Soapy legends

 

(Updated 14 March 2015)

I've been meaning for ages to take a photo of this restored Sunlight Soap ad on the side of the Corner Store, Mt Eden and Nikau Streets, Grafton/Eden Terrace. A couple of days ago, I made my way down Mt Eden Road from the Upper Symonds Street shops, and finally ticked this off my inner "to-do" list.

The shop's been around for ages, probably turn of the twentieth century, perhaps before. This part of Mt Eden Road was, until they opened up the rest of the Western railway line to link with Newmarket in the early 20th century, the route travellers would trek up from Mt Eden Station towards Symonds Street and the waiting trams and horse buses to take them further into the city. Haven't seen a contemporary photo yet showing the original ad on the side of the shop yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was, indeed, that same Sunlight soap one, with its "£1000 Guarantee of Purity" plug.

Evening Post, 18 September 1909

My mother's mother's family came from Leeds in Yorkshire, the Killerby family of William son of Charles, himself descended from tailors, cloth drawers, weavers, and others associated with the Leeds wool industry going back to at least the 1650s. William married Martha Watson 23 December 1854 -- and that sparked off a family legend, involving Sunlight Soap, which lasted clear through to the early 1980s. There may still be relatives of mine, out there in the world, who still believe it, because it had been told to my grandmother Elinor, and she told all her four children.

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1912

The legend was that Martha's father invented Sunlight Soap.

Poverty Bay Herald, 31 December 1920

A lot of families have legends like this. You get little kiddies sitting around the knees of grandparents, this sort of thing takes root and becomes an oral history hand-down through the generations. In my family's case, I think it happened when Grandma Elinor was a kiddy herself (born 1892), and although living in London with her father and his second wife (Grandma's mum died when she was three), she was sent to north to stay for a while with Great-great grandma Martha. Who told her something about the family on Martha's side ...

Evening Post 29 August 1922

Well, come the early 1980s, and my mother and I decided to go looking into the family background. Whatever Martha Watson had told the young Elinor, it had been so convincing to Elinor that the family name Killerby had been wiped out in her memory; Elinor thought that Watson was her mother Emilie's maiden name. Mum and I did some checking, hired researchers in England, and found out the truth.

William Killerby, born around 1829 and a cloth-drawer by occupation, married Martha Watson in 1854. She was the daughter of John Watson, a chemical manufacturer in Leeds. William eventually rose to become a wool merchant, perhaps with help from money from Martha's side, but most likely I now find thanks to his close associations with his brother Frederick, who in turn worked his way up from being a warehouseman to a director of a woolen clothing company -- but Martha, it seems, was vastly more proud of her own side of the family than that of her late husband.

Then, Mum and I contacted the makers of Sunlight Soap, who very kindly sent us a pamphlet explaining the history of the product, first marketed in England in 1884. Sunlight Soap, back then, was an amalgam of a number of soaps and chemical processes from all over England. Firms like Knights Castile, for example, contributed to the manufacture. Another to contribute toward the making of Sunlight -- was a firm of Yorkshire soap manufacturers and tanners named Joseph Watson & Sons in Leeds, dating from around 1820. Lever Brothers, Sunlight's makers, bought out the Leeds soap factory around 1912.

Evening Post 28 March 1925

That line of Watsons went on to be Barons from the 1920s, but there's no indication so far that Martha's father was a member of that family.

Meanwhile, what is now known about John Watson (1808-1854) is that he started out as a stone mason in Woodhouse, Leeds, married Mary Spenceley in May 1827 (daughter of a prominent cow-keeper, later church warden, named Simeon Spenceley), and was in a partnership with a Joseph Watson as "manufacturing chemists" around 1851. The partnership was dissolved then, but it began sometime between 1844 and 1851. Then my ancestor was in partnership with a William Watson, "prussiate of potash manufacturers". This partnership dissolved as well, in 1854. He died in October that year, after a long illness. His daughter Martha married William Killerby two months after that.

