Thursday, December 13, 2012

The real Auckland Zoo anniversary


Back in April this year, I photographed the commemorative sign displayed in the grounds of the Auckland Zoo, and believed what it said:

"This park established by the Auckland City Corporation was officially opened by the Governor General of New Zealand His Excellency Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa GCBOM GCVO on the 17th day of December 1922."

But ... the date is wrong.

Back in 1922, December 16 was Saturday, December 17 was Sunday.

Auckland municipal zoo officially opened to-morrow afternoon by the Governor-General.
Auckland Star 15 December 1922


A report on the position at the Auckland Zoo was submitted to the City Council last evening, when the Mayor (Mr. J H Gunson) stated that the preparatory work was well advanced, and arrangements had been made for the initial collection of exhibits. All the available financial provision had been absorbed in the work authorised and practically completed. Despite the fact that the Zoological Park was in a very early stage of development, the Mayor said there was sufficient of interest to justify a visit by the citizens, and particularly the children. On Saturday admission would be free, when the Governor-General would officially open the Zoo at 3 p.m.
Auckland Star 15 December 1922

THE ZOO.
OPENED THIS AFTERNOON.
CITY'S NEW ASSET.
Despite the threatening weather and frequent light showers, numerous people journeyed to Western Springs this afternoon to witness the official opening of the new Zoo by the Governor-General. Lord Jellicoe, who was accompanied by Lady Jellicoe and suite ... The Governor-General made the official declaration of opening, after a short and pleasing speech of characteristic sympathy and humour. The National Anthem was then sung and the people dispersed for an inspection of the animals and grounds ... 
Auckland Star 16 December 1922

The official opening of the Zoological Gardens at Western Springs on Saturday by the Governor General Lord Jellicoe was an event to be remembered ...
NZ Herald 18 December 1922

Even the Parks Committee at the time, patting themselves on the back, recorded in their minutes that the zoo was opened on Saturday 16th December.

So ... what happened? Why is there a large commemorative sign at the Zoo with the wrong date?

All I've been able to work out so far is that someone in 1924 made the mistake. It appeared first in the first issue of Municipal Record which came out on 15 March.


The finest collection of animals and birds in the Dominion is to be seen in Auckland's Zoological Park, situated at the Western Springs, Grey Lynn. The Zoo was opened on the 17th December 1922 ...
Municipal Record p.7

The Parks Committee around July that year put forward the recommendation to the full Council (which met 7 August) that a commemorative stone be arranged for the zoo's main entrance at that time at Old Mill Road. The main gate, completed early in 1923, looked like this:


AKC 033 5327-004, Auckland Council Archives 


AKC 033 5327-001, Auckland Council Archives 

Municipal Record, 15 March 1924, pp.10-11

On 8 August, the City Engineer was instructed via memo from the Town Clerk:

"You are instructed to have a suitable commemorative stone of the opening of the Zoological Park placed at the main entrance: the stone to be a slab of about 12' x 2.6" bearing an appropriate inscription."

Works file, ACC 219 22-267, Auckland Council Archives

15 August, quotes were sought from W Parkinson & Co, J Bouskill and McNab & Mason. Parkinson's quote of £130, dated 20 August, was accepted.

"We hereby tender to supply according to plan in Ebony Granite, all flat surfaces polished and mould and champfers fine axed, together with inscription and coat of arms in relief ..." The Mayor and chairman of the Works committee decided to go with gold lettering instead of letters in relief. I checked the rest of that particular file, which featured works at the zoo down to 1935, but there was no further record of the commemorative sign. The next record comes from a photograph said to have been taken in 1927 -- and the sign, with the incorrect date, is in place.


 Ref 767-17, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library

So, from around the end of 1924, until the reorganisation of the grounds, closing the Old Mill Road entrance in favour of today's Motions Road entry -- thousands upon thousands of Aucklanders and visitors to our city would have passed through that gate, and under that sign, with its error not realised.



