, of Port Albert, lost his life. The deceased was rowing ashore from his launch in a dinghy, which capsized, and he sank before help could be secured. The body is being searched for by the police. The late Mr Bennett was 45 years of age, and he leaves a wife and a large family’.

In true pioneer spirit, Mildred carried on, keeping both businesses going until her eldest son, Len was able to take over running the store. Her daughters helped in the boarding house, which was always busy not only with guests, but also catering for sporting and other functions. At times other local girls were hired to work in the kitchen and dining room.

The ‘Old Boarding House’ was built of the best quality kauri, was two-storied in front while at the back, where the ground falls steeply towards the Oruawharo River, it was three-storied. The dining room was about 28 feet by 14 feet, in which there was a dining table made from a single piece of timber about 12 feet long by 4 feet wide. As many as 15 people sat down to dinner at one time with Mildred and staff catering.

A tireless worker, she was also very involved in local church affairs. When the old parsonage, built in 1864, became dilapidated, Mrs Bennett took it over for a private residence and hired her son-in-law Ed Curel and Horace Inger to build a new parsonage. A large, separate dining room at the boarding house was later shifted to Church Hill Road where it became the Port Albert Methodist Church Hall. (The history of this hall was told in a previous column). When Len Bennett built his Port Albert store, his mother and her youngest daughter Ivy still lived in the boarding house until some time in the 1920s. Mildred Bennett died on 6 April, 1951 aged 88 and was laid to rest beside her husband in the Port Albert Cemetery. Many of her descendants still live in the Albertland district.