Papakura in the autumn

The last time I had visited Papakura was 2009. Last week, I had cause to visit it twice -- the first time, on Tuesday, for a sanity break (which was the reason, oddly enough, why I visited Papakura three years ago, hoping for a break for a bit from history stuff -- ah, well, that was the hope!), and the second time, three days later, to present a talk on Chinese history in Auckland to the local Probus Club.

For me, Papakura is nearly 80 minutes of train travel from Avondale, plus waiting time at Avondale and at Newmarket stations. But -- for me, fond of rail transport as I am, that's a bonus. The time is worth it. At the end of the train journey to the south of Auckland City, with only Pukekohe further on, I found Papakura to be a laid-back sort of place. Much like parts of Rotorua and Matamata in that respect. Excellent stuff for frazzled urbanites like myself. There is still some of the rural countryside spirit in Papakura, and on both days I was made to feel extremely welcome.

March 27, by the way, the Google Streetview car was out and about. Hardly surprising, as the last time they took shots of Papakura, it seems to have been raining. This time, hopefully, that car with the strange ball of camera lenses sticking up on a pole attached to the roof got one of my favourite parts of Auckland on a truly grand day weather-wise.

Wood Street curves out from the train station's exit, and is probably the main way towards Great South Road and the shopping centre. Alongside Wood Street, sitting on Central Park, is the old Papakura School building.

According to the history of the school (copies available from the Papakura Museum, by the way, where I bought mine), the first part of the building dates from October 1876, extended with a porch and fireplace in 1879, a further classroom in 1902, then two further classrooms in 1913, designed by Mitchell & Watt (Auckland Education Board architects at the time). Theirs is the dominating style. John Farrell, another Board architect, designed another classroom addition in 1918. A separate infants block was built next door in 1924 -- you see this first on the park as you walk from the station. Even the road itself has changed over time. Simms tells us that it was once called Union Street.

As for the school itself, it was: Papakura Free School (1877), Papakura School, Papakura State School, Papakura Primary School (1880-1939), Papakura District School, Papakura Central School (1940-1947), Papakura Normal School (1947-1957), Papakura Central School (1957-1972).

A new school was built on Ray Small Drive, on the site of saleyards on former Cook Street, and the old school was closed in 1973. Forty soldiers from Papakura Military Camp gave the old building a facelift in 1978, and in 1987 it was leased by the local District Council to the Papakura District Community Arts Council as a Community Arts Centre.

 

Just across from Central Park, the Papakura War Memorial, at the junction of Great South and Opaheke Roads.

The surrounds today are a far cry from those at the memorial's unveiling in 1921.

From page 19, Old Central School, Papakura 1876-2000. Possibly from Papakura & Districts Historical Society archive.

According to Elsdon Craig's book, Breakwater Against the Tide (1982, reprinted 2008), pp.152-153, a young local named T S McFarland sculpted the memorial with a composite uniformed soldier and crouching lion. The memorial was unveiled by Admiral Lord Jellicoe, Governor-General of New Zealand.

Fellow blogger and historian Helen Vail, in 100 NZ WW1 Memorials, has covered two of those included on the memorial: Lance Corporal William Fred Derbyshire, and Roy Alexander, DSM. The memorial also includes plaques for those who served in World War II, Malaya, Korea and Vietnam.

This is very cool, as far as I'm concerned. Set into the pavers at the corner of Wood Street and Great South Road, six plaques creating a map for visitors (like me) so we know how to get about. Excellent stuff -- more of these should be in other places in the city.

Late in 2010, the efforts of the outgoing Papakura Council came to fruition with the opening of the combined Papakura Museum (operated by the local historical society) and the Sir Edmund Hillary Library, in an easy-access building off Great South Road. Another fellow blogger, Claire at A Latitude of Libraries, has covered info on the library already. The museum, though, is worth a visit.

"Feeding birds on the lawn at Mrs Chamberlin's homestead, Drury." Auckland Weekly News, 24 September 1903, ref AWNS-19030924-1-4, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library.

One of the images on display was this (above). Egad, I thought, not more ostriches!

Back in 2009, when I visited the museum in its previous incarnation, I bought a lot of books. Actually, I'd say that the Papakura Museum is either a good place or a bad place for local history book addicts such as yours truly, depending on the point of view (and how much money is left in the bank). I didn't buy the book above ($35 for the 2012 second edition), but ... I bought the school history, and these.