 Ref 580-4124, (7 April 1960) Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library


 Ref 580-4125 (7 April 1960), Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library

The error was also repeated by Graham Bush in his history of Auckland City Council from 1871-1971, Decently and in Order, although he cited as a source the very newspapers from 1922 which would have given him the correct date.

The zoo administration didn't celebrate anniversaries of the opening all that much until 1972, when the zoo turned 50. Derek Wood was the zoo director then -- and went by what the sign said, as did his predecessors. 

Every child in Auckland seemed to be there, and the monkeys had more peanuts than they could eat in a month, as the city zoo threw open its gates yesterday to celebrate its 50th birthday ...
NZ Herald 18 December 1972

But, when it came time for Wood writing the zoo's history, Tiger by the Tail in 1992 -- he got it right.

On 16 December 1922 Mayor James Gunson rose to address a sizeable crowd at the official opening of the Auckland Zoological Park, and proudly proclaimed that they were gathered in connection with 'an undertaking of which, six months ago, we did not have any idea.'
Tiger by the Tail, p. 11

Still, when the entrance was changed in the early 1970s, that commemorative sign with the wrong date wasn't discarded, or somehow corrected. Instead it was placed on display, in its own garden setting, for yet more Aucklanders and visitors to troop on by, as they still do today, to read it if they chose to pause -- and look at the wrong historic date.

Here's hoping things are put right in time for the centenary in 2022 ...


Update: Auckland Zoo is still getting the date wrong, as seen in the Herald today.
 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Shirts by Greer's for over 80 years


In late October this year, Paul Hafner sent me another email and photograph (above) -- this time of an advert on the side of a building at 2 Fitzroy Street in Ponsonby. "Maybe there is a story worth telling?" he said, plus, "A picture may be worth a thousand words, but such a picture will only have any worth if you provide the words."

Well, it's an ordinary story, Paul, and one which could do with some further info from the audience, but ... here we go.

In 1901, Robert Adolphus Greer (c1864-1949) appears in the Auckland Star, operating a shirt-making factory in Rutland Street in the central city. The Greers actually lived in Douglas Street, two streets down from the advertisement wall.


Theft -- Andrew Scott pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing a quantity of clothing, valued at £1 16/8, the property of Robert Greer, shirt and clothing manufacturer, of Rutland-street. The evidence for the prosecution went to show that the goods had been supplied to accused as samples for the purpose of booking orders, and that he had disposed of the goods without authority. The value of the goods had been subsequently refunded. His Worship said it was clear that accused had no authority to sell the goods, and though he had refunded their value, he must be convicted. Chief-Detective Grace said that accused had not been previously convicted of theft, and His Worship deferred sentence pending the Probation Officer's report. 
 Auckland Star 18 August 1902

By 1906, Mrs Greer seemed to be regularly advertising for shirt machinists at 38 Douglas Street. At the beginning of November 1907, the Greers had a new factory at Ponsonby. She may have been the Mrs Ann Greer in trouble with the Factory Act in 1908.

BREACHES OF FACTORY ACT. 
Annie Greer, charged by the Inspector of Factories (Mr. Lindsay) with failing to keep a record of her employees' names and earnings, together with the ages and wages of all those under 20 years, and further, with letting out clothing to be made up at other places than registered factories, was represented by Mr. Johnston, and pleaded guilty. After examining the books kept by defendant, Mr. Kettle remarked that there did not appear to have been a wilfull breach, as books had been kept, although not quite in proper accordance with the requirements of the Act. The breaches were mainly technical, so under the circumstances he would convict and inflict a fine of 10/, and costs on each of the two charges. 
Auckland Star 22 February 1908

Mr Greer took over things from that point on. By 1911 the factory produced varsity suits, trousers and knickers, as well as the shirts. Come World War I, Greer was involved with government clothing contracts.


