The Funeral of King George IV, 15 July 1830

July 7, 2013, 12:06 pm

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A marble statue of King George IV originally placed at the top of the lower flight of stairs on the Grand Staircase in Windsor Castle. Carved by Sir Francis Chantrey 1830-36, being a copy of a plaster model approved by King George IV in 1827. [Source : The Royal Collection]

This is the second part of my Blog on the death of King George IV and specifically details the funeral of the late King including detailing medical reports published after his death. These are both described in my copy of the black-bordered 'The Edinburgh Evening Courant' newspaper in my possession, being featured above. The black borders of course signify mourning. The first part in this series, which features the death of King George IV, may be accessed HERE.

"The Edinburgh Evening Courant" Newspaper, dated Edinburgh, 15th July 1830, with black borders in mourning for the recent death of King George IV of Great Britain & Ireland. His funeral was held this same day. [From my personal collection]

The Private Viewing :

Upon the Kings death on the 26th June 1830, pages under the superintendence of the physicians prepared "the Royal corpse [then] placed him on a couch covered with a fine linen sheet exposing a part of the Royal bust". The late King was then "submitted to the view of the household", including the out-door servants, their families, and acquaintances, from about five in the morning until after eight, "by which time several hundreds of persons had not only seen, but taken by the hand, the deceased Sovereign". The scene which ensued was described as "very afflicting". Many had served their Royal master for a quarter of a century.

The Duke of Wellington, the then Prime Minister, called to pay his last respects and noticed a locket suspended on a black ribbon around the King's neck. So, "overcome with curiosity, he opened the locket to reveal the image of Mrs Fitzherbert [his first wife but an illegal marriage - for she was Roman Catholic and Royal consent had not been given]. When Mrs Fitzherbert was told of this, she reportedly said not a word, but presently 'some large tears fell from her eyes'". Accounts state that before dying, the King had asked to be buried with this miniature around his neck and his final wishes were apparently carried out. Both had been married in an informal ceremony in 1785.

The Catholic Maria Fitzherbert whom George, Prince of Wales, 'married' in a secret ceremony on the 15th December 1785. A painting by Reynolds, c.1788 [Source : Wikipedia]

On the following morning, the examination and embalming of the Royal body took place. Embalming, still considered somewhat interventionist, took place due to the funeral being delayed until the 15th July.  For "descriptive" reasons, the details of the actual post-mortem are at the end of this blog.      

Is is reported that the late King's body was placed in a coffin of Spanish mahogany lined with white satin. This was then placed in a leaden coffin upon which was affixed an engraved silver plate bearing the Kings details.

A story I have found repeated more than once in recent years, and which could easily be apocryphal as unfortunately no period source is quoted, states rather graphically that "Following sloppy work by the embalmers, George IV’s body became badly swollen in the coffin. Amidst fears that it would explode through the lining, attendants hurriedly drilled holes in his casket to let out some of the rotten air". 

The Royal body was initially placed in the small drawing room "on a low car, and partially covered with an ample pall of rich velvet which lay in heavy folds around it on the floor; and on either side of it stood one of his late Majesty's most favourite pages...". An intimation was given to some of the residents of Windsor, and the late King's tradesmen, that they and their families might have a private viewing from nine till eleven o'clock, of the state rooms, and also of the coffin, covered with the Pall of State. 

An artists impression of the official 'Lying in State' at Windsor Castle, with the King's Drawing Room draped in black cloth. [Source : The Royal Collection]

The Official Lying in State :

Preparations for the official Lying in State were completed on the Tuesday night under the superintendence of Mr Mash. The Royal coffin was moved through to the old King's Drawing Room, and placed under a rich purple canopy of state "while the silver sconces, escutcheons, and other heraldic ornaments were distributed in their respective situations".    

The remains of his late Majesty King George IV then lay in state from Wednesday the 14th July 1830 between 10am and 4pm and again on Thursday the 15th between 10am and 3pm.

Unfortunately, when the iron gate was thrown open, all persons were indiscriminately admitted and the scene "was by no means one of that solemnity befitting the occasion". The official order required "all persons to appear in decent mourning". But it was "only in the immediate presence of the body that the majority of the countenances put on a lugubrious show".

"The state apartment in which the body lay was fitted up with suitable and solemn grandeur - the richness of the purple canopy - the superbness of the coffin and its costly covering - the pall - the splendid masses of bright and flaming hues from the golden drapery of the Royal Standard - the crowns and heralds' uniforms - imparted a death-like and spectral paleness to the heads of the household mourners which had an intensely interesting effect. The mourners stood perfectly motionless, and like statues upon a sepulchre. The atmosphere of the apartment rose at times to a stifling heat. It was the chamber of mortality and woe. The public passed through in one continuous stream, from ten in the morning till four in the afternoon.”

The Funeral Preparations : 

The immense weight of the coffin led to elaborate precautions being taken to ensure safety, "preparations are making for lowering it from the drawing-room, after the lying-in-state, into the vestibule, by means of an inclined plane. This will obviate the necessity of trusting too much to physical strength, and endangering thereby the safety of those employed, which would be the case if it were conveyed down the grand staircase into the porch in the usual manner. The magnificent stone stairs have been carefully cased in wood, as have the Gothic columns, to protect them from injury."

The "iron-work on which the coffin and its supporting machine will rest" was made ready. A blue mazarine canopy was also prepared, being richly ornamented with a gilt crown suspended from this canopy over the coffin. Three new brass chandeliers were hung in front of the Communion Table in St. George's Chapel "to illuminate the bier and to give light to the Dean and Heralds for the performance of their solemn functions, before the coffin is lowered into its resting place".

Those parts of the choir covered in black cloth were the stalls, the seats and the floor. All the stalls of the Knights of the Garter were also covered although the helmets, swords and banners of the Knights were left exposed. The painting by West of the Lord's Supper and the richly carved oak immediately over the Communion Table were "likewise concealed by the sable drapery". The great window above, representing the Resurrection of our Saviour, "would be seen to advantage".

The Nave of St George's Chapel, as drawn by Charles Wild, 1818 [Source : Wikipedia]

Likewise, the organ gallery and the whole of the nave and the seats in the north aisle were shrouded in black cloth but only extending to the hand railing "so that the stained glass windows at the extremity of the building , the fine stone roof, and the ancient gothic pillars will be fully seen". A double matting was placed under the black cloth covering the floors "[so] there is no reason to fear the recurrence of similar colds to those which were caught at former funerals, by contact with the marble pavement". Such had been the case after the funeral of King George III in 1820 and deaths among some of the elderly attendees had resulted.

The entrance to the Royal Burial Vault lay in front of the Communion Table. The marble "diamond pavement" had to be lifted prior to the funeral service and the Portland stone removed to enable the coffin to be lowered into the subterranean passage leading to the actual vault.

Immediately over the opening to this subterranean passage "was placed [the afore-mentioned] ...superb canopy of dark purple velvet, surmounted with a colossal representation of the Royal crown".

The plate of the Royal Chapel at St. James Palace in London was brought down for the occasion and added to that of St. George's Chapel and, "formed the grandest collection of massive gold plate that could be conceived".

Platforms were "raised from the floor of the Chapel half way of the entire height. Seats are placed on these for the public, and the whole is covered in black cloth."

A medal issued by T. Kettle to commemorative the reign of the late King George IV [Source : Coin People]

The Funeral Day :

The funeral day was appointed to be Thursday the 15th July 1830. The Magistrates recommended to the public that all business should be suspended from 2pm. The bells of the churches commenced tolling from 2pm until 4pm and again from 6pm to 8pm in the evening. An artillery party with twelve nine-pounders arrived from Woolwich early on the morning of the funeral and bivouacked under the trees of the Long Walk. At 4am they commenced firing, continuing to fire at five minute intervals throughout the day.

By noon the town of Windsor, which normally accommodated a population of hundreds, was attempting to accommodate upwards of ten to twelve thousand people. The scene was described as resembling "more the characters of a masquerade, than spectators hastening to a funeral; [with] white plumed field-officers and their aide-de-camps, paupers and professional pickpockets, heralds and pursuivants in their gorgeous tabards, gentlemen pensioners in all the pride of gold lace and black crape, and the party-coloured multitude of the middle classes mixed up in admirable confusion."        

The Funeral Procession :    

Upwards of 7,000 tickets had been printed for distribution among those persons who may wish to view the procession from the Castle yard to St. George's Chapel, that being the maximum it was considered the Lower Ward could reasonably hold.

While Queen Adelaide would attend the funeral in St George's Chapel, the new King William IV (and brother of the late King George IV) would alone take part in the funeral procession.

The appointed time for the procession to commence was nine o'clock "but long before that time the crowd grew more indifferent than impatient, and some of them, by their conversation, evinced a levity of feeling which was neither credible to the heads nor their hearts. In fact, the whole demeanour of the people betokened rather an inclination to be joyous and merry than mournful and sad".

At length and before darkness totally descended, flambeaux were distributed amongst the soldiery and then lighted.  At length, the discharge of a rocket and the change in the firing of the guns announced the beginning of the procession. Solemn music could be heard at a distance and the bells of St. George's Chapel began to toll. "In a few minutes the glittering dress of the knights marshals' men and of the military band, as they moved slowly forward, came into view..." The procession, guided by the lighted flambeaux in the evening gloom, "presented a striking but solemn effect".

The funeral cortege began to move from the Castle at about a quarter to nine, and after winding down through the Lower Ward the coffin entered the choir of St George's Chapel at a quarter to ten. The various heralds busied themselves in marshalling the many individuals who formed the procession, and assigned them to their allotted position.

The Funeral Service :

The Quire of St George's Chapel, as drawn by Charles Wild, 1818 [Source : Wikipedia]

Banners were placed at the corners and sides of the canopy, under which the coffin was placed. His Majesty King William IV, as Chief Mourner, sat in a black covered arm-chair at one end of the coffin with the other Royal Princes sitting in their stalls as Knights of the Garter, including the Dukes of Cumberland and Sussex, Prince Leopold, and Prince George of Cumberland. The Duke of Wellington sat on the right of his Majesty bearing the Sword of State.

All the remaining Knights of the Garter took their respective stalls on the south side of the choir; the Bishops on the north side; with the Archbishops of Canterbury and Armagh seated in stalls on the south side of the western entrance.

Queen Adelaide sat with the ladies of her suite in a small gallery adjoining the Altar on the north side of the choir, known as the Queen's Closet. All decorations within this room, being of garter blue silk, were also covered with black cloth.

"The burial service was for the most part chanted, and the anthem sung with splendid effect. Nothing could be more sublime or touching that was the whole of the service."

At half past ten in the evening the coffin was lowered by machinery into the subterranean passage leading to the Royal Burial Vault where it was received on a platform as shown in the engraving below. It remained on this platform for some time after the ceremony ended.

The Royal Vault showing the coffin of King George IV [Source : "Memoirs of George the Fourth" by Robert Huish, 1830]

"At five minutes to eleven o'clock, the whole of what fell to the officiating clergymen and choristers was concluded, and his Majesty [King William IV], who appeared much affected during the whole ceremony, retired through the door leading to the royal closet. Sir George Nayler proclaimed the style and various titles of his late Majesty, and thereupon the distinguished personages present quitted the chapel, without any regard to the order in which they entered, and, therefore, not forming any returning procession. Sir George Nayler concluded his proclamation with the words, 'God save King William IV.,' a rocket was let off, and the band outside played 'God save the King'"

The late King now rested with not only his parents and immediate members of his family, but also with his beloved daughter Princess Charlotte who had died in 1817, along with her stillborn son. Thus it came to pass that, from 1817 to 1830, no less than four Royal generations, being two reigning Monarchs (George III and George IV), the next in line to the throne (Princess Charlotte), and the second in line to the throne (the Stillborn son of Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold) had been interred in the Royal Vault. As King William IV had no surviving children of the Royal blood, the next in line to the throne would be the young Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent, the future Queen Victoria.

Court Mourning :

Official Court mourning dictated that primarily black attire must be worn. Official mourning was decreed to last until the 21st August 1830 whereupon King William IV would hold "a drawing room to celebrate entering his 65th year, and it is understood that those who appear on that festive occasion are not to wear mourning."

Mourning 'Walking Dress', 1830 [Source : Ladies' Pocket Magazine]

Mourning 'Evening Dress', c.1830 [Source : Ladies' Pocket Magazine]

The Late Kings Post-Mortem :

An engraving of the Royal Vault as it appeared around 1873 [Source : The Anglophile]

The late King's Physicians carried out a full and thorough examination of his late Majesty immediately after his death. Quite surprisingly, at least for us in this day and age, the full report appeared in the daily newspapers. This edited account is not for the squeamish! 

"Notwithstanding the apparent emaciation of his Majesty's person, a very large quantity of fat was found between the skin and the abdominal muscles.

Abdomen - The omentum, and all those parts in which fat is usually deposited, were excessively loaded with it.... the stomach and intestines were somewhat contracted; they were of a darker colour than natural, in consequence of their containing mucous tinged with blood, and in the stomach was found a clot of pure blood, weighing about six ounces. The liver was pale, and had an unhealthy granulated appearance... The sigmoid flexure of the large intestine (the colon) had formed unnatural adhesions to the bladder, of the size of an orange... In other respects, the bladder was healthy, and the prostrate gland did not appear to be enlarged. The kidneys were also free from disease.

Thorax : Two pints of water were found in the cavity of the right side, and three pints and three-quarters found in the left side of the chest. the left lung was considerably diminished.... 

Upon the surface of the heart and pericardium there was a large quantity of fat, and the muscular substance of the heart was so tender as to be lacerated by the alighted force. It was much larger than natural. It's cavities upon the right side presented no unusual appearance, but those on the left side were much dilated, more especially the auricle. 

The three semilunar valves at the beginning of the great artery (the aorta) were ossified throughout their substance, and the inner coat of that blood vessel presented an irregular surface, and was in many parts ossified.

The original disease of his majesty consisted in the ossification of the valves of the aorta, which must have existed for many years, and which, by impeding the passage of the current of blood flowing from the heart to other parts of the body, occasioned effusion of water into the cavities of the chest and in other situations. This mechanical impediment to the circulation of the blood also sufficiently explains those other changes in the condition of the body which were connected with his Majesty's last illness, as well as all the symptoms under which the King had laboured.     

The immediate cause of his Majesty's dissolution was given as the rupture of a blood vessel in the stomach.

Henry Halford

Matthew John Tierney

Astley Paston Cooper

B.C. Brodie"

An extremely rare late 19th century photo of coffins placed on stone shelves in the Royal Vault and covered with a Victorian era decorative grill. While we cannot specifically see the coffin of King George IV this image gives us a very clear impression of the arrangements within the vault. From a photograph by Sir Benjamin Stone. [Source : The Anglophile]

Bibliography :

- Various Internet resources including Wikipedia

- "George IV" by Christophet Hibbert, 1976
- "Memoirs of George the Fourth", Volume II, by Robert Huish, 1830

- "The Edinburgh Evening Courant", 15th July 1830
- "Regency History"

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The Royal Residences of Queen Victoria - The Palace of Holyroodhouse

July 14, 2013, 1:02 pm

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The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, a chromo-lithograph from 1897 [From my own collection]

During Queen Victoria's long reign she made use a number of royal residences, including Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace in London,  Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. This series takes a look at the interiors of these royal residences during the reign of Queen Victoria. This is the last of this series, being of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse in 1880, taken by George Washington Wilson [Source : Edinburgh City Library]

There are unfortunately few period images available of the interiors of the ancient Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, particularly in photographic form. We do know that Queen Victoria commissioned GM Greig to paint a series of watercolours of the redecorated rooms at Holyrood after Prince Albert's death in 1861. Only two of these, being of the Evening Drawing Room and Mary, Queen of Scots bedchamber, appear to be available and are reproduced here. We are therefore primarily left with a number of sometimes grainy engravings however these will at least give an impression of the old Palace in Queen Victoria's day.

A watercolour of Queen Victoria in the Evening Drawing Room at Holyrood Palace. From a water colour by GM Greig, post 1861.

Hay used imitation damask for the walls of the 'Evening Drawing Room' and a special mixture of paint and turpentine for the ceilings. The latter gave a fresco-like appearance and imparted an "aerial lightness" to the scheme. This type of decoration is however incredibly fragile but vanishes like chalk at the touch. None survive at Holyrood and only ghostly examples survive elsewhere. Queen Mary disliked David Hay's rather sombre colour schemes and had the Holyrood ceilings whitewashed.

The Evening Drawing Room, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinburgh, Vol III]

Due to the unfit state of the old palace King George IV had been unable to stay here during his one and only visit to Scotland in 1822. A levée did however take place here. After viewing and appreciating the historic rooms of Mary, Queen of Scots, King George IV decreed that these rooms should be protected from any future changes. These historic apartments, located in the north-west tower, were formally opened to the public in 1854.

The Morning Drawing Room, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinburgh, Vol III]

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first stayed in the Palace of Holyrood in 1850. Thereafter, apartments which had been taken up by various nobles were slowly repossessed. The Scottish interior designer David Hay undertook much of the the subsequent refurbishment work. Queen Victoria was then able to take up a second floor apartment in 1871.  

Queen Victoria's Private Apartment, 1850 This room is known as "The King's Closet" [Source : The Illustrated London News, 1850]

It was not until the 1920's that the palace was formally designated as the Monarch's official residence in Scotland, becoming the venue for regular royal ceremonies and events. The Palace of Holyroodhouse remains the property of the Crown.

The Royal Review of Scottish Volunteers with  Queen Victoria seated in her Carriage, 1881 [Source : "The Graphic" 3 Sept 1881]

The Breakfast parlour, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinburgh, Vol III]

The Throne Room, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinbugh, Vol III]

The former 'Guard Hall' was transformed into a Throne Room for the visit of King George IV in 1822. This room was subsequently redecorated in the 1920's, including it would appear, the addition of a new moulded plaster ceiling.

The Grand Staircase, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinburgh, Vol III]

In preparation for the arrival of his bride, the English Margaret Tudor in 1503, King James IV had purchased sets of tapestries including a set of six verdure tapestries for hanging on the stairs, each costing £3. Any remaining tapestries in the Palace that had not been sent to Stirling Castle would have been seized by Commonwealth troops between 1650 and in 1656 when a record exists of four tapestries being transferred to Whitehall. Large tapestries again decorate the above plain walls.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, South-East View, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinburgh, Vol III]

A view of the south side of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This is believed to be an Edwardian era image but the view would be virtually unchanged from earlier times.

The Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots

A tinted lithograph of Mary, Queen of Scots Bedchamber, by SD Swarbreck, 1838 [Source : Wikipedia Commons]

Mary, Queen of Scots Bedroom, 1850 [Source : The Illustrated London News, 1850]

A tinted lithograph of Mary, Queen of Scots Bedchamber, by RW Billings, 1852 [Source : Wikipedia Commons]

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visiting Mary, Queen of Scots Bedchamber, 1850. After George M. Greig, 1862 [Source : The Royal Collection]

This watercolour shows Queen Victoria and Prince Albert viewing the apartment in 1850. This is one of the series of watercolours commissioned by Queen Victoria after Prince Albert's death as a reminder of the happy times spent with him in Scotland.

Mary, Queen of Scots Bedchamber at Holyrood Palace, as viewed in 1885 [Source : ScotlandsPlaces]

Another pre 1900 view of Mary, Queen of Scots Bedchamber [Source : mkpix.org]

Mary, Queen of Scots Bedroom, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinburgh, Vol III]

Subsequent restoration work has fortunately - or unfortunately - removed the rather neglected Victorian era aura of age and general decay which pervaded this room. Restoration commenced as early as the reign of King Edward VII when tatty furniture coverings were restored then later the bed coverings. Relatively recent conservation and restoration has included the removal of historically inaccurate furniture which had been more of a misguided re-interpretation of what might have been in this room during Queen Mary's reign. The bed is however historically authentic, dating from at least 1684. Based on modern research, the room now presents a fresher appearance and portrays a more accurate representation of how it may have appeared during the Queen's occupation. Unfortunately this room no longer gives the curious impression of having being closed up after Queen Mary departed in 1567 and re-opened to curious eyes 283 years later.

Mary, Queen of Scots Supper Room, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinbugh, Vol III]

Lord Darnley's Room, 1900 [Source : Old and New Edinburgh Vol III]

The Palace of Holyroodhouse by SD Swarbreck, 1838 [Source : Wikipedia Commons]

Bibliography :

- "Life of Queen Victoria", T Nelson & Sons, London, 1897 (from my personal collection).
- Various written and Internet sources.
- Images are only from my own personal collection only where specifically indicated. These may be freely copied providing a link is given back to this page. All other images appear to be in the public domain.

A Sentimental Visit to Rosslyn Chapel

July 21, 2013, 12:09 pm

≫ Next: H.M.S. Dunedin & the Opening of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, Nov 1925

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A visitor at the south doorway of Rosslyn Chapel. Note the empty niches which once held "images of idolatry". A photograph by George Washington Wilson, pre 1888

My paternal family have a strong connection with the village of Roslin, located just south of Edinburgh in Scotland, being our ancestral "home" until the 19th century. The family home stood in the centre of the village, now being the site of the Roslin Glen Hotel. Many generations of my immediate family "sleep" in the old graveyard in the shadow of the historic Rosslyn Chapel. I myself have made three sentimental 'pilgrimages' to Roslin but the highlight has undoubtedly always been a visit to Rosslyn Chapel.

But to fully appreciate this ancient and fascinating place of worship we need to learn something of its often turbulent history, notably a powerful family line of feudal Barons, changing fortunes which chart the rise of Scottish Protestantism; wanton destruction, neglect, then rehabilitation; a romantic Victorian re-interpretation expressed in poetry and prose; and lastly, enduring mysteries now shrouded in the mists of time. A wonderful BBC documentary on Rosslyn Chapel is available on UTube and can be accessed Here.

Roslin [sic Roflyin] shown below at left of centre on a map by Timothy Pont, pre 1614. Edinburgh [Edenburgh]  is shown at top left of centre. Published 1630. [Source : National Library of Scotland]

Legend has it that a settlement in the Roslin area had originally been founded by "Asterius" in AD 199 but evidence of Roman occupation also exists. The French born Nobleman William de Sancto Claro [William St. Clair] arrived in Roslin from England after 1066, ‘lured thither by the grants of land which [the Scottish King] Malcolm Canmore was wont to bestow upon those who fled to him from William's [the English William the Conqueror] tyranny.” Roslin would thereafter always primarily be associated with the St Clair family who built the now semi-ruinous Rosslyn Castle around 1070 and then the afore-mentioned Rosslyn Chapel from 1446.  