This was around $30 as I recall -- check with the museum. I thoroughly recommend it as a great and detailed history of the local shopping precinct. I feel other studies of the type should model themselves on this.

As for this -- a classic, reprinted in 2008.

And as for these in the foyer outside the library and museum -- I thought I'd left the sheep behind at Mangere? And, why is the one on the right apart from the others? The sheep keep their secrets, though. I may never know.

Update: My favourite taphophile, Sandy, has added value to this post (thanks!) with these links from her comment below: her collection of photos of Papakura Cemetery, including the grave of the saviour of prostitutes, and a survivor of the 1886 Tarawera eruption, and Papakura South Cemetery.

 

The last of the horse troughs, and colour at Mt Eden

Bill and Barbara Ellis from Torbay took these photos and sent them through.

This, the last of the horse troughs, was suggested by Mrs Agnes Chambers in honour of Henry Alder, first inspector for the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Auckland from 1900.

Inspector Henry Alder, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was instrumental in punishing a haulier named William Gick, of St. Heller's Bay this morning, for working a horse while it was in an unfit state. He saw the animal being driven by Gick in Karangahape Road this morning, and noticed that it suffered considerable pain through having sore shoulders. Gick was brought before Mr James Stichbury JP subsequently, and fined £1 with 7/- costs, His Worship remarking that the horse was in a shameful state, and Gick's employer ought to be prosecuted if he knew the condition in which it was sent out.

Auckland Star 17.9.1903

 And yet ...

A very unusual prosecution for alleged cruelty came before Mr Kettle S.M., in the Police Court this morning, the defendant being Henry Alder, local inspector of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was charged with having slaughtered a horse on June 16, in the City Pound, in such a manner as to cause it unnecessary pain. He pleaded not guilty. It appears that Alder, in order to put the animal out of its misery, struck it on the head with a hammer three times, and left it for dead. The evidence of witnesses, however, indicated that the horse was not killed, but was struggling for nearly two hours afterwards. The case was dismissed, in view of the fact that there was no intentional cruelty. 

Wanganui Chronicle 27.6.1905

That said, though -- Alder was one of the early shining lights in the history of the animal welfare movement in this country.

"Blue Cross" writes: Was glad to see in a local paper the other day an article on the work of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Society, which is, of course, the work of that staunch humanitarian, Mr. Henry Alder. The Society looks after administrative details, but it is Inspector Alder who first, last, and all the time does the actual work. It is work that doesn't gain him much glory, thanks, or riches, but it is the work of a true Crusader in the cause of those who have but few champions and a lot of enemies among mankind. Not that men deliberately rank themselves as enemies of the dumb beasts and the birds, but by their actions they are often more devilishly cruel than one would find it in his heart to believe. It is to circumvent the doings of these that Inspector Alder gives all his time and energy and his store of the latter is nothing less than wonderful.

Among Auckland business men, police, and magistrates he has many good friends, who further his good work, but his worst enemy is the apathy of the general public in regard to it. People shrink from exhibitions of cruelty, but do not consider it their business to take any action to have it punished. It would be a good thing if a really active interest in the doings, of the Society could be roused in Auckland, to find out just how it is working, how it is planning to extend Mr. Alder's work, and what encouragement it is offering to those inclined to give a helping hand by becoming honorary inspectors, or otherwise furthering the cause of the animals by service as well as by cash donations. It's human interest, not merely the kind you get at the Bank, that counts every time!

Observer 7.8.1920

That might even have been Mrs Chambers writing in, as she was the one who organised the Blue Cross Fund during World War I. Alder died in 1921. His memorial trough is currently close to the Tepid Baths in Downtown Auckland.

These images, according the the Ellises, come from Mt Eden, in and around the intersection of Mt Eden and Stokes Road.

I got a shot of this box myself in January 2010, but Bill was able to get in without most of the clutter around it. Good to see the tagging's more under control now.

A mural in Queen's Arcade

I've been in Queen's Arcade in the central city a few times. Mainly to look at Marbeck's music store, but today I went up to the second floor via escalator, transacted some business, then headed back towards where I saw there was a down escalator. Then noticed quite possibly one of the, if not the most, coolest of the stairwells of Auckland.

The only identifier I saw (see bottom image) was "Lamplit Stage '93", plus a mobile number. Has this been here since 1993? Whoever the artist is, there is a wonderful blending of the work with the architecture.

The seagull sitting on the stairwell ornament.

That looks awfully like Rangitoto in the background, and Queen's Wharf mid-foreground.