Evening Post 22 August 1940

So -- t'was merely family legend about the Sunlight Soap. I have no idea at the moment if the Joseph Watson John had his first partnership with was the same "Soapy Joe" who is said to have developed his soap as a by-product of his tannery business. But, the brand, above all others, does still mean a lot to me. Mum would swear by its wonderful ability to get at tough stains in the hand-wash, and I still use the bars today (even though, for a while, it looked like they'd go off the market, here).

Oh, and if anyone reading this finds a John Watson, chemical manufacturer in Leeds, in amongst the genealogy or the story for the Barons Manton, do let me know ...

Civic Trust Winter Series 2011

The Civic Trust and Kinder House have issued their leaflets publicising their Winter Series of talks for 2011.

June 12 - John Gundeson

Waterfront Auckland Project Overview

"John will provide an overview of the old Tank Farm project plans, timeframes, etc, now known as the Wynyard Quarter, together with the Queens Wharf RWC projects. He will cover the approach to and consideration of character buildings within the area of control or influence of Waterfront Auckland."

July 10 - Peter Reed

Restoration of an Organ

A talk on the restoration of the south transept organ from St Matthews-in-the-City, the organ rebuilt by Henry Willis and Sons Ltd, Liverpool. Peter Reed is with Salmond Reed Architects.

August 14 - Lisa Truttman

Timespanner Stories

"Her illustrated talk will discuss the creation of Timespanner, a weblog of stories about Auckland and NZ heritage, and how information for the website is prepared and then displayed to the world."

September 11 - Graeme Burgess

The McCahon House - A Conservation Challenge

"Colin McCahon moved to Auckland in 1950 to take up a position with the Auckland City Art Gallery.  By 1951 he was living with his wife Anne and their four children in Titirangi, where they remained until the end of the decade during one of the most productive periods of his career.

"The tiny house is set well below the road in the kauri. By the end of last century the house was partially decayed and much of the detail added by McCahon had been obscured by layers of paint, dirt and added materials.

"The restoration took over two years. Retaining the authenticity of the place was paramount. Graeme will describe his experiences during this project and show photos of the work."

Entry to the talks is by koha ($5 suggested), with refreshments at conclusion. Plus, of course, you are visiting one of Auckland's heritage landmarks while attending.

The old Onehunga Post Office

£2000 worth of Edwardian red-brick glory, opened 14 February 1902 -- a considerable Valentine's Day gift to the community of Onehunga back then if ever there was one! Surrounding buildings were festooned with flags as the townspeople listened to Sir Joseph Ward as he made his commemorative speech. The red bricks are now covered with modern paint, but the old Post Office still stands. Today, it serves as a Columbus Coffee place. One of the better ones, I might add. Very good English Breakfast tea in a pot.

This was another of Onehunga's landmarks where the people battled to save it from being considered for demolition -- and I thank them, for they've left all of Auckland with another of our treasures from the past for the future to enjoy. It has a category 2 listing with the NZ Historic Places Trust.

Hartigan's Colony

This is one of those things which I would swear was around on my familiar landscape a lot longer than it actually has been. That's the way memory goes, I guess. But Paul Hartigan's neon sculpture Colony has only been in place since 2004. It is the often-viewed sight, lit up in red on dark nights as my bus trundled up Symonds Street through the University Quarter, past the lecture lecture at the School of Engineering which is Colony's home. It basically means to me that I'm on my way home (except yesterday, when I photographed it, as I was still heading to research places and libraries, nearing the end of the day.)

It always struck me as resembling something like a bull figure, especially towards the left -- and if so, something like Picasso's work, Guernica. My mind, therefore, says silently as I pass it by, "Oh, there's the red neon broken-up bull."

So it's really called Colony, and not "bull-pieces". Something new for me to learn.

Sidney Weetman's survey of the Auckland Railyards, 1882

Survey Office plan 3006, LINZ records, crown copyright.

