On 23rd June2020 we began the year again after our Covid- enforced break of three months. It was also the date of our AGM which should have been held in May.
A new committee was elected which differed only slightly from the previous one.
President: Roger Batt Vice-President: Wayne Price
Secretary: Arnold Clark Treasurer: Margaret Clark
Committee Members: Bev. Hodgkinson, Kathleen Dearnley, Warwick Johnston.
Reports were presented by the President (see below) and Treasurer for the 2019-2020 year.
WAIMEA SOUTH HISTORICAL SOCIETY Inc. 1981
President’s Report June 2020
This last year has been like no other
Our meetings programme was turned upside down early in 2020 by the Covid 19 pandemic. This caused our March, April and May meetings to be cancelled and the activities and speakers re-scheduled for another time.
It was not just our meetings, unfortunately, that suffered the fallout from the virus. The Ageing Expo which we participate in with a stall to advertise the society’s activities and the Willow Bank Apple Fair also had to be cancelled.
We had begun well in July, 2019, with an interesting illustrated talk by David Kemp about his family, the Roils, who arrived in New Zealand on the Bolton in 1842.
This was followed in August by Annette Walker who based her address around a slide show of early photographs and images of the coastal ports of Tasman Bay.
In September we revisited the sites of the schools in the valleys around Wakefield which had featured in the 175th Anniversary programme celebrating the founding of Wakefield School. This field- trip took all afternoon, beginning at the Spring Grove Drill Hall and proceeding up Higgins Road to the first Wakefield School site and then on up 88 Valley to Wai-iti Valley and back down through Foxhill to Pigeon Valley and Wakefield where we stopped for afternoon tea.
Our guest speaker in October was Ian Martyn from Medals Reunited. He used some war service medals from his collection as the basis for a presentation about his mission to reunite lost medals with the families of the original recipients. So many servicemen and women fell on hard times during the Great Depression of the thirties that many medals were sold out of necessity.
Our Christmas meeting in November was once again at Willow Bank where as well as the usual festivities, Christine introduced us to Carole Fursdon (aka Miss Alice Baigent) who is the “resident” teacher in Christine’s Victorian classroom. This has become a very popular place to visit for children in the district who love to dress up in costumes (provided by Christine) and learn penmanship in copperplate writing. Singing popular songs of the day and God Save the Queen is also part of the programme.
I showed members a family bible originally belonging to Francis Trask, once mayor of Nelson, which had appeared in a Garage Sale at St Barnabas, Stoke. I had in mind that it would be a useful addition to the Willow Bank schoolroom. Members generally agreed, however, that it had more relevance to Nelson and that we should approach Nelson Historical to see if it was of interest to them. After attending their next meeting, it transpired that the President knew a direct descendant of Mayor Trask and would approach him to see if the family would like it. If not, Mary Gavin thought that Broadgreen House would be delighted to have it.
In November we had the misfortune to lose a valued member of our group, Brian Batchelor, who passed away at the age of 91. I attended his funeral service at St Michaels in Waimea West where a large group of family, friends and ex- pupils had gathered for his farewell and to support his wife, Dawn, on a bright, sunny Nelson afternoon. As a long-serving teacher at the school, Brian was the person to contact if you had questions about the history of Brightwater and was known and respected by many. His personal knowledge of the local area will be missed.
Our first meeting of the year was a fieldtrip to Westbourne, in Appleby, the home of Ted and Clare Ford. A beautiful summer’s day was spent meeting in the shade of notable listed trees and enjoying afternoon tea served on Clare’s colourful collection of bone china. The family had formed part of the earliest group of immigrants to Nelson, arriving on the Clifford in May1842. Ted presented us with a very useful history of the house, which he had lived in all his life. One of its unusual features is its foundation on large river boulders and its slight movement in a strong south-westerly wind. Joints in the frame are mortise and tenon with wooden wedges for extra tightness. They are one of the few settler families in the district who still own and live on their original holding.
In March we were to have Rodger Quinney speak about his recently published book on his early life in Motupiko but Covid 19 arrived and all changed. Our March, April and May meetings were cancelled and the programme for these months rescheduled. Today we meet in a new venue and have the pleasure of listening to Mr John Ewan speak about his family and particularly his wife Audrey who was born in Reefton, grew up in the Maruia and eventually became a research worker for a cabinet minister in Wellington. He also has connections with the Porter and Powell families – all of whom figure prominently in the early history of New Zealand. His books: Accidental Immigrants and Porters in my Past are valuable additions to our understanding of the people who shaped our early history.
During 2019 I have had the opportunity to assist Maureen Barton in preparing her history of the Eden family. This is almost complete – but not quite and Maureen has asked another family member to take over her work for a time. I will advise you later when it is ready for publication.
We have recently produced a new promotion card/bookmark to advertise our Society. Two hundred of these have been printed. They detail our meeting days and times as well as our publications which are still on sale at the Tasman District Library. Please take some to give to anyone who might be interested in local history.
I have been perusing the minutes of the society in preparation for the celebration next year of our 40th Anniversary. I would like you all to begin thinking about this now because the incoming officers and committee members will need to begin planning for a memorable celebration in May 2021.
Our society has never had a large number of members. In 1981 it began with a meeting which declared the intention of forming a local history group. Twenty-one people were present with 6 apologies. At the first meeting on 11th June there were 11 in attendance with 12 apologies. At the first AGM on 20th May, 1982, 9 members were present with 3 apologies. There was a good turnout in 1987 when 24 were present to hear Miss Voller speak on the Nelson railway (Rails to Nowhere was published in 1991) Just before the new century began it had topped 30 but in the last year has fallen back to 25 with the welcome addition of Warwick Johnstone making up for the loss of Brian Batchelor.
Attendance at our meetings has averaged 14.285 during this last financial year. This is based on our last 7 meetings from the AGM in 2019 to the February meeting this year at Ford’s farm. You might consider that in almost 40 years we should have become a much larger group than we are now. Obviously, it would be very encouraging have more members but if you consider all the projects we have been involved in over the years, I think we have done very well for our size.
My job as President has been made easier this year with the help of Arnold Clark, our Secretary and Margaret Clark (no relation) our Treasurer who have kept me on track with reminders, queries and words of caution as well as the other members of our committee who have offered good advice particularly in deciding on our programme for the year. Thank you all for your assistance and support.
Roger Batt
Guest Speaker: John Ewan
Our guest speaker for the afternoon was John Ewan who had been asked to talk about his recently published book: The Audrey Story and his other published works produced by his company Chateau Publishing: Porters in my Past and Accidental Immigrants
John’s wife (Audrey Carson) had a most interesting and varied life: born in Reefton, growing up in the Maruia Valley and later in Motupiko, training as a teacher and later enjoying some extensive travel, she eventually became a secretary and researcher for a cabinet minister (Terekatene-Sullivan). This job presented her with the opportunity to mix with celebrities and politicians including Prime Minister Robert Muldoon and once came close enough to speak to the Queen Mother. It was a bitterly cold day at Wellington Airport and the farewell party were lined up on the tarmac. The Queen Mother came along the line close to Audrey, leaned towards her and said: “Please do not stand out in the cold too long.” Audrey was so overcome with surprise that she was unable to say anything in reply.
Our meeting closed with afternoon tea and the sharing of many complimentary remarks about our new venue.
WAIMEA SOUTH HISTORICAL Inc. 1981 