In one window, a well-dressed Victorian-Edwardian gent checks the time ...

... while a mouse looks on.

Down below, a pianist practices.

Amongst the palms, sculpture in the garden.

The name of the artist (?) with a dripping paintbrush left carelessly on the real banister.

Auckland never ceases to surprise.

The Great White Fleet, 1907-1909

An especial treasure I picked up through Trade Me recently is this: a 1908 postcard, printed by Clark & Matheson, engraved by C E Mackie, of the US Fleet entering Auckland Harbour, Sunday, August 9th, 1908. I’m not sure why, but the “Great White Fleet” (see also the Wikipedia page for a good map) as the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet were known during their 1908 tour of the Pacific has been a recurring fascination for me. Obtaining the near 104-year old souvenir was wonderful. Even better than I’d hoped: I got also the image of the little kiwi at the top of the border, one of the earliest impressions of the bird as our national symbol; and the flags tucked around the image. Better than just a photo of ships in the harbour.

The best text I’m come across so far on the fleet and its context in that Edwardian world of shifting diplomacy, sabre-rattling, and the premonitory twinges in world history which led down to the trenches of the First World War, is James R Reckner’s Teddy Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet (1988). I purchased my copy towards the end of last year, at the price of $52.00 from the souvenir shop at the Voyager Maritime Museum in downtown Auckland. With the thought soon after the deed was done with my Eftpos card that my dratted spontaneity in such things had finally gone, well, quite literally overboard. Such a price for a book with only around 220 pages – and softback at that! But, it is printed in the US, which makes a refreshing change in these days where publications, due to cost and economics, are increasingly produced by the roaring engines from Chinese and Taiwanese establishments. I do have a soft spot for American books. Also, and this is the main reason why I feel I have made a good investment – this book is wonderfully well-written. Clear, concise, and packed with well-researched information from files and the newspapers of the day, along with images from the time.

Yes, yes, I do still wish I’d spotted it in a second-hand bookstore from amongst my usual haunts and obtained it at a cheaper price. That’s my quarter-Scots blood from a grandfather coming out, not to mention the fiscal caution of my late mother. But … ah well. What’s done, is done.

The reasons why the fleet’s tour happened are linked to a changing focus for America in terms of possible defence needs, or at least as they were perceived at the time. Japan, having just won a war with the Russians, set up a presence on the Chinese mainland and arranged a diplomatic treaty with Britain, seemed to those on America who believed in the “yellow peril’ paranoia to be a new threat. In that light, the Great White Fleet was possibly sabre-rattling on a grand scale. But President Theodore Roosevelt also seemed keen to see just how well his coal-fuelled battle fleet could do if required to take action against some future foe. 

"Departure of the American Fleet for the Pacific: the principal vessels of the squadron, which left New York December 16, 1907," Auckland Weekly News 26 December 1907, ref. AWNS-19071226-11-4, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library

The fleet left their base in December 1907, arousing suspicion from authorities in Argentina and Chile where stopovers were made (North American dominance over South America an issue which would linger through the entire 20th century), while the Peruvians greeted the fleet warmly. They reached Los Angeles by April 1908, and left San Francisco in July. Hawaii was reached later that month, and American Samoa by 1 August.

Ships of the American fleet (Great White Fleet) on Waitemata Harbour, Auckland, 1908 Reference Number: 1/1-006190-G Ships of the American fleet (Great White Fleet) on Waitemata Harbour, Auckland, in 1908, photographed by James Hutchings Kinnear, Alexander Turnbull Library

In Auckland, at 7.10 am on 9 August, around 100,000 people lined the shores of the Waitemata Harbour and Rangitoto Channel, according to Reckner – 10% of our national population then.

“They conducted an intricate S-patterned maneuver in the outer harbour of Rangitoto Channel and then, escorted by a flotilla of local craft dangerously overloaded with cheering passengers, rounded North Head and swept up the channel to anchor in modified line of squadrons in the Waitemata Harbour. A plan for the ships of each division to anchor simultaneously went well except when the Rhode Island found insufficient room in her assigned anchorage and nearly rammed the British flagship Powerful. After much backing and filling, the unfortunate ship was assigned an alternate anchorage and guided there by the harbour master.” (pp. 93-94)

Auckland Weekly News, 20 August 1908, ref. AWNS-19080820-12-1, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library

Here, we had “American Fleet Week”, an almost unending round of receptions, banquets, floral arches, flag waving, including trips to Rotorua and a day at the Ellerslie races.