A useful history compiled in 1700 by a learned member of the St Clair family (and a Roman Catholic Priest), Father Richard Augustine Hay, being finally published in 1835 as “A Geneologie of the Sainte Claires of Rosslyn”, is now the only record of the actual construction and early history of Rosslyn Chapel as the original historic documents and charters have subsequently disappeared [according to the St Clair family they were lost in a fire]. As we shall read, the generous philanthropy of Sir William St Claire is to be applauded in these feudal times.

Rosslyn [Rosslin] Chapel as it appeared prior to the removal of the "idolatrous" figurines in 1592. From an engraving published in "Theatrum Scotiae" by John Slezer, 1693

“[The Founder, Sir William Saint Claire] … his age creeping on him, made him consider how he had spent his time past, and how to spend that which was to come. Therefor, to the end, that he might not seem altogither unthankfull to God for the benefices he received from him, it came in his minde to build a house for God's service, of most curious worke, the which that it might be done with greater glory and splendour he caused artificers to be brought from other regions and forraigne kingdomes and caused dayly to be abundance of all kinde of workemen present, as massons [stone masons], carpenters, smiths, barrowmen, and quarriers... The foundation of this worke he caused to be laid in the year of our Lord 1446,... and because he thought the massons had not a convenient place to lodge in near the place where he builded this curious colledge, for the towne then stood half a mile from the place where it now stands, towitt, at Bilsdone burne therefor he made them build the towne of Rosline, that now is extant, and gave every one of them a house, and lands answerable thereunto;.... He rewarded the massons according to their degree, as to the master masson he gave nearly 40 pounds yearly, and to every one of the rest 10 pounds, and accordingly did he reward the others, as the smiths and the carpenters with others...”.

Interior view of Rosslyn Chapel by David Roberts, 1828

The Chapel had in fact originally been intended to be built in the form of a cross with a lofty tower in the centre but this was never completed due to the death of its founder in 1484. Only the choir and east wall of the transept had been built, while the remaining parts had scarcely been commenced. Sir William's son and successor to the Barony of Rosslyn, Sir Oliver St Clair, roofed the choir with its stone vault but did no more to fulfill his Father's original design. The foundations of the nave were in fact excavated in the nineteenth century and were found to extend ninety-one feet beyond the Chapel's original west door and under the existing Baptistry and Churchyard.

Visitors inspecting the "Prentice Pillar" in Rosslyn Chapel. The entrance to the crypt is located under the window. A painting by David Roberts, 1843

The Chapel, as built, is in itself a curious architectural work :  

"That part of the building which has been finished, is in the style of architecture which is called florid Gothic. Elegance and variety are its distinguishing characteristics. While every separate department is executed with almost inimitable beauty, all the parts are different; every window, every pillar, and every arch being distinguished from all the rest by ornamental workmanship of the most profuse and exquisite description….

No sooner does a visitor enter the chapel than he is struck with the immense profusion and the wonderful variety of the ornaments; and above all, with the grandeur and magnificence of the lofty roof, which is composed of a vast Gothic arch, divided into five compartments, each of them remarkable for the beauty and the diversity of its decorations. 

“The floor of the east chapel is elevated one step; and... Here stood four altars, viz. one which is elevated two steps from the floor of the east chapel, and which seems to be improperly called the high altar, having more probably been dedicated to the Virgin Mary; and other three altars on the floor of this chapel, which were dedicated respectively to St. Matthew, St Peter, and St Andrew. The top stones of these four altars have been removed, but the bodies of them remain, in great measure, entire...." 

The same view today as pictured above, taken looking along the Chancel.

In his “Theatrum Scotiae” of 1693, John Slezer states that the "chief pillar" in Rosslyn Chapel was originally called the “Prince's Pillar” named for its founder Sir William St. Clair, Prince of Orkney.

This same pillar is now known as the celebrated "Prentice Pillar" and appears to take its current name from an 18^th century legend involving the Master Mason in charge of the stonework in the Chapel and his young apprentice, being the only son of a widow. According to the legend, the Master Mason was required to carve an elaborate column for the Chapel but desired to travel to Rome to seek further guidance before undertaking such a detailed and challenging work. Upon his return he was enraged to find that his apprentice had successfully completed the column, either from memory or by his own invention. In a fit of jealous rage the Mason took up his heavy setting maul [mallet] and struck the apprentice on the forehead, killing him. The column thus remained unique. The legend concludes that as punishment for his crime, the Master Mason's face was carved into the opposite corner to forever gaze upon his apprentice's pillar then he paid the ultimate penalty for his crime, death by hanging. Similar legends are however attributed to various European Churches and buildings.

The Entrance to the Crypt in Rosslyn Chapel with the "Prentice Pillar" at left of centre, a painting by David Roberts, 1844

Annie Wilson, the eccentric Landlady of the nearby Roslin Inn on College Hill, recited exactly the same tale to countless visitors until her death in the 1820’s. This undoubtedly perpetuated the ‘legend’ to a wider audience, especially as it was told to such learned individuals as Dr Samuel Johnson, James Boswell, Sir Walter Scott, William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Alexander Nasmyth and Robert Burns. 

Virtually the same view as above and showing the "Prentice Pillar". A photograph by William Donaldson Clark, circa 1860 [Source : National Galleries of Scotland]

Although a private chapel, the local community, including those who worked for the St Clair family, worshipped here in the years preceding the Reformation, including no doubt, my own family. But at the Protestant Reformation in 1560 the Scottish Parliament formally abolished the temporal authority of the Pope and forbid the celebration of the Catholic Mass.  Thereafter Rosslyn Chapel closed to public worship, its fortunes now in sharp decline.

Detail of the astonishingly beautiful carved pillars, arches and ceiling beams. Photograph taken by George Washington Wilson, 1868

In the 1560’s it is recorded that a mob fuelled by John Knox and hatred of Popish idolatry marched on the Chapel intent on its destruction, but was supposedly saved by a local man - possibly a kinsman - by the name of Thomas Cochrane, who diverted the mob to Rosslyn Castle and its cellars of fine wine. This is a curious story in that a Presbyterian mob ostensibly intent on destroying Popish idolatry would be 'lured' away by "the demon drink". Unfortunately, the source of this anecdote, being published by "The Scotsman" newspaper in 2006, is unknown. 

The "Prentice Pillar" as it appeared in a  photograph by George Washington Wilson,  taken pre 1885

The Chapel had been generously endowed by its founder Sir William St Clair and subsequently by later members of the family. But by 1571 the tide was now turning as the Provost and Prebendaries resigned “…withal complaining that, for many years before, their revenues [endowments] had been violently detained from them.” The local populace were obviously no longer of a mind to support those who followed and promoted Catholicism.

The celebrated "Prentice Pillar", from a tinted postcard sent to my Uncle in 1908. [From my own collection]

A descendant (another) William St Clair, had one of his sons baptised in Rosslyn Chapel 1589 which was of course no longer being authorized as a place of public worship. William was unperturbed by the outcry which ensued. The records of the Church of Scotland Presbytery of Dalkeith for 1589 reveal that William Knox, Minister of nearby Cockpen Parish, and a brother of the Protestant leader John Knox no less, was censured “for baptizing the Laird of Rosling's bairne in Rosslyn Chapel, which was described as a 'house and monument of idolatrie, and not ane place appointit for teiching the word and ministratioun of ye sacrementis”. William Knox was forced to make a public plea for forgiveness. The Presbytery official had to postpone interviewing St Clair, who had by then been “arrested and charged with threatening the King’s person”.

Ceiling detail of the Lady Chapel of Rosslyn Chapel. A photograph by George Washington Wilson Taken pre 1888

In 1590 the Presbytery also forbade Mr George Ramsay, Minister of Lasswade, from burying the wife of Oliver St. Clair in the Chapel. The same St Clair had been repeatedly warned to destroy the altars having been accused of “keeping images and uther monuments of idolatrie” in Rosslyn Chapel. Presbytery forced St Clair's tenants to attend the Parish Kirk at Lasswade, being in the next village. In 1592 St Clair was summoned to appear before the Church of Scotland General Assembly and threatened with excommunication if the altars remained standing after the 17^thAugust 1592. On the 31^st August 1592, the same George Ramsay reported that “the altars of Roslene were haille demolishit”. From that time, although the fabric of the building survived, the Chapel ceased to be used as a house of worship and prayer and soon fell into disrepair. The various niches where the "images of idolatry" were situated are still clearly visible to this day.

A carved ceiling beam in Rosslyn Chapel. This carving dipicts the seven virtues.

During their attack on nearby Rosslyn Castle in 1650, Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth troops under General Monk stabled their horses in the Chapel but quite inexplicably left it otherwise unharmed. Some have speculated that the Chapel held a special significance within the Order of Freemasonry and that Cromwell himself, being 'Master Mason of England', thus requested that the Chapel be spared any damage. No definite proof to support this interpretation has however ever been uncovered.

But on the 11th December 1688, and shortly after the Protestant Hanoverian King William of Orange had landed in England and displaced the Catholic Stuart Sovereign James II at the so called “Glorious Revolution”, a mob from Edinburgh including some of the villagers from Roslin, entered and defaced the Chapel which they regarded as popish and idolatrous. This same mob also did great damage to Rosslyn Castle.

One of the so called "Green Men" of Rosslyn Chapel, which are said to represent renewal and fertility

After 1736, General St Clair caused the windows to be glazed for the first time, previously there had only been shutters on the outside, the iron hinges still being visible after this date. He also had the roof repaired, placed new flagstones on the floor, and built the boundary stone fence round the cemetery. Further repairs were undertaken at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

A modern view of the ceiling carvings in Rosslyn Chapel

Dorothy Wordsworth visited the Chapel with her brother, the famous poet William Wordsworth, on the 17^th September 1803, noting that it “…is kept locked up, and so preserved from the injuries it might otherwise receive from idle boys; but as nothing is done to keep it together, it must in the end fall. The architecture is quite exquisitely beautiful.” Seeing the derelict stone interior and carvings covered in green foliage while a storm crashed outside inspired the poet to write a sonnet entitled “Composed at Roslin Chapel During a Storm”, being published in 1831 :

“THE wind is now thy organist;--a clank
(We know not whence) ministers for a bell
To mark some change of service. As the swell
Of music reached its height, and even when sank
The notes, in prelude, ROSLIN! to a blank
Of silence, how it thrilled thy sumptuous roof,
Pillars, and arches,--not in vain time-proof,
Though Christian rites be wanting! From what bank
Came those live herbs? by what hand were they sown
Where dew falls not, where rain-drops seem unknown?
Yet in the Temple they a friendly niche
Share with their sculptured fellows, that, green-grown,
Copy their beauty more and more, and preach,
Though mute, of all things blending into one.”

The Crypt in Rosslyn Chapel

Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) further popularised Rosslyn Chapel as a place of pilgrimage when he wrote the “Dirge of Rosabelle”. His poem perpetuates the superstitious belief from the dark ages that on the night before the death of a Baron of Roslin, the Chapel, by supernatural means, would appear to be in flames :

“O'er Rosslyn all that dreary night,

A wondrous blaze was seen to gleam;

'Twas broader than the watch-fire's light,

And redder than the bright moon-beam...

Seem'd all on fire that chapel proud,

Where Rosslyn's chiefs uncofim'd lie,

Each Baron, for a sable shroud

Sheathed in his iron panoply.

Seem'd all on fire within, around,

Deep sacristy and altar's pale;

Shone every pillar foliage-bound,

And glimmer'd all the dead men's mail.

Blazed battlement and pinnet high,

Blazed every rose-carved buttress fair

So still they blaze, when fate is nigh

The lordly line of high St. Clair."

The light and airy interior of Rosslyn Chapel as it appears today. It is interesting to note that candelabra are obviously still used. These would impart a beautiful atmosphere to a darkened Chapel.

There is also the quite curious but possibly apocryphal tale published in 1837 in “Tales of Roslin” by Mr James Jackson which relates the story of a visit to Rosslyn Chapel and Castle by the Italian Count Poli in June 1834. Poli claimed to be a descendant of the last Provost of Rosslyn Chapel, who had been forced out at the Reformation, later settling in Italy. Count Poli had with him a book describing the Chapel and Castle as it was when abandoned in the 16th century, which he used when showing Jackson and his companions around the two buildings. In the Chapel, Count Poli lamented the absence in the crypt of the 'splendid tomb' of the early St Clairs. Later, Poli led his companions to a place in the Castle vaults where he knew 'treasure' to be hidden, and which they broke into. The treasure was not gold or material wealth, but books and manuscripts, the larger part of which the Count took away. It is believed that this included a copy of the ‘Rota Temporum’, a history of Scotland from 'the beginning of the world until 1535', which is now supposedly in the Vatican Library.

An exterior gargoyle carving, Rosslyn Chapel

Queen Victoria, accompanied by Prince Albert, famously visited the Chapel on the 14th September 1842 during her first ever visit to Scotland. The Queen’s personal journal records the story of the Barons of Rosslyn being buried in their armour but also that “the architecture is most beautiful and rich.” The Queen is reliably said to have been “so impressed with the beauty of the building, that she expressed a desire that so unique a gem should be preserved to the country.”

The Chancel of Rosslyn Chapel, 1878. The famous "Prentice Pillar" is at right rear. Photo by George Washington Wilson

In 1861 it was agreed by James Alexander, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn, that Sunday services should begin again under the jurisdiction of the Scottish Episcopal Church [the Scottish version of the English Anglican Church]. Alexander instructed the Edinburgh architect David Bryce to carry out restoration work. The carvings in the Lady Chapel were attended to, stones were re-laid in the crypt and an altar established. After an interval of 300 years Rosslyn Chapel was re-dedicated on Tuesday the 22^nd April 1862 by the Bishop of Edinburgh and the Bishop of Brechin who preached from the text, “Our Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth”. (Psalm xxvi, v8).

Exterior view of Roslyn Chapel, looking south-west. The unfinished west wall is clearly visible.

According to Hay, the actual burial vault of the St Clair family lies under the Chapel :

"Within the chapel is a vault, the burying place of the family of Roslin, the soil which is so dry that bodies have been found entire 80 years after their internment. They were formerly buried in armour, and without a coffin. The late Roslin... was the first that was buried in a coffin, contrary to the sentiments of James VII, who was then in Scotland..."

The actual vault of "...the lordly owners of the Castle, the proud St. Clairs [is] at the foot of the third and fourth pillars, and between them and the north wall,… a large flagstone covering the mouth of a vault, in which ten baron of Rosslyn were buried before 1690”. This flagstone “...supposedly gives a hollow sound when tapped. Built of polished ashlar, the Vaults are in two compartments, separated by a wall down the centre.”

Sir Walter Scott writes poetically of these interred St Clairs in the "Lay of the Last Minstrel" :

“There are twenty of Rosslyn's Barons bold

Lie buried within that proud Chapelle.

And each St. Clair was buried there,

With candle, with book, and with knell.”

Oddly, and despite Hay's clear description of 1700, a week long search in 1837 failed to locate the burial vault. A number of post 1980 non-invasive investigations, one being carried out under the aegis of the Mechanical Engineering Department of Edinburgh University, also proved inconclusive. The stairs descending into the vaults were apparently found under a large ashlar slab (noted by Hay) but further progress was barred by a solid stone wall. This is alleged to have been built immediately after the internment of Sir William St Clair, who died fighting for the Royalist cause at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, and before the arrival of Cromwell's Commonwealth troops sometime thereafter. The location of a 19th century vault is also known. The emphasis in recent years has primarily and simply been on funding the restoration of the fabric of the Chapel and that only non-invasive means be employed on any further investigations.

Curiously, it has long been believed that subterranean tunnels run from under the Chapel, most likely to the Castle. The most conclusive evidence has been provided by US Navy personnel in the 1980's (being then based at "The Holy Loch") using sonar equipment. The sonar "indicated" tunnels running from under the Chapel. In 2010 cutting edge 3D imagery unfortunately proved inconclusive. 

A modern aerial view of Rosslyn Chapel. The roof of the crypt, which is situated at the lower level, is visible. The entrance beside the unfinished west wall had only been built in the 19th century.

Various links to the ancient order of "The Knights Templar" and the meaning of carved imagery within the Chapel have also been conjectured. The Chapel received wide publicity through Dan Brown's 2003 mystery-detective novel, "The Da Vinci Code" and the subsequent feature film, which is of course fictional.

  

Rosslyn Chapel is certainly a unique and much visited historic place of worship and should be on all tourists "to do" list. But many of its curious architectural features as well as aspects of the Chapel's construction remain shrouded in the mists of time and will remain the subject of conjecture for many years to come. I rather think this all adds to its all pervasive air of mystery.


Bibliography :

- “Caledonia: or, An account, Historical and Topographic, of North Britain from the Most Ancient Times to the Present Times” by George Chalmers, 1810
- "The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland"
- “A Geneologie of the Sainte Claires of Rosslyn”, by Father Richard August Augustin Hay, 1835
- Parish of Roslin Statistical Account June 1843
- “An Account of the Chapel of Rosslyn”, Dr Forbes, Bishop of Caithness, 1774.
- "The Scotsman" Newspaper
- “Annals of Scotland” by Sir David Dalrymple of Hailes, 1776
- Various Internet resources

H.M.S. Dunedin & the Opening of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, Nov 1925

August 4, 2013, 12:19 pm

≫ Next: Intermission

≪ Previous: A Sentimental Visit to Rosslyn Chapel

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Officers & Crew of 'H.M.S. Dunedin", along with members of the  public, pictured outside the Festival Hall and Exhibition Tearooms, South Seas and International Exhibition, Dunedin, Nov 1925 [Photo by "Hugh & GK Neill", courtesy of M. Larkin]

I have previously written about the 'New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition', a phenomenally successful event held in the Southern City of Dunedin from November 1925 to May 1926. But the opening celebrations are worthy of further mention.

Apart from the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, another special visitor arrived especially for the opening of the Exhibition on the 17th November 1925 - the most appropriately named 5,000 ton British Light Cruiser "H.M.S. Dunedin".

Although the Royal New Zealand Navy did not come into existence until 1941, its predecessor, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy was in fact a largely New Zealand run operation, being funded by the New Zealand Government and increasingly manned by New Zealanders. The Danae class 'H.M.S. Dunedin' formed part of this force from 1924 until she returned to the United Kingdom in 1937. Unfortunately I can locate no full length images of the 'H.M.S. Dunedin' actually at Dunedin although many must exist. If you can help me please contact me.

'H.M.S. Dunedin' at Lyttleton in April 1928 [Source : HMSDunedin.com]

Having arrived at the Dunedin City wharf on Saturday the 14th November 1925 at 2.15 p.m., the ship and crew, as representatives of the Naval forces, were to play an active role in the grand Exhibition opening. And the visible presence of the ship and crew in the city, which was expected to be bursting at the seams with visitors, was all the more timely. A "small naval exhibit" at the Exhibition additionally promoted the Naval services to visitors, being noted as "of considerable interest to visitors". The very presence of a Naval vessel in the City no doubt added to this interest.

Opening Day Panorama 17 Nov 1925 Photo by AP Godber [Source : National Library of NZ]

Opening Day Panorama 17 Nov 1925 Photo by AP Godber [Source : National Library of NZ]

The official Exhibition opening ceremony on the 17th November took the form of a "Massed Review and March Past", commencing with a parade leading to the Sports Grounds within the Exhibition grounds, the whole route being lined with Territorial troops with the Guard of Honour being supplied from 'H.M.S. Dunedin' and the First Battalion of the Otago Regiment.

"The mammoth parade of military and naval detachments that formed the most spectacular feature of the opening ceremony made a deep impression on the minds of the thousands who watched from the grand stand and outskirts of the sports ground. It was truly a magnificent sight - one which stirred the patriotic blood of all true citizens of the Empire - and so the long lines of marching men passed the dais where the Governor-General took the salute thunderous applause greeted each branch and service. On the arrival of his Excellency the band of the Third Artillery gave the signal by playing a few bars of the national Anthem. The band of the 'H.M.S. Dunedin' was [then] drawn up to the north of the dais..."

The New Zealand & South Seas International Exhibition main entrance and Grand Court 1925-1926 [From my own collection]

"With a naval swing a guard of honour composed of 100 men from 'H.M.S. Dunedin' marched on to the ground and formed up to the right of the band. It was followed by a military guard of honour - 100 men from the 1st Battalion, Otago Regiment, 300 men of the Otago Mounted Rifles, 300 Artillerymen, 150 infantrymen from Territorial regiments, and two cadet battalions."

Thereupon the Governor-General spoke to the assembled crowds then formally declared the Exhibition open.  

While the photo of Naval men and officers from 'H.M.S. Dunedin' taken in front of the Festival Hall and Exhibition Tearooms (shown above) includes members of the public and children, this image appears to have been taken simply while the photographer, "Hugh and G.K. Neill" were present. Neill took a number of formal Exhibition views which were published in at at least two Exhibition booklets, unfortunately not including this image. While one booklet includes an image of the Naval band marching through Dunedin I have not been able to copy this. I shall however have a new image of the band available in a few days and will replace the image below.

The 'H.M.S. Dunedin' Band playing on the wharf at Wellington in Nov 1929. The musical instruments were paid for and presented by the people of Dunedin. [Source HMSDunedin.com]

Then commencing on the morning of Friday the 20th November at 9.30 a.m., men from 'H.M.S. Dunedin', accompanied by the ship's band, engaged in a 'route march' through the City passing along Rattray Street, Princes Street, George Street, around the Public Hospital, then back along George and Princes Streets to the Oval. Thereupon the ships company gave an exhibition of "small arm and other drills".

"The citizens, and also the large number of Exhibition visitors, will thus be given an opportunity of seeing the men of the Navy at their best. While the men are carrying out the drill at the Oval, the ship's band will play several selections. This part of the proceedings will also be of interest to the citizens owing to the fact that the full set of instruments was purchased by the people of Dunedin and presented to the band on the occasion of the Dunedin's previous visit [16-27 April 1925]. The band has improved wonderfully and is now a very fine musical combination".

Thereafter the 'H.M.S. Dunedin' was to be open for inspection by the public from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday the 21st November.

Unfortunately, a sombre mood was cast over the City when news of the death of Queen Alexandra, the Queen Mother, reached Dunedin by wire this same day. As soon as the sad news spread around the City flags were immediately lowered to half mast and some (no doubt rather more joyful) musical entertainments laid on for visitors to the Exhibition were cancelled.