Alfred T. Codlin (married), tailor and presser, Mount Roskill asked for extension of leave, as he was engaged as a munition worker on military clothing as a tailor and presser. Robert Greer, his employer, who did not appear, supported the appeal, and said in a statement that to lose Collier's services now would jeopardise the carrying out of his Government contracts, as he was short handed at the present time. Appellant said he did the pressing and the over-looking. He was an expert military tailor, and it was essential to his position to have a knowledge of military matters. Mr Greer had been unable to get a suitable man to replace appellant. When his employer took the last contract appellant was C2, and he was now C1. Appellant said, personally, he wanted time to arrange his own affairs. The Board granted exemption till May.
Auckland Star 11 February 1918

In 1925, R Greer and Son was registered as a limited liaibility company, with capital of £27,000. Three of the four shareholders were Robert Greer, his son Robert, and wife Anne Elizabeth. (Star, 8 May 1925) Auckland Members of Parliament visited the factory at Douglas Street in May 1934.

... Messrs. Robert Greer and Sons' clothing factory in Douglas Street, Ponsonby, where some 350 employees were working at high speed making practically every garment worn by women, except frocks, and all clothing worn by men. The visitors wore conducted through the factory by Mr. R. Greer, jun., and were much interested in all branches of the work from the time that the material was received in rolls until the article was finished and ready to be placed on the market. Here, again, the latest machinery was in evidence, and an electric knife was noticed cutting out from the material no less than 12 dozen pieces for garments at a time. This was not the limit to the capabilities of the knife. The firm's business is practically confined to the Dominion. 
 Star 16 May 1934

Robert Greer junior rose to become managing director, possibly from his father's death in 1949, himself passing away in 1964. Soon after that, the name of the firm changed to Greers Industries Limited, continuing on through to a change in address, to Taniwha Street at Glen Innes in 1977, and then both Glen Innes and 2 Fitzroy Street in Ponsonby by 1980, according to Wises Directories.

The company was eventually struck off the companies' register 28 October 1987. The advertisement Paul photographed is probably from the 1980s.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Meet me at Begg's


Here's a book I picked up yesterday at Jason's Books in Auckland, and published this year: Meet me at Begg's, by Clare Gleeson, librarian and great-great-grand-daughter of Charles Begg, founder of one of New Zealand's best known music firms. I was drawn to it because a piano my grandmother bought for me when I was still a nipper (and when Grandma hoped I'd pick up a musical skill. Sorry, Grandma, that didn't work out) has written in gold on the inside of the piano -- "Charles Begg & Co."

Gleeson traced her ancestors back to a Scottish settlement named Walternaldie, where Charles Begg was born in 1825, "across the Dee River from the village of Aboyne, about 50 kilometres west of Aberdeen." The family had lived in the area for at least 130 years. One of 11 children, Charles Begg ended up in Aberdeen, apprenticed to piano maker John Marr, before going into business on his own terms in 1849 as "piano-forte maker". He married his first cousin Janet (Jessie) Milne in 1855. By 1861, Charles had a successful business in Scotland -- yet decided to emigrate that year to New Zealand, for reasons unknown. The Beggs settled in Dunedin, the "Edinburgh of the South", and by 1864 Begg had his own warehouse, diversifying also into selling sheet music (Gleeson's book comes peppered with images of the covers of music published by the Beggs over the years.)

However, Begg's premises was destroyed by fire in 1867; he was diagnosed in his later years with bowel cancer, went into a short-lived business partnership, then died on 21 December 1874.

His widow Jessie took hold of the reins of the business, working through insolvency and debts brought about by her husband's ill-fated partnership, and with assistance from fellow estate trustees John Reid and John Reith managed to maintain the business long enough for her sons Charles and Alexander to reach their maturity. Jessie Begg relinquished control to her sons in 1896, having strengthened the business, and even setting up branch agencies in other southern towns, such as Timaru.

Between 1896 and 1908, three branches and a London office were opened. In the latter year, the firm became a limited liability company under the brothers' management and by 1926 five more branches had been opened. Begg's introduced phonographs into their shops, keeping up with the changing times. Charles Begg Jr. died in 1916 though, leaving the business in Alex's hands. Charles' son Eric (born 1899) took on Alex's management, leading to messy litigation in the mid 1920s and retaliation from Alex who attempted to have the company wound up in 1926. In 1931, a new company was formed, with non-Begg family members as directors, and a rift began within the Begg family itself. From 1937, though, Eric Begg was chairman of the board of directors.