Visit of the American fleet, Queen St arch. C.B & Co Ltd. Real photograph by Ernest de Tourret, Whangarei, N.Z. [1908?] Reference Number: Eph-B-POSTCARD-Vol-3-034-1 Shows Queen Street, Auckland, with an archway constructed of towers, scaffolding, raupo and cabbage trees, with the word WELCOME on the arch. There is the New Zealand coat of arms and an American eagle decoration on each tower. Alexander Turnbull Library.

"Officers of the American Fleet who took part in the official landing, Monday, August 10, 1908," Auckland Weekly News, ref AWNS-19080820-10-3, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library

A look at Papers Past will show that the entire country was fixated on what was to become “the” event of 1908 (so much so that, ahead of the scheduled completion time and official opening, politicians and their et ceteras steamed up from Wellington on their special Parliament Train, just to be on hand when the fleet arrived in Auckland).

Auckland Weekly News, 20 August 1908, AWNS-19080820-16-6, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library

 Observer, 15 August 1908

The fleet eventually left at 8am, Saturday 15 August, and the grand tour of the Pacific, including Australia and Japan, concluded in February 1909.

Observer, 29 August 1908

Magnalium for Dominion Day

Dominion Day celebrations in Wellington. Auckland Weekly News, 10 October 1907, ref AWNS-19071010-13-1, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries

A small medal I spotted on Trade Me recently was advertised simply as "Children's Attendance Medal", with question marks. I almost didn't bother with putting in a bid, until I decided to check out the story behind the medal on Papers Past. Previous (and better condition) examples have been put on the auction site before now, but -- I like this one. It looks like it has been through history.

Dominion Day used to be 26 September each year, from 1907, when we ceased to be a colony of the British Empire (but, there was still a while to go before all the apron strings were cut).

Anyway -- in an atmosphere of patriotism, loyalty to king, country and Empire, and all that was to entail just seven years later, the Prime Minister J G Ward came up with the idea of medals for the nation's kiddies to mark the day. Well -- at least to mark the day after the day had taken place. He sent a telegram to be read by all the country's mayors etc who were leading the local celebrations.

As the day will be historical in the annals of New Zealand, and of more than passing interest to the children, I have decided to have a medal struck in commemoration of the event for presentation later on to each school child throughout the Dominion. Kindly make this fact known at any function you may hold to-morrow. J G Ward. 

ChCh Star 26.9.1907

It wasn't met with universal enthusiasm.

When the Mayor of Feilding read the Premier's message about medals for school children, yesterday, comments were made: "It would be better if he gave us money to improve our roads." "What about devoting the medal money to poor back-blockers for roads?" 

 Wairarapa Daily Times 30.9.1907

The Nelson Chamber of Commerce has passed a resolution to the effect that it be recommended to the Premier instead of having a medal struck to commemorate Dominion Day (September 26th), that one million pennies bearing that date be issued for distribution among the school children, and the balance be put into circulation. 

Hawera & Normanby Star 17.10.1907

But, the government went ahead anyway.

In connection with the proposal to strike a "Dominion" medal, to commemorate the creation of New Zealand as a Dominion, the Government is now getting a medal designed with a view to receiving tenders from manufacturers in various parts of New Zealand. The medals will, as has been suggested to the Government, be distributed amongst school children. 

Poverty Bay Herald 12.10.1907

The Government has accepted the tender of Messrs Moller and Sons, of Dunedin, for the supply of 170,000 medals for distribution amongst the school-children of New Zealand to commemorate the celebration of Dominion Day. Marlborough Express 10.12.1907

The medals provided by the Government for presentation to all school children, to mark the raising of the status of New Zealand to a Dominion, will be presented to the scholars when the school work is resumed on the beginning of next month. The medal, which will be of magnalium, will be about the size of a florin. On one side it is indicated that New Zealand was proclaimed a Dominion on September 26th, 1907, and on the opposite side King Edward's portrait is given, surrounded by the British and New Zealand ensigns, with the inscription: "God Save the King, Edward VII, of the British Dominion, King." 

WDT 28.1.1908

There were hold ups.

