Thames (NZ): Mr Whitehead's Grahamstown Postcard featuring the Waiotahi Aqueduct

Another challenge - let us take a second look at a Postcard sent from Thames to Auckland. The goal as always to try and find out a) who the sender was and b) who was the person receiving the card.

The Card & Message

The Message reads:

"Dear Bert,

I am enjoying myself. Hoping you are also! (I might go to Rotorua if Annie can get away).

Love to all. Send me some writing paper ?next ?.W"

Addressed to: Mr A D Whitehead, C/- Abel & Dykes, Shortland Street, Auckland.

The year the card was sent is unclear, but postage is a half penny of Mitre Peak, similar to the one in the 1900 Pictorial set.

Who was Mr A D Whitehead?

It is likely that this was Albert David (Bert) Whitehead, born at Thames 22 December 1882 to William and Eleanor Whitehead. William was the brother of Mathias Whitehead, an early arrival on the goldfield who owned a bootmaker's business for many years.

     In 1905, Bert  Whitehead lived in Lichfield Street Auckland East and was working as a stationer. He married Agatha Garland in 1911 and they lived at 33 Grosvenor Street, New Lynn.

     The occupation of Stationer, completes the picture, for Bert's postcard was addressed to his place of work - Abel & Dykes, Shortland Street, Auckland. Abel, Dykes & Co were a general bookbinding and stationery manufacturing business located in Shortland Street.

     Albert David Whitehead died 16 September 1966 in Auckland.

The Waiotahi Aqueduct

The view in the postcard will be familiar to most readers. On the right is the site of present day A G Price Ltd, while in the lower left corner, is the site of the Hauraki Prospectors' Goldmine Experience.

For those of us less knowledgeable on mining matters, it is often confusing to look at the overhead structures that scattered the Thames Goldfield landscape. Were the structures carrying water from diverted creeks, or from or to a mining site. Or were they tramways carrying ore and waste away from a mine.

     An description of an early overhead structure at the Thames is provided for the Moanataiari Aqueduct in 1872. The culvert from the Moanataiari creek was causing problems, the solution was to take the water overhead, rather than underground. Starting at a point in the creek above the Caledonian Mine, the structure had a 1-in-40 gradient, down Coromandel Street to the beach. The aqueduct was five and half feet deep and built with supports to allow for deepening of the structure as required.

     The Waiotahi Aqueduct (in the photograph above) was another well known overhead structure - the following are snippets on its history.

• 1882 May 18, a special Borough Council meeting was held to discuss the building of the Waiotahi aqueduct. The contract was awarded to Mr McDermott the tender price was 1170 Pounds.
• 1882 July 10, concern was raised regarding the engineers plans for the aqueduct, as a set of the legs were located right in the middle of Owen Street.
• 1882 October 6, Thames Borough Council meeting discussed the delays in completion of the Waiotahi aqueduct and the lack of engineer supervision. Within a couple of weeks the contractors advertised for 20 pick and shovel men to work on the aqueduct project - wages were eight shillings a day.
• 1882 November 27, culvert work was underway in Owen Street by the Golden Crown Battery, water had flowed along the channel, "instead of wending its way across the flat to the beach as heretofore."
• 1883, talk continued in the newspapers regarding the completion of the aqueduct.
• 1884 March 7, the Waiotahi Aqueduct overflowed at the head, which led to a considerable run-off into the lower culvert.
• 1885 August 14, Mr Climo was given permission to cut into the aqueduct and take water for a nearby sluice.
• 1886 February 12, repairs had been needed to the aqueduct as the boards had deteriorated. Sadly heavy rain  had resulted in 500 to 600 feet of additional lining boards being washed away.
• 1894 February 10, tenders were called for extension work to the aqueduct.
• 1894 June 6, the Waiotahi Aqueduct was causing problems at the wharf end. Water, debris and tailings were running off - the harbourmaster had to organise clearing otherwise ships would not be able to access the wharf.
• 1896 November 20, there was a proposal to link the Waiotahi Aqueduct to the Cambria Battery tail race for the purposes of flushing.
• 1897 February 1, heavy rain resulted in a considerable amount of boulders going down the aqueduct resulting in damage to the structure along with considerable flooding on the land below. The following year in 1898, it was estimated after one heavy period of rainfall that 4000 tonnes of debris went down the aqueduct. Reports such as these were common, with the structure often damaged during heavy rainfall.
• 1898 February 11, urgent repairs were needed along the entire 1122 foot length of the viaduct. This work was completed by November of 1898.
• 1909 April 23, 2100 feet of planking was repaired and aqueduct's supports were strengthened. The ongoing repairs to the aqueduct were a regular necessity!
• 1915 November 13, yet again the need for repairs to the structure were needed, this time the cost was 1870 Pounds. Most of the structure was 22 years old, with parts considerably older.
• 1917 March 3, the great flood of 1917, was too much for the Waiotahi Aqueduct - it completely collapsed at the eastern end causing considerable flooding. Worst hit was the Governor Bowen Hotel, water rushed through the building, until urgent diversions completed.
• 1922 August 16, tenders were called to remove the Waiotahi Aqueduct structure. (copy below left) By October, there were still no takers for the demolition, so it was decided to sell the timber by auction. (Copy below right)
    
• 1923 June 20, news that the Waiotahi Aqueduct had been demolished.

ABOVE: The Waiotahi Aqueduct running left to right from the Waiotahi over Owen Street / Pollen Street intersect.

BELOW: The 1917 Flood - extensive damage to the aqueduct at the lower end of the Waiotahi Creek Road.

     Changes continued in the town as old mining structures were removed. In 1924 one old Thamesite returned and couldn't believe that the old overhead structures had been removed. 

Challenge

Keep looking at the old photographs and spot the landmarks, or rather look for the 'lost' landmarks.

     When you see an empty space or allotment, step back and identify what structure once stood on the land. 

     Its also an activity that you can do as you travel around the town today, stop and test yourself - do you know the locations of the old goldmining landmarks?

UPDATE 30 June 2020: Further photo of the Aqueduct