While originally scheduled to depart Dunedin on the 24th, the date of departure for 'H.M.S. Dunedin' was later put back to 1.30 p.m. on Friday the 27th November.  

H.M.S. Dunedin pulling away from the Dunedin Wharf, 27 Nov 1925 Note the streamers. [Photo courtesy of M. Larkin]

These two images, having been found in the collection of a Naval Rating on board the warship named John (Jack) Lovell, show the 'H.M.S. Dunedin' being farewelled with a crowd on the wharf and quite a number of streamers. While I can find no newspaper account of a formal farewell, the date and time of departure was however advertised hence the crowd on the wharf. Due to the number of vessels in port, the warship had been "sandwiched" between the 'S.S. Wanaka' and the 'S.S. Trewyn' with "very little room", one of these vessels being visible in the image below.

H.M.S. Dunedin pulling away from the Dunedin Wharf, 27 Nov 1925 [Photo courtesy of M. Larkin]

'H.M.S. Dunedin', the only warship to ever carry the name of Dunedin, ended her service with the British Royal Navy in the South Atlantic during World War Two when she was successfully torpedoed at long range on the 24th November 1941 by the German U-Boat U124 under Korvettenkäpitan Johann Mohr. Despite being outside the theoretical range of the U-boat's projectiles two torpedoes hit their mark and she sank 17 minutes later. Of the H.M.S. Dunedin's crew, a quite horrifying 419 men died; with only four officers and 63 men surviving, waiting for three days to be rescued which caused additional deaths. U124 itself, along with Mohr, went to its own watery grave with all 53 hands after coming under attack from two British warships west of Portugal in April 1943.

My very sincere thanks to Maureen Larkin from England for making these images (as noted) available from an album compiled by Naval rating Jack Lovell. Jack died in England in 1978.

"In Remembrance" [Source : HMSDunedin.com]

Bibliography :

- NZHistory.net
- "The Otago Daily Times", MacNab Room, Dunedin Public Library
- www.hmsdunedin.co.uk/

Intermission

August 17, 2013, 12:35 pm

≫ Next: “The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived” - The Demise of the Trusty Draught Horse (Part One)

≪ Previous: H.M.S. Dunedin & the Opening of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, Nov 1925

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Dear Readers,

This will be my last posting for some time, most probably until into next year. While my blog "hits" have slowly risen my regular readership has remained relatively static. And while some blogs have been very successful others have been spectacular failures. Based on the time and effort to do justice to maintaining a reasonable standard of blogging I shall therefore be taking a break for the time being. While I still literally have "a treasure trove of treasures" that are worthy of blogs these will have to wait for now. I really have enjoyed putting my personal "stamp" on the subjects I have written about and these very much reflect my own interests.

Meanwhile I shall be finishing off a very large family history project then enjoying the Southern Hemisphere spring and following summer season and holidays before re-assessing next year where I am going with this blog.

Engaging in blogging has brought me into contact with some amazingly diverse and truly fascinating people with many common interests, some of whom I would count it an honour to one day meet in person. Thank you especially to Tom, René-Michel and Cyril. You know who you are. Meanwhile I shall of course be more than pleased to respond to any queries or feedback posted on any of my blogs.

I will also continue to read daily those updated blogs on "My Blog Roll". The most recently updated blogs are always at the top of the list. These blogs also very much reflect my own diverse interests and I thank those bloggers for their own very hard work.

Again, thank you for your interest and support thus far, it has been appreciated.

Adieu, until we meet again.

D.

“The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived” - The Demise of the Trusty Draught Horse (Part One)

February 28, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: "Auckland Then and Now - In the Footsteps of Mr R.A. Cook"

≪ Previous: Intermission

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Three of William Watson's rather handsome draught horses posing inquisitively for the camera  in the yard at 'Mayfield', together with  his brother James, taken around 1913. Their days of honest toil and service in return for a daily ration of chaff and oats and a good brush down were by now somewhat numbered. Due to injuries received in 1898, James always wore a face mask. [From my own collection]

The trusty and powerful Scottish bred Draught Horse had worked untiringly for their masters since this breed emerged around 1826, being a cross between Scottish mares from the Clydesdale region of Scotland and imported Flemish stallions.

By the latter decades of the 19^thcentury, the Clydesdale were also a popular and well-established breed in New Zealand, being the back-bone of most day to day farming operations including the heavier work of ploughing, discing, harrowing, sowing and general cartage. For my own extended family living at Heddon Bush on the Southland Plains, draught horses coupled to a four-wheeled wagon were also used extensively for carting wool and other produce to the railway station as well as regularly carting coal from the mines at Nightcaps. From at least the early 1920’s my Father was regularly given the latter task. He related that once, fully laden with coal and coming down a hill out of Nightcaps, the normally sure-footed draught horses could not hold the weight behind them so panicked and raced but thankfully did not stumble. While road and stationary traction engines were in fairly common use, these were normally owned by contractors, being mostly used for specific seasonal operations such as threshing and chaff-cutting. I do note a 1908 reference to their being a local "Sentinel Road Motor" for "wool traffic". This would be a six ton steam powered wagon, such models then being extensively advertised and sold by Anderson's of Christchurch. 

How it used to be - Thomas Watson with a team of four draught horses pulling a two(?) furrow plough [From my own collection]

But by the turn of twentieth century the years of toil for the draught horse would be numbered and within the next 50 years the majority would be replaced by the “Agricultural Motor” or Tractor. Those few enthusiasts still owning and operating draught horses today are to be highly commended for not only preserving an age-old method of farming and allowing a modern audience to experience something which was once common throughout New Zealand but also for preserving these blood lines.

A draught horse team of four discing on the 'Mayfield' estate [From my own collection]

But our “romantic” view of eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable draught horses coupled together in a team working the land rather masks the reality. The effort required to maintain a team of draught horses was intensive, requiring the farmer or employed staff to work upwards of 14 hour days during the busy season. That is not to say that the economics of it would not stack up today for a small scale farming operation – provided the farmer was prepared to put the time and effort in, including growing the required horse feed himself. There are some fascinating articles on Internet scientifically comparing draught horses versus the modern diesel tractor, particularly from the environmental and economic points of view. At the very least there could be a saving in fertiliser! The majority of modern agricultural equipment is not however designed to be drawn by a draught horse team so hopefully the scrap merchant has not gotten down on all that ancient old farm equipment stored under the trees just yet!

William Watson Jnr. (at left) and his brother Thomas Watson on the binder. William died in 1914 from injuries he received when he accidentally slipped under a moving wagon of coal pulled by a draught horse team. [From my own collection]

But let us return to the “good old days”. During the busy season, one would need to be at the stable by perhaps 5.30 am to feed and groom the horses before fitting their harnesses and coupling them together. A breakfast break at 7 am would be short-lived before heading out to the paddock and at work by 8 am. Morning tea,  packed in a wicker basket, would normally be brought out to the paddock by the woman folk in the pony and trap. All farmers generally had their main meal at midday so there would be a welcome return to the farmhouse – and something for the horses - but back to work in the paddock by 1 o’clock. Then another short respite at 3 pm for a welcome afternoon tea break, again being brought out by the woman folk.

With the day’s agricultural work generally over by 6 o’clock, it would be a return to the stables and unharnessing the team then putting out their feed before having one’s own evening meal. Finally, the horses would be let out into an adjoining paddock although they would usually feel more comfortable spending the night in their stalls. I might also add that one should never forget the woman folk who would also work long days slaving over their temperamental coal ranges and attending to various labour-intensive domestic chores to keep the farmhouse running - but therein lies yet another story!

Saddlery and associated items such as horse covers also had to be attended to and mended as necessary, stables cleaned out with fresh straw placed on the floor of each byre, harnesses and leads oiled (perhaps with linseed oil), and of course the health of the horses seen to. Shoeing would be undertaken by the local Blacksmith. Horses were, as now, always named.

While unfortunately a very grainy image, this still very interesting photo shows no less than a nine-strong draught horse team coupled together on the 'Mayfield' estate to pull a drain plough. Their combined pulling power on the draw-bar would be quite prodigous. It was not uncommon for up to 16 draught horses to be used for drain ploughing work. [From my own collection]

These honest and powerful “work-horses” carried out their work untiringly for little more than the expectation of a daily ration of water, chaff, oats, grass or green crop (when available), and hopefully a daily brush down. Again, my own Father at Heddon Bush in Central Southland personally worked draught horses for upwards of 25 years and had the greatest respect for them, being not only hard-working and generally docile animals but also quite intelligent, often not even needing to lead them. Over those years he only experienced one rather head-strong draught horse with a mind of its own.

Sunday – the Sabbath – on the majority of Southern farms was invariably a day of rest and / or recreation where no work would be undertaken over and above what was absolutely necessary. This was regardless of the weather. This would at least allow the horses to rest and recover some condition, especially during busy times when they could be worked six days out of seven. 

The old family horse stables at Heddon Bush which I refer to below, taken around 1898. [From my own collection]

But needing to provide and maintain a stable block was yet one more cost. But it could be used for other useful - and quite unexpected - purposes. I can well remember the now largely disused and borer-ridden family stable at Heddon Bush back in the mid 1960’s, with its very thick solid heart-wood stall posts (which held up the loft) worn and polished perfectly smooth from years of having the draught horses rubbing up against them with the old stuffed leather harnesses hanging from posts and now dried out, badly cracked and just gathering bird dirt and dust. Although the loft floor was unsafe we could climb up an internal ladder and have a peek. Here would be kept the oats and chaff, being hoisted up through a large upper doorway. In fact my family lived up here above their horses for close to two years after the old family home burnt down around 1901-02. Born in 1902, my Father was put into care for his first six months rather than be subjected to this decidedly "rustic" style of habitation.

One also has to remember that unless a farmer was willing to pay for feed to be bought in (at some cost), they had to set aside a percentage of their land for the growing of oats and chaff for their horses, thus reducing their area of productive – and profitable - land for growing cash crops or raising sheep. Time and effort also had to be expended on simply preparing the ground, sowing, reaping, and threshing this crop.     

William Watson of 'Mayfield' with the Clydesdale Gelding "Harry", taken at the Winton Horse Bazaar in Southland, May 1901. I do not know if William was buying or selling but he would not have hesitated to pay good money to obtain good blood-stock. [From my own collection]

Draught horses were however proudly shown off in local shows and their physical features, condition and blood lines discussed and commented on by a critical and very knowledgeable farming audience. My extended family were no exception, regularly showing their horses at the Agricultural and Pastoral Shows in which they not only took an active part in organising as Directors but also acting as Stewards on the day. Top-bred draught horses would attract the same sort of attention among farmers that the latest model of high-performance diesel cab tractor would attract today.  The considered purchase of a well-bred draught horse would be a significant and long-term investment for any farmer but still coming in at well below the cost of a new “Motor Tractor”.

A letter I hold written by my Grandfather's Uncle, a Veterinary Surgeon in Scotland and dated 1897, gives voluminous formulae for the medical care and treatment of horses, particularly of their feet and emphasises, as any modern horse owner will know, that the health of any horse simply cannot be neglected. With a delightfully dry sense of humour, his Uncle writes :

“You say you want as usual some information and you are surely old and experienced enough to know that the first thing with a professional man on any case as with everybody else is the fee.I have heard of the Guinea but I am very sorry to say that I do not find it in your letter. The old story - Free Clinic and get all you can out of the old Dr ….” 

But if a Vet needed to be sent for the cost was preferable to an injury not healing or completely risking losing the value of their investment. There was still an element of risk in owning draught horses but for most there was simply no realistic or affordable alternative.

Bales of wool ready to leave 'Mayfield' for the Railway Station at Centre Bush on the vast Southland Plains. Despite 30 years of effort and a line through Heddon Bush actually being surveyed and purchased, groups promoting competing routes, other railway priorities, and the increasing use of motor transport in the 1920's meant that the line was never built. [From my own collection]

It would, however, still take some considerable persuasion to convince New Zealand farmers that the “Motor Tractor” was the way of the future. Significant issues were the high initial cost, reliability, spare parts, and suitability for the task expected of it. For most, the economies of scale simply did not stack up, the priority for the majority of farmers still being land acquisition, paying their mortgages, and simply making a profit in the face of fluctuating prices in an often unpredictable market. While naturally curious, the majority of farmers were quite content – or at least forced to be content - with the status quo and their hard working but labour-intensive draught horses. For my own paternal family, as with very many others, the high initial financial outlay, a crippling mortgage, and the depression precluded any earlier move to fully mechanised motive power other than seasonally hired traction engined threshing mills and occasional agricultural contractors. Their first tractor, an Ellis-Chalmers, did not arrive until 1943, now being preserved by my nephew.

William Watson of 'Mayfield' with his dog ready to go round the sheep, taken circa 1908. By around 1913 he had purchased a Buick car, being also one of the early motor car owners in the Central Southland district. [From my own collection]

But by the very early years of the 20^thcentury my maternal Great Great Uncle, Mr William Watson of ‘Mayfield’ at Heddon Bush in Southland, was however entirely convinced that the age of the “Agricultural Motor” had truly arrived and that it showed great promise. Through years of industrious hard toil bringing in his 800 acres virtually from “the rough” and by efficient farming management he now had the financial means to achieve his goals. William was not only an early Director and fervent promoter of the Southland Farmers’ Co-Operative Society but also an active member of the local Farmers’ Club and NZ Farmers’ Union (forerunner of Federated Farmers New Zealand), the driving force behind the local Railway (promotion) League, an enthusiastic and leading supporter of any good local cause, an active Elder of the Kirk (but on extremely good terms with his Catholic neighbours), and generally well-known and deeply respected by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. 

A Horse and Foal at the feed box. Unbeknownst to them, they would soon have rather more leisure time than their predecessors. [From my own collection]

What William did next is really rather surprising. Much of this story of pioneering spirit and dogged perseverance has never previously been told. You can read the next instalment in this series here : “The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived” – A Tale of Two Tractors (Part Two)

Copyright : The content of this blog, including images, may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express permission of the writer. Excerpts may however be freely quoted for non-commercial use subject to suitable acknowledgement being given, including a link back to this page.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson Family Papers and Family Archives (held by the writer)
• Original photographs held by the writer. 
• "From Rust to Restoration", edited by John Cutt, 1989
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• “A Century of Farm Tractors 1904-2004” (NZ), by RH Robinson
• Dunedin City Libraries / Kā Kete Wānaka O Ōtepoti

"Auckland Then and Now - In the Footsteps of Mr R.A. Cook"

March 8, 2014, 2:07 pm

≫ Next: “The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived” – A Tale of Two Tractors (Part Two)

≪ Previous: “The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived” - The Demise of the Trusty Draught Horse (Part One)

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"1901 - 2014 - Then and Now" - a Photo Montage of Smith & Caughey's Block on Queen Street, Auckland

My Blog from June 2013 "Remembering the 1901 Royal Visit to Auckland, New Zealand" featured a number of images from an historic old album in my possession, the photographs being taken around 1901 by a Mr R.A. Cook. I have as yet been unable to ascertain anything more about Mr Cook other than that he appears to have been an employee of "Smith & Caughey Ltd" in Queen Street Auckland, a member of the West End Rowing Club, and possibly residing in or very close to Ponsonby. There appears to be no record of his burial in Auckland. I would be very interested in any further information on Mr Cook. Has anyone access to old Electoral Rolls?

A dapper looking Mr R.A. Cook

I thought it would be fun during my recent holiday to Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand to retrace Mr Cook's footsteps and recreate some of his images. This often proved problematic due to redevelopment and a multitude of multi-storied buildings blocking the original perspective. But still, we are fortunate that the location of the original images can still be discerned or at least estimated. Further images from Mr Cook's album will be featured in the future. So let us now compare Mr Cook's Auckland of 1901 with that of 2014. All images are from my own collection (click for a larger view) :

The original image is taken from an upper window in "Smith & Caughey's" Department Store and shows Imperial Troops marching up Queen Street in February 1901. The only point of reference now is the old Auckland Savings Bank building, now a McDonald's Restaurant but preserving the magnificent moulded ceiling from the original banking chamber.

This view of the Auckland Public Library and Municipal Offices on the corner of Kitchener Street and Wellesley Street East is just not possible today due to high-rise buildings having been built on the vacant land in the foreground. It would appear to have been taken from Lorne Street. Opened in 1887 and designed by Melbourne architects John H. Grainger and Charles A. D'Ebro in the "French Chateau style", the original unobstructed perspective along Lorne Street would have looked rather impressive.

This beautifully restored building, together with a stylish and very modern adjoining extension, now houses the Auckland City Art Gallery.

A zoom in of the clock tower of the former Auckland Public Library on Kitchener Street together with a view of the old Park Hotel on the corner of Wellesley Street (East) and (the then) Rutland Street which now forms part of Mayoral Drive.

The Ceremonial Arch erected on Wellesley Street (East) outside the old Auckland Public Library and Municipal Chambers during the visit of HRH Prince George, Duke of Cornwall & York and HRH Princess Mary, Duchess of Cornwall & York (later King George V and Queen Mary) to New Zealand in June 1901. In April 2014 we shall be welcoming his Great Great Great Grandson, Prince George, to New Zealand. But the days of erecting ceremonial and floral arches for visiting royalty are now a thing of the past.

A view of "Smith & Caughey's" Department Store on Queen Street. The whole of Queen Street had been decorated for the visit of HRH Prince George and HRH Princess Mary in June 1901. The only point of reference now is barely discernable, being the end building (with four windows) of the smaller building at far left in the 1901 photo.

The ornamental pediment and other decorative elements have however been stripped from the far end façade, something that was common during the 1930's to 1950's, usually in an effort to project a "modern" and streamlined image. But crumbling masonry from lack of maintenance was also sometimes to blame. While some old buildings now at least sport an interesting Art Deco style façade others are unfortunately far less of an 'architectural ornament' to the streetscape. This phenomenon was however not unique to New Zealand but world-wide. The Germans, who before the war enthusiastically "stripped" many elegant old 19th century era and Art Nouveau style buildings of their then 'outdated' architectural features, called this process "entschandelung", literally meaning "re-figurement".

 

The Auckland Wharf at the very foot of Queen Street, also decorated for the Royal Visit in June 1901, a ceremonial arch just visible at the end of the wharf. There is no point of reference today on what is now known as Queen's Wharf. A number of old commercial and warehouse buildings still survive at far left but are obscured by modern buildings. Behind me in the 2014 image is a great piece of modern architecture known as "The Cloud" with "Shed 10" alongside, being a refurbished historic wharf cargo shed, now used not only as an events centre but as Auckland's primary cruise ship terminal.   

A fountain in Albert Park. But for the missing urns in the foreground and the skyscrapers now looming over the horizon this scene is remarkably similar today.

The Band Rotunda in Albert Park, again looking remarkably similar. The trees in the background hide the inevitable modern high rise commercial buildings and inner city apartments.

A close-up of the above fountain in Albert Park. The view of Mount Eden has been more or less obliterated by mature trees and modern buildings, in this case on Princes Street and belonging to the University of Auckland.

This bronze statue of Queen Victoria in Albert Park is by F. J. Williamson, being erected as a Diamond Jubilee project and unveiled in 1899. Many Empire Day events would be held here. Unfortunately the decorative cast iron railing has been totally removed for reasons unknown. Comparing the two images, I prefer the statue surrounded with the railing.

With a very changed waterfront and the Auckland Waterfront Apartments / Hilton Hotel this is one scene that is, but for the Devonport Peninsula across the harbour, totally obscured today. This view is from behind the Viaduct Events Centre on the short wharf adjoining Wynyard Crossing. Can you see the double exposure? Mr Cook labelled this photo "Auckland Harbour - A Ghost".

A close-up of the boys in the above image splashing about in the Waitemata Harbour. Were this image not a sepia image taken in 1901 all of 113 years ago this could just as easily be a scene from 2014. I must say that even the swimwear looks surprisingly modern. I am actually quite impressed at the fast exposure speed of Mr Cook's glass plate negative for what is a quickly moving image. Swimming would however be actively discouraged here now (it is a well-used shipping and boating lane) and in any case, the water in the inner harbour looked icy cold, despite it being a February day in mid summer.

This image of the Waitemata Harbour looking across to Devonport proved very difficult to achieve the same perspective, being taken from the Wynyard Quarter Wharf. The original image appears to have been taken from a higher elevation and possibly further back. In the modern image the far right "mount" at the end of the Devonport Peninsula is obscured by the boat alongside the Viaduct Events Centre.

Finally, a view of what is most likely Mr Cook's dog taken on College Hill looking up towards the intersection with Ponsonby Road and Jervois Road. The building at rear in the 1901 image, complete with upper veranda, is the original Ponsonby Club Hotel, built in 1875. The name of the owner, Mr SW Buck, appears on the pediment.

A close-up of the Ponsonby Club Hotel. The present tavern on the site, being built in 1937, is known as "The Gluepot", a name that appears to have come into common usage even before the old building was demolished.

Copyright : The images used in this Blog may not be reproduced for commercial use without the express permission of the writer. Non-commercial use is generally acceptable provided suitable acknowledgement is given including (in all cases) a link back to or acknowledgement to this page. Kindly advise me of any non-commercial use as I am always interested in how my images are used, my email address appears in the right-hand menu bar.

“The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived” – A Tale of Two Tractors (Part Two)

March 18, 2014, 10:52 am

≫ Next: "Welcome to Our Royal Visitors" - 1901 Style

≪ Previous: "Auckland Then and Now - In the Footsteps of Mr R.A. Cook"

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William Watson operating his 1909 "Cyclone Agricultural Motor" [Photo credit : L & D Fleming]

This Blog follows on from my first article in this series, "The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived - The Demise of the Trusty Draught Horse".

The recent discovery of the above previously unknown photograph held by a family relative has helped me to piece together and confirm some quite interesting information relating to the early use of the “Motor Tractor” in the Province of Southland, New Zealand. Neither the information I hold nor these photographs have, to the best of my knowledge, ever previously been published.

We now know that this was not the first “Motor Tractor” in Southland. That honour lies with Mr Robert McNab of Knapdale near Gore who earlier imported and demonstrated an Ivel machine at the Gore Show as early as December 1904. But this story is still unique in demonstrating the true pioneering spirit - and dogged perseverance - of a forward-thinking southern farmer from the Antipodes. While this particular Blog is the story of one tractor, it also explores one which never got off the drawing board.

The purchaser of the above "Agricultural Motor", being my Great Great Uncle Mr William Watson, owner of the 800 acre ‘Mayfield’ estate at Heddon Bush in Southland, was well known as a very progressive farmer. The new "Agricultural Motor" [i.e. tractor] evidently piqued his interest but obviously not enamoured with what was then available, and despite the risks and expense, he appears to have proceeded to take matters into his own hands.