By the time the company had reached its centenary in 1961, things were changing. The end had begun. The centenary wasn't celebrated with as much enthusiasm as previous anniversaries. While Begg's stocked televisions during the rise of the medium in this country, and made quite a profit from the business, television still ultimately worked against them, as with so many other leisure-oriented businesses in New Zealand at the time. The company began assembling pianos in Auckland -- and took a loss when import controls on pianos were lifted. They purchased a wholesale musical importer, Western Enterprises Ltd, hoping to secure the Yamaha agency -- but didn't. Other disastrous investments culminated in the purchase of Frank Wiseman Ltd, an Auckland-based sports dealer, the firm now known as Beggs-Wisemans. However, Wiseman's director Norman Bennett came with the deal, and his aggressive management style led to 24 out of 32 Begg's managers either being fired or walking out.

In 1970, the company dropped the 100 year old sponsorship of the NZ Brass Band Contest, quit retail completely, turned to manufacturing and became known as Atlas Majestic Ltd (having taken over the company making Atlas stoves the decade before), and ended up being purchased by Ceramco in the early 1980s. The only part of the Begg's company still in business is Musico, sold on to an independent businessman, and importing musical instruments and music to this day.

Clare Gleeson has done a great job with this book, including info on the staff, the branches, the life and times of her family, and an insight into the rise and demise of one of New Zealand's brands. Thoroughly illustrated, well-indexed (I'd expect nothing less from a librarian!), I enjoyed reading the book, and feel it will be a great reference work in times to come. The book retails at $49.95 from Ngaio Press.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Snapshot views of Auckland Zoo, 1920s


Bought recently on TradeMe, "12 Real Photographs for Your Snapshot Album" of "The Zoo, Auckland NZ," published by Frank Duncan & Co Ltd, of Lorne Street.

Auckland Zoo turns 90 years old on 16 December this year (despite what the ornate plaque in the grounds tells you. My friend Liz and I reckon it was installed after the actual opening, when someone mucked up the date -- set as the 17th of December erroneously).  Now, most of the wee images in the small envelope (which measures 7 x 8.5 cm) are also available in larger uncropped format at the Sir George Grey Special Collections at Auckland Library. But there, the inherited cataloguing system from years before now has their images credited to Frederick George Radcliffe, which in most of the instances is incorrect as he died in January 1923, before many of the exhibits photographed (including Jamuna the elephant) actually arrived at the zoo. (Yes, I have let them know). Trouble with a lot of early Auckland images -- photographers often photographed each other's images, and collected up negatives which ended up in collections under other names. So, as Frank Duncan's company bought up the right to reproduce images from a number of photographers in their postcard and snapshot series -- the real photographer of these images remains at the moment unknown. But they were clearly from between 1923-24, when buildings such as the "flying aviary" and the elephant house were designed (by M K Draffin) and built, and 1929 when Duncan's firm went out of business.



According to the library's photographers' database, Frank Duncan appeared as a business from around 1915. The firm was described as a stationer's and sold fancy goods, even Mattamac overcoats against the rain. The firm was quite well-established, judging by the Auckland Star's description 15 December 1922 (the day before the zoo opened):

The rapid expansion of the business is strikingly evident on revisiting this emporium after a short lapse of time; the goods themselves revealing in no uncertain sense the wide field to which such a firm must appeal. The salesmen at Messrs Duncan & Co regularly visit every town in New Zealand. The firm's territory extending from North Cape to Stewart Island ...