In July 1882, Sidney Weetman surveyed the land along the eastern waterfront for Central Auckland designated to become the second of Auckland's so-far four main railway stations. In 1872-1873, the first one was laid out and completed alongside Beach Road. From 1882, construction was underway for the Queen Street Station, which ended up behind the Central Post Office, and which is where the Britomart Station is today -- but over-ground, not underground. Then, the the 1930s, the move back towards Beach Road, finally reversed yet again by this century's Britomart development.

Sidney Weetman was born in Rio de Janiero in 1841, and educated in England. He was working in Auckland from 1865 to 1887, so this is one of his later plans while working in this city. He died in 1912, a Remuera resident.

The death took place on Friday last at Remuera, Auckland, of Mr Sidney Weetman, an old and respected resident of Auckland. Mr Weetman, who was born at La Gloria, Rio de Janiero, was the son of Mr Carter Weetman, of the firm of Hopkirk and Weetman, bankers and merchants, of that city, and was educated in  England. Having taken up the profession of a surveyor he, on his arrival in New Zealand as a young man, took service under the Provincial Government of Southland; he afterwards removed to Auckland, and later became district surveyor, which position he held for many years. He was then appointed in charge of the Gisborne district, and afterwards, in turns, as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor of the Taranaki, Marlborough and Canterbury districts. After nearly 40 years in the public service, he retired on superannuation,, and has since lived privately in England and Auckland. Mr Weetman. being a man of many attainments, took a keen interest outside his profession, in affairs. He was a member of various societies, and for many years a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Marlborough Express 28 February 1912

So, to the plan. Above can be see the present site of the Britomart Station. I actually came across this map while trying to work out where Edward Wall's hulk had been discovered in 1904, and came to the conclusion that it was right opposite the end of Fort Street, at 52 Customs Street East.

I do like one little touch to Weetman's plan -- the shading around the stump of Point Britomart. That was where Customs Street came to an end in the days before they blew the point up for reclamation in the 1870s. Fort Street was a "Jacob's Ladder" away (and a heck of a climb) from the foot of Princes Street.

This part shows the layout of the 1872 station, which was halted from further development for a time by the bulk of Point Britomart.

Mechanic's Bay in 1882. Already, its fate is sealed. Weetman's plan shows the area of the remaining bay, already reclaimed around the western, southern and eastern edges, was just over nine acres, a considerable investment property for the Auckland Harbour Board. At the far right, partly obliterated by a tear in the plan, is a boiler house of some kind. Further down, jutting onto the bay itself, a jetty then a large timber jetty. The sea wall existed from at least the 1870s, formed out of the remains of Point Britomart. Weetman's view of the 1880s Mechanics Bay would have been like this (from beside that boiler house, looking westward toward the railway station):

Photograph attributed to James D Richardson, reference 4-609, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries. By kind permission.

A new Doug Ford box

Spotted this power box yesterday on Wellesley Street East, just outside AUT -- a 2011 Doug Ford work.

My guess is that it reflects on Albert Park, just across the road.

I carefully watched the traffic as I got this shot from the roadside.  The vehicles, including buses, come down the hill at speed. Still, the best bits are safely at the side. Good to see the signature so prominent this time.

Onehunga's (former) Carnegie Library

Yesterday, I had my first opportunity to visit and see the interior of the former Carnegie Library at Onehunga, a building with a category 1 registration with NZ Historic Places Trust.

The trustees of the Onehunga Library, itself a body set up by the Borough Council in 1901, wrote to Scottish-American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1909asking for financial support toward the building of a large library in the township. He contributed £2000 of the total £2675 cost, and attached some basic requirements, that the library was both free and public, and that the Borough Council provided the site and undertook ongoing maintenance.

Although the date 1911 is prominent on the front of the building, it was actually opened 11 September 1912. The architect was John Park, a later Mayor of Onehunga, and the builder was W Maud. The design is that of a 19th century athenaeum

It served the Onehunga community until 1970 when it was replaced by a newer complex close by. Whether or not it could be preserved as one of only twelve remaining Carnegie-funded library buildings in the country, and the only one in the Auckland region was up for debate through to 1987 when it was restored by the Onehunga Borough Council, and 1998 when it was finally sold by Auckland City Council.