If you only wish to read about the "Cyclone Agricultural Motor" just skip down to the next image on this page.

We know that by late 1907 William Watson had personally arranged for specifications to be drawn up for a 25 h.p. “motor” from Messrs 'Mitchell & Dewar', Engineers of 144 St Vincent Street Glasgow who had been "...appointed Consulting Engineers to the Automobile Gas Producer Syndicate". The engine (one assumes a smaller demo version), which was to be initially demonstrated in a "gas producer car", was to be based on the gas suction principle, a system patented as early as 1891 and successfully used in stationary engines. William received the specifications around late July 1908. But was this a tractor or simply a powered wagon?

One has to remember that a "tractor" was then referred to as an "agricultural motor". The correspondence clearly tells us is that it was intended to be mobile, a powerful engine (at least 25 h.p.), and to be used for agricultural purposes. We do know that by October 1908 'Mitchell & Dewar' now intended trialling the gas producer engine in a "motor wagon" on a hill paddock on his brother John's property at Stonehouse south of Glasgow. But perhaps rather more conclusively, after William had purchased an "Agricultural Motor" in July 1909 the Engineers in Glasgow were promptly advised “that he has got supplied meanwhile”. There is yet one more convincing clue which I will highlight further on in this article. I can only assume that William became interested in the gas suction engine because of its higher horse power rating, most "tractors" then only being rated at no more than 20 h.p.

Concurrent with the original 1907 enquiry, William's brother John also consulted "The National Engine Company", who, "...poured cold water very plentifully over the suction principle of motors and said that supposing I got a firm undertaking to build one for us we were to have nothing to do with it they said it would give us no end of trouble. I may say I do not agree with them as I cannot see why suction gas works so satisfactorily in stationary plants and cannot be the same with a motor..." His brother does however urge William "...not to be in too great a hurry in coming to a decision...".

The latter firm had themselves been building suction gas engines, but as from mid 1908 were now solely producing diesel engines under a new name. This fact alone should have sounded a word of warning!

But by October 1908 we now find that William had not only now ordered new specifications from 'Mitchell and Dewar' but also from 'Murray', a rival Engineer (almost certainly Mr Murray, co-owner of "Murray. Workman & Co." at the Craigton Engineering Works). His brother writes that "[the] new draft to specification is to be £50 more than Murrays but then it is to be 15 horse power more or 40 horse power altogether which is a big difference from the first one."As to what type of engine 'Murray' proposed using is not recorded.

While William was "very anxious to get on with it", 'Mitchell & Dewar', perhaps fearing their client could go elsewhere, generously suggested that William obtain "...the opinion of an independent Engineer for our own satisfaction", no doubt believing their own [agricultural] 'motor' would be the preferred option. But the independent advice given was, "....would Murray not be a good man to look after the building of it. He is a practical Motor builder." It is just infuriatingly annoying that these tantalising plans are no longer extant.

I do note that by August 1908 William was well aware of the “Marshall Agricultural Motor” being landed in New Zealand but for whatever reason he still continued to pursue his own plans rather than ordering any sort of "motor" from a New Zealand supplier with servicing agents, not to mention an availability of spare parts. We also know that the Sentinel [Steam] Road Motor was already in operation in the district for cartage which, due to Government regulation, was normally limited to 30 miles in order to protect the Railways. There is no further mention of the "motor" until 1909.

But a surprising turn of events led to a very sudden change of mind. William evidently held off making a decision as, after an absence of 26 years, he decided to revisit Scotland, the land of his birth, in the summer of 1909. While in Glasgow he had meetings with the respective Engineers, being "Mr Murray at Craigton" and a "Mr Dunlop" in Glasgow. But it would appear that still nothing would or could be ready for him in time and that he would have to leave for home “empty-handed”.

Mr John Fisher [?] of the "Otautau Standard" possibly setting up a mechanical tractor versus horse-drawn plough comparison. [Photo credit : L & D Fleming]

But visiting the large Royal Agricultural Show at Gloucester England in June 1909, William was “very taken” with a demonstration of the “Cyclone Agricultural Motor” at work. This 'motor' could be used for “ploughing, cultivating, mowing, and hauling loads along common roads, &c.” A crankshaft on the driving pulley enabled a belt to drive “such machines as pumps, dynamos, threshing machines, chaff cutters, &c.”

By late July 1909 William had personally visited the manufacturers at 30 Moorgate Street in London, finally decided on a purchase, then completed all the necessary finance and export paperwork to have it shipped out to him in New Zealand. Holding existing overseas funds (from exporting mutton, lamb and wool) would have expedited the process. The price “on board” was UK £300 (around £26,500 in today’s UK values or NZD$53,250 in New Zealand values), being less than what the “Gas Suction people wanted for theirs” (yet another clue that William's plans had been for an "agricultural motor"). William promptly asked his brother to advise the Engineers “that he has got supplied meanwhile”. His brother wryly noted, “I have lost all confidence in them [and]I have grave fears the Suction Gas Motor will end in smoke.” His words were indeed prophetic as their motors did not succeed.

As for the “Cyclone Agricultural Motor” itself, we know that it was exhibited as a “new implement” in the “General Agricultural Tractor” section of the 1909 Royal Show, earning the company a Silver Medal. I believe it to have been a 20 hp Aster-engined machine built to the design of Mr. Wilfred Sharp, being shown at various British agricultural shows during 1909. The engines were made to a French design under license at Wembley. Significantly, and allowing for depreciation at 20% p.a., the overall cost of motor tractor ploughing was estimated at a commendable quarter of what it would have cost had the equivalent amount of work been done by horses. 

William Watson with his "Cyclone Agricultural Motor",  his horse & buggy visible at rear. The machine is covered with a tarpaulin in mid-furrow, had it broken down? We are however lucky to have this photo showing the "back end". [From my own collection]

William arrived back home in November 1909, the “Cyclone” following close on his heels. In December 1909 William’s Nephew Thomas, who had personally observed the machine in operation at 'Mayfield', wrote that “it is very light, maybe too much so”. His Father helpfully wrote back suggesting, “If it is light, you will just have to give it less to do”. This was of course counter-productive to the overall efficiency of the machine. Despite the weight of the engine being over the large front driving wheels, the lightness of the machine, which would have limited its pulling power, was obviously a weak point. There may also have been reliability issues including mixed success in varying local ground conditions. The photo showing only a double furrow being ploughed is somewhat telling. The tarpaulin over the engine in mid-furrow would also indicate a sudden and unexpected stop. Being privately imported, most parts for a non-standard engine would have to be sent for and shipped from England, a turn-around of perhaps three months. 

And therein ends the story of the “Cyclone Agricultural Motor” as I have no surviving family or published record of what became of it. It may have been better suited to a smaller scale farming operation but then economies of scale would come into play. Undoubtedly William sold it, but probably at a loss.  

But what William did next - perhaps out of sheer frustration - is not surprising. The Blog title gives a clue as to the next episode of this story which will be continued in my final Blog in this series. Again, I shall be using original photographs and a period report in my possession.

As to the "Cyclone" Company itself,  we know that one of their machines took part in a trial of “Motor Tractors” organised by the Royal Agricultural Society for the 1910 Royal Show. But by June 1910 the “Cyclone Agricultural Tractor Company Limited” had gone into receivership. I believe (although I cannot conclusively confirm this) that they may have struggled on to 1912 but were officially struck off the Companies Register in June 1913. This no doubt accounts for the scarcity of information relating to this early brand of motor tractor. I do not believe they ever manufactured their own engines. They faced stiff competition from other established manufacturers such as “Ivel Agricultural Motors Ltd” who are credited with building the first successful British tractor as early as 1902.

The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived - But it would still be many more years before the work of the trusty Draught Horse was finally done. Taken at 'Mayfield', Heddon Bush, NZ, circa Nov-Dec 1909 [Photo credit : L & D Fleming]

I would also surmise that the 'Cyclone' was the only one of its kind ever imported ever into New Zealand so this story needs to be told. I have found no reference to this make in the on-line "Papers Past" scanned newspapers database. This lack of any report may also be a case of William not wishing to advertise the fact that the machine turned out to be less than successful. The gentleman in the white shirt at left in the larger photograph does however look suspiciously like Mr John Fisher of “The Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle” who appears to be setting up a comparison between horse and machine. I have manually checked microfilm for the post 1909 pictorial sections of the "Otago Witness" but without success. That is not to say that as more newspapers are scanned and placed on-line that some reference may yet turn up.

If anyone can provide further information on the Cyclone company and this model of tractor I would be delighted to hear from you. My contact email address appears in the right-hand menu bar. To read the third and final part of this Blog series please click HERE.

My grateful thanks to Lindsay and Dorothy Fleming of Winton for allowing me to reproduce the above photo (as noted) and to Mrs Sharman Dykes of Heddon Bush for kindly arranging to have it professionally reproduced for me. As the original image has now been scanned, printed onto non-reflective photographic paper then scanned once more, I am aware that it appears grainier than the original.

Copyright : The content of this blog, including images, may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express permission of the writer. Excerpts may however be freely quoted for non-commercial use subject to suitable acknowledgement being given, including a link back to this page.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson Family Papers and Photographic Collection (held by the writer)
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• Dunedin City Libraries / Kā Kete Wānaka O Ōtepoti (McNab Room Resources)
• “The Standard Cyclopedia of Modern Agriculture and Rural Economy” (Volume 9), 1908-11
• “A Century of Farm Tractors 1904-2004” (NZ), by RH Robinson
• “The London Gazette”, Jun 1910 & June 1913
• “Motor Transport”, lliffe & Sons, 1910

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"Welcome to Our Royal Visitors" - 1901 Style

March 30, 2014, 11:44 pm

≫ Next: "Honouring Our Local Boys" - ANZAC Day Remembrance 25th April 2014

≪ Previous: “The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived” – A Tale of Two Tractors (Part Two)

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The coloured fronticepiece of the official record of the visit of  the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York to New Zealand in June 1901. Many of the images below are taken from this publication [From my own collection]

The Dominion of New Zealand will be hosting Prince William, Duke of Cambridge together with his wife, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, and their young son Prince George to New Zealand from the 7th April to the 16th April 2014. This provides an opportunity to look back at an interesting aspect of past Royal Tours - the Ceremonial Arch. In this Blog we specifically look at the visit to New Zealand of Prince William's Great Great Grandfather, HRH Prince George, Duke of Cornwall & York and his wife, HRH Princess Mary, Duchess of Cornwall & York (later King George V and Queen Mary) in June 1901. 

Perhaps understandably due to their cost and very temporary nature, ceremonial and full floral arches are now a thing of the past. While many look very solid, they were generally nothing more than wood, painted canvas, and/or moulded plaster over a wire frame in the manner of stage scenery. That they did not find other uses elsewhere would also prove this point. 

Auckland Arches

The Auckland Harbour Board Arch on the Queen Street Wharf comprised of two light houses connected by a Roman arch. [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

The construction of ceremonial arches had in fact a long history going back to Medieval England but had even earlier European origins in both Renaissance Italy and early France. By passing through an Arch, a guest would be acknowledged as an honoured and respected friend or ally, perhaps in the manner of an honoured visitor now being given the "keys" to a city. 

The classically designed New Zealand Government Reception Arch complete with Ionic columns. The wording on the arch reads in English and Māori : "Welcome - Aroha Tonu, Ake Ake Ake", meaning literally 'with continuing affection always', with "Cornwall" and "York" above the side arches. Photo taken by Mr R.A. Cook. [From my own collection]

Temporary ceremonial Arches are in fact known to have been hastily constructed in ancient Rome to provide a symbolic "Triumphal Arch" through which a victorious army and Generals could march through, often later being replaced with permanent structures to honour their victory.           

The Auckland Harbour Board Floral Arch at the foot of the Queen Street Wharf comprising of nikau, grass-tree and fern, cockades of red and white, and surmounted by the Royal Arms with  flags flying above, and on either side the New Zealand ensign. [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

But it appears evident that by the Victorian era it would not be the done thing for a Government or local body or organisation not to be represented in this way and i'm sure there was often an element of good-natured one-upmanship involved, in other words, not to be seen to be outdone by others. And of course, nobody but nobody would want the Royal visitors to think that New Zealand's welcome was inferior to that of any other country. But the expense appears to have been entirely secondary and in fact the general New Zealand public, who for most had not previously experienced any royal pomp and ceremony first-hand, appear to have revelled in and wholeheartedly embraced this overt display of affection for the Royal couple. That these decorative Arches gave all a demonstrative way to show their loyalty to the Crown and the warmth of their welcome is, I believe, well represented in these images. The only city in these images not represented by a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in April 2014 is Rotorua.        

Rotorua Arches

The Māori  Floral Arch, Rotorua. "The most handsome of all the arches... for the Royal tour" 'Muir and Moodie Photo' [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

Wellington Arches

The Citizens' Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

The Citizens' Arch on Customhouse Quay, Wellington with Hunter Street on the right. The words on the arch read : "Welcome from Pakeha and Maori". Flags, together with the Wellington Coat of Arms, decorate the top of the arch. Taken by James McAllister, June 1901.

The Māori Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

A group waiting to welcome the Royal visitors at the Māori Arch in Charlotte Street, Wellington, taken 18th June 1901.

"The shape was the front of a runanga house above, supported by floral towers. The gable boards of this were no painted counterfeits. They were priceless Maori carvings, old beyond the category of known dates, supposed to reach back to Moriori times. Grass trees in front and rear on each side of the street suggested forest surroundings, and the inscriptions were "Haere Mai" [meaning "Welcome, enter".] and "Naumai" [meaning "Welcome"]." 

The precious carvings were watched day and night, also being insured against fire. A fire hydrant and hose were kept close-by in case of any emergency. 

The Westport Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

The town of Westport's Arch on Lambton Quay, Wellington. 

"A triple arcading, it was singularly massive, with handsome entablature and cornice, like some old Roman arch of triumph, with commemorative tablets; but instead of bronze, cunningly moulded into historic grouping, coal filled the openings; massive blocks of coal - the same that saved the "Calliope" from the Apia hurricane - and gold medallions on each front told of the western resources..." 

The words on the arch read : "Westport's Greeting" and "The coal that saved the Calliope". Taken by James McAllister, June 1901.

The Cereal Arch, representing Marlborough and Wellington Suburbs [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

The cereal arch was formed by "piling up sheaves of grain... and adorning them with flowers..." 

The Cuba Street Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

A wooden arch in carved Māori style erected at the corner of Cuba Street and Dixon Street, Wellington. The Māori words "Kia Ora Koutou" are a formal greeting to three or more people. 

The Government Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

The carriage conveying the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York passing under the Government Arch on Lambton Quay, Wellington, during their procession through Wellington. The arch was modelled on the design of Balmoral Castle and bore on one side the inscription "God bless the Duke and Duchess" and on the other the Māori equivalent, "Ma Te atua korua e atawhai". Taken 18th June 1901.

The National Dairy Association's Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

The National Dairy Association's arch on Lambton Quay, Wellington. Taken by James McAllister.

The Wellington Woolen Manufacturing Company Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

The Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company Ltd Arch on Jervois Quay, Wellington. It ingeniously reads "See the Warmth of Our Welcome" and included a "tricolour display of bales". Taken June 1901. 

The Chinese Citizens' Arch, Wellington [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

The Chinese Citizens' Arch on Manners Street, Wellington. Taken by James McAllister.

Christchurch Arches

The Agricultural Arch, Christchurch [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"Rural Canterbury lived here for the nonce in foliage, beeves and muttons and dairy cattle stalled on either side, the fruits of the soil arranged above, guarded by stock-riders : an unusual combination, signifying perhaps typically above-ground the burial below of the hatchet, once so deadly between the shepherd kings and the advancing tillers of the soil. The unity above the tomb of that obsolete weapon produced fruit in words of warmth and loyal welcome."

The Frozen Meat Arch, Christchurch [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"...with its graceful span of ice counterfeited - as a broken piece of some wandering iceberg of the sea - resting on blocks of ice, real, enclosing carcasses dressed for the butcher, also chrysanthemums of delicate hues and handsome form, and bearing words of welcome, well displayed..."

The Fire Brigade Arch, in Worcester Street, Christchurch [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"A graceful concept this arch, just as if a company of firemen, surprised on the march, by the sudden appearance of the Royal party, had hurriedly put together their long ladders, tossed a few flags over them, thrown in a little greenery hastily plucked, and hoisted up a few words of welcome, had taken their places in helmet and tunic, standing at "attention", while the pageant passed by with the clamour of many voices."

The Government Floral Arches over Victoria Bridge  [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"The procession started again in the midst of the cheering, the roll of acclamation settled itself once more alongside the Duke and Duchess as they moved with their powerful escort had converted the Victoria Bridge down Victoria Street, under the Government Arch. This had converted Victoria Bridge into a tunnel of foliage and flower, and it was beautifully reflected in the smooth water of the Avon below..".

Dunedin Arches

The Chinese Arch, Dunedin [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"In Princes Street the Chinese Arch rose some 46 ft. over the roadway, two square towers in trellis work flanking, with pointed tops like extinguishers, ornamented with carved boards rising up high on either side; square windows beneath them, just where the latticing connecting the towers and making the arch crosses the street. The whole was a mass of red and yellow, effective, but a little hard, as the primary colours always are in Chinese hands; relieved somewhat by a drapery of red, white, and blue on the lower side of the arch, and thick decoration of greenery at the butts of the towers. "Welcome," the motto on one side, and "Welcome from the Chinese Citizens," the greeting on the other." 

The 'Maypole Arch', in The Exchange, Dunedin [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

The Government Arch, Dunedin [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"...Inside the Octagon [facing George Street]...., was the Government Arch, large central with two smaller flankers of similar Gothic outline, like the medieval castellated entrance to some great city; two turreted towers dividing the three arches, themselves connected by the battlemented top of the city wall, pierced with Gothic ellipse, carrying the shields of York and Cornwall, and rising in the centre two battlement steps above sky-line to display the Royal crown above the Royal Arms. The tops of the flanking arches rising to centre peaks carried each a flagstaff and standard. The turrets above the towers had each a system of poles and standards, four corners, and a central taller one than the rest; and all the standards were joined into a single scheme by a string of signal-flags, which spelt "Welcome." Like the Government Arch in Wellington, it was a close imitation of the entrance to Balmoral Castle. The letters "E.R." flanks the Royal Arms, and the flankers of the ducal shield are the ducal letters "C.Y." The effect is as of the grey granite of Aberdeen; the ducal shields are red and white, and the crown has the national colours. "Welcome to the Duke and Duchess" faces from one side in large warm colours, and the other looks down the brilliant george Street vista in Maori fashion, "Aroha Tonu, Ake, Ake, Ake," which being rendered into English means "Love unceasing, for ever, and ever, and ever."..."       

The Marine Arch, Dunedin [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"...Two turreted towers, connected by an entablature, the broad frieze of which carried a large "Welcome;" the arcading hung with a row of life-buoys inscribed with the names of the Union [Steam Ship Company] fleet. The corners of the towers were softened with greenery, their faces carried the Royal and Ducal monograms with steering-wheels, anchors, propellors, and models of steamboats; above the entablature, lying across the street, was a model of the "Monowai", gay with a full dressing of flags; and on the frieze a great warm Celtic welcome, "Cead Mille Failthe." Various house-flags flew from the turrets; two tall flagpoles carried the Royal Standard and the Union Company's familiar house-flag. The arch, covered with canvas, looked like stone, and ta night was charmingly lighted."

The Citizens' [Municipal] Arch, The Octagon, Dunedin [Source : "Royalty in New Zealand", 1901]

"At the Princess Street entrance to the Octagon towered the Municipal Arch - a construction in foilage, two great square towers connected by a leafy arcading with entablature peaks above to the height of 40 ft. above the road-way, and fashioned into triple eiilptic Gothic outline below, conncted to two small arches, with peaked tops, at each side. It carried the city coat of arms on the centre peak of the entablature; pillared wreaths, each a floral setting to the rose of York; monograms, floral emblems everywhere. Cabbage-palms filled the square top of each big tower, a big flag floated from each corner of these, the Royal Standard flew from a tall pole rising from the centre peak, and the two lesser peaks over the smaller arches carried each its pole and standard. The entablatures carried Maori words of welcome, "Haere Mai te Manuhiri Tuarangi," and "He Mata Kanohi He Toto Kawera" - which signify respectively, "Welcome illustrious strangers," and "At sight of you our hearts burn within us." The various outlines in different shades of green, and heads of palm and punga at diverse coigns of vantage, greatly heightened the effect of this fine arch. A small band of Maoris were posted on the top to give voice welcomes at the proper time." 


Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Photographs taken by Mr R.A. Cook (from my own collection)
• "Royalty in New Zealand" by R.A. Loughnan, 1902 (from my own collection)
• National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa

"Honouring Our Local Boys" - ANZAC Day Remembrance 25th April 2014

April 15, 2014, 10:56 pm

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Featured in my 2013 ANZAC Day Blog, the schoolchildren of the small Heddon Bush School commemorate the "Brave ANZAC's", taken 1917 [From my own collection]

The 25th of April 2014 again marks that rare day each year when the two sovereign nations of Australia and New Zealand both commemorate those servicemen and servicewomen who have served and also fallen in military operations for their respective countries. ANZAC Day 2014 will be even more significant as we lead up to the centenary of the commencement of "The Great War" of 1914-1918.

But how did local New Zealand communities personally honour those servicemen who both went to war and those who were lucky enough to return home safely after having done their duty for King and Country? For those who returned home the physical and mental scars were often patently obvious for all to see. I have no doubt that many communities wanted to give some tangible object of their gratitude for the obvious sacrifice these young men had made.    

My childhood rural community of Heddon Bush in the southern province of Southland New Zealand were no exception and may possibly have done more than most. I do suspect that some local and well established individuals also dug very deeply into their own personal pockets. But one also has to remember that farmers had personally profited from high commodity prices during the First World War period so this may have been a way for some community-minded folk to "give something back". Overall, the ability of the local community to raise funds for "Patriotic War Relief" was quite prodigious and the school children were also no exception. My own Father aged 12 years gave a "recitation" for Belgian Day in 1915 (in support of Belgian Relief Funds) with an additional  "voluntary" offering of his pocket money amounting to one shilling. He had gone onto High School (College) by the time the above group photograph was taken in 1917.  