From a small beginning it has forged ahead and Mr Duncan's individuality upon  the value of view books printed in unique designs has always been a feature of the artistic "Tourist" publications produced by the firm under the emblem of the "Tiki" ... The postcard section is a notable department of the firm, publishing as they do real photograph postcards from 15,000 different negatives. Needless to remark the issue and re-issue of such stock demands an accurate and quick-filing system to keep trace of the supply. Very few people realise that these small photo postcards bought in the shops go through the same processes of production as the ordinary portrait photographs costing about 50/ per dozen ...
 


(35-R176, Sir George Grey Special Collections)


(35-R159, Sir George Grey Special Collections)


(35-R167, Sir George Grey Special Collections)


(35-R182, Sir George Grey Special Collections)




Image from larger postcard -- also from TradeMe.

(35-R160, Sir George Grey Special Collections)



(35-R165, Sir George Grey Special Collections)


(35-R163, Sir George Grey Special Collections)

(35-R162, Sir George Grey Special Collections)

Friday, November 23, 2012

Two old churches and a Sunday School hall in New Lynn

Prepared on request from Derek Battersby of the Whau Local Board, but not commissioned -- two reports on early New Lynn buildings.

St Andrews Hall, Margan Ave (plus a bit on the former Presbyterian Church across the way)



New Lynn Congregational Hall, Great North Road.


Monday, November 5, 2012

The fate of yesterday's guns (part 1)


(Link to Part 2, regarding Albert Park.)

This particular line of enquiry kicked off earlier this year when I spotted the above article and image from the Auckland Sun newspaper, 23 April 1927. This was almost the last time these guns would attract public notice, regarding their state at the Auckland Domain. Six years later, it looks like they were gone.

There is a link, I think, with the proposed plan for a grand Auckland Harbour Board war memorial, a plan replaced by the move to build the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The harbourside memorial was to have incorporated three war trophy guns at the apexes of a grand triangle. From 1920, however, with the idea going nowhere, the guns needed to go somewhere.

War trophies finding their way to New Zealand's shores wasn't new in World War I. I'll talk about the Albert Park guns in part 2, one of which had originated (so it is said) from the battle of Waterloo. The first to arrive here in Auckland from "the war to end all wars" however, came in 1916.

Auckland Weekly News, 22 May 1902, AWNS-19020522-2-1, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library
The Monowai, which arrived here this afternoon, brought the first war trophies for Auckland, in the form of two ancient mortars forwarded from the New Zealand and Australian Division Ordnance Depot, No. 2 Outpost, Gallipoli, by Sergt A. Gilmour, Auckland Regiment, and five other members of the division. Within the barrel of one of the trophies was a note in which the senders expressed wish that the two mortars be erected in some suitable park—Auckland preferred. The Minister of Defence has forwarded them, as desired, to Auckland, and the Works Committee of the Auckland City Council is to decide where they shall be placed.
Auckland Star 10 March 1916

By 1922, the set of guns left at the Domain were attracting attention.

NEGLECTED TROPHIES.
(To the Editor.) Sir, As a returned soldier and citizen, may I be allowed to call public attention to the contemptible position of the War Museum guns at present in the Domain. Formerly they were stacked in front and around the public latrines; they are now stacked like so much rubbish, and rotting, just behind. Evidently the former position was considered too good for them. The guns are mementos of the greatest and bloodiest war in history, and denote the sacrifice and effort of some 17,000 of New Zealand's dead, and probably twice that number of maimed and wounded. I am sure, if the spirits of those dead and mutilated forms could arise from their burial places they would ask: Is it possible that the suffering and agony and effort of we thousands, in advancing, yard by yard, and taking those guns while living, would be forgotten so quickly and our sacrifice treated with such soulless contempt just a few years after, by having them placed at the back of public latrines to rot? Our best efforts won them: do the living's best efforts watch over them and place them in a peaceful spot worthy of our sacrifice? Even now the green creepers planted around the latrines seem to be growing towards those guns as if in shame, trying to cover such an insult to the dead by spreading their green leaves peacefully over them. In respect to the dead, the maimed and the living of the war let them be removed or dumped Into the sea where they will not be an eyesore to those who did their best in defence of their King and land.— I am, etc., ONE OF THE BOYS.

