Thames (NZ): Bowen Street at the Parawai end of Thames

      Bowen Street ran from the Hape Creek in the north, to the Kauaeranga River in the south. Known now as Rolleston Street, this street was named after Sir George Bowen an early Governor of the colony. Banks Street ended at the intersection with Bowen Street, there was no need for it to run further west until the new Kauaeranga Road Bridge opened in 1924. 

Part of: Cleave's Streets Maps - of the Thames and Suburbs c1910.

Map 3577 Auckland Libraries

Photograph of Bowen Street area early 1900s.
     Imagine you are standing at the west end of Mount Pleasant, and look down over Heale, Fenton and Bowen Streets - look at the photograph below, this is the view c1900s.

View over Parawai end of Thames c1900s.

     A closer look at the left (southern) side of the photograph and the Kauaeranga Rail Bridge is open, which postdates the photo past 1898. The land beyond where Rhodes park is today is low lying and possibly covered by water in parts. Next to the river is Causley's Garden Nursery.

     The houses under the word 'Bridge' are at the southern end of Bowen Street. Note the closeness of the river - today there is the stop-bank structure. The land to the right of the houses is where the motels and garage are today, and further right the reclaimed land where Toyota car plant is sited.

     

     Moving further right (north) across the main photo, the shop is visible that for decades was at the corner of Heale and Fenton Streets. Next time you drive along Fenton and Rolleston Streets, look out for the houses that are in the photograph - with the exception of the large one in the centre (more on that soon).

     Mrs Grubb had the Fenton Street shop for many years. Out of view far right was the site of the Maori Meeting (Hotunui) house that now holds pride of place at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

     

Now to the large house at the centre of the 1900s photo. The house was located at the corner of Fenton and Bowen (Rolleston ) Streets, on the south-east intersect. 

     There are numerous outbuildings one of which housed the wash-house,  plus there was separate servants' quarters. Built in classic villa style with the large verandah, full length windows plus several bay-windows.

     While researching the house , it was suggested that it may have belonged to the Miller family. It was occupied in the mid 1940s onwards by Mr Rutherfurd who was Mine Manager at the Sylvia Mine at Tararu.  During the home's history it was a boardinghouse and later divided into flats. The ceiling height described by a past resident as 'exceptionally high'!

     

     In the 1923 Street Directory, the property is the residence of Mr Ernest Napier Miller, Solicitor. This confirms the recollections of later owners. Mr Miller was a partner in the law firm Miller & Poulgrain. Ernest joined his father's firm in 1900, it was then known as Miller & Son. Ernest's brother Selwyn lied in the same block on the corner of Banks and Heale Street.     

     Mr E N Miller was Mayor of Thames 1919 to 1923, both he and his wife were active members of the community. During the 1918 influenza epidemic, Mrs Miller was in-charge of the convalescent hospital in Queen Street. Mr Miller also helped staff Thames Hospital during the epidemic.

THAMES STAR, ISSUE 13836, 30 NOVEMBER 1918

THAMES STAR, VOLUME LII, ISSUE 13854, 14 NOVEMBER 1918

What became of the house at the corner of Rolleston and Fenton Street?

     The good news is that while it did not remain in Thames, it was sold in 1996, and moved north to the Wellsford area. 

Hauraki Herald 23 March 1996

Mr Ernest James Napier Miller's Death Notice & Obituary. Thames Star 15 Oct 1947

 

Thames (NZ): Thames South School revisited

Photographs of Thames - FREE!

Take a break from the chaos of Level Two Covid-19 breakout, and check out some photographs in the National Library Collection "free to download" section. Narrow the search to Thames, scroll past the ones for England, and you will interesting images for Thames (and surrounding areas), especially aerials taken by Whites Aviation.

Being somewhat biased towards Thames South School! I chose this one below taken in 1958 for us to look at today.

ABOVE Caption: Thames, Waikato Region. Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-46330. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/32054638 Taken 19 May 1958

Part of Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs / Whites Aviation Ltd :Photographs

BELOW: An aerial thanks to Google maps - note that while street views are recent this view is a few years old!

The photograph in parts.

Did you spot any differences over seventy years? Take a look below for some hints (if needed)!

The top third of the photograph shows the area of Mackay Street, Jellicoe Crescent and on the right Grey Street. 

The large grassed area where the Thames Swimming Pool Complex is located today on Taipari Park - an old urupa area.

Any ex-South School pupil will immediately spot the "puddle" aka the swimming baths (bottom centre), where many of us learnt to swim and as primers thought it was so large and deep! 