Part of the Heddon Bush Red Cross Society Bed Cover of 1918. I can find no record of where it was sent. [From a glass plate negative in my own collection]

Under the New Zealand "War Funds Act" of 1915, the Government of the day sought to regulate the huge amounts of War Relief Funds being collected. It was more at the local level that problems arose where in the main the money from each district had been applied for the relief of servicemen and their dependents within that district. Thus, soldiers from districts who had sent many men into service but were unable to raise large amounts of relief funds were disadvantaged in regards to comforts received by those who came from areas where there was greater personal wealth or perhaps, in the case of Heddon Bush, an exceptionally well organised and well-supported Relief Committee. Thus War Relief Funds would now be applied uniformly over the Dominion "so that no sailor, soldier, or dependents, should be without relief". All collectors were required to hold an official collection card or be subject to a conviction with a fine of up to £20.  

So, working within the Act (which appears only to have related to actual financial support), the Heddon Bush community still wished to personally give those servicemen who left the district a tangible object of their heart-felt gratitude but also honouring those who safely returned. Reading local newspaper accounts of the period and reading the frequently published casualties and deaths, the Heddon Bush community were by mid war in no illusion whatsoever as to the risks their boys might face at the front. So an additional financial sacrifice for "their" men was but a small price to pay. But how could they show their gratitude and heart-felt best wishes for a safe return home?

On final leave in 1918 prior to leaving for England, and in one last full family photograph, my Uncle is pictured wearing his gift from the local community. [From my own collection]

The local Patriotic Committee generously decided that all Heddon Bush servicemen on final leave before departure for Europe (at least from mid-war) were to not only be given a decent send-off in the local hall but also presented with what I believe to be a very practical and well thought out gift - a good quality Swiss made silver 'Rolex' military wristwatch. The reverse was engraved "From Heddon Bush Friends" including the date of presentation.

The  silver 'Rolex' military wrist watch presented to my Uncle in May 1918. The card dial is damaged but the watch is still in working order. [From my own collection]

“Mr W. Watson, after expressing pleasure at seeing such a large number present, called upon Mr J. Boyle to present the two young soldiers with a wristlet watch each…. Mr Boyle said the watches would act as a connecting link between soldiers and their homes, and as tokens of esteem in which they were held by their friends at Heddon Bush… [the servicemen] briefly returned thanks. Excellent music for dancing was supplied by Egan’s Band…” [30 May 1918]

I still hold the wrist watch presented to my Uncle at this event, being well-used but still in perfect working condition. He never had to face the full horrors of the war as the Armistice was signed while he was in training in England. Nevertheless he told me in 1982 (at age 85) that he still wished he had gotten to fight. He died later that year.

The back of the (still working) 'Rolex' military wrist watch a quality Swiss movement with no less than "15 jewels". The reverse of the back cover is engraved to the recipient. [From my own collection]

But what could the close-knit Heddon Bush community give their boys once they returned home? This gift, which would serve as a special thank you from the community, would be something quite unique and valuable. Again, some thought appears to have gone into this and the result was, I believe, a triumph. What could be more meaningful than a quality locally made and engraved gold watch chain fob? But additionally they would also receive the very useful sum of £10 in cash each as some recompense for their very considerable trouble. That converts to the equivalent of NZD $920.00 in today's money.   

I also proudly hold the 9ct gold fob presented to my Uncle. The reverse is personally engraved to my Uncle. This was given by the Heddon Bush community to all local servicemen who returned from service overseas, regardless of, as in my Uncle's case, if they actually fought.

The 9ct engraved Gold Fob presented to my Uncle upon his return from "The Great War" 1914-1918 [From my own collection]

"A large enthusiastic and friendly audience gathered in the Heddon Bush Hall on Friday to bid welcome to six district boys [all named]. The function took the form of a dance... Mr Watson, as Chairman, made a speech of welcome and let the boys see that all present were very pleased to greet their soldiers back to their own home. He then called on Mr Tilley to make the presentation to each, which consisted of a gold medal, suitably inscribed, and a wallet of notes, value £10... The soldiers then had their say, thanking everyone for their kindness and welcome which would be dearly appreciated. It was an untold pleasure to be back, the war over, and peace reigning, and we are fully convinced there is no place like home. "For they are jolly good fellows" was then heartily sung, after which supper was dispensed and dancing continued." [A report of a similar presentation held on the 3rd October 1919]. 

The medal, comprising of crossed rifles, the letters "NZ" and engraved ferns, was designed and manufactured by Mr William James Wesney, a talented young Jeweller of Otautau and Riverton in Southland from 1916. How many of these were produced is unknown but other Southern communities are known to also have presented this "welcome home" present to "their boys". The local rural town of Otautau presented all returned soldiers, who at the time of enlistment had been resident in the district at least 12 months, with this medal, including to the parents of those who had died in the service of their country.

The Heddon Bush Roll of Honour [Photo Credit : Vicki-Lynne Hubber]

Those pupils of Heddon Bush School who served and also fell in "The Great War" of 1914-1918 (including the Second World War of 1939-1945) are today commemorated in a large wooden 'Roll of Honour', having been purchased from the proceeds of the Heddon Bush School 68th Jubilee Anniversary Celebrations in 1949. This is now located in the Heddon Bush Hall. While seemingly an odd date to celebrate a Jubilee it was felt the time was opportune as a number of first day pupils were still alive and able to attend.

Footnote : I was very sorry to note that both Mr WJ Wesney, the designer of this wonderful medal, and his wife Mrs GL Wesney, died together in a motor accident at "Heenan's Corner" on the Hundred Line on the 30th November 1964, aged 76 and 64 years respectively. Both are interred in the Otautau Cemetery.

Copyright : All images, except the Roll of Honour board, are from my own personal collection. These may not be used for any commercial purpose without my express permission but may be freely copied for private use provided the images are suitably acknowledged and / or a link is given back to this page.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Family Archives (held by the writer)
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• Museum of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa

"The Age of Mechanical Ploughing Has Arrived" - A Tale of Two Tractors (Part 3)

April 25, 2014, 11:59 am

≫ Next: "The Empire Cruise" - The Visit of 'HMS Dauntless' to Bluff, May 1924

≪ Previous: "Honouring Our Local Boys" - ANZAC Day Remembrance 25th April 2014

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William Watson's International "Titan" Tractor coupled to an 8 furrow plough at 'Mayfield', Heddon Bush, circa 1910 [From my own collection]

This is the third and final part of my Blog series featuring two early “Agricultural Motors” [Tractors] purchased by my Great Great Uncle, Mr William Watson, owner of the 800 acre 'Mayfield' estate at Heddon Bush in the Southern Province of Southland New Zealand. My previous Blog featuring the 'Cyclone Agricultural Motor' may be viewed HERE.

As we know, the above-mentioned 1909 British built 'Cyclone Agricultural Motor' had not proved equal to the task, also possibly having reliability issues. While it must have been sold towards the end of 1910 I can find no record of this. The difficulties the 'Cyclone' company were by now facing may have meant that William Watson had some difficulty in recouping his original outlay.   

But William Watson was obviously not prepared to admit defeat, nor was money evidently an issue in order to achieve his objectives. This was despite a run of very bad luck over the previous three years. He had not only funded the cost of the 'Cyclone Agricultural Motor' (around £26,500 in today’s UK values or NZD$53,250 in New Zealand values) in 1909, funded a six month visit to Britain and Ireland for himself and his wife the same year, but also lost NZD$42,000 – almost the total annual value of his lamb kill – in 1907. He then additionally funded three unsuccessful legal challenges, including an appeal to the Supreme Court of New Zealand, to recoup this lost revenue. But that’s another story!

William Watson with his unsuccessful 1909 "Cyclone Agricultural Motor". [Photo Credit : L & D Fleming]

So it is indeed surprising that by December 1910 we find that William had purchased yet another “Agricultural Motor” or tractor, being an American built International Harvester “Titan” 20hp Type A. I cannot ascertain what the purchase price may have been.

We know that the “International Harvester Company” [IHC] based at Chicago Illinois in the USA had set up a Head Office and large showroom bounded by Lichfield and Madras streets and Bedford Row in Christchurch New Zealand in 1906. Their large and ornate brick building survived until the devastating 2012 earthquake. The company built their first farm tractor the same year, manufacturing a total of 607 of this same model (with 12, 15 and 20 hp engines) between 1906 and 1914. One of these, a 20 hp model, was demonstrated at the Christchurch Agricultural Show in November 1909. By 1910 William had undoubtedly heard of the IHC’s performance or even witnessed it himself as visiting Agricultural Shows was - and still is - a looked forward to part of the annual farming calendar in order to keep up with the latest technology and improvements.

The International 'Titan' being demonstrated with a 12 disc plough at 'Mayfield', 17th Dec 1910, L to R : William Watson (1st), John Fisher ['Otautau Standard'] (4th), & Thomas Watson (7th).The group also includes J. Ryan (Tatarepo), J. Lindsay (Strathmore) and W. Saunders (Ringway). [From the original glass plate negative in my collection]

The road wheels of this model were described as having a face of 22 inches (width), the power being transmitted to the wheels by means of friction clutches rather than a cog. The engines were started on petrol then ran on kerosene, having a single cylinder with an 8¾ inch bore and 15 inch stroke, being rated at between 12-25 hp. Total weight was around 5½ tons. These machines could apparently haul anything up to 25 tons on the road or drive a threshing machine, chaff-cutter, and of course – and with the greatest interest to William – it was especially suited to ploughing.

The IHC Company, determined to ensure that their customers and agents received full satisfaction, employed a large permanent staff of experts who could supply technical knowledge along with a good stock of spare parts around the country. Many of the IHC New Zealand staff were well trained and thoroughly conversant with the use and repair of the various agricultural implements being sold by their company, having come from the Company’s own factory at Milwaukee just out of Chicago. The local Southland agents for IHC were “Henderson & Co.” with offices in Invercargill, Gore and Wyndham.        

The above photo of the "Titan" tractor with original caption as it appeared in the "Otago Witness" of the 8th March 1911

Mr John Fisher, owner and Head Reporter of the local paper, and along with an interested entourage, were not long in visiting William to view the new “motor traction” at work, his article being printed in “The Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle” on the 20^th December 1910. Here are some edited transcripts of his article :

“Motor Ploughing :

On Saturday [17^th December 1910], a small party from Otautau visited Mr William Watson’s farm at Heddon Bush to witness the work of the motor traction (now called tractor) that gentleman had installed for doing his ploughing. The party consisted of Messrs. J. Ryan, Tatarepo (President of the Wallace Agricultural & Pastoral Association), J. Lindsay, Strathmore, W. Saunders, Ringway, and Mr John Fisher, “Otautau Standard.”….

Mr and Mrs Watson’s hospitality was extended on arrival, after which the motor was set going, and soon convinced the visitors that ploughing by motor traction had developed a long way past the experimental stage.  The engine was working in a 30 acre paddock with a pretty fair show of canadians. It was attached to two digger ploughs (a double and a single furrow), which Mr Watson explained was not its capacity, but was all he had of the ploughs to give it. Travelling was done at a good walking pace and the work appeared to give no trouble to the machine, which was ploughing 8 acres a day at a cost of 4/- per acre, and this, Mr Watson reckoned, could be reduced by giving the machine more to do so as to get the maximum out of it. To show the visitors with what ease a change could be made, the ploughs were unhitched, the engine run across to another part of the field and coupled to a disc harrow with tyne harrows behind and with these two implements it simply walked round the field.

The gearing is so simple, the whole time occupied in changing the implements was not two minutes. An excessive downpour of rain coming on work was stopped, and all hands camped on the engine under the hood.

[Starting and Running an early 10-20 International Harvester Titan]

Mr Watson is very well satisfied with the work of the machine. It does all that was claimed for it and is a splendid implement for getting work done expeditiously. Already 270 acres have been treated this season either in ploughing, discing or harrowing, and as Mr Watson remarks, even if no saving was effected in doing the actual work the benefit that results from having your work forward and your crops in in time more than compensates, and is in itself profit. The machine can be started in a minute or two, and saves all the trouble and expense of feed when not in work. A small house in winter is all that is wanted. No expensive stables, horse feed, paddocks or covers. Mr Watson’s enterprise is well worthy of the attention of other farmers, and a visit while the motor is at work will prove an education.”  

"Old and New" - The 'Titan' Tractor would soon displace the trusty Draught Horse, taken at 'Mayfield', circa 1913. William Thomson on the horse with James Watson at right. [From my own collection]

As with the earlier “Cyclone Agricultural Motor” I do not know when the “International Harvester Titan” was replaced. The last photo I have of it above is dated around 1913. Ironically, William’s ground breaking experiments in top dressing led to his moving away from regularly ploughing vast tracts of land for winter cropping and by 1924 he relied totally - and quite successfully - on simply wintering stock over on well managed and top-dressed grassland. In that year only 80 out of his 800 acres were cultivated. The results of his pioneering work on top dressing formed an outdoors scientific display at the New Zealand Dept. of Agriculture stand at the Dunedin and South Seas International Exhibition held in Dunedin during 1925-26. William was also the first farmer to introduce the Southdown breed of sheep to Southland, not only achieving record prices for his fat lambs but also receiving rapturous accolades for the quality of his 1927 lamb kill when it reached the British market. Even up until his sudden death in May 1931 [and] “In spite of his advancing years he was always looking forward to “next season,” and laying plans for further improvement in farming methods.” 

Mr William Watson of 'Mayfield', Heddon Bush, taken circa 1925 [From my own collection]

William Watson held an unshakeable belief that new if not revolutionary farming methods and equipment were the way of the future for the New Zealand farmer. His contribution to Southern New Zealand farming was significant.


Addendum : I note that a 1912 20hp International Harvester "Titan" is owned by Mr Roger Mahan who plans to build a $5.5 million dollar heritage machinery museum at Milton, Otago, resource consent being granted in October 2013. A feasibility study is currently under way. I do hope this proposal succeeds.

Copyright : The content of this blog, including images, may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express permission of the writer. Excerpts may however be freely quoted for non-commercial use subject to suitable acknowledgement being given, including a link back to this page.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson Family Papers and Photographic Collection (held by the writer)
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• Dunedin City Libraries / Kā Kete Wānaka O Ōtepoti (McNab Room Resources)
• “A Century of Farm Tractors 1904-2004” (NZ), by RH Robinson

"The Empire Cruise" - The Visit of 'HMS Dauntless' to Bluff, May 1924

May 6, 2014, 12:09 pm

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Map of "The Empire Cruise" 1923 to 1924 [Source "The Empire Cruise" by V.C. Scott O'Connor, 1925]

During 1923-24, 'HMS Hood' and the "Special Service Squadron" of the British Royal Navy sailed around the world on "The Empire Cruise", visiting many ports of call in the countries which had fought with Britain during the First World War. It would have been an amazing adventure for the men, despite the extended period away from home, family and friends. The squadron would initially be made up of nine vessels, namely the Battle cruisers 'HMS Hood' and 'HMS Repulse', and five Light Cruisers being 'HMS Delhi', 'HMS Danae', 'HMS Dragon', 'HMS Dauntless' and 'HMS Dunedin'. The Chatham Class 'HMAS Adelaide' representing the Australian Royal Navy would join The Empire Cruise in Sydney.

The Squadron sailed from Devonport England on the 27th November 1923 and by May 1924 had arrived in New Zealand waters. Vessels were then despatched to various ports in the Dominion but only Auckland would see the full complement of (now) eight vessels. This was, however, well short of the impressive sixteen American Battle Cruisers of the still famous "Great White Fleet" which visited Auckland in 1908. The Danae Class Light Cruiser "HMS Dauntless" of 4,650 tons would be despatched to the port of [Campbelltown] Bluff, at the southern end of the South Island of New Zealand.

'HMS Dauntless' rounding Stirling Point and the lighthouse before entering Bluff Harbour. Taken 5th May 1924 [From my own collection]

This "Light Cruiser" was still a formidable fighting ship. She had originally been ordered under the "War Emergency Programme" of 1916, being laid down at Jarrow in North East England in January 1917 and launched in April 1918. Six Yarrow-type water-tube boilers driving two Parson's geared steam turbines could, through larger low-revolution propellers (for greater efficiency), propel the vessel at a quite respectable 29 knots (54 km/h). Her armament consisted of six 6-inch guns, two 3-inch guns, two 40 mm "pom poms" and twelve 21 inch torpedoes with four triple launchers. Her hull carried 3 inch thick armour amidships (the greatest area of risk), with lesser - but normally adequate - protection in other areas.  

'HMS Dauntless' entering Bluff Harbour after rounding Stirling Point. Taken 5th May 1924 [From my own collection]

The arrival of the light cruiser in Bluff Harbour at 2.50 p.m. on Monday the 5th May 1924 was occasioned by an "enthusiastic reception". The arrival at the Heads was photographed by Mr E.A. Phillips of the rather grandly named "Vice-Regal Studio, Winton". Mr Phillips would later became quite well known in Southland and Otago through till the 1950's for his long panoramic group photos using a rotating camera with synchronized roll film. But for the Officers and Crew of 'HMS Dauntless' it would be a very busy couple of days.

A closer view of 'HMS Dauntless' as she enters Bluff Harbour. Taken 5th May 1924 [From my own collection]

"...official calls occupied the remainder of the afternoon, and this evening a social function was held at Bluff... A comprehensive programme of entertainment has been drawn up."

HMS Dauntless moored at the wharf, Bluff Under the bridge can be seen the rear of the hanger she was built with but removed in 1920. Taken 6th May 1924. [Credit : Bluff Maritime Museum]

The following day was, thankfully, accompanied by a fine late autumnal day.

"...To-day large parties of bluejackets were taken on motor tours to all parts of Southland, the visitors being lavishly entertained at Riverton, Otautau, Winton, Gore, and Wyndham. In fact the whole countryside was en fête to welcome the officers and men. On the ship itself an “at home” was largely attended. Several parties of officers have been taken to Lake Te Anau on a two days’ shooting expedition. To-morrow a ceremonial march will take place in Invercargill.”

Officers and Ratings from 'HMS Dauntless', pictured at Riverton Rocks during their day excursion. Taken 6th May 1924 [From my own collection]

It is of one of these "motor tours", specifically to the  seaside town of Riverton Rocks on the southern coast, that features in the group photo above, also being taken by Mr Phillips. My Great Great Uncle William Watson of Heddon Bush (who appears in the centre of this photo) took an active part in this day excursion, additionally providing transport in his own car. He obviously wished to play his part in showing his gratitude for the great courtesy the British Royal Navy were paying to Southland by way of their visit. One wonders if he also regaled them with tales of his own experience of life on the ocean waves, having been safely delivered after being shipwrecked off the rocky Irish Coast in the immigrant sailing ship "Wild Deer" on his way to New Zealand in 1883.

A close-up of some of the Officers and Ratings of 'HMS Dauntless', taken at Riverton Rocks, 6th May 1924. My Great Great Uncle William Watson of Heddon Bush appears second from left. Unfortunately I have no other names. Considering the difference in ranks, Officers and ratings appear quite 'chummy'. [From my own collection]

The Railways Department issued special excursion fares to Bluff for school children in Standards III (if aged over 11), IV, V and VI, along with "teachers and members of school committees travelling to take charge of and control the children." Obviously a Light Warship was not a safe place for younger children to roam about! Depending on the numbers attending, special school excursion trains would also be run if required. Unfortunately I cannot ascertain the total number of visitors to the cruiser but it would be quite considerable.   

At 4.25 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, the 8th May 1924, and after a very full two days of activities and events, 'H.M.S. Dauntless' steamed out of Bluff Harbour, rejoining "HMS Dunedin" (which had been visiting the City of Dunedin) outside the Dunedin Heads to jointly continue their voyage north to Auckland. The vessel and the men on board had ably achieved their objective, being both a good-will visit and to 'fly the flag' on behalf of Britain and her Empire.

An original Cap Tally [Source : Frank S Taylor]

Now being an older vessel, 'HMS Dauntless' had been transferred to the reserve fleet by 1935. But she would still prove useful, being recommissioned and returned to active service during World Two, serving in the South Atlantic then mainly in the Indian Ocean where she kept an eye out for German merchant shipping to and from Batavia (now known as Jakarta) off the Indonesian coast.

An "exploded" deck plan of 'HMS Dauntless', drawn 1945 [Source : Frank S Taylor]

Returning to Britain in 1942, she underwent a refit at Portsmouth before being transferred to the Eastern Fleet. Becoming a training ship she was again placed on the reserve list until finally being broken up for scrap at Inverkeithing on the Firth of Forth Scotland in February 1946. She had served her country well.

Copyright : The images used in this Blog may not be reproduced for commercial use without the express permission of the writer. Non-commercial use is generally acceptable provided suitable acknowledgement is given including (in all cases) a link back to or acknowledgement to this page. Kindly advise me of any non-commercial use as I am always interested in how my images are used, my email address appears in the right-hand menu bar.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson Family Photographs (held by the writer)
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• Various Internet sources (acknowledged as above)

The London Motor Show - 1907

May 17, 2014, 10:50 pm

≫ Next: The Twa Brigs O' Ayr

≪ Previous: "The Empire Cruise" - The Visit of 'HMS Dauntless' to Bluff, May 1924

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Poster Advertising "Cordingley's Twelfth Annual Motor Show", London April 1907 [Source : Grace's Guide]

This Blog features some of the automobiles and manufacturers which would have been on show at "Cordingley's Twelfth Annual Motor Show" held at the Royal Agricultural Hall at Islington in London from the 6th to 13th of April 1907.

A General View of the actual 1907 Show at Islington [Source : Grace's Guide]

Let us now view some wonderful adds featuring just a small percentage of the period vehicles which would have been on view at the 1907 Motor Show. Emphasising the latest features, power output, economy, reliability, safety, free trials, awards, and guarantees were - and still are - prime considerations for buyers and useful marketing tools for sellers. Some names are long gone, some will be familiar, and the odd one will still be well known today. A further two part Blog will feature some fascinating motoring parts and accessories available at this time. 

The "Airex" car, Coventry

The "Alldays & Onions" car, Birmingham

The "Argyll" car, Glasgow

The "Armstrong & Whitworth" car, Newcastle-on-Tyne

The "British" Car, Reading, Berkshire

The "Brooke" car, London

The "Clément" car, Coventry [later called "Talbot"]

The "Darracq" car, France

The "Grégoire" car chassis

The "Horbick" car, Manchester

The "Humber" car, Beeston and Coventry

The "Jackson" car, London

The "Minerva" car, Belgium / London

The "Phoenix" car, London

The "Reo" car, London

The "Rover" car, Coventry

The "Singer" car, Coventry

The "Star" car, Wolverhampton

The "Star" car, Wolverhampton

The "Swift" car, Coventry

The "Vauxhall" car, Luton

The "West" car, London

And finally, let's have a look at some of the motoring clothing and recquisites being sold at this time, bearing in mind that many cars were open, or at least exposed to all weathers.

