Another central Auckland trek

Having made some recent postcard purchases, there were three which I wanted to compare with today's scenes in Auckland, plus have a bit of a wander in the Victoria Park/Wynyard Quarter neighbourhood. So, off I wandered on Friday, December 14.

Upper Symonds Street since the historic image was taken has been widened; the shops in the old photo would be roughly just back from the line of trees and gardens in the middle of the road. I couldn't quite get a shot showing the Edinburgh Castle on the rear right, out of concerns that I might get run over, but the former Eden Vine Hotel is still visible at the rear distance.

The older shops on the left were all demolished around the time of the road widening in the late 20th century.

This one I had to guess -- I think the curve downward in the footpath and wall at the extreme left in the historic image is the beginning of Grafton Road from Symonds Street, so this is approximately where I took the shot yesterday. The University of Auckland has taken over the scene, with only the trees hanging in there as reminders of the past.

You haven't a hope of seeing the fine tower of St Matthews-in-the-City anymore from the intersection of Wellesley and Victoria Streets. Boys and men would take their lives in their hands choosing to stroll down the hill in the middle of the road these days.

Even an extra shot looking up Wellesley Street -- there's nothing left of a neighbourhood which, at the time of the historic image, was mainly residential.

Victoria Park: result of a series of reclamations from the 1870s to 1900, filling in what had been the real Freeman's Bay to create commercial and industrial sites leased by the Auckland Harbour Board, and this reserve, taken over by the Auckland City Council in 1903 on a 50-year lease, at £500 per annum. (Star, 19 January 1903) The Council certainly invested a lot in the park right from the start.

In connection with the formation of Victoria Park on the Freeman's Bay reclamation, an amount of work is at present being done under the supervision of Mr. W. Anderson. The work of erecting a seven-foot corrugated iron fence all round the 18 acres reserve is at present being done by the contractor Mr. G. Knight, and the cost of this work alone will be about £1200. Four entrances to the Park are arranged for. Fronting Patteson street will be the main entrance, 100 ft in width. Four handsome stone pillars are at present being erected, and between will be a handsome iron railing and gates. The entrance in Trafalgar street (fronting the gasworks) is 50ft in width, and will have similar stone pillars, iron railings and gates. Another entrance is from Custom-street West, which is also 50ft in width. On the water frontage there are also two four foot gates, one at each side of where the pavilion is to be erected. This pavilion is to be 130 ft in length, and will have the back towards Te Moana road. A great portion of the fence is now erected, and masons are at work on the pillars, which are of blue stone. Fifteen feet inside of the fence will be a row of silver birch trees, planted 30ft apart in fact, men are at present engaged digging the holes and erecting the guards. Triangular corners between the fence and the avenue of trees arc to be planted with various shrubs. Inside the avenue of trees is to be constructed a carriage drive 20ft in width, which will go right round the sports ground. From this will be 20ft of grassy slope, as the carriage drive is three feet above the main part of the Park. This will afford a lot of space for people to sit on and watch sports. The design for the Park is manifestly for a recreation ground only. Formation work is at present proceeding, the contractors Messrs. Mays and Gordon, having got about a dozen drays at work, as well as teams busy ploughing. The main ground has to be levelled, and the embankment formed for the carriage drive and slope. The cost of these formation works will be about £1400. It will not be possible to get the ground ready for putting down in grass this season, as some time will be required for the embankments to settle. This is unfortunate, as it means paying £500 per annum rent all the same, but this kind of work cannot be hurried. Judging by the condition of the ground after the recent rain, it would seem as if some provision should be made for draining, if ever it is intended to use the place as a sports ground in winter. The planting and grassing of the Park will probably cost fully £2000 before it is completed, so that by the time the pavilion is also erected there will not be much left of the £8000 borrowed for the Victoria Park in Freeman's Bay.

Auckland Star 23 March 1904

I don't know if anyone has sat down to do a detailed history of Victoria Park, but it deserves more than just this single and corroded plaque on a concrete plinth, referring to just two-to-three years out of the story.

The park opened in 1905.

1906 - Caretaker's lodge and grandstand built

1918 - The park served as a morgue space during the influenza epidemic

1919 - John Court donated a playground, worth £1700.