Auckland Star 9 December 1922

OUR GERMAN GUNS.
THE SPORT OF CHILDREN.
WHERE DANGER LURKS.
Now that the war period is being rapidly left behind much of the sentiment that clung to the old German guns that were distributed as war trophies throughout this, and other Allied countries has disappeared. Indeed it has been openly stated that the returned soldiers, particularly in the Old Country, positively resent the placing of those armaments in the public places where they are a constant reminder of the horrors through which the men passed, and which they wish to forget.

In New Zealand this attitude, if it exists, has not been followed by the "direct action” experienced in Britain, where the field pieces have been un-mounted and thrown into the sea. At the same time, the trophies have lost much of their attraction and, unlike the ancient muzzle-loaders which are still interesting because they are long out of date, they look incongruous in our quiet parks, making one feel that "every prospect pleases, and only man is vile."

If one may judge by the kiddies’ pranks on the armaments in the Auckland Domain, these guns are proving useful toys to the youngsters. No one grudges the boys their run, but it would be well if the authorities, having placed the guns where they are easily accessible, made some attempt to reduce the grave risk of accident that exists. In Britain serious injuries have been caused to children by reason of the fact that certain parts of the guns were left movable, with the result that the limbs of the little ones were so badly hurt as to necessitate hospital treatment.

Boys will be boys, and it is not surprising that our local youngsters find great fun in "working” the guns for all they are worth. But danger lurks in the trail-guide, a heavy piece of metal and wood, which can be swung one way and another. With half a dozen lads, whose ages range from five to eight years, clustering all over the weapon, it would be the easiest thing possible for one of them to receive a blow from the guide which would crack his skull. This was the position near the band rotunda yesterday afternoon, when one or two of them had narrow escapes. But the only person who seemed to take any notice of the little fellows was a woman, who approached to tell them that it was Sunday!

Auckland Star 30 January 1923

NEGLECTED GUNS.
(To the Editor)
Sir,—It would be a good idea if the memorial museum guns, which many of those dead took a part in capturing, when alive, with great mental and physical suffering, were removed from their present wretched position at the back of the public latrines in the Domain. It hurts the living and is an insult to the dead, and rather shames the great idea of the memorial which will cost some £200,000, and in which they will be placed. In the illustrated pamphlet issued in aid of subscriptions for the War Memorial it states they are awaiting accommodation. In the same pamphlet are the following two beautiful lines:

And as they save their all
So shall we freely give.
Let those responsible for their present undignified position "so freely give" those guns a decent ¼ -acre of land a few yards away from the public latrines.— I am, etc., LIVING.

Auckland Star 1 December 1923

Right down to 1927 at least, there were sporadic letters written to newspaper editors about the neglected Domain guns. Then, in February 1933, it appears these trophies from one World War -- were sold to scrap merchants gearing up for the second such war. 
The loading of 2000 tons of scrap iron on the Japanese freighter Ryoka Maru at the King's wharf to-day roused the curiosity of those who frequent the wharves. For the most part the miscellany of iron and steel that was swung from a line of railway wagons to the steamer's hold was comprised of worn-out railway stock, old steamer fittings, and relies of derelict motor cars. They formed an interesting link with an ever-changing mechanical age. What aroused most interest and comment was the loading of several guns, mounted on their carriages, and inquiry showed that they were trophies of the Great War, which had become an encumbrance to civic authorities, and had been sold as scrap iron locally and were now being dispatched to one of Britain's allies in the Great War to be melted down with the other junk for commercial purposes. Nine of these guns were, until recently, housed in the Domain, but as the City Council could not find any other public bodies or school committees which desired them they were disposed of as scrap iron ...