Winter Driving Accessories being sold by Gamages Department Store of Holborn, London

Bibliography :

• "The Motor", Jan 1907 (from my own collection)
• Graces Guide - British Industrial History (Internet)

The Twa Brigs O' Ayr

May 26, 2014, 12:26 am

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The historic "Auld Brig O' Ayr", now forever associated with the poem by Robert Burns. The New Bridge is visible through the piers. [From my own collection]

What does an old bridge in Scotland have in common with Dunedin New Zealand? Read on my friends.... The "Twa Brigs O' Ayr" [the two bridges of Ayr] in Ayrshire Scotland are of great historic interest, dating from the 15th and 19th centuries respectively. But when I contemplated writing a Blog about the 'Auld Brig' [old bridge] to go with my own 'Auld Brig' artefact I was very pleasantly surprised to discover yet another interesting association with my home town of Dunedin - and of New Zealand - of which I was previously unaware. But more of that anon....

A circa 1880-85 view of the "Twa Brigs O' Ayr", by George Washington Wilson [Source : Cornell University Library]

Why are These Bridges Famous? 

That the 'Auld Brig' served as the sole river crossing in Ayr for over three centuries and is now five centuries old is alone significant. But it was the [then] well known poem of Robert Burns, "The Brigs of Ayr" written in 1787 that truly immortalized the 'Auld Brig' and without doubt saved it from destruction in the early 20th century. 

The "Twa Brigs O' Ayr" prior to 1907 [From my own collection]

What do we know if its history? 

A Charter of King Alexander II of Scotland (1214-1249) from 1236 confirms that a wooden bridge then spanned the River Ayr, the wording of the charter clearly inferring maintenance rather than construction. The current 'Auld Brig', which is most likely on the same site, would appear to date from 1470-1525, being a four span "rubble" five meter wide bridge "with three segmented arches and a pointed arch, built of dressed stone throughout". Treasurer's Rolls dated 1491 (during the reign of James IV of Scotland) confirm “XVII Nouembris , to the massonis of the bryg off Ayre Xs.” [confirming payment of ten shillings to the masons of Ayr Bridge]. Although a plaque states "Auld Brig of Ayr, erected in the 13th century", together with the date "1232" on an adjacent stone, this would appear to refer to the original wooden bridge. The style of bridge is also consistent with 15th century bridge designs. 

Major Repairs

Major repairs were necessary between 1585 and 1595 when "ye bowis of ye brig yt ar ap-perend ruynous to be reparit wt all diligence becaus ye seasonn of ye yeir now provokis ye samen". Tolls were imposed to fund the repairs and again in 1687 when further repairs were found to be necessary. The north arch is known to have collapsed in 1732 along with a northern abutment. Thereafter the bridge was deemed to be insecure necessitating that all traffic use the nearby ford at low tide in order to save the bridge as much as possible. Further repairs were deemed necessary over the succeeding years until a report in 1785 condemned three of the arches. An Act of Parliament was passed to enable a new bridge to be completed downstream rather than a major repair of the existing bridge.

An early lithograph of the New Bridge which was damaged beyond repair in 1877. The 'Auld Brig' appears in the background. [Source : "The Brig of Ayr And Something of its History"]

Construction of the New Bridge

Construction of the New Bridge commenced in the autumn of 1786. Although the Town Council ordered and in fact paid for a design by the noted Architect Robert Adam, it would appear that the canny Burgh turned this down in favour of a cheaper version by Alexander Stephen.

It was while the new bridge was under construction that Robert Burns wrote his famous poem, being first published in 1787. The new bridge was opened the following year. 

An Engraving of Robert Burns by Bernhard Tauchnitz, Leipzig, 1845 [From my own collection]

Immortalized in Prose

"The Brigs of Ayr" is essentially a dialogue between the two bridges, in which the 'Auld Brig' berates the New Bridge and predicts that it shall remain standing long after its replacement has gone. Here is but an extract with the prescient verse by the 'Auld Brig' predicting the destruction of its replacement :   

[From] The New Brig -

"There's men of taste wou'd tak the Ducat stream,
Tho' they should cast the very sark and swim,
E'er they would grate their feelings wi' the view
O' sic an ugly, Gothic hulk as you.”

[From] The Auld Brig -

"Conceited gowk! puff'd up wi' windy pride!

This mony a year I've stood the flood an' tide;
And tho' wi' crazy eild I'm sair forfairn ,

I'll be a brig when ye're a shapeless cairn!"

And all Things Shall Come to Pass 

In 1877 Burns' poetic prediction was indeed realised, the New Bridge having to be demolished and completely rebuilt in 1878-79 after having sustained serious damage in a severe flood. The sturdy 'Auld Brig' remained standing - but probably only just. 

The arches of the "Auld Brig" shown with the wooden supports added in 1904. [From my own collection]

Irreparable

The large abutments on each pier of the 'Auld Brig' served to deflect the flood water and have in fact probably saved it from serious flood damage on more than one occasion. But after the opening of the replacement bridge Engineers now deemed the 'Auld Brig' to be "irreparable" and in a rather precarious state. Work on underpinning the arches (pictured) was undertaken in 1904 to enable the bridge to remain open pending a final decision. An Engineers report in 1906 calculated the cost of any permanent repair at £10,000 But the 'cult of Burns' and indeed a strong local attachment to the historic 'Auld Brig' would be its saviour. Burns could never have known that he himself would almost certainly save this historic structure for posterity. 

A Plea to Scots World-Wide

So how was this money raised? In 1906 the canny Town Council of Ayr, and playing on sentiment, sent "an ultimatum to the various Burns clubs, societies, and lovers of Burns throughout Scotland that unless they came to the rescue the march of progress demands its immediate removal." This resulted in a Voluntary Committee being formed with a "great public meeting in the Town Hall, Ayr" with Lord Rosebery making an "impassioned appeal to Scotsmen and lovers of Burns throughout the world to come to the rescue." While King Edward VII recorded his public support of Rosebery's appeal "to preserve an historic landmark" there is no published record of a contribution!

Remedial work on the 'Auld Brig', circa 1904 [Source : Canmore]

You Would Even Have to Gild the Auld Brig

News of Lord Rosebery's appeal was duly published in papers throughout New Zealand. The President of the Dunedin Burns Society, Dr Gordon MacDonald (and a fervent Scots historian), took it upon himself to raise the matter with the general public through a long letter to the Editor of the local paper, being re-printed in other regional newspapers. Here is just a part of his impassioned plea :

"Scotland values two immortal reputations which have consecrated her soul in a single century, and they are Robert Burns and Walter Scott. Sir, if every man who has attended a Burns dinner, and shed tears for the memory of Burns, and made speeches about Burns, and drunk whisky in honour of Burns, - if everyone of these now living in the world were to send a shilling, why your coffers would be overflowing, and you would even have to gild the "auld brig"" 

Although total contributions from New Zealand are unfortunately not reported, the various Scottish Societies in Dunedin were reported to "have all contributed their mile" with funds coming in from other groups including Masonic Lodges and individuals around the country. The final restoration cost amounted to £11,000 of which New Zealand can proudly claim to have played a small part. 

Remedial work on the "Auld Brig", circa 1904 [Source : Canmnore]

The Restoration Process

Restoration work on the 'Auld Brig', which was carried on between 1907 and 1910, included digging shafts down through the infill to the pier foundations which were found to be badly scoured. The original piers had been filled using oak "branders" or "cradles", being sturdy oak frames which had been lowered into the stream and then filled with stone to form each pier foundation. The centre of each pier was then completely filled with concrete down to the clay base with the facing stones being repaired. The arches were also strengthened, with more concrete being used, and stonework repaired. No attempt was made to correct the distorted south arch.    

My 'Mauchline Ware' style snuff box, "Made of Wood from the Foundations of "Auld Brig o' Ayr. Built 1252 [sic]" [From my own collection]

Mauchline Ware Souvenirs

It is from these ancient oak "branders" that my snuff box is made although modern research has of course proven the assumed date of 1252 to be incorrect. It is hardly likely that the oak is from the original foundations of the first bridge knowing that so much oak was used in the construction of the second 'Auld Brig'. A number of these 'Mauchline style' snuff boxes and other small artefacts appear to have been made after 1907 and utilizing this old oak. Although some are unmarked, they are all believed to be the work of John Lyall of Ayr. While now reliably dating from the foundations of either 1470-1525 or 1585, the oak itself will considerably predate this period as ancient oak trees can have a life-span of up to 900 years. My Great Aunt advised me that this particular snuff box, which is unused, had been a family gift from her Uncle, Mr Adam Letham, being the owner of "The Queen's Hotel" at 9 South Harbour Bridge, Ayr, [now 'Cascades Bistro' at 9-13 South Harbour Street?] and situated within sight of both the 'Auld Brig' and the New Bridge of 1878-79. 

An aerial view of the 'Twa Brigs' as they appear today [Source : Canmore]

Taunting Each Other Anew

From 1910 the old bridge has served only as a footpath thus the "Twa Brig's o' Ayr" remain, no doubt continuing to taunt each other anew!

A present day view of pedestrians crossing the 'Auld Brig'. [Source : Google street View]

This is by no means an exhaustive 'essay' on the "Twa Brigs O' Ayr" but primarily serves to highlight not only my own artefact but also the direct New Zealand connection to the restoration of this old historic bridge. You can read a very full account of the history of the 'Auld Brig"Here.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson Family Papers and Artefacts [held by the writer]
• Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
• Scotlands Oldest Bridges
• Cornell University Library
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• "The Brig of Ayr And Something of its History" by James A. Morris, 1912 [Internet]
• "The Poetical Works of Robert Burns", Bernard Tauchnitz, Leipzig, 1845 [From my own collection]

George Magnus Hassing - An Extraordinary New Zealand Pioneer (Part One of Two)

June 4, 2014, 10:09 pm

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George Magnus Hassing 1837 - 1928 [From my own collection]

The Danish born George Magnus Hassing led the most extraordinarily varied and fascinating pioneering life. From globe-trotting seaman, to bush saw miller in New Zealand, to Clutha River log raftsman, to gold rush store-keeper and ferry-man, to West Coast Explorer, to gold miner during the glory days of the Otago and West Coast Gold Rushes, to respected long-term country Schoolmaster, but not forgetting a prolific Journalist; before finally retiring in 1921 at the venerable age of 85.

The notation on the reverse of the above photograph [From my own collection]

This two-part resumé will highlight the incredibly diverse life of this capable and adaptable Danishman. While Hassing's name and varied exploits are little known today, we are at least left with his many autobiographical "journalistic vignettes", later being published as a whole in 1930. Hassing's very descriptive first-hand eyewitness accounts of his pioneering years in the Gold Field towns are in fact often the primary testimony available to historians today, particularly of early Cardrona and Bendigo. Hassing additionally rubbed shoulders with many now well-known, if even infamous, individuals. His wonderful grasp of the English language and descriptive manner of writing truly brings these colourful characters to life. This two part Blog is but a small edited fraction of those many stories.

The Lure of the Seven Seas :

Having been born in Denmark in 1837, well educated, and upon reaching the age of 15 years and anxious to see the world for himself, the lure of the seven seas called George Hassing to exotic and lonely far-flung shores. Serving on merchant sailing ships for seven years he truly criss-crossed the globe from such far-flung ports as exotic Canton China and Yokohama Japan in the Orient, to the isolated Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean, to lonely Elephant Island off Antarctica where Shackleton's crews were later hold up, to bustling San Francisco where he took time off to indulge in the "California gold rush fever". In 1852, and off the Cape of Good Hope, he observed Brunel's great steamship, the "S.S. Great Britain" [which his vessel "spoke" to], while on her first voyage to Australia and carrying 630 emigrants. In 1859 he sailed to Port Cooper [now Lyttleton] New Zealand on the "Ambrosine", then taking "french leave" (i.e., jumped ship) with two ship-mates. With the law hard on their heels, they safely made good their escape via the whaling station at Kaikoura to Wellington.

The Indian Rebellion, 1857 :

But arriving at Bombay [Mumbai] India on the "Pride of the Ocean" in the summer of 1857, Hassing and his ship-mate William Ellacott visited the British Army Barracks "and fraternized with the troops just returned from Cawnpore [Kanpur] after the shocking massacre at that town." It is believed that 120 British women and children were killed and up to 7,000 locals were executed in "retaliatory counter-atrocities". Hassing makes no other comment on what he may have been told nor does he lay blame on any one party involved in this incredibly brutal massacre. It was in fact Hassing's glowing description of New Zealand that encouraged the English born Ellacott to also come out to New Zealand, then joining Hassing on most of his adventures through the 1860's. Hassing later deposited Ellacott's diaries of his early Wanaka adventures in the [then] Otago Settler's Museum.   

This Britain of the South :

Hassing returned to the sea but obviously not before seeing enough of New Zealand and the opportunities it offered to interest him to return - without the law hard on his heels! An able seaman would be paid £2.10/- a month, the food was mainly "sea horse and weevily biscuits", accommodation was a less than comfortable bunk alongside the windlass, and the hours were long. But one could earn £1 a week "with an unlimited allowance of damper [campfire bread] and mutton in this Britain of the South".

West Wanaka Station, of around 30,000 acres, includes the area marked "Wanaka West" on the left hand shores of the lake in the above map. From a map dated 1888. [From my own collection]

Back-Breaking Work :

In 1860 his first job in New Zealand, along with a close mate, Bill Atkins, was pit-sawing timber, posts, rails and shingles for the West Wanaka Station in the rugged back-blocks of the South Island, back-breaking work requiring tremendous physical strength. As we shall read, George was an extremely adaptable individual.

Rats, as White as Millers :

Setting up a camp at the mouth of Minaret Burn [shown in upper centre-right of the above map], some three miles above West Wanaka Homestead, and being surrounded by precipitous mountains and having just one cockleshell boat, they were effectively "imprisoned in the bush for six months". But with plenty of food, they soon "tumbled down the giants of the forest and made the sawdust fly". The bush teemed with plump pigeons and kakas which provided them with fresh food. But one night, they had a visitation of rats, "which swooped down from the mountains in thousands". Hassing and his mate "killed hundreds of them with forks tied to the end of sticks", including those that ventured under the wooden platform which partly covered the floor of their accommodation. Anxious to secure their precious supply of flour, this was hoisted up a tree. But a couple of nights later, when the need to obtain some flour required the sack to be lowered, "a dozen or more rats, as white as millers sprang out of various holes before it reached the ground. However we had to make the best of it till the boat arrived with a fresh supply." Within a fortnight every rat had disappeared as suddenly as they had arrived. 

The Makarora River Valley and Forests, shown at the head of Lake Wanaka. From a map dated 1888. [From my own collection]

One Unbroken, Seething Ocean of Flame :

In early 1861, Hassing, accompanied by Mr H.S. Thomson of West Wanaka Station, set off up the Makarora Valley at the head of Lake Wanaka to examine the pine forests some seven miles up the valley. In the valley they discovered a ruined Māori village dating from a raid in 1836. Further access up the valley was only possible by following the river beaches and fording the river wherever necessary, the valley being "covered with an impenetrable mass of cabbage trees, flax, and fern, growing to a height of 8ft to 10ft and the ground a jungle of dried and decayed vegetation, over which it was impossible to make any headway". So to assist in clearing a path, the pair started a fire at the head of the lake. Unfortunately "this soon developed into one unbroken, seething ocean of flame from hillside to hillside, and fanned by a southerly wind, it raged for three days and nights, travelling up the valley 20 miles". Ironically, by 1865 Hassing found that the fire had transformed the valley into "a beautiful carpet of luxuriant grass over which it was a pleasure to travel".   

Dunedin, pictured from Bell Hill in 1862 [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

25 Jolly Adventurers :

In August 1862, while killing wild pigs on the Waipara Run in North Canterbury, and hearing of Hartley and Riley's discovery of gold on the Molyneux, Hassing immediately packed his swag and took a passage on a vessel for Dunedin. Here he found the place bustling with activity with hundreds of men eager to get away to the new "rush". Joining four others, they then took a small steamer for Waikouaiti, calling at the well-known Johnny Jones' store for provisions, tent and gold mining tools. On the journey through the hinterland others joined the merry group, now numbering "25 jolly adventurers" off to seek their fortune. The picture of that jovial group singing round the blazing camp fires at Coal Creek reminded Hassing of similar scenes he had witnessed on the Californian goldfields in the fifties. And what of the enterprising fellow who laid a long plank across a creek and charged 6d each to cross? All willingly paid the "toll". And of the "cute business acumen" of an enterprising and isolated Station cookhouse which not only sold mutton quarters to their passing trade but also offered them boiled mutton, the resulting hot soup with barley and onions, and freshly baked scones... "All enjoyed a merry feast".  

The Burgess & Sullivan Gang, 1866. Philip Levy appears at bottom. [Source : National Library of NZ]

Three to Four Ounces of Gold a Day :

Having arrived at "Mutton Town", a canvas town of 30 to 40 tents, already complete with a canvas store run by a Jewish firm, "Levy & Co." which included one Philip Levy, later to be hanged as one of the notorious Burgess and Sullivan gang of Bushrangers. The group first set up camp then all obtained Miner's Prospecting Rights issued by the well-known Vincent Pyke, the first Commissioner of the new goldfields. Prospecting was then carried on up the Clutha River to where Clyde is now situated however nothing of any consequence was found. But upon travelling along the Fraser River to Butcher's Gully, "a splendid prospect" was found on a steep high bank of the river which averaged around three to four ounces of gold a day. The river claim was quickly pegged off.    

An example of a Prospecting [Miner's] Right issued by the Province of Otago in 1862 [Source : NZMuseums]

Disaster and Retreat :

Concurrent with panning, the wash dirt from the claim was carried back up from the beach and stacked close to the steep bank, "some forty or fifty loads of auriferous gravel-wash". Their panned gold was "stored" in a crater like hollow of a large rock across the river. Then one day a heavy rain set in which continued all day and all night. By noon the following day the rock now lay across a raging and impassable river, being at least 8 to 10 feet under water and the carefully stored wash dirt would have been swept away. The party decided that the river had won and left for Dunstan [Clyde] which had now replaced Mutton Town. Surprisingly, Hassing never returned to the scene and pondered later if the panned gold remained in that hollow rock.     

The Clutha River meanders from Pembroke / Newcastle (upper right), and down to Cromwell (lower right) where it joins the Kawarau River, 1888 [From my own collection]

Thank God it is Safely Over :

In 1862, the great drawback to gold mining and construction in Central Otago was the complete absence of wood in the surrounding area which had to be brought in my bullock teams. Thus even simple wooden hand cradles for slicing the river wash retailed at £10 each. Wooden gin and brandy cases (even minus the contents) were in hot demand! Thus Hassing, along with others, took on the risky and perilous task of rafting logs of timber lashed together from forests at the heads of Lakes Wanaka and Hawea some 50 miles down the rough and turbulent Clutha River. Hassing noted that some lost their lives at this work through not having the requisite qualifications, i.e, a strong nerve, capable of swimming in rough water, and possessed of a thorough knowledge of the river. Parts of the river, such as "Snake Point", "The Devil's Nook", and "The Boiling Pot", were very aptly named. Hassing's last river trip was in 1876 when he brought Mr Deans, the Curator of the Otago Acclimatisation Society with his tin cans from Wanaka down to Cromwell, after having released the first trout ovum in the lake. Deans described the river trip as "the most exciting experience of my life, and I can only say, thank God it is safely over".

A group of early Wanaka Pioneers including William Ellacott who shared many of George Hassing's Wanaka adventures. Back Row : (L to R) Hamlet Palmer, Wm. Ellacott, JD Ross, Hy. Norman; Front Row : Robert H. Norman, Richard Norman, AE Farquhar, William Waterson, James Isbell. [Source : The Otago Witness]

It Pays to Advertise :

But by 1863, and in the midst of the rush of gold miners from the Dunstan and Gabriel's Gully to the newly discovered workings on the Arrow River, Hassing foresaw the advantages of setting up a ferry and his own store at Sandy Point, thus providing a convenient crossing of the the Clutha River some 10 miles below Albertown to the east of Wanaka. It pays to advertise, and after putting up 100 posters along the route from the Dunstan near Cromwell there were 40 miners and pack-horses following him. Later in 1863, Hassing and his partner sold out to the Māori Chief Patu and his tribe who had "accumulated a little pile" at Maori Point on the Shotover River, the Chief then inviting most of the Māori's from Moeraki, to join him.

The Cardrona river flowing from lower left to Pembroke [Albertown] at upper right centre. [From my own collection]

The Boiling, Seething Torrent :

From July to September 1863 the disastrous"Old Man Flood" swept through the district, claiming the lives of upwards of 63 miners. Crossing the Cardrona River at Albertown in June 1863, and already "then roaring down in high flood", his horse was swept off its feet while the rider was "plunged headlong into the boiling, seething torrent". Despite wearing "a big top-coat and a pair of long nugget boots", luck was evidently on his side this day and he made it to the bank while his horse had to be dragged out with ropes but later died.

The Sanctimonious Shepherd :

In the early 1860's, Hassing observed a stranger arriving in Albertown, "A strange looking individual, dressed in a peculiar garb, lean, tall-featured, with a stubble of grey beard, and keen restless eyes... He wore a shabby-looking brown frock coat, a a Scotch bonnet, and carried a large carpet bag." Introducing himself as "McKay McKenzie", he stated that he had been engaged as Shepherd on a run at Roy's Bay on Lake Wanaka. Assigned to a hut at Glendhu Bay with a young man named Ned Poole, Hassing often heard, when he had occasion to row up or down the lake, "their voices pouring forth in scared song across the placid waters of the lake of a calm evening". But the fear of McKenzie becoming demented forced the manager to discharge him, eventually having to be taken under an escort of diggers to the Dunstan, thence to Dunedin. But his old brown coat and carpet bag remained at Glendhu, the latter being opened by the Station Manager, "Imagine the surprise... when Scottish bank notes to the value of £800 were unfolded." 