The snip above focuses on the Thames South School buildings and playing fields.

• The top of the photograph is the old section of Alfred Street that went across the school grounds.
• The large playing field was host to many a game of rounders, football, softball, running events and much more.
• Tennis and basketball courts, which also doubled as places for 'four square'.
• In the centre section are the school buildings. Four prefabs (white roofs), equipment sheds and shelters. The 'murder house' aka the dental clinic at the Rolleston entrance. The concrete/brick Infant block on the right, and the old school buildings on the left (previously the Kauaeranga Girls' School that was moved from Sandes Street). full photo below
• Small oak trees by the dental clinic by the Rolleston Street entrance.

Note that the old Kauaeranga School building was reconfigured several times. Below is the 1920s version of South School, looking from Rolleston Street.

Background on South School (snippets taken from  Thames Goldfield Schools.)

The infant block was commonly known as the Kindergarten in the early years. When the Kindergarten Block opened in 1915, the reality of World War One was dawning on the town as their men left for service and news was regularly received of injuries and war related deaths. In October 1915, the South School children made 36 Xmas ‘billies’ for the soldiers overseas. “Each [billie] containing a Xmas pudding, pipe, tobacco, cigarettes, ointment, tooth brush and paste, face towel and wash, handkerchiefs, soap, etc.”

The school was initially known as Parawai School, until unofficially taking the title South School in late 1914, and the name ‘South School’ was made official 6th March 1915. Why the change? Several schools had been closed, and the remaining three primary schools in the town were then known as South, Central (old Waiokaraka), and North (old Tararu) School.

The following year the Thames Star 22nd April 1916, wrote that all the South School pupils gathered in the infant department, where Headmaster Wernham addressed the school on the subject of Anzac Day. “The Empire’s motto was the motto of the school: ‘Keep Honour Bright’. And that is why the nation is fighting today.” The school motto remains unchanged to this day.

In November 1916, the South School held their annual rose carnival. A physical drill exhibition was given, it was explained that this was to strengthen the muscles and impart gracefulness to the frame.Queen of the Carnival and Maids were crowned – needless to say Queen Carnivals were popular events at Thames for decades. Queen of the Roses was Miss Olga Jenkin (infant school), and maids of honour included the Queen of the Allies Miss Rachael Kerby (middle school).

Money raised at the carnival was to go towards a 25 foot ‘sand tray’ on which the names of the school’s heroes would be inscribed. “It was to be called the Gemming Memorial, in honour of a former scholar and teacher, who was killed at Gallipoli. In 1921 the school erected a World War One Memorial (and drinking fountain); this has moved several times, and is now located near the school’s entrance.

South School over the decades has often introduced new methods of teaching. In the Thames Star 14th November 1917, there was a full description of the system being used in the Thames South Infant School. Miss Ashman and her assistants were using teaching methods based on the Montessori system. Examples were shown how the alphabet was taught in a way that was play. The infants’ day had started with “simple athletic exercises in the playground, marching and simple songs with gesture movements.” The observer noted how bright and alert the children were, and that all teachers should be congratulated.

The South School held their sports day at the Parawai Racecourse 13th December 1920, a large number of children and parents were present. The Boys 7-8 years ran 75 yards and winning order was: Kerby, Battson, and Cleave. The girls in this age group ran 50 yards and finished D Causley, J Milne, and P Brown. There were longer races, relays and bike races – along with fun events such as sack, three-legged, and egg and spoon races. Something for everyone, even the parents were not left out. The married woman’s race of 75 yards was won by Mrs Strong.

The land the school occupied was only leased. In 1921 the 21 year lease was due to expire, after negotiations with landowner Mr E H Taipari, the sale was agreed to for a cost of £2000. Around this time the wooden classroom block was extended (teachers room and headmaster’s office). Then in 1925 a new classroom and cloakrooms were added to meet growing roll numbers.

The highlight of Parents’ Day 30th October 1934 was the opportunity to see the new wireless equipment in action. “The set is housed in the headmaster’s room, and from it speakers in other rooms are controlled.” The school was able to listen to the educational sessions on 1YA, including music lessons and singing. There were children’s displays in all the rooms, Headmaster Mr R G Crawshaw thanked the over 100 parents for coming along.

In the 1940s, while the war raged in Europe and the Pacific, measures were implemented in Thames to potentially protect the town and residents. This included ‘Air Raid’ drills that became a regular occurrence at all the Thames schools including Thames South.