1946 - Auckland City's third transit camp opens

1959-1960 - work begins on the motorway viaduct which alters Victoria Park forever

1980 - Grandstand badly damaged by fire

1983 - Tennis courts removed

1987 - Council's lease expires, period of negotiations ensues with Harbour Board, ending in vesting of the land in Council in 1989

1991 - Plans made for a new grandstand

1993 - Park levelled and drained.

2011 - Victoria Park Tunnel opens; Skate Park opens

On today's kiddies' playground at the park, I found this welcoming frog ...

... while a short distance beyond the playground, facing the old destructor buildings (now Victoria Park Market) and in the shadow of the viaduct -- the newly restored Campbell Free Kindergarten.

This building does have its history (for the moment) displayed behind its windows for passers-by to read. In 1908 the Auckland Kindergarten Association was formed, and in 1909 they approached the Auckland Harbour Board for a lease of one of the Board's sites. The Association then sought help from Si John Logan Campbell, who guaranteed the finance for the building, provided that the building was kept open as a free kindergarten school. As the stone says above "to the little children of Auckland for all time." It was designed by Campbell's architect of choice, Charles Le Neve Arnold, and officially opened 19 October 1910.

A sunroom was added to the building in 1938, and extra space was acquired for the playground in 1945 -- but the end of the laughter of little children echoing against the bricks and mortar came with plans for the harbour bridge, and its associated motorway viaduct across the park, and right next to the school. The Association decided to relocate in 1957, and from the early 1960s the building became club rooms for the Grafton United Cricket Club and Ponsonby Soccer Club.

By the early 1990s, the building was vacant, derelict, and under threat of demolition. An image of how it was for so many years from 1993 until now can be found the NZ Historic Places Trust register.

The building received category B protection under the Auckland City Council District Plan in 1997, and was registered as a category 1 by the NZHPT in 2000. Conservation architects were called in to assess restoration requirements in 2008, and the building was reopened on 5 May 2012. It's still empty, though.

Who knows what fate lies in store for the old landmark, still in the shadow of progress?

Next, something I've seen tons of times while passing by on buses, and wanted to find out about.

"Homage to Will", an artwork from 1971 (done in conjunction with the Auckland City centennial) by American sculptor Fred Loopstra, part of an International Sculpture Symposium.

"Five international sculptors were commissioned to make permanent sculptures on sites around Auckland City as part of Auckland City's centenary celebrations. Organised by the NZ Society of Sculptors and Painters (NZSSP), Hiroaki Ueda (Japan); Michio Ihara (Japan); Helen Escobedo (Mexico); Fred Loopstra (USA) and Tom Burrows (Canada) came to New Zealand and constructed their works or instigated their construction during a five week period from mid August, 1971."

Michio Ihara's work is "Wind Tree", now successfully installed in the Wynyard Quarter; Hiroaki Ueda's "Opened Stone" was installed by the Art Gallery; Helen Escbedo's "Signals" is at the Fred Ambler Lookout in Parnell; while Tom Burrows' work in scrap metal was ultimately scrapped entirely by the Council in 1977.

According to the Eugene Register-Guard Emerald Empire of 10 October 1971, "Homage to Will" is Loopstra's memorial to someone named Will T Brabham, a farmer who had died in 1971 after living in Crow, Oregon, for 75 years.

"Loopstra's giant sculpture is 8 feet high, 16 feet wide and 26 feet long. It depicts New Zealand's pioneering and agrarian past. While it looks like farm implements, especially discs and plows, it is not quite any of these but represents them all, Loopstra ... explains.

"Most of the components he used were made from railway ties, called "sleepers" in New Zealand. 'I tried to form the massiveness of many of the early transport and logging structures of the country,' he says. 'It came off rather well, judging by the response of the city's residents.'

All I've seen up to now was the rear view of this building.

The Caretaker's Lodge at Victoria Park, though, is a bit of a stunner. According to research by Matthews & Matthews, the lodge was built in 1906 to the design of a little-known architect named Arthur Bibra Herrold. Herrold possibly arrived with his parents on the Margaret Galbraith in 1881, with earliest found advertisement for his own practice in 1908, two years after the lodge was completed. He was living in Fiji in 1918, but died back in Auckland in 1943. According to the NZHPT, he designed the Cambridge Town Hall (1909), Monavale Homestead in Cambridge (1910), and Warkworth Town Hall (1911).