The Origin of the "Loot"? :

McKenzie later returned to the station, apparently now sound of mind. Inquiring as to his coat and bag, he was advised these were still in the hut at Glendhu Bay. But "the country was then overrun with gold-seekers" and McKenzie was disconsolate to find the coat had been taken by persons unknown. Hassing surmised that it contained hidden papers sewn into the lining. In fact, the carpet bag, which remained, appeared to be of secondary importance to him. The "contents" were counted out to him, and being all in order, he left for new employment at Morven Hill's Station. But upon Hassing later relating this tale to an intelligent young man at Albertown named McLeod, the lad replied, "I was born and brought up in Sutherland, in Scotland, and I have been in New Zealand only a few months. I remember a cattle dealer in Sutherland named McKay McKenzie answering exactly to the description you have just given. He was trusted by the local farmers and crofters to collect all the cattle they had to dispose of, and drive them to the periodical sales, and there dispose of them to the best advantage... After each sale McKenzie would return and settle up fairly with the respective owners of the cattle... But on his last trip, when he had collected a larger mob than ever before, he did not return with the proceeds... but he disappeared to parts unknown".      

Exploring the Haast River and West Coast Passes :

In 1865, Hassing accompanied the Explorer and Prospector, William Docherty, on a 90 day expedition from Makarora up the Haast River and across to the West Coast. They not only negotiated very difficult terrain, but also dangerous river and mountain crossings, an unexpected "flash flood" almost trapping them in a river cave, a rapidly rising river threatening to wash away their camp overnight, relying on their dog "Spriggins" to catch kiwis, kakapos and wekas for their meals, and unexpectedly discovering 10,000 acres of open grass land which they decided to apply for as a run. But being Winter in June, and camped beside "a mountain lagoon" [tarn] atop a mountain plateau heading to the West Coast, they were subjected to "a blinding snowstorm which continued without intermission for 48 hours". Only the top of the tent remained visible. Their almost buried tent had to be left behind as it was "frozen hard as iron and buried in frozen snow", eating only "raw oatmeal and salt".

Swearing, Tearing and Skull-Cracking :

In early 1867, Hassing, who was then in Hokitika on the West Coast, heard of gold being discovered in the Buller River. With 40 or 50 other goldminers he left on a coastal steamer for the Buller. They were quickly followed by "several hundreds" eager to get up the river on small ferry-boats and stake a claim. But, arriving on the Sabbath, and as it was illegal to peg out claims on a Sunday, the miners merely pitched camp close to where they would stake their claim come Monday morning. Expecting a tussle, the other miners were true to form, Hassing describing "the swearing, tearing and skull-cracking... on that Monday morning as something to be remembered." In less than a fortnight over 1,000 men were on the field. The claim staked by Hassing and his friends proved unsuccessful, digging a "slabbed" shaft down 25 feet whence they struck a rush of water which filled the shaft. As his friends were without funds, Hassing stood the cost of this fiasco which amounted to several hundred pounds, "but such losses were borne without flinching". After some unsuccessful prospecting Hassing returned south again.

A Young Looking Richard J. Seddon. In 1877 he become Mayor of Kumara. [Source : Teara.Govt.nz]

The Fenian Riot of 1868 :     

With a quite uncanny ability to be the "the man on the spot" during significant events in the very eventful history of New Zealand, Hassing, along with an old mate, then set up a terrace gold claim at Waimea next to that worked by one Richard John Seddon (later becoming Prime Minister of New Zealand). It was only two months later that the 'Fenian Riot' took place in Hokitika, taking possession of the cemetery, and holding a mock funeral in commemoration of the Manchester martyrs, Larkin and O'Brien. Hassing joined the 'Waimea Contingent' which then, under the leadership of the one-armed Lawyer "Button", marched to Hokitika, scattering the rioters and, amidst much rejoicing, restored order in Hokitika.   

A Celebrated and World-Renowned - Imposter! :

At this time, a German National by the name of Christian Friedrich Schäfer landed in Hokitika, Hassing staying in the same hotel where he took lodgings. Hassing described him as "long, wiry hair, a very short body, but abnormally long legs and arms... He resembled an orang-utang or an overgrown baboon more than a human" [Note : period newspapers make mention of his having been a cripple with a damaged back, having been run over by a carriage when young and was thus only 4ft 9in]. Being taken as "an unprincipled imposter, [he] did not take on in Hokitika." But arriving in Dunedin, Schäfer had a public reception as "the celebrated and world-renowned German traveller". But he eventually landed in gaol for his escapades up north. Hassing notes (post 1918) that as remarkable as it may seem, it was esteemed a high honour to be a German and thus Schafer was accordingly treated as a distinguished personality.

Please click Here to read the final part of this Blog.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson Family Photographic Collection (held by the writer)
• Personal Family Papers and Photographs (held by the writer)
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• "The Memory Log of G.M. Hassing", 1930 (from my own collection)
• "Looking Back 100 Years - Heddon Bush School 1881-1981" (from my own collection) 
• "Golden Days of Lake County", by FWG Miller, 1962 (from my own collection)
• "The Flame Unquenched", By G. McDonald, 1956 (from my own collection)
• "The Interior Cold Lakes of Otago", NZ Survey Map, 1888 (from my own collection)

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George Magnus Hassing - An Extraordinary New Zealand Pioneer (Part Two of Two)

June 14, 2014, 7:55 pm

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George Hassing (at right) with Mrs Christina Wraytt (at left), (Mrs Wraytt an early Teacher at Kingston before her marriage to Mr Josiah Wraytt of Garston). [Source : "Golden Days in Lake County"]

This Blog concludes the story of the Danish born George Magnus Hassing. George led the most extraordinarily varied and fascinating pioneering life. From globe-trotting seaman, to bush saw miller in New Zealand, to Clutha River log raftsman, to gold rush store-keeper and ferry-man, to West Coast Explorer, to gold miner during the glory days of the Otago and West Coast Gold Rushes, to respected long-term country Schoolmaster, and not forgetting a prolific Journalist; before finally retiring in 1921 at the venerable age of 85. To view the first Blog in this two part series please click Here.

Isolated Cardrona shown at lower centre in relation to Albertown (at upper right) and Arrowtown (at lower left). From a map dated 1888. [From my own collection]

The Overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty :

By 1874, Hassing was the principal owner of the Empire Gold-Mining claim at Cardrona. At this time there were around 150 European miners on the field and some 600 Chinamen, it being "a happy hunting ground for the Celestials". Hassing, "with a view to improving and elevating the moral and intellectual nature of the Chinese residents... started an adult Chinese evening school..". He notes their "keen interest and remarkable aptitude in acquiring the rudiments of English". Soon becoming affectionately known as "Mr Ah Sing", Hassing believed that his previous two years' experience in the coastal towns of China had been of much value to him. With a dry sense of humour he notes that most of his Celestial pupils made enough money to return to the "Flowery Land" but "whether the subsequent overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty was in a remote way due to my democratic teaching is, of course an open question." Hassing held the "most happy recollections of the pleasant evenings spent with my Chinese friends." 

The Catastrophic Great Flood of 1878 :  

   

In 1878, "a great flood overwhelmed the place" destroying most of the gold mining workings. This catastrophe ruined many miners, including Hassing. Thereupon he made application to the Southland Education Board for the position of Teacher of the Cardrona School, which was then vacant. He carried on this occupation at Cardrona until 1885, "... very happy days, though not without care, anxiety, and sorrow - the outstanding feature was the cosmopolitan, brotherly, charitable, and helpful spirit animating the whole community."

The picturesque main street of a much smaller Cardrona as it  appears today, but still retaining a 19th century atmosphere. [From my own collection]

Never Shall I Forget the... Fixed Stares of Those Children :

"Never shall I forget the rigid attitudes and fixed stare of those children as their gaze was riveted upon [the School Inspector]... He had on an Indian helmet, a large dust coat, a pair of double black goggles, and carried under his arm a heavy riding whip with an ugly brass knob on the end of the handle." On closer acquaintance Hassing found him to be "a most affable and courteous gentleman."

A Miners' Orchestra :

As Secretary of the newly formed Miners' Association, Hassing "burned the midnight oil" on many occasions in order to win concessions on behalf of the town which included "£6,000 for a mountain traffic road, 3,000 acres adjoining the town set apart for a public commonage, a fine cemetery site, telegraph connection, [and] library subsidy..." With an acknowledged gift for organisation, another of Hassing's achievements at Cardrona was to set up a "fine miners' Orchestra", comprising of men who played the piano, violin, concertina, banjo, piccolo, and drum. The social life in Cardrona would extend well beyond the bars of the four local hotels.

Rev. A. Stobo

Rev. D. Ross

Clergymen Prohibited From Entering the School :

Hassing latterly encountered a vivid example of the fervent emotion still generated today by what we now know as "Bible in Schools" Religious Education. An Anglican clergyman was politely told to distribute his religious literature after school hours but, replying that this was not possible, proceeded to walk round the class placing a circular on each desk. But that evening the Chairman of the school committee accosted Hassing in a fury, "I have always respected you... but to permit a black Protestant to proselytize my children., I shall never forgive." Many of the local miners would have been Catholic or Presbyterian. Thereafter a notice prohibited all Clergymen from entering the school during school hours. But this did not deter the Presbyterian Ministers, the Rev's Andrew Stobo and Donald Ross, who duly entered but left "after a pleasant inspection" of the children. This violation incensed the School Committee who imposed punitive actions on Hassing, and resolved to appoint a Teacher "of the right [religious] persuasion" to start a denominational school in a hut below the township. Shortly after commencing work the newly appointed teacher broke his neck falling off a bridge.

It was no accident that prohibition era "Hokonui Moonshine" was distilled in the bush-covered Hokonui hills. [Source : Moonshinefest]

A Strong Leaning Towards Their National Beverage :

"The impossibility of carrying on the school under such conditions" prompted Hassing to seek a Teaching position elsewhere. Thus, in 1885, he moved, with his wife, whom he had married in 1876, to the small "Highland community" of Hokonui in Central Southland, "a kind, generous, sociable people, anxious for the education of their children, but with a strong leaning towards their national beverage." Even today, the colourful heritage of "Hokonui Moonshine" [illicitly distilled whisky] during the years of prohibition in Southland from 1905 to 1943 / 1954 is renowned - and celebrated.

George Hassing with his Wife and Daughter outside the Heddon Bush Schoolhouse. [Source : "Looking Back 100 Years"]

Think, and Ponder Over It, Ye Modern Teachers! :

By August 1886 the Hassing family had moved to the small country school of Heddon Bush, also in Central Southland. The poor attendance had meant that the salary had reduced to £42 per annum or 15 shillings a week so he was initially disinterested in the position. But he was assured that within a month of his taking the position the roll would double, then increasing his salary. But roll numbers were slow to increase so for the first three months it actually cost Hassing £1. 5s for the privilege of teaching 35 State school children; "Think, and ponder deeply over it, ye modern teachers!"

Heddon Bush School from the rear, showing the entrance. The Head Teacher, Mr Samuel Jackson and Mrs Jackson appear in the image. As with Mr & Mrs Hassing, both also ran the Public Library, the Heddon Bush Post Office, and the only telephone in the district was connected to the Schoolhouse. Taken circa 1916. [From my own collection]

The Committee Armed and Rushed for Recapture :

Hassing's predecessor, being of "the old school" had engendered a bitter and divisive feud in the community over his outdated teaching techniques and the children's education naturally suffered. Half the community wished to retain him, the other to see him gone. Finally, after a "free fight at the annual householders' meeting", the teacher was turned out of the school. He then countered by setting up school in his residence for those who still wished to retain him, "But one night, under cover of darkness, he made a sortie and recaptured the [locked] school building." Hearing this news, "the committee armed and rushed for recapture." They drove out the teacher, smashed up the table, chairs, windows, and door. So for his first month, Hassing worked till near mid-night repairing broken furniture, pasting up maps, putting up panes of glass, etc. At a public meeting Hassing gave the community a stern talking to which evidently soothed lingering ill feeling as an atmosphere of reconciliation immediately set in.

The 1902 New Zealand Education Department Souvenir commemorating the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902, being hand annotated  by Mr George Hassing and presented to all children then attending the school. [From my own collection]

The Presentation of a Rabbit to Avert His Wrath :

A former pupil, Mr George Catto (1893-1993) recalled that Mr Hassing wrote in a "copperplate hand", also that he was "a man who was not too strict, but if a pupil wanted to learn, he provided the opportunities..." The strap would only be used "about once a year", but any pupil deserving such a punishment could expect a "hammering". He recalled that the next teacher was rather more strict, ending the "big boys" being able to extend their lunch hour to two, "knowing full well that the presentation of a rabbit to the teacher would serve to avert the wrath which might have been called down on them for their misdemenours." A two hour lunch break was however the norm on Tuesdays so that Mr Hassing had time to read the weekly "Otago Witness" illustrated newspaper, to which he was a regular contributor.

Teacher, Mr George Hassing with Heddon Bush School  Pupils, circa 1905. My Aunt and two Uncles appear in the front row (from left, 3rd, 6th, and 7th). My Father did not commence school until 1907. [From my own collection]

An Act So Despicable :

Known to celebrate important occasions with a nip of whisky, Hassing would hide a bottle in a bag in the hedge during functions in the local hall, repairing at intervals for a nip and a yarn with his friends. But upon finding a slit in the bag and the bottle gone, a very angry Schoolmaster stormed into the hall, held up the bag, and told the no doubt astonished crowd "that in all his travels round the world he had never experienced an act so despicable as the theft of his whisky." I believe a replacement bottle was purchased for the good teacher.

The Leaving Testimonial to Mr GM Hassing, dated the 9th Dec 1906 & being signed by John Catto, James Ryan, Charles Clarke, William Watson, and my Grandfather. [From my own collection]

An Honourable & Industrious Career :

Here at Heddon Bush, George Hassing remained until after the early death of his wife in 1906 when he retired on superannuation. During his latter years at Heddon Bush he taught my own Aunt and two Uncles. As Secretary of the School Committee, my Grandfather knew Hassing well and wrote the testimonial to him dated December 1906 which I still hold, along with a first draft; "We can testify that you have done your duty nobly and well as a teacher and that you have taken an active part in every movement having for it's object the welfare of the district as well as the happiness of all around you.... we sincerely trust that under God's blessing you may be spared to enjoy in peace and happiness the reward of an honourable and industrious career."

A Christmas New Year Greeting, sent to my Grandfather after George Hassing left the Heddon Bush district. [From my own collection]

The Teacher's True Reward :

Hassing ends his "autobiographic notes" musing on how he had played many parts on life's stage but teaching was his crowning achievement :

"I little learnt at that time [when his gold mining claim was destroyed in 1878] that teaching would be my future life's work, or that I could ever learn to love a profession that holds out so few worldly advantages. Yet now I recognize that those poor advantages are as nothing compared with the high responsibility involved in training the young so that disciplined characters and good citizens may be the finished product of the school."  

Above Images : The grave of George Hassing and his Wife Lavinia in the Old Winton Cemetery in Central Southland. [From my own collection]

"The Sailor Home From the Sea, The Sailor Home From the Hill" :

Unable to fully retire, Hassing offered himself to the Southland Education Board as a relieving teacher. Fully retiring in 1922 at 85 years of age, he spent the last years of his life residing with his Grand-daughter at Aparima :

"In that retreat one found him a hale, hearty old man of unclouded mind and bouyant soul, browsing among New Zealand and Danish newspapers, attending to correspondence, helping his little great-grandsons with their lessons."

George Magnus Hassing, aged 92 years, died at Riverton Hospital on Christmas Day 1928, being interred with his wife Elizabeth Lavinia Hassing (who predeceased him after "long and painful suffering" in 1906) in the old Winton Cemetery. While the vast majority of those passing the cemetery today would have no knowledge of Geoge Hassing most would however know that the convicted "child murderer" Minnie Dean, the only woman hung for murder in New Zealand, is interred here.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson Family Photographic Collection (held by the writer)
• Personal Family Papers and Photographs (held by the writer)
• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• "The Memory Log of G.M. Hassing", 1930 (from my own collection)
• "Looking Back 100 Years - Heddon Bush School 1881-1981" (from my own collection) 
• "Golden Days of Lake County", by FWG Miller, 1962 (from my own collection)
• "The Flame Unquenched", By G. McDonald, 1956 (from my own collection)
• "The Interior Cold Lakes of Otago", NZ Survey Map, 1888 (from my own collection)

Deltiology - The World of Vintage Postcard Collecting

June 24, 2014, 11:35 am

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An Applique Postcard from Stonehouse in Lanarkshire, Scotland, having had ground glitter added to the surface

This Blog celebrates the humble postcard. During the Edwardian era, and generally up to the 1920's, postcards usefully served many varied purposes. These ranged primarily from simple holiday postcards, the exchange of personal and business related messages, as well as the sending of birthday, Christmas, New Year, and other festive occasion greetings. The increasing availability of new colour chromo-lithograph postcards, mainly printed in Saxony in Germany, further added to their popularity.

A Collage type Postcard with the image formed of used stamps

This also led to the new hobby of postcard collecting, what we now term "deltiology". During her childhood in Scotland my Great Aunt became a fervent collector, managing to fill three large albums which I now hold. Obviously becoming a very discriminating collector, her brother sent her an extra large 26 cm long postcard in 1907 with only the very short and seemingly rather exasperated message, "Will this one please you? J.W."

A Mirror Postcard which can only be read by holding it up to a mirror

An added bonus has been the large amount of personal and family related information I have been able to glean from these postcards. Even simple and apparently mundane personal messages have enabled me to gain a better understanding and impression of everyday Edwardian life and times. Had these been sent as letters this information would generally not have survived. Once the telephone came into common usage, much everyday information which had previously been conveyed by way of the postcard, then ceased. Interestingly, comparisons can be made to the advent of email and electronic messaging and how this will, in another hundred years, leave an even larger "black hole" in the printed record of own daily lives.  

A Novelty Postcard - "The Language of Postage Stamps"

This is no where near an exhaustive record of the many types of Postcards available, being just a small percentage of the more interesting examples in my own collection.

Advertising

Stra'ven [Strathaven] in Lanarkshire Scotland was once widely renowned for Gingerbread

Mr John Letham of Auchinairn, Bishopbriggs appears to be making use of free postcards supplied by the firm of "Hadfields".

Military & War

A sentimental type of postcard that became popular during World War One

"Unity is Strength" with the flags of Britain and her Allies - A Christmas postcard from the First World War period

Humour

An Exaggeration Postcard - manipulated images are nothing new!

A Humorous postcard showing a man warming his feet on a candle, probably dating from the 37 day Miner's strike of 1912

A Comic Postcard - a very mild version compared to some! Circa 1920's

Embroidered Postcards

An Embroidered postcard of the Gordon Highlander's Crest,   World War One period

An embroidered card with the British and French Flags. World War One period

Birthdays & Christmas

A Glossy Birthday Postcard with an embossed border

An Edwardian Birthday Postcard

A Birthday Card featuring well known Edwardian actresses

An Edwardian Christmas Postcard

Love & Affection 

An Edwardian Chromolithograph Postcard expressing love

"Collage"

A Novelty Postcard with the die cut images pasted onto the backing card

Events 

A glossy Postcard from the New Zealand International Exhibition held in Christchurh, 1906-07. The card has been highlighted with glitter.

A Postcard advertising the touring Australian Champion Woodcutters Peter MacLaren and Harry Jackson, posted by the promoter, Mr Thomas Dougall, 1908.

Mechanical 

Mechanical Postcards with moving parts were easily damaged and are now quite rare, as evidenced in this case by the missing Lion's tail which could be spun around.

Anthropomorphic

"On Holiday" - An Anthropomorphic postcard depicting dogs with human attributes. Such images depicting animals in semi-human form were once very popular

Pull-Out

"Pull-out" Postcards allowed the recipient to open a cover and pull out a long strip with images, in this case of the Scottish National Exhibition, Glasgow 1908

Business

Postcards were popular with businesses for non-confidential mail.

And this Postcard served as a record of British Post and Telegraph charges for 1909

All Postcards are from my own collection and may be freely copied for personal use provided this site is acknowledged.

Three 19th Century Snuff Boxes

July 7, 2014, 12:00 pm

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A Scottish 'Mauchline Ware' Snuff Box by I. Richmond of Cumnock

This Blog features a detailed look at three Scottish family owned snuff boxes from my collection, all ranging age in age from the 1830's to the 1850's and being quite different in design. That the provenance of these items is known adds considerably to their historical interest, not to mention their sentimental value.

"An Antique Pair of Snuffers", and drawn by Frederick Barnard. From "Harper's Weekly", 5th May 1888. [Source Wikipedia]

Snuff is in fact simply powdered tobacco, the inhaling of this product to get a "hit" of nicotine being particularly common in the British Isles and elsewhere throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. It is clear that senior male members of my family also enjoyed "taking snuff".

A Cowrie Shell Snuff Box dated London 1829

My first box is a cowrie shell snuff box which has been fitted with a sterling silver base with the underside of the cover additionally being gilded. The silver mark is for London 1829 but there is unfortunately no makers mark. The cover also features a fascinating inscription reading :

"This 

Was presented me 

Jany eighteen thirty-three. 

To solace me when alone, 

A poor blind man och on! 

By my only surviving son 

O'Three 

John".

The Engraving on the Cover

Provenance of original ownership is always extremely important and adds so much to the history of any item. This snuff box belonged to my Great Great Great Grandfather, Mr John Hall Snr. [born circa 1755, died 1835], a "portioner" [land-owner] residing in Roslin village, Midlothian in Scotland. This would have been a gift from his third son John Hall Jnr., hence the "O'Three John", who himself died in 1856 aged 71 years. While noted in the inscription as being "blind", this could just as easily have been cataracts. After John's death in 1835 this box, along with his engraved gold carnelian intaglio wax seal, were kept as keepsakes by his daughter who had married my Great Great Grandfather (pictured below) in 1808.

The gilded Underside of the Cover

My second featured item is a 'Mauchline Ware' holly root snuff box, the flat side being shown in the image at the top of this page. While featured in a previous Blog, new specific information has since come to hand. The manufacturer can be positively identified as "I. Richmond" of Cumnock in East Ayrshire, being a very typical example of his own specific design. This is confirmed from the design of the box, the red-jacketed huntsman, and the so-called "sea weed" decoration around the edges, all being typical trademark aspects of his designs.

A close-up of the Pen and Ink image on the Snuff Box by I Richmond, Cumnock

One whole side of the box is formed from a hollowed out holly root while the flat cover of sycamore wood includes a coloured pen and ink drawing of a mounted huntsman wearing a red riding jacket and doffing his top hat while out riding. Along the top are the words "For Auld Lang Syne" and two hands clasping. Some wear is evident to the cover. This box includes the highly ingenious 'Mauchline Ware' hidden hinge although this example is unfortunately broken. The best estimate of date of manufacture would be circa 1840's to 1850's.