In 1943, an acre section was purchased from Mr E H Taipari for extra playground space. This was still inadequate, which led to the purchase of the old road (Alfred Street) that had gone along the school’s western boundary. The Borough sold the land to the school for £100 in 1944, it was remodelled and thereby provided valuable playground space.

These pages have barely touched on teaching staff due to lack of space, but like most there were many favourites at the school. One such name was Miss J Liddell (Infant Mistress) who left the school in 1958. Thankfully these names and memories are recorded in the reunion booklets.

Like many schools in New Zealand, the South School reverted to prefabs for classrooms as space was necessary and building funds were limited. There were several of these scattered around the school in the 1960s onwards. This led to the final approval in May 1962 to construct four new classrooms at the school, which were built by Lee Bros of Paeroa.

More recent decades have seen many changes to the school campus, as improvements are made. Not forgetting major upgrades made to the playground areas – including climbing frames built and rebuilt to meet new standards. The school grounds are impressive and innovative.

An important part of the South’s more recent history concerns Te Reo in the school – which was outlined in the book Thames South School Reunion October 2001. The two key tribal groups of Ngati Maru and Ngati Whananga had supported the very first Parawai School, then the resiting of the school to the present location. In 1991 Te Tonga o Hoterini Kohanga Reo were granted land to the west of the school to establish the Kohanga Reo. Around this time Te Reo programmes were introduced at the school. Then in the 1990s the call for and implementation of total immersion became a reality. Hand-in-hand, the teachers in the mainstream classes enhanced their skills in Te Reo, so that they could implement changes throughout the school. In 2001 the roll was 300, with 50% of Maori descent – over half were attending bi-lingual or total immersion classes. These values have continued to be nurtured and grow at the Thames South School.

Major school reunions were held in 1967, 2001, and 2015 – booklets published for each. With the next planned for 2025 – which will celebrate the 150th year of the South aka Parawai School. Thames South School’s website has this message that sums up the school and their continued vision: “the Oaks standing tall in our entrance way are the whole basis for our whakatauki – kia tupu ai enei kakano hei rakau nui. May these tender seedlings grow into mighty trees.

Previous blog posts on Thames South School:

Then and now (2017)

Teachers 1967

Old Friends school site

Thames (NZ): Owen & Burke Street View 1890s

An area that has been photographed many times is the northern end of town around the Owen & Burke Street area - essentially where the A & G Price Foundry is located today.

A previous blog post looked at the changes in the area. From streets lined with two storied buildings (mostly hotels), to poppet heads and aqueducts - over one hundred plus years the land use changed as the mining endeavors died at the Thames.

There is another photo of interest at the Auckland Council Libraries 'Kura' site. We used it previously to look at the poplar trees that once lined the streets.

Moanataiari Area: A Lantern slide taken by Photographer Josiah Martin c1890s

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1596-501

Lets take a second look to highlight other points of interest and old landmarks.

A closer look - down Owen Street to Brown Street.

• The Two chimneys (lower right) are in the area of old Golden Crown Street (now called Owen Street), situated where several large hotels were located including the Moanataiari Hotel - now part of the Foundry yards.
• The aqueduct runs from the Waiotahi and is parallel to Burke Street.
• Centre left is the large Governor Bowen Hotel that had an entrance on Pollen and Owen Streets.
• There are still pockets of the poplar trees that we have looked at in previous post.
• The A & G Price Foundry building is far right, facing Beach Road.

THAMES GUARDIAN AND MINING RECORD, 9 MARCH 1872

Thames (NZ): When is a building classified as 'Heritage'?

The Thames Coromandel District Council maintains a plan / register of buildings (and trees) that are considered worthy of being listed as a heritage item. There is a consultation process involved, along with a lot of red tape before an item goes on the heritage register. (see end of article for the items from the Thames Heritage list - Draft 2018 Plan)

It was interesting to read this week of a restoration project launched by the Thames Business Association - beautification of a building labelled "The Foundry". While the sentiments are great in beautifying a building that has long seen better days, to call it a historic or heritage building is a considerable stretch of the imagination!

 

Google maps view of the building. Left from Pollen Street, and Right from Queen Street. The lot is recorded as 904 Queen Street, sadly the TCDC online consents to do not have the records available for the building.

The first that is mentioned of a 'Building' on the land south of old Abraham Street, is in the late 1940s when a textile factory was started and seen as a new and exciting asset for the town.  (photo below) This was north of the Fishing Co-op Factory established and built in 1911.

In the 1946 aerial view below, you can see that there was the bones of a building in place, and that alterations took place. Whether that old building was demolished and the one that stands today was built is not clear, and council records would need to be checked for clarification.