The sale of these guns affords an occasion for reflection on the change in public sentiment towards war trophies. Brought to the Dominion at considerable cost to the Government, the trophies were distributed among local and public bodies. At that time they were keenly sought, and it was asserted that, mounted in public places, they would be an inspiration to future generations, and a reminder of the gallant sacrifices that were made by the NZEF. Now, in the public parks of the Dominion, they are frequently an eyesore. Some of them have been rusting away, and have become an encumbrance to some of the bodies entrusted with their keeping ...the Mayor, Mr G W Hutchison, mentioned this morning that he shared that outlook. He stressed the fact that the sale of the guns that had been stored in the Domain had only been decided upon after a vain effort to find an appropriate resting place for them.
Auckland Star 23 February 1933

The Japanese reassured the NZ Government and the public that the scrap metal bought from New Zealand would simply be used for reinforced concrete (Star, 29 September 1933). Their campaign in China had just begun -- few in the West, it seemed, thought that Japan would ever use metal from Australia, New Zealand and America for another Great War.

A vigorous denial of the suggestion that Japan is buying scrap metal in New Zealand for use in armaments was made by Captain S Sayeki, of the ship Mataram. He said that the suggestion was unfair to his country. "Guns and warships, what for?" he asked. "Japan does not want war, although many people seem to think she does. We depend on industry for our living. We want to manufacture for ourselves and for export and we are prepared to import wool, cotton, and other things we have not got. We want to live by industry, not by fighting," he reiterated. 
Evening Post 16 May 1935

In October 1937, the Government barred the export of all scrap metal, a move which somewhat offended the Japanese, but, so Michael Savage assured, was one applied to all nations, and aimed at bolstering up a domestic scrap metal market (Evening Post, 14 October 1937). It appears that we were the only one, out of the three countries of Australia, NZ and the US, to ban supplies of scrap metal to Japan before World War II broke out in earnest in 1939.

How much of the metal we sold to Japan before 1937 later came back to litter the Pacific Islands and the ocean during the war will probably never be known. Some of that metal -- may well have been from some neglected guns once on the Auckland Domain.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Built in Dunedin blog

Darian from the Long White Kid blog has just given me the heads up on a blog called Built in Dunedin. Excellent to see another NZ heritage site up and running. Another for the list on the right.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Waterview School history

Very sad to hear today that Waterview School is to be demolished and relocated as a result of work on State Highway 20.  However, some weeks ago, the school and parents started a heritage project, with a website already displaying wonderful info and images here.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Making of Albert-Eden video


The end product of a project I was involved with for the Albert-Eden Local Board during Auckland Heritage Festival 2012.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Spotting Simon's Cat on Mt Albert Road

Not a heritage post, this ...

Yesterday, with a full day of public travel across the isthmus ahead of me, very little sleep the night before for various reasons, and while in a bus in a slow-traffic queue on Mt Albert Road, I spotted something which made me laugh out loud, and probably add to my fellow passengers' opinion of me as a Very Strange Person. It did brighten my day, though.

The view from the bus of the back of a Jeep:


A close up:


The character is Simon's Cat, part of a long-running series online and in books. The original drawing has the cat pointing towards the bowl his owner Simon is supposed to fill on demand -- that he is instead pointing to the fuel cap with his usual demanding expression just gave me the chuckles.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

One Tree Hill Domain (Manukau Road entrance)


On October 5, I decided to take a walk up Manukau Road from Royal Oak to Greenwood's Corner. Along the way, I diverted to the One Tree Hill Domain, mainly because I'd never seen the Auckland Observatory, known as Stardome, before.

In 1888, Irish civil engineer and surveyor John Da Vinci Louch (1854-1937) won a competition held by the One Tree Hill Domain Board (set up just two years earlier) for the landscape design of the Domain. Louch’s father Fitzgibbon Louch (another engineer) arrived in New Zealand in the 1860s as part of George Vesey Stewart’s “special settlement” in Katikati, with his wife Isabella and family of which John was the eldest son. In 1877, the younger Louch entered business with his father as civil engineers, land agents, and architects at Spring Street, Tauranga until 1881. J D Louch then worked in the Public Works Department, engaged on the Auckland defence works in the early 1880s, and then was involved with the survey of the “Auckland Northwards Railway”, according to F W Furkett in Early New Zealand Engineers (1953). Retrenchment brought on an early retirement in 1887.