The Holly Root Snuff Box by "I. Richmond" of Cumnock

The provenance of this holly root box is known, having been in the possession of one of two brothers of the Watson family originally of "Burnhead Farm", in the Parish of Dalserf in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Both of these brothers died in 1881 and 1883 respectively.

The Horn Snuff Box with Silver Inlay

My third box is not in itself particularly remarkable but still has quite an interesting tale to tell which now proves its provenance beyond any shadow of a doubt whatsoever. Sometimes one has to simply believe that we are truly meant to discover information and that someone is looking down on us and guiding us. Such occurrences, with some being more than mere chance, have occurred to me on a number of occasions over the years. Interestingly, such serendipitous occurrences happened quite often (but not just to me alone) when I was employed in a National Church Archive.

Horn Snuff Box With Original Contents

But firstly, this item is a simple and well-used horn snuff box with a silver inlay which in itself has not been engraved. We can also observe the (intact) 'hidden hinge' common to most 'Mauchline Style' wood or horn snuff boxes of this era. Upon opening the box some of the original contents, although much decayed, are evident. While I knew that this box had come down through my paternal family line, I had no engraving on the box itself or family notes to make an incontrovertible identification as to original ownership. But luck came my way in a quite unexpected but conclusive manner.

Horn Snuff Box belonging to my Great Great Grandfather, being identified by the shape and markings on the horn

Extensive genealogy enquiries in Scotland in the 1990's brought me into contact with a distant and hitherto unknown relative in New Zealand who advised me that her family had held an old unidentified photo album since 1912. As the original owner of the album was known to be a member of my paternal family she kindly lent it to me for my perusal. I could only make one positive identification, being a previously unknown carte-de-visite portrait of my Great Great Grandfather (pictured below) who died in 1870 aged 86 years, facial features being able to be compared with another but different image I already held. The portrait is in itself rather interesting, quite unusually being taken slightly side-on. But what took me by surprise was to see his snuff box placed on the pillar beside him. Under high magnification the very same markings appearing on my snuff box could be discerned. Having held this family owned snuff box since 1978 I had never thought that the original provenance could ever be positively proven. Dating this box is extremely problematic but it could be from the 1830's to 1840's.

My Great Great Grandfather (died 1870) with his Snuff Box on the Pillar

Quite surprisingly, another piece of my own jig-saw puzzle of family artefacts came together while I was writing and researching this Blog. The moral of this last story is therefore, never lose hope and keep an open mind, information can come our way from the most unexpected quarters. Often even just a small but critical part of the jigsaw puzzle enables the overall picture to become obvious.

"Murder on the Night Goods"

July 21, 2014, 11:33 am

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A "J" Class Locomotive of the type used in Southland and South Otago in 1883. These locomotives were manufactured by a number of English engineering firms including Avonside, Dubs, Neilson, Vulcan and Stephenson. Locomotives and tenders were generally painted in a "pleasant green" livery with careful lining out. None are preserved but parts survive. [Source : National Library of New Zealand]

"A Very Sad Tale"

I recently uncovered a very sad tale relating to a close friend of my maternal family of which I was previously unaware. Headlines in papers throughout the country read "Mysterious Murder on the Southern Line", "The Clinton Mystery", "The Wairuna Tragedy", "The Southland Tragedy", and "The Fatal Outrage". While initially viewed as murder but subsequently downgraded to manslaughter, the effects on the two families involved were hardly any less significant.

A "J" Class Locomotive with its mixed train about to leave Invercargill Railway Station for points north. Oddly, trains heading up the Main Line to Clinton first travelled south in the opposite direction to this mixed train, taken 1885 [Source : "All Aboard", by RJ Meyer]

"After Proceeding about 3½ Miles South of Clinton"

The sad story commenced when the 10 p.m. "No. 7 south goods train" pulled out of the remote rural Station of Clinton in the South Island of New Zealand on its return journey to Invercargill on the evening of the 23rd August 1883. On the locomotive footplate, almost certainly an attractively proportioned English "J. Class", were three men, the Driver, Peter Dunn; the Fireman, John [Jack] Henderson; the Brakesman, Charles Simmonds; with the Guard, Mr W. Duncan, in the van. After proceeding about 3½ miles west of Clinton, and at a speed of around 12 miles per hour, the train entered a short cutting about a mile from the wayside Wairuna Station.

The route followed by the train from Clinton, additionally showing the site of the Roy residence and the wayside Wairuna Station. [Source : "Dr Hocken's Laptop Guide To The South"]

"Oh, Oh, Oh, Peter, I Am Shot"

The sound of a shot being fired was heard from the left-hand bank, being about 10 feet high. Fireman Henderson, who was standing to the left, and apparently wondering if it was a fog detonator on the line, looked round for a better view before the second shot was quickly fired. The click of the gun hammer was distinctly heard and being pitch dark the flash of the blast from up on the bank was visible. Fireman Henderson "...immediately uttered a cry and fell back across the engine, exclaiming "Oh, oh, oh,  Peter, I am shot!"." He then staggered across the footplate to Dunn, appeared to lose command of his legs then "dropped into witness's arms", the Brakesman urging Dunn to quickly "take hold of Henderson".

The Railway Line today, taken just to the east of the former Wairuna Station and looking towards Clinton from an over-bridge  on the "Presidential Highway" to Gore. The shootings took place just under a mile down the line from here. Clinton lies under the partly wooded Popotunoa Hill visible at centre right. [Source : Google Maps]

"Greatly Fearing For Their Own Safety"

Although only three seconds separated the shots, steam had been immediately shut off at the first blast and the Brakesman told to put on the brakes. Obviously greatly fearing for their own safety, no search was made of the area (but a marker was dropped), the lights on the engine were quickly extinguished, the Guard was called up to the engine, then the train reversed back to Clinton.

"Plenty of Whistling"

Reversing contravened the "Rules and Regulations" of 1881 but circumstances demanded that this course of action be taken - and with all haste. Electric train tablets guaranteeing possession of a section of line had not yet been introduced and trains simply ran on "a time interval basis". Driver Dunn must have known he could safely make it back to Clinton without meeting another train but there would have been plenty of whistling [Rule 354] to not only alert the Station staff but also the night signalman who would have immediately placed a red lamp at sufficient distance from the station to warn any train approaching from the opposite direction to stop [Rule 86]. In these early years stations had no semaphore signals.

A "J" Class Locomotive with a long mixed train, taken at Mandeville on the Waimea Plains Line, prior to 1900. [Source : "All Aboard", by RJ Meyer]

"Dunn Ran For Dr. Low"

On arrival at Clinton Station, and not knowing if Henderson was dead or still alive, Dunn ran for Dr. Low but upon very speedily attending the deceased John Henderson was pronounced dead. It was, from a post-morten examination, obvious that the shots were of "Number One" or "Duck Shot", having hit the deceased in the left breast, heart and lower stomach region.

The Sensational Headline from the 'Otago Daily Times', 24th August 1883 [Source : "Papers Past"]

"Sensational News of The Mysterious Murder"

The local Police Constable and the Stationmaster were quickly in attendance with news of the "Murder" being urgently wired through to their seniors in Invercargill and Dunedin - one of the benefits of the excellent Post Office Telegraph facility available at this remote but busy railway crossing station. The sensational news of the "mysterious murder" even made the morning editions of the Southern papers. The developing story also appeared in Australian newspapers. A search of the scene that night by the Constable and four brave local volunteers proved fruitless but a daylight search in the morning critically found part of a small flute lying on the grass near the scene. An Inspector, two Detectives, and other Police promptly arrived on the morning Express from Dunedin and other district towns. The search for the perpetrator of this evil deed would be systematic and thorough, commencing with an examination of the (now somewhat over-trodden) scene of the shooting, pursuing any possible clue, and to make inquiries of all the settlers in the vicinity.

Clinton Railway Station in 1895. The Post Office and Telegraph Office shared one side of the station building. At left are the Railway Refreshment Rooms - and a Bar. The Station burnt down in January 1900. [Source : "Steel Roads of New Zealand"]

"Rumours of.... Revenge With a Murderous Intent" 

During the afternoon the Police received information that three local lads had been out that night rabbit shooting in the vicinity. During the afternoon the three young brothers, James Roy, aged 19; John Roy, aged 18 (as accessory to the fact), and Alexander Roy, aged 14, were brought into the Clinton Police Station under custody (i.e. having been arrested), together with their two recently fired "fowling-pieces". The main street filled with excited groups eager to hear further news. Wild rumours as to "motives of revenge with a murderous intent" had quickly spread around the district but these were quickly dispelled upon the arrests being made. The discovery of the other half of the flute, which was still in their possession, critically placed them at the scene of the shooting.

"They Did Not Know The Guns Were Loaded"

Without undue coercion the boys then gave evidence that they were indeed "firing at the train", "they had no idea of doing damage", "they did not know the guns were loaded", "though they saw thetrain stop and go back they did not know anything had occurred" and "We did not do it intentionally". They had additionally "heard of the fireman's death at 10 a.m. this morning but still did not know they had done harm to anybody". Overall they were "unconcerned" and "Took the matter very coolly, whistling at times". While generally looked on by those in the neighbourhood as "a little wild", the boys "don't bear a bad reputation" and "were well-liked". They may also have thrown a turnip at the engine close to Wairuna the previous evening, the deceased having called attention to it.

"They Must Stand the Consequences"

Their Father, Mr James Roy of Wairuna, a well respected part-time teacher (having set up a school in his own home), farmer, Justice of the Peace, and part time Presbyterian Church Preacher, testified that the boys had been out till around 10 and 11 o'clock on the night in question. When told he could visit his sons in custody he replied that "He had spoken to them often enough, and they must stand the consequences."

A number of Engine Drivers and Firemen posing with their "J" and "F" Class Locomotives at the Invercargill Roundhouse, taken 1882. Unfortunately all are unnamed. [Source : "Register of New Zealand Steam Locomotives 1863-1971"]

"Only Married The Previous July"

It soon became apparent that the whole sorry episode had been the result of "reckless mischief". As for the deceased, Fireman John [Jack] Henderson aged 33 years, he had only arrived in New Zealand 12 months previous, having formerly been an Engine Driver in India. He would definitely have aspired to hold the same position with the New Zealand Government Railways. The additional tragedy was that he had only been married to his wife, Annie Henderson née Wyper, the previous July, now being in her confinement. A report quoting Henderson as having three children appears to be spurious unless he had been previously married in India.

"A Reckless and Wanton Piece of Mischief"

Those firing the two guns were believed to be James Roy and Alexander Roy but no charges were laid against John Roy. It was generally believed that the youths meant to hit the engine funnel or some other part of the engine but may have miscalculated the speed of the engine in the dark. They had not meant to harm anyone and there was certainly no motive to have induced them to intentionally fire at the deceased or his companions. The following statement appears to adequately sum up the unfortunate situation : "The whole affair has the appearance of being a reckless and wanton piece of mischief, which has terminated in an unexpectedly disastrous manner".

"The Spectre of Death by Hanging"

At a subsequent local inquiry before the District Coroner and a jury of 14 persons, all the evidence including the testimony of the witnesses were heard. While the Coroner believed that the guns were not maliciously fired, the jury were given the opportunity to bring in a verdict of murder if they thought differently. For James Roy at 19 years of age, this would have raised the spectre of death by hanging. But luck was on all their sides as after three quarters of an hour the jury returning their verdict; "We find that the accused, James and Alexander Row, did, during the night of the 23rd inst., discharge their guns recklessly and carelessly whilst the train was passing through a cutting, thereby causing the death of the deceased."

A forbidding looking Dunedin Gaol [Jail], taken 1880's [Source : Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]

"Imprisoned in Dunedin Gaol" 

As this amounted to a "[more] minor charge of manslaughter", the two accused were remanded by the Coroner on bail of £200 bail each to await formal trial on the said charge. Both were tried in the Supreme Court in Dunedin but pleaded not guilty. After re-hearing all the evidence, including lengthy deliberations, the Grand Jury returned verdicts of manslaughter on both the accused but recommended leniency in the sentence. The sentence of His Honor, Mr Justice Williams, was that the younger Alexander Roy be acquitted on his Father's recognisance and payment of £50 [NZD$8,700 in today's values), but that his elder brother elder James Roy be imprisoned in Dunedin Gaol [jail] for a period of two months but without hard labour. His Honour commented that, "A lad of his age ought to know better than to play such a mischievous trick as this was."

"The Most Hypocritical Exhortation I Have Ever Perused"

Much local sympathy had been afforded to Mr James Roy Snr. who, in a public meeting, was urged to continue his district preaching work. But unfortunately he engendered some ill-feeling, which would certainly not have been his intention, after sending Mrs Henderson "a fulsome letter". A newspaper correspondent who viewed it (obviously with Mrs Henderson's co-operation) wrote, "After wearisomely wading through four pages, I considered it from first to last the most hypocritical exhortation that I have ever perused."

Mrs Annie Rennie (and widow of John Henderson), taken in Invercargill circa 1885-1890. [From my own collection]

"Did Mr Roy Think of His Duty To God?"

The correspondent added a further caustic comment; "I wonder, did Mr Roy think of his duty to God when he took a good stiff sum from the Court for expenses? ... I wonder after having received that amount, did he hand it over and tell Mrs Henderson that her prayers were heard?". I think the criticism is harsh. Detailed reminiscences written by Mr Roy in 1906 record that he was, in these early years, "not burdened with cash", being exacerbated by continual ill-health and with a large family to support. He makes no mention of the case. One must also not forget that he himself was responsible for paying the not inconsiderable Coroner's fine of £50. James Roy Snr. died at Wairuna in 1913, aged 79 years.

"His Chance to Redeem Himself Taken From Him" 

But what became of the errant boys? Upon the instructions of the Defence Department, James Roy, born 1863, is noted as being struck off the roll of the G Battery, N.Z.R.A., Invercargill in November 1883. One would have thought that some strong military discipline after his release would have been beneficial. But I was taken aback to then discover that he died at Wairuna after a short illness of "Bright's Disease" [chronic nephritis] in November 1885, being interred at Clinton. His chance to redeem himself and make something of his life had been taken from him.

His younger brother, Alexander Roy, born 1868, and Farmer of "Hunters" Waimate, North Otago, married Annie Francombe in 1906, and died at Waimate in 1943 where he is interred.

John [Jack] Henderson's white marble Gravestone in the East Invercargill Cemetery, engraved "Erected by the Railway Employees" and "The Victim of the Wairuna Tragedy". Sadly, the stone has  fallen off its plinth which is visible at rear and may also be missing an urn or decorative feature on the top. The grounds are, however, extremely well kept. [Credit : Invercargill City Council]

"An Additional Tragedy"

Upwards of 300 people attended John [Jack] Henderson's funeral at Invercargill on the 25th August 1883 with Railways staff raising funds for his headstone. A public subscription also raised £101.15.4 for his widow which equates to a commendable NZD$17,632.00 in today's values. An additional tragedy may be that no record has been found of her baby which indicates that she either subsequently suffered an early miscarriage or the baby took her new husband's surname. In 1886 Annie married again, this time to Mr William Rennie of Invercargill but I note in later years that they "were childless" [they appear to have had three children who all died prior to 1900]. Annie remained a close friend of my family, all having been brought up in the same Parish in Lanarkshire Scotland.

Both Mrs Annie Rennie, who died in 1924, and her former husband John [Jack] Henderson are buried in separate plots at the Eastern Cemetery in Invercargill. Any further information concerning Mr and Mrs Henderson (and Mr and Mrs Rennie) would be very welcome. It would also be wonderful to obtain a photo of John [Jack] Henderson.

Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• Watson family photograph collection (held by the writer)
• Reminiscences of Mr Hugh Anderson of 'Brookdale', Hokonui (held by the writer)
• Reminiscences of Mr James Roy, Snr. (Internet)
• The National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa (Internet)
• Te Ara - Cyclopedia of New Zealand (Internet)
• Invercargill City Council Cemeteries
• "Dr. Hocken's Laptop Guide To The South", compiled by the Rev J.G. Sinclair (from my own collection)
• "Register of New Zealand Railways Steam Locomotives", by WG Lloyd, 1974 (from my own collection)
• "Steel Roads of New Zealand", Edited by Gordon Troup, 1973 (from my own collection)
• "Footplate - The Victorian Engineman's New Zealand", by Gordon Troup, 1978 (from my own collection) 
• "All Aboard" by RJ Meyer, 1980 (from my own collection) 
• Wyper family history (Internet)

The Conventions and Etiquette of Social Calling

August 4, 2014, 11:42 am

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My "Canton Export" Carved Ivory Visiting Card Case (front side) [From my own collection]

This Blog explores the strict conventions which once existed around social calling, especially the use of "calling" or "visiting" cards.

Pictured above is a finely carved 19th century case designed to hold such cards. This family owned Chinese "Canton Export" ivory card case measures 112 by 75mm and came to New Zealand after the death of my Scottish Great Aunt in 1920 but I believe it may in fact have belonged to my Great Grandmother who died in 1865. The style certainly appears consistent with what was available at that time. The cartouche shaped carving on both sides features finely detailed flowers including the border and carved edges. While the ivory has slightly yellowed over the ensuing century or more this all forms part of the patina of age of the last 150 odd years.

A Close-Up of the above Intricate Hand Carving

All manner of decorative card cases became available throughout the 19th century, being designed to hold personal calling cards bearing one's name. The usage of such cards appears to have commenced in early 18th century France but then being limited to the aristocracy and upper social classes. But by the beginning of the 19th century the exchange of calling cards had also become firmly established throughout the middle classes, not only in Europe but also in America.

For the aristocracy and upper middle classes, the giving and receiving of calling cards remained an indispensable tool in undertaking a complicated and almost bewildering aspect of social etiquette, that of home calling. This is generally referred to as the "card and call system" and now appears quite comical - if not absurd - in this more egalitarian day and age. Very strict rules governed the usage of such cards and should one not follow these well established rules one's own social standing and prospects would necessarily suffer as a consequence.

My "Canton Export" Carved Ivory Visiting Card Case (rear side)

As a bare minimum, a personal visit to another individual in their own home (without a prior invitation or established friendship) would not be made without first leaving a card at the home of that person. The caller would however not normally expect to be admitted during this initial call. As almost all the upper classes employed servants convention decreed that the recipient need not personally acknowledge the caller at this point although they might do so for a brief greeting as a matter of courtesy if they so desired. The card could however also be delivered by a servant and an edge of the card would be folded down to denote this fact.

A Close-Up of the above Intricate Hand Carving

But the mere delivery of a card would indicate that a personal visit to the caller was desired. If this "social advance" was acceptable to the recipient they would then, either immediately (if the caller had been personally greeted by the lady of the house), or within a set period of time, leave their own calling card at the home of the initial caller. This then indicated to the original caller that a personal call was indeed welcome. But then, if no card was received in return or sent in an envelope the "advance" had been rebuffed.

My "Canton Export" Carved Ivory Visiting Card Case With the Cover Removed showing the thin ivory sleeve

Such a personal call would however, only be expected on "at home" days and at a particular time during the mid afternoon (confusingly known as a "Morning Call") and for a maximum length of time until one had become better acquainted. Should another caller visit at the same time it was seemly for all to be introduced then to tactfully make one's excuses and "withdraw" as soon as possible. After the initial personal visit an invitation, subject to their suitability, social standing and reputation, might be extended for a longer visit, normally later in the day and where one might then, or upon a further invitation being extended, also be introduced to close friends of the host. Naturally their general demeanor, standard of conversation, and ability to converse knowledgeably, would all be closely scrutinized by all present.    

The conventions around the use of calling cards in the middle social classes were rather less rigid but inappropriate or unwanted friendships would still be actively discouraged. Should a friend or new neighbour call and present their card it was considered good manners to at least return the visit so such cards still retained a very useful purpose in initiating and confirming friendships. Callers might also be given a private invitation to call or simply be invited to at "at home" day.

The Calling Card of Mrs Robert [Helen] Lawson of 17 Summerside Street, Leith, Scotland

The calling card shown here belonged to Mrs Robert [Helen] Lawson, the 'matriarch' of a grain milling and merchant family with premises at 64 Grassmarket in Edinburgh then later in Manderston Street Leith. She was therefore part of an established and well-off "middle class" merchant family but where social conventions would still be rather less rigid and defined. This card was actually given, together with the thoughtful gift of a cookery book, to my family in New Zealand by a friend of Mrs Lawson while visiting the Antipodes. Mrs Lawson has written on the back of the card, "See you make a good use of this book & cook up [for] the friend who brings it with my compliments". Interestingly, the black border indicates that Mrs Lawson's husband was by then deceased so we can date this card reasonably accurately to the late 1880's to early 1890's.  

An "At Home" in Royal Terrace Dunedin, November 1909 [Source "The Otago Witness", Papers Past]

"At Home" social gatherings are also worthy of mention, having become popular among the middle classes from the 1870's onwards, even persisting in rural New Zealand into the 1930's. Such "At Home" gatherings were held in the manner of the French system whereby visitors would be received on a particular day of the week without a formal invitation being given. Details of the "At Home" would be informally circulated beforehand with an open invitation for friends and relatives to call, even sometimes being advertised in the local newspapers. In the days before the introduction of the telephone this overcame many of the difficulties inherent in planning and organising private social gatherings. Close friends were not expected to attend every "At Home" but would be expected to make an effort to attend occasionally in order "to maintain a friendly footing". Friendships between others might also be initiated at these gatherings and some kind of entertainment provided which was appropriate for the occasion. The British "Cassells Household Guide", being published in the 1880's, helpfully covered the expected format of such gatherings in some considerable depth, including exactly what was expected of the host and of the prospective visitors.

An outdoors "At Home", November 1925 [Source "New Zealand Herald", Papers Past]

One would expect to be served afternoon tea but guests would, at least in New Zealand, have considered it unseemly to arrive totally empty-handed, so a small offering towards the afternoon tea, a small gift for the host, or a contribution to any good cause they were promoting would have been offered and this gesture would normally be returned "in kind" at a later date. An "At Home" could also be used as a society fundraiser or as an opportunity to call and present a gift to someone upon a special occasion such as a birthday, wedding anniversary or impending marriage.


Copyright : Unless otherwise stated all items are from my own collection. Images may be freely copied for personal use provided this site is acknowledged.


Bibliography / Rārangi Pukapuka :

• "Papers Past" [National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa]
• "Cassells Household Guide", 1880's [per "Victorian London"]