Four Corinthian columns grace its facade, each bearing a different face. Janice Mogford in her book on Onehunga's history had only three names beside that of Andrew Carnegie, but he is above the entry door itself (see second image). The other three are John Park, John Rowe (Mayor at the time) and the builder, W Maud.

But I think the other one is either that of a youthful Queen Victoria. Someone definitely wearing a royal crown atop her head.

Inside is a reading room -- still! -- to the left, where you can read one of the books lining the walls, and have a quiet cuppa. To the right, a dining room, dark wood floors and furniture, all topped by wonderfully -patterned pressed-steel ceilings. I do quite like the new Carnegie at Onehunga, called the Library Cafe. The fates were especially kind yesterday -- the first bit of music I heard playing in the background as I awaited my lunch inside, soaking in the atmosphere, was Little River Band's Reminiscing. How, very, very apt.

A memorial amongst the lizards of Albany

Back in March this year Bruce Comfort (who works in with the NZ Memorials website) contacted me regarding a war memorial in Albany comprised of trees planted for each of those past pupils of Albany Primary School who had died during World War I. The memorial, now in the grounds of Albany Senior High School (the primary school moved due to space and traffic problems, seeing as it was sited alongside what is now a busy highway) is hard to get to.

I offered to ask my friends Bill and Barbara from Torbay Historical Society if they would mind venturing into Albany to see what they could do in the way of images.

Well, it's still a difficult place to capture. For one thing, it is fenced off, as a native lizard conservation area. There really is no going onto the site itself anymore, without disturbing the habitat set up for the reptiles.

 Bill and Barbara's notes from their email to me: "This is taken from the path behind the school  main block  ie.  nearest to the road."

 "This is a close up of the plaque from the other direction."

"From the same place as the previous photo.  The plaque is in the shade."

 "Showing 4 trees with the carved one near the palisade surrounding the lizard colony."

"The tree on the right might be one of the memorial ones?"

The earliest school in Albany, according to AMR Dean in The Schools of Albany (1976) was one run by the Presbyterians 1865-1866.  In 1876, the second school was constructed on land "between the two bridges". It remained on that site until 1975 when it relocated to the site of a former "clay quagmire" in Bass Road.

As for the memorial, here's what the book has to say:

The World War took its toll from most communities in New Zealand and Albany was no exception. Mrs. Boscawen left at the end of 1917 when her husband was killed in action. The following ex-pupils of Albany School gave their lives in the War:

• Corporal William Wright Gibson: attended the school between July 1899 and September 1907; served with the Auckland Mounted Rifles, was wounded in action in November 1917 and died in hospital in Cairo soon afterwards.

• Trooper Joseph Clifford Low; attended the school between October 1902 and September 1906; served with the Auckland Mounted Rifles and was killed in action at Gallipoli in August 1915.

• Private Edward Quentin Low; attended the school between October 1902 and July 1908; served in the 1st Battalion of the Wellington Infantry, and died of his wounds in France in October 1918.

• Lance Corporal Henry Peter Nelson; attended the school between December 1898 and November 1904; served with the 4th Mounted Rifles, and was killed in action in France in June 1917.

• Trooper William John Wright; attended the school between November 1899 and September 1907; served with the Auckland Mounted Rifles, and was killed in action at Gallipoli in August 1915.

In 1918 a grove of six memorial trees was planted in the school grounds and each tree bore the name of a soldier who had not returned from the war and who had spent his youth at the school. Shortly afterwards, a protective fence was erected around these trees. There has been considerable confusion about the number of trees that were originally planted, but we believe that we have sufficient evidence to show that it was six and not five as several people have suggested. The reason that six were planted was that the extra one was for Edward Monstedt who died as a result of his activities in the South African War in 1902.