Then came the Domain Board’s competition, during Louch’s out-of-work period.

A letter from Mr. Louch (the successful competitor for the design for laying out the Domain) was read embodying a proposal of grading and pegging and laying off avenues, carriage drives, &c, &c., for the work required in accordance with the design, and also for laying off and grading an additional drive from the summit of the hill down the eastern side connecting with the avenue, and offering to do the same for the sum of £60. It was resolved, on the motion of the Chairman, that Mr Hall and Mr Gardiner confer with Mr Louch upon the subject, and report the result at the next meeting. It was also determined that the successful design be exhibited at some public place in Auckland, and that the unsuccessful ones may be obtained by the owners on application at the office of Messrs Brown and Campbell, and that the same be notified by advertisement in the Star and Herald.

OTH Domain Board report, Auckland Star 29 May 1888

Louch was taken on by the Public Works Department in late 1889, and continued through to 1908 being involved with the establishment of railway links in the North Island. He came resident engineer at Wellington in 1908, finally retired (second time) in April 1920, and died in Palmerston North, 2 April 1937. 

So, there's a "promenade" at the Domain named after Louch. Wonderful scent of flowers in the entrance, but I really don't like the red pebbles (personal dislike of mine. Noisy, and rough on shoes).

Trouble is -- the council have spelled his name wrong. 


And why just "DeVinci Louch"? Why not put his full name, "John Da Vinci Louch" and be done with it?

Ah, well.



In February 1901, the Domain Board agreed to “secure the services of a suitable man as a Caretaker.” (OTH Domain Board minutes, OTH 120/1/1, Auckland Council Archives )The caretaker’s lodge was built in 1901 by the One Tree Hill Domain Board, to the design of a “Mr E Arnold” (Star, 27 December 1901) – but this could well have been Charles Le Neve Arnold, favourite architect of Sir John Logan Campbell, who had been involved with other design features at the Domain and Cornwall Park. The board received 44 applications for the post of caretaker by April 1902, and in February 1903 held their regular meeting there. The building was extensively altered in the 1960s.

On to the observatory.



The Auckland Astronomical Society formed from a meeting in June 1923.

As a result of a meeting of those interested in the study of astronomy it was decided to form a society to be known as the Auckland Astronomical Society. Professor P W Burbidge, the convener, presided over an attendance of about 30 persons in the physics lecture room at the Auckland University College. He said that recently he had found that a great number of people in Auckland were greatly interested in astronomy, and that during his wanderings around the college he had discovered a valuable six-inch refracting telescope. The University College Council had generously given permission for the society to make use of the instrument, which was a valuable one. It was decided on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr W H Hamer, to form the Auckland Astronomical Society, with the avowed object of studying astronomy in the Auckland province. The yearly subscription was fixed at 5/, it being thought that such a small fee would enable all those interested to join as members. Those present were then enrolled members. Professor Burbridge informed the meeting that it would be necessary for the society to house the telescope on a suitable site. The matter of the site and the building was left in the hands of the committee.

Auckland Star 22 June 1923

Within a year, the Society became also known as the astronomical section of the Auckland Institute. Their six-inch telescope was lodged at the Auckland University.

According to their website, fundraising for a purpose-built public observatory began in 1948. They were able to purchase a telescope by 1956, with the assistance of a bequest from Mrs Edith Winstone Blackstone, after whom the Zeiss telescope now at the observatory is named. In 1960, the One Tree Hill Borough granted a 21-year lease to the Society, and the observatory opened in 1967. The planetarium was added when the one at the Auckland War Memorial (previously donated by the Farmers Trading Company) closed in 1989. 


For the first observatory I've ever seen, this wasn't bad. The effect of the dome, along with the murals on the outside -- you certainly know what this is about.








Entry to the telescopes area and show auditoroiums costs money -- but just a look at the displays inside is free.


From the astronomical to the more mundane -- back to loo murals, as I walked back to Manukau Road to continue my journey.