Above: 1946 View of the buildings at the north end of Queen Street.

Above: 1954 View of the Textile factory at the north end of Queen Street.

Below: 1972 View of the building, then used by A & G Price Ltd. 

The company operating in the building in early 1950s, traded as Thames Textiles Ltd. They were a wholesale manufacturer, under the brand name San Jose Sports Wear. The Companies Office has records for the company in the archives - trading from 1949 to 1955. Note there was another clothing factory (apart from Hauraki Clothing / Claxtons) from 1954 to 1969 known as Jamesfield (Thames) Ltd. Does anyone know if they took over the Thames Textiles building?

Over later years, several factories have operated from the site and also the building has been used as residential flats. The ground to the front was a boat sales yard for many years. Of late the building and grounds have become increasingly rundown, so we look forward to seeing the final product once the restoration of this old site is complete - Heritage or not!

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Further Reading
Buildings on the Thames Heritage List
Source: TCDC District Plan

Table 5 - Thames Historic Heritage Items
Item number	Overlay planning map	Historic Heritage item		Location	New Zealand List/Rārangi Kōrero
101	31A		Former John Brown house	750 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames	Category 1 Item 711
102	31A		Former Thomas Brown house	746 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames	Category 1 Item 710
103	31A		Former Torrens house	727 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames	Category 2 Item 709
104	31A		Former St John's Anglican Church	715 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames	Category 2 Item 723
105	31A		Former Thames North School / Tararu Cultural Centre	600 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames	Category 1 Item 133
106	31B		Hauraki Prospectors' Association ('Goldmine Experience' complex)	1000 -1004 Queen Street, Thames
107	31B		Former Golden Crown Mine Battery	103 Owen Street, Thames	Category 1 Item 4643
108	31B		A & G Price Foundry	208-210 Beach Road, Thames	Category 1 Item 128
109	31B		World War One Memorial	War Memorial Reserve, 111 Monument Road, Thames	Category 2 Item 4658
110	31B		House	402 Williamson Street, Thames
111	31B		Former Royal Hotel (Corner Williamson and Brown Street, Thames)	103 Williamson Street, Thames (Corner Williamson and Brown Street, Thames)	Category 2 Item 2668
112	31B		Victoria Park Coronation Band Rotunda	Victoria Park, Beach Road, Thames	Category 2 Item 4609
113	31B		South African War Memorial		Category 2 Item 4610
114	31B		Sunkist Hostel (Former Lady Bowen Hotel)	506 Brown Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2667
115	31B		Former Holmes' Wharf Hotel / Park Hotel / Lady Bowen Hotel	501 Brown Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 713
116	31B		Former Crown Hotel / Former Thames Borough Council building	401 Albert Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 4668
117	31B		Albert Street Pumping Station and Works Yard	409 Albert Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 4650
118	31B		Former Miners' Union Hall	727 Queen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 4653
119	31B		Former Police Station	730 Queen Street, Thames
120	31B		Former Courthouse	726 Queen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 4981
121	31B		Levinge type pillar box	Road berm on frontage to 700 Queen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 9791
122	31B		Former Thames School of Mines, Mineral Museum and Fire Bell	101 Cochrane Street, Thames	Category 1 Item 132
123	31B		Former Thames Free Library	The Treasury, 705 Queen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 718
124	31B		House	202 Kirkwood Street, Thames
125	31B		Former Cornwall Arms Hotel	Thames Workingmen's Club, 407 Cochrane Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 702
126	31B		Former Livery Stables	Corner Cochrane and Kirkwood Streets, Thames	Category 2 Item 4624
127	31B		Former Loyal Charles Bruce Lodge of Oddfellows Hall	126 Kirkwood Street, Thames
128	31C		Levinge type pillar box	Footpath on frontage to 711 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 9791
129	31C		Former Corinthian Lodge	133 Martha Street, Thames
130	31C	Historic shops (eastern side of Pollen Street, between Pahau and Cochrane Streets)		770 Pollen Street, Thames
131	31C			758 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2675
132	31C			754 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2678
133			Former Charles Palmer's Sweet Shop	750 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2680
134	31C			742 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2681
135	31C			738 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2679
136	31C			734 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2677
137	31C			728 Pollen Street, Thames