Sadly, although the exterior is beautifully restored, the building remains closed. The homeless use the verandahs as a place to doss down -- their sleeping bags and mattresses were very much in evidence when I visited.

Update 14 June 2013: The Lodge is now the Greenkeeper Cafe.  That's good news. Thanks to Leigh Kennaway for the head's up.

When I visited Halsey Street back when the trams had started up there, I did wonder about the bits of rough masonry not quite level with the rest of the footpath. Yesterday it clicked: that I was looking at what remains of Julian's Wall.

J Thomas Julian won a £15,426 contract in 1907 to erect a 1850 foot eastern wall for the reclamation at Freeman's Bay which would form the beginnings of the Wynyard Quarter. Work on the wall, on average 8 feet thick, was completed in 1908. Halsey Street was formed as a result of this work, around 1912-1914.

Observer, 5 October 1895

Julian (1843-1921) arrived in Auckland in 1883, with nearly 20 years experience in the building trade, including acting as foreman for several large building firms. In Auckland, he is said to have erected “a number of fine buildings in the city and suburbs”including a row of shops in Symonds Street, Arkell’s brewery, the City Club Hotel, and the block which included the Naval and Family Hotel, amongst others. He was also a member of the Auckland City Council for the South Ward from 1891-1899, and chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board from 1903-1904. In other roles, he was vice-commodore of the Waitemata Boating Club, and vice-president of the Auckland Swimming Club.

The trams are bedecked for the season.

I must say I'm fond of the colour added to the Tank Farm. The art, plus C K Stead's poem on Auckland. adds to the views wonderfully.

Last thing on the day's journey -- an old sign spotted after the present one for the razor shop was damaged on Pitt Street.

Some sort of a music centre there -- post World War II? If anyone has info they'd like to share, please do so.

Samuel Stephenson's no-license hotel, Mt Albert

In a bit of historic resonance today, a group of Mt Albert residents answered a "call to placards" as it were, and congregated outside a drive-in cafe on New North Road to protest the application to the District Licensing Agency for an off-license to be set-up called "Kiwi Drive Liquor". I stayed across the road, (a) not being a Mt Albert resident, and (b) because I wanted to photograph the protest.

It did bring to mind when Mt Albert residents first got together to protest and take action against the proliferation of liquor outlets in their district.

Samuel Stephenson was the man who first stirred up a hornets’ nest in Mt Albert regarding liquor. On 7 December 1881, he applied through the Onehunga Licensing Court for a license for his Mt Albert Hotel, situated on New North Road near the corner with present-day Carrington Road, just across from today’s Trinity of Silver café (the former Post Office building). 20 Mt Albert residents turned up at the hearing in opposition, but Stephenson had a number of backers who’d signed his application: Messrs. J. Rogan (owner of the block where Stephenson’s hotel was to be situated, and a fairly obvious candidate as beneficiary if the hotel succeeded), James Bound, Charles Turk, H. H. Martin, Mark Woodward, R. C. Greenwood, H. S. Wallace, William Motion, Frederick Young, and J. H. Daubeney. The objectors were fairly obvious, part of Mt Albert’s religious and culture-progressive elite: Rev. Mr. Haseldean, Messrs. C B Stone, James N. Ward, Thomas Wallace, James Reid, Thomas Allen, J. Tonson Garlick, Edward Allen (a near neighbour), and Mrs. Emma Hastie, and Messrs. Allan Waterhouse and Frederick Battley.

Eleven objections in writing were lodged, and the following generally may be taken as the grounds of objection:
1. That there was no necessity for such a place in the district.
2. That the house would prove a nuisance, because of the number of loafing and drunken men who would be drawn thither, as well as the likelihood of creating a similar class in the district.
3. That the presence of drunken and dissolute characters would be detrimental to the morals of the children and young people in the district.
4. There are no commercial or business men visiting the district who would be likely to require the accommodation usually supposed to be offered by such a place.
5. Such a house would only prove a temptation to such as are weak minded to indulge too freely in the accursed thing.
6. As a new Licensing Act has been passed by the Assembly, and is now only awaiting the proclamation of the districts by the Governor, no new license should be granted till the residents had an opportunity of expressing their opinion on the subject under the Act.

NZ Herald 8 December 1881

It was decided not to grant the license until after the new Licensing Act came into force, to allow the Mt Albert residents a chance to use local option.

