Thames (NZ): Edith May's 1920s postcard

Another special postcard on trade me auction site, with a letter note included.

Written by?

Edith May of Thames, wrote a letter to her friend Annie.

"Dear Annie,
Just a card to wish you & Edwin the compliments of the season.  I should have written long ago to you.  

How are you all?

We all well. We expect Stanley home next week. He only gets a week.

We often think of the good jolly times we had with you all.

This view of Thames showing the water.  Well ta ta with best wishes to you & Edwin.

From your old friend
Edith May."

Who was Edith May?

Rose Edith Cook was born in 1876 at Waimate North, and married William John May in 1904. Edith died at Thames in 1947, and is interred at Shortland Cemetery Thames. The Stanley mentioned in the letter is Edith and William's son, who was born 9 April 1906. In February 1920, Stanley started at Thames High School, having previously been at Waimate North School. Stanley left school in the middle of 1924, having passed the Public Service Entrance examination.

In the 1928 Thames Electoral Roll, the May family were living at Parawai in Bowen Street - now known as Rolleston Street
.

What photo was on the Postcard?

On the other side of the note was a postcard of the Queen Street area c1920s.

What buildings can you spot?

1. Thames.Public Swimming Baths. 2. Tennis Courts & Victoria Parks. 3, School of Mines. 4. Queen and Cochrane Street intersect. 5. Thames Public library. 6. E F Adams Offices. 7. Miners' Union Hall. 8. Queen's Hotel (corner Albert & Queen Streets). 9. Thames Police Station. 10. Thames Courthouse. 11. Post & Telegraph Offices and other Government Departments. 12 Kirkwood Street.

Who may have lived in the houses in the Queen Street block?

In the 1923 Queen Street Right side from Abraham St.

Albert St Intersect (looking a postcard from Right to Left - Top centre on water side)

Office Thames Miners’ Union (Wm H Lucas Secretary)

Miners’ Union Hall (Wm H Lucas Caretaker)

Adams, E F(Civil and mining engineer & surveyor)

Verran W & Sons (carrier) Private residence

Pearson, Edward (labourer)

Ingall, Barry Drew (insurance agent)

O’Meara, John Jas (ironmoulder)

Coombe, Arthur Harold (taxi propr)

Public Library (Philip Chas F Gooder, librarian)

McDonald, William B (painter)

Williams, Arthur (foundry hand)

Vedder, Francis Jacob (farmer)

Cochrane St intersect

…………………………………

1923 Queen Street Left side from Abraham St

Albert St Intersect (looking a postcard from Right to Left - lower centre)

Queen’s Hotel (Francis Grubb Publican)

Police Station (Andrew McDonnell, Sgt in charge sub district)

Warden’s and Magistrate Office

Chief Post & Telegraph Office

Thames Harbour Board Office

Cartwright, Frederick (bootmaker)

Thomson, James (general store)

Woods, Alfred (baker & pastry cook)

Smith, Richard (butcher)

Smith, Richard (private residence)

Shand, John G (caretaker)

Masonic Hall

Day, Mrs Amy (draper)

Cochrane Street intersect

..................................................................

Thames Swimming Baths in Brown Street.

The baths can be clearly seen at top centre, of the card, a view that is not often seen.

Keep a look out for postcards, and see what new treasures you can identify.

*****************************

MAY Family Photo.

Just when I thought this story was told! A photo of Edith and her family was available on Ancestry. Special thanks to the family for being able to share it and put a face to our 'special' letter writer.

Description: 210 Baillie St, Thames

May Family Group. 

Back: Leslie, Stanley, (sons of William John); Rose Edith, (2nd wife of William John, mother of Stanley and Doreen), William John May. 

Front: Muriel, (daughter of Emma and William John), Nellie (wife of Leslie, holding daughter Elsie), Mary Ann, (widow of John Kendall May), Doreen, Gladys (daughter of Emma and William John) .

Thames (NZ): 1930s Thames - a new book

Yet another booklet!!! This time the focus is on the Depression years of the 1930s at Thames.

Title: 1930s THAMES: The Goldfield town revisited

By Althea Barker

An A4 booklet, black and white print, 68 pages, ISBN 978-0-473-41067-4, published Nov 2017.
An overview of the town during the 1930s. Contents include: Businesses, Churches, Depression, Directories (street and telephone), Floods, Hospitals, Hotels, Lost Pioneers, Mining National and world news, occupations, parades, schools, shipping, sports, Trains and transport, and special visits. Plus a section on 'Then and Now' photographs around the town.

BELOW: Book cover front & back for 1