The dominion medal which the Government devised to delight the hearts of all its school children, is very late in making its appearance. The medals were to have been distributed by February 28, but it will be two months yet, according to official computation, before they dangle on the necks of school girls and are "swapped" by boys. The explanation is that great difficulty has been experienced in achieving a really satisfactory design. The contractors, Messrs C. Moller and Sons, have been at much pains in the matter, and are not to blame for the delay. A design has just been approved, and in two months more the medals should be available for distribution. Feilding Star 13.3.1908

It will be another month or so before the school children will receive the promised Dominion commemorative medal. The selection of a suitable design, and prepa[ra]tion of the dies should not be hurried, and one fact which alone should compensate for the delay is that the very credible production is entirely of New Zealand manufacture. A little larger than a shilling, and made of magnalium, it is remarkably light, weighs about as much as the mock coins of cardboard to which children are accustom[ed] in the schools. 

West Coast Times 14.5.1908

 

The following is a wonderfully detailed article describing the medals. Rather worrying though to read that "boys" were employed in their manufacture.

The order received by Messrs Moller and Sons, of this city, for the supply of 180,000 medals to commemorate the proclamation of New Zealand as a Dominion, is generally regarded as being the largest order of the kind yet submitted to any single firm in the Dominion, and as they will shortly be ready for distribution amongst the school children throughout New Zealand, some further particulars concerning the medal will doubtless prove of interest.

The medal itself is slightly larger than a halfpenny, and bears on its obverse a circle enclosing the King's head surmounted by the royal crown, and flanked on each side with the New Zealand and British ensigns, and bears the inscription “Edward VII of the British Dominions, King.". The reverse is ornamented with crossed fern-fronds in relief, inscribed, “Presented to the children attending the schools of the Dominion." Surrounding it are the words, New Zealand proclaimed a Dominion, September 26, 1907."

The metal is an alloy of aluminium and magnesium, invented by Dr Mach, and is manufactured in Westphalia. It is quite the latest of its kind, being practically unknown in commercial circles as yet, and is a white metal resembling silver. Light as aluminium is known to be, magnalium is even a trifle lighter, its density being 2.4 to 2.57, whereas the density of aluminium is 2.67.

The breaking strain of the new metal is from 14 to 21 tons per square inch, and it melts at a temperature of 1200deg Fahr. It can be moulded to any shape whilst in a molten state, either in sand or metal moulds, and is equal to brass for the ease with which it can be worked in lathes, etc. It can be forged as easily as soft iron, but at a much lower temperature, and can be wire-drawn to the thickness of fine thread, being only surpassed in ductility by gold, silver, platinum, and copper. It is capable of taking a high polish, and does not oxidise or tarnish when exposed to the air.

The magnalium of which the medals are being made comes in highly-polished sheets 36in by 20in, and about 1-16th of an inch thick, and these are passed under a punching press by boys, who punch the disc out to the required size. They are then put under the medal press, said to be the largest in the Dominion, and subjected to a pressure of about 50 tons, the result being a highly finished and attractive-looking medal, which is decidedly superior to anything of the kind hitherto turned out for a similar purpose. The King's head is then stamped in the centre of the obverse by means of a special die, and the medal is finally bored near the edge to receive a small ring for attaching to a chain, and it is then ready for packing, prior to distribution.

Day after day they are being turned out at the rate of 4000 per day, and in order to accomplish this the huge medal press is kept going continuously every day from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. To count them would be a rather irksome business, involving too much time, so they are weighed instead. So light are they that a large handful only weighs a few ounces, 220 medals being required to weigh 1lb. The dies, which took a week to cut, were finally approved, and the order given on May 1, and since that time over 100,000 medals have been struck off, and, as previously stated, it is expected to have the whole order completed by the end of this month. It was at first decided to attach each medal to a small piece of narrow ribbon, but at Messrs Moller's suggestion it was decided to dispense with the ribbon in favour of a small ring, and the authorities being very exacting concerning the impression of the King's head, some time elapsed before their wishes were satisfied in that respect, but the result is entirely satisfactory and reflects great credit on the Secretary for Education (Sir E. O. Gibbes) and the firm entrusted with the order.

When completed the medals will be distributed as follows:— Auckland 37,000, New Plymouth 5700, Wanganui 15,200, Wellington 19,300, Napier 10,750, Blenheim 2450, Nelson 6800, Greymouth 2100, Hokitika 1350, Christchurch 22,900, Timaru 6100, Dunedin 22,000, Invercargill 10,750— total, 163,000. The remainder 7000— are to be sent to the Education Department, Wellington. 

 Otago Witness 10.9.1908

 One review of the whole thing, though, was scathing.