According to the Cenotaph database, Trooper Edward Charles Monstedt served with the 10th New Zealand Mounted Rifles and embarked on 14 April 1902 on the Drayton Grange, but died 9 August 1902 of measles and septic pneumonia on Somes Island in Wellington Harbour. He was apparently not the only death from disease at that time. There were dozens sick on the Brittanic which was used to bring the troopers home, many with measles, and an inquiry was held in 1902 as to the lack of healthy accomodation on board that ship which carried 1005 troopers from Durban. Complaints were made by those who survived the quarantine at Somes Island that men suffering with measles and pneumonia were left out on the deck in the cold, and given only cold water to drink. The report on the inquest by the Transport Committee was a lengthy one. (Otago Witness, 1 October 1902)

Poor Trooper Monstedt's service had barely begun before he was forced to head back home -- and to a lonely, cold death on Somes Island. I hope his tree is among the possible four survivors there at Albany, amongst the lizards.

Rail views from the past

Bryan Blanchard has once again given permission for me to share his images here -- thanks, Bryan!

Above is G 100, one of six "G" class three-cylinder Pacifics, which in turn had been made up from cutting up three class G Garratts in 1937. From Bryan's email: "G100 was one of the class  – was a rebuilt from the 3 Garrett locomotives NZR brought, but were not suitable – converted into G locomotives some years later, but were not popular with the loco crews when they used them – photo taken not long before they were cut up – they came to Timaru too, but I can’t remember them – too young."

The locos were finally written off in 1956 -- which was around the time this photo was taken.

(above) "Timaru loco = 3 Dj's."

(above) "Vulcan railcar in the Linwood servicing depot." Vulcan railcars, named after the Vulcan Foundry where they were made, arrived in New Zealand during World War II, in 1940. They were only withdrawn officially from service in 1978, with some preserved at rail museums.

"The Vulcan rail car – 10 were ordered – 9 arrived in NZ, one was on a boat sunk in world War 2 by the Germans – 3 are left, 1 at the Plains Railway, Tinwald, Ashburton & 2 are at Ferrymead."

(above) "The rail car on the West coast line – is a Drewey/ Fiat engine twin set rail car from UK – none were saved, but one is being rebuilt from bits in the North Island + hopefully will be operating soon."

Another photo here.

When they recruited at Victoria Street

Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 4-794.  

Photographer James D Richardson

Photos like this one fascinate me. Apart from the fact that Auckland in the 1870s-1880s would have been a dusty, dirty and smelly place to be, I still can't help wishing it was possible to step into the image, and see what it actually looked like; in the full-colour of the day.

This is Victoria Street West, looking towards what is now Albert Park, but at the time (late 1870s to very early 1880s). At the right, the Theatre Royal (the London Loan office one of the tenants). On the other side of Queen Street, Williamson's American Bowling Saloon. Intriguingly tucked between those two buildings on the skyline, what appears to have been the last of the Albert Barracks, used by both the constabulary and the grammar school when the Imperial troops finally pulled out in the early 1870s. To the left, on the skyline, possibly the remains of the barracks magazine buildings, and also possibly part of the now vanished (aside from one bit) barracks wall.

Victoria Street has always been a wide thoroughfare, from long before the time of the motor car. Things were parked in the middle of the street -- in this case, delivery and passenger carts.

Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 4-231B.  

Photographer James D Richardson

As the 1880s wore on, and the Theatre Royal (left) became a place where Robert Neal sold tea, the line of horse-drawn vehicles extended further up Victoria Street West.

Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 35-R33.  

Photographer Frederick George Radcliffe.

The old barrack buildings are down and much of Albert Park is hidden behind the increasing height of central Auckland buildings later in the early 1900s. The park's trees are now starting to appear, along with the houses on the skyline of the well-to-do on Princes Street. Working horses have space to munch from feedbags, while one of Auckland's early electric trams trundles along Queen Street below.

Image from Google Maps.

The intersection of Victoria Street and Queen Street today is a busy place.  The vehicle capturing images for Google Maps must have hit a quiet time, probably not rush hour. Sticking a structure, no matter how temporary or important to the national interest, right in the middle of Victoria Street West just wouldn't happen anymore.

Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 1-W1594.  

Photographer Henry Winkelmann, 23 April 1917.

But it did in March 1916. Above is the Auckland Recruiting Station, the subject of this post, erected and paid for by Auckland City Council, and manned by volunteers as well as defence department staff.

The interior of the recruiting station's office. Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 1-W1598.  Photographer Henry Winkelmann, 23 April 1917.

My information on the recruiting station comes from Auckland Council Archives; the minutes of the Auckland Recruiting Committee, ACC 182/1, p. 131, and the Town Clerk's secretarial file on the station, ACC 275/16-283.

On 1 March 1916, the Recruiting Committee approved the erection of the station as per a presented plan. The City Engineer's department went ahead and built the structure, using primarily "Poilite" brand asbestos sheeting for the walls and roof.

NZ Truth, 12 May 1923

The interior of the examining room of the recruiting station. Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 1-W1597.  Photographer Henry Winkelmann, 23 April 1917.

Councillor Brinsden, he who would later be a leading figure opposed to the licence for the Dixieland Cabaret out at Pt Chevalier in the 1920s, raised a question as to the cost of the station. The City Treasurer supplied the expenses as at 21 March 1916, which included the following:

To erect the station: £81 2s 9d
Repair flags: 4 shillings
Asbestos slates, ridging etc:  £99
Calico streamers: £20 2s
Recruiting posters: £9 2s
Timber: £103 2s 8d

The total cost of erecting the station, the City Engineer, Walter Ernest Bush, informed the Town Clerk on 7 April, was £327 17s 4d, or around nearly $40,000. Yes, less expensive materials could have been used, he wrote, but "Poilite" tiles on the roof in lieu of corrugated iron was in order to enhance the building as much as possible, as well as to keep the temperature down to the lowest minimum. (I'd say he meant for Auckland's hot summery weather). The asbestos sheeting used instead of weatherboard for the cladding was simply a cheaper option.

The interior of the office of the recruiting station. Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 1-W1599.  Photographer Henry Winkelmann, 23 April 1917.

Image from Wikimedia Commons.

The interior of the record room of the recruiting station. Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 1-W1600.  Photographer Henry Winkelmann, 23 April 1917.

Wanganui Chronicle 23 October 1915

Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 1-W1596.  

Photographer Henry Winkelmann, 23 April 1917.

Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref 1-W1595.  

Photographer Henry Winkelmann, 23 April 1917.

By the end of June 1917, however, the Defence Department decided that they wanted to use the building more for medical purposes than recruiting, and the Victoria-Queen Street intersection was too noisy. They proposed to have the entire building uplifted and relocated to the north of the Art Gallery on Kitchener Street, part of Albert Park. The Mayor prepared a quick series of memos to all the councillors, and they wrote in their individual agreement to the plan. It cost the Council £78 11s 9d to relocate the building for the department. Well, I suppose there was a war on, you couldn't expect central government to pay for everything ...

Just after the war, the department wrote to the Council reporting that the heaters weren't working properly, and asking for them to be fixed. Politely, the Town Clerk responded that, as the Defence Department had taken over the building, it was up to them to deal with maintenance issues such as faulty heating, and recommended that any of a number of city-based service providers be contacted.

Finally, in November 1920, the Assistant Town Clerk wrote to the Minister of Defence, asking that the building be removed from its Kitchener Street location. By then, when it had ceased being used by the wartime Medical Board, the department had adapted it for use as a vocational training institution for returned soldiers. On 7 February 1921, the department replied that they would re-erect the building on another site. Where, I do not yet know -- but its story in central Auckland seems to have drawn to an end at that point.

Image by permission of Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries, ref A-4537.  

Photographer unknown.

I'll end the post with this shot -- looking down Victoria Street West, towards the Albert Park skyline, c.1885. A young Aucklander walking down the middle of the street, arm swinging, the future ahead of him. Just such a grand view of the old town.