On 9 January 1882, a meeting of ratepayers from Mt Albert, Mt Roskill, Pt Chevalier and the Whau (Avondale) districts formed the Mt Albert Alliance, aimed at restricting the opening and operating of licensed liquor premises through local option under the terms of the Licensing Act. They succeeded, barring new licenses (well, any license) for three years. Stephenson, who had put his money into the venture, was left with a lovely new wooden building, but couldn’t sell a drop.

In July 1882, Stephenson petitioned Parliament for compensation for hardship caused through operation of the Licensing Act. (NZ Herald 11 July 1882) In November Stephenson attempted selling his land and licenseless hotel as part of the Roganville sale, but the reserve failed to be reached. (NZ Herald 14 November 1882). On 15 December 1883 he filed for bankruptcy. For a third time, he again petitioned Parliament for compensation.

The following petitions were presented to the House yesterday:—From Samuel Stephenson, formerly hotelkeeper at Mount Albert, complaining that under the Licensing Act the district in which he resides was petitioning against the spirit and in defiance of the Act, whereby, he says, he was defrauded of his just rights and privileges, his property confiscated for three years, and himself and family brought to ruin, and he prays compensation (Hon. J. Tole) …

Auckland Star 17 October 1884

Come 1885, and some hope on the horizon for Stephenson's blighted fortunes: if he could just win enough votes on the side of the wets to allow liquor licensing in the district, all might not have been lost. It was certainly a lively election.

The greatest excitement that has ever prevailed in connection with any election in this district was evinced yesterday over the drink question. The Licensed Victuallers' interests were represented by Mr S Stephenson, who with his staff were flying colours of red, white, and green, and were early at the polling booth, quite confident of success. The temperance party, ably aided by non-abstainers, were alive to the importance of the occasion, and were equally confident of success. The Stephenson party relied on the new-comers who had taken up their residence on the Kingsland Estate, and events proved this to be correct, for after 5 p.m. they rolled up in cartloads together with the Chinamen, and this caused the Licensed Victuallers' party to be jubilant and confident they had gained the day. Liquor is said to have been freely supplied to the free and independent voters for a week before, and also on the polling day gratuitously, and the effect of this was evidenced in the loud talk of a large number, other than ratepayers, who waited to hear the announcement of the poll. Mr Brooking, the presiding officer, announced about 6.30 p.m. the result of the contest as follows :—Against a license, 66; for a license, 60, majority, 6; informal votes, 5. Mr Spragg, representing the temperance party, acknowledged the result, and proposed a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer. The disappointed section adjourned to the corner house, and continued to “drown their sorrows” in the flowing bowl to the small hours of the morning.

The poll was declared in the presence of about 100 persons. We may add that the election yesterday excludes licensed houses from the Mount Albert District for a term of three years.

Auckland Star 23 April 1885

To the ratepayers of MOUNT ALBERT AND KINGSLAND. Ladies and Gentlemen,— Although beaten by the conspicuous absence of several gentlemen and five informal votes, it is a convincing proof that I am sustained in my assertion, and that one side is equally entitled to their privileges and opinions as the other. I sincerely thank all those who gave me their assistance, and who had the valour in them when called upon to record me their votes; and I feel deeply their confidence that their support would never be challenged, although put to the severest test I am. Ladies and Gentlemen, Yours very sincerely, SAML. STEPHENSON. Mount Albert, April 23.

Auckland Star 24 April 1885

Stephenson moved to Avondale (small wonder!) and again petitioned Parliament for compensation of fees for the licensing application in November 1887. (Star, 17 November) In 1891, the Public Petitions Committee decided they had no recommendation to make. (Star, 5 September) At that point, he disappears into history.

His wooden store went on to become the core of what was to become today's Mt Albert shopping centre, remaining as a general store (no booze) right through to World War I, when it was demolished to make way for a realignment of New North Road. Today, there is a liquor store on the site (if Stephenson has a ghost, he might find some measure of satisfaction in the way of a last laugh, perhaps, at those who had stymied him in life). Considering that there is a liquor store only a short way up the road from the proposed off-license -- it does seem a bit like too much. Good on the protesters then, carrying on with a 130 year old tradition in Mt Albert.

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.
 

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.

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.