One of the minor failures of the Government are the Dominion Day medals now being distributed among the schools. The lightness of the material of which they are made conveys an impression of flimsiness and unsubstantiality. They look silvery, but their light weight betrays the baseness of their alloy. The design also, is jejune and uninteresting. The designing talent at the command of the Government must greatly lack imagination when such a poor performance was allowed to pass muster. Hackneyed and commonplace are the mildest terms that can be used in describing the emblems employed to impress the minds of our children with the importance and dignity of their native land. A circle surmounted by an imperial crown encloses the King's head, the lineaments of which certainly do not flatter our genial monarch. The circle covers the crossed staffs of the Union Jack and the New Zealand flag which hang limply and ungracefully on either side, the ends being bundled together clumsily underneath. On the obverse side are two attenuated sprays of vegetation probably intended to represent fern-fronds but unlike any fern-fronds we have ever seem. One inscription on this side states that New Zealand was proclaimed a Dominion on September 26th, 1907, and another asserts quite unnecessarily that the medal was presented to the children attending the schools of the Dominion. It is regrettable that pains were not taken to signalise the occasion by the preparation of a more picturesque and tasteful souvenir. In the get-up of the trinket there is little to interest a child, and we predict that few will be treasured as heirlooms. There is no doubt the money they cost could have been spent to better purpose … 

Tuapeka Times 12.9.1908 

The whole concept of celebrating Dominion Day fell into disuse from around 1912, once Bill Massey came to power as Prime Minister. I first heard about it from a talk given to pupils at Avondale Intermediate close to 26 September by our principal Mr Carnachan, either in 1975 or 1976, but I have rarely heard mention of it since.

The medal is indeed very light and with a modern aluminium feel to it. It does make a splendid magnalium souvenir of a day when, theoretically at least, New Zealand began to be a nation in our own right.

Still hoping for the Queen's Head façade

Further to these posts: Testament to façadism, and Remains of a tavern about to fade ...

Latest news in today's Herald:

Yesterday independent commissioners Harry Bhana and John Hill said the resource consent application to the Auckland Council should be notified for a public hearing. They said although this would probably draw subjective and emotive submissions it was also likely to provoke wider discussion about alternative methods of dealing with the historically significant facade.

As part of the notification process, the Historic Place[s] Trust would be alerted.

Trust heritage architecture adviser Robin Byron told the council hearings committee the facade was the work of architects Edward Mahoney & Son. Although the tavern was registered as a Category II historic place, no review had been carried out on the surviving piece to assess whether it warranted that registration. Ms Byron said the 1988 building and the facade had an "unfortunate and incongruous relationship".

Good to idea that public notification has been recommended. We should all have an opportunity to have a say in matters where our visible heritage is at risk. I don't know how this will play out -- but I'll still keep on hoping.

Phone boxes again

Further to Public Telephones in the Wild, and Designing a Telephone Box ...

The Writer of the Purple Sage has very kindly sent these images through (thanks!). 

(Above) Boxes seen at Kumeu Industrial Park, Riverhead.

(Above): SH73, near Kumara, West Coast, looking back towards the Southern Alps (a lovely shot, this). 

And finally, the phone box between the Herald Island fire station, and the post office / library.

Puketapapa (Mount Roskill) Historical Society

"Looking north west from Mount Roskill showing Mount Roskill suburb in the foreground, and Mount Albert in the background", ref 4-4552, Sir George Grey Special Collection, Auckland Library

I've received permission this week from the society's newsletter editor to publish the first issue of this new historical society's newsletter (incorporated December last year) on Scribd and link it to here.

So -- here it is.

Designing a telephone box, 1905

I like visiting Auckland Council Archives in central Auckland very much, and have done ever since first visiting the place in the early 1990s. Over recent days, I've been doing some research for an upcoming article for the Point Chevalier Times. One day, one of the archivists came up with a small plan, showing me another cool treasure from their collection.

In March 1905, Auckland City Council draughtsmen drew up this -- a plan for a rather neat-looking telephone box proposed for Quay Street. I have no idea if this actually went ahead (if it did, it may not have lasted long) but ... what a pleasant chance from the rectangular box types I grew up with! More finials on phone boxes, I say ...

Source: ACC 015 1670, 20 March 1905.

Update, 14 April 2012: I think I've found an image from Quay Street, 1910, which shows the phone box.

 Ref. 4-1318, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library. 

This is from the jetty at the end of Commerce Street. Here's a crop of the image:

 Pity it's from the back, but ... I think that's the one.