138	31C		Former William Wood's Central Cheap Stores	726 Pollen Street and 113 Martha Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2682
139	31C			724 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2683
140	31C			720 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 5482
141	31C		Former Battson Plumbers Ltd building	714 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2684
142	31C			710 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 5481
143	31C		Former King's Theatre / Embassy Cinema	704 Pollen Street and 103 Martha Street, Thames	Deficient registration Item 2685
144	31C		Junction Hotel	700 Pollen Street and 101 Martha Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 712
145	31C		House	300 Pahau Street, Thames
146	31C		Former Thames-Hauraki Pumphouse and Quadrants / Thames Museum of Technology	212 Bella Street, Thames	Category 1 Item 4682 (quadrants) Item 724 (pumphouse)
147	31C		St James' Union Church and Church Hall	202 Pahau Street, Thames (Corner Pollen and Pahau Streets, Thames)	Category 1 Item 131 (church) Category 2 Item 722 (hall)
148	31C		Former Vicesimus Lush residence / Thames Club	601 Mackay Street, Thames
149	31C		St George's Anglican Church and  St George's Church Hall	602 Mackay Street, Thames (Corner Mackay and Mary Streets, Thames)	Category 1 Item 721 (church)
				604 Mackay Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 2672 (hall)
150	31C		Levinge type pillar box	Footpath on frontage to 580 Pollen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 9791
151	31C		Salutation Hotel	400 Mary Street, Thames
152	31D		Westpac Bank Building / formerly Bank of New South Wales	515 Pollen Street, Thames
153	31D		Former Miller Poulgrain Chambers / former Rural Bank	457 Pollen Street, Thames
154	31D		Halsbury Chambers	433 Pollen Street, Thames
155	31D		Imperial Hotel	476 Pollen Street, Thames (Corner Pollen and Sealey Streets, Thames)
156	31D		Former Lodge Sir Walter Scott No. 15	415 Mackay Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 4652
157	31D		Thames High School (four items) Former Kauaeranga Boys' School building; 1925 addition to 1914 Thames High School building; Belltower from 1914 building; World War One memorial.	300 Sealey Street, Thames
158	31D		House	306 Richmond Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 5384
159	31D		Former Kilgour house	300 Queen Street, Thames
160	31D		Brian Boru Hotel	200 Richmond Street, Thames (Corner of Pollen and Richmond Streets, Thames)	Category 1 Item 129
161	31D		Former Thames Railway Station and Goods Shed	Queen Street, Thames (adjacent to intersection with Willoughby Street)	Category 2 Items 719 (station) and 4646 (shed)
162	31D		Former Stationmaster's house	200 Queen Street, Thames	Category 2 Item 4633
163	31D		Former William Culpitt saddlery and residence	218 Pollen Street, Thames
164	31D		Sisters of St Joseph Convent and Chapel	302 Willoughby Street, Thames
165	31D		Former Butt House	200 Hape Road, Thames
166	31D		Former Methodist Parsonage	200 The Terrace, Thames
167	31D		Shortland Wharf and cargo shed	Adjacent to Jellicoe Crescent (State Highway 25) and Thames Branch Railway Line	Category 2 Item 4672 (wharf)
168	31D		Former Kauaeranga Girls' School / Parawai School / Thames South School belfry	307 Rolleston Street, Thames
169	31D		Former Hogg residence	316 Rolleston Street, Thames
170	31D		Former FS Miller residence, 'Coniston'	201 Heale Street, Thames
171	31D		Former Read residence	305 Banks Street, Thames
172	31D		Former Hetherington residence, 'Thurlston'	300 Banks Street, Thames
173	31E		Koro Koro Villa (former Marshall residence) / Brunton House	210 Parawai Road, Thames	Category 2 Item 706
174	31E		Māori Church of the Holy Trinity	329 Parawai Road, Thames	Category 2 Item 705
175	31L		Old Kopu Bridge	Waihou River, State Highway 25, Kopu	Category 1 Item 4681
176	31L		Captain Cook Monument	23 Kopu Road, Kopu
177	32		Former Kauaeranga Valley School / Kauaeranga Hall	437 Kauaeranga Valley Road, Kauaeranga	Category 2 Item 9278
178	32A		Former Matatoki Dairy factory	9220 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Matatoki
179	32A		Matatoki Hall	9217 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Matatoki
180	36C		Puriri Hall	8872 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Puriri
181	36C		Former shop / residence	8854 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Puriri
182	36C		Puriri Methodist Church	8848 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Puriri
183	36D		Former Corbett residence	8088 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Hikutaia	Category 2 Item 4635
184	36D		Catholic Church of St James and St John	8082 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Hikutaia
185	36D		St Mary's Anglican Church and memorial gates	8059 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Hikutaia
186	32		Devcich Farm	764C Kauaeranga Valley Road, Thames	Category 1 Item 9497