History – Seafarers and solicitors

The Sellars (originally spelled ‘Sillars’) family came from the Isle of Arran in Scotland and many of their men were master-mariners. Daniel Sellars came to New Zealand in the 1850s and settled in Tauranga. The family’s connection to this area began when Daniel’s son George Henry, at the age of 16, entered the Kaipara Harbour in a sailing ship. He spent some years on the inter-colonial trade, sailing between Australia and New Zealand, but eventually returned to the Kaipara and, in 1897, at the age of 27, became skipper of SS Wairua the largest of five vessels operating between Helensville and Dargaville.

For 25 years, Captain Sellars plied the harbour’s waters, building up a vast knowledge of its many moods. He passed on his wisdom and experience in boat handling to two of his sons, Tom and Alf, who also became very well known on the Kaipara. At 21, Tom became the youngest ticketed skipper at that time as master of the SS Tuirangi and was often responsible for the safety of 100 or so passengers. Alf became a skipper after first working on steamers as the ‘brass boy’ polishing brass and collecting meal money. Another son, Daniel, served as an engineer on harbour ships.

But it was their brother Ted Sellars who first settled in the north. He had started a law practice in Helensville, travelling to Wellsford by train on sale days. He eventually moved to Wellsford permanently in the early 1930s and was the town’s first resident solicitor. He attended his legal office from the 1930s until the early 1990s.

Ted built several commercial premises in Wellsford, including the Theatre Royal which is now the Top Four-Square. During the 1930s, he was secretary of seven Wellsford organisations.  Soon after Ted settled in the town, his brothers Ross and Jack also moved there and in 1936, opened one of the first petrol stations, on the site where Mobil is now. Ross was an outstanding athlete, excelling in both rugby and swimming.

Tom retired from the sea and joined his brothers in the garage. He also managed the Theatre Royal for Ted. The youngest brother, George, moved to Wellsford as well and opened a panel-beating business. When Ted Sellars made his move to Wellsford the town was smaller than Matakana or Puhoi. More than ordinary foresight and much enterprise was needed for these young men to create and develop their own little empire there. Descendants of Captain George Sellars are still very much a part of Wellsford’s life today.

Sources – Coast to Coast Courier, Sellars Reunion news article, Sellars family history, ‘Tall Spars Steamers and Gum’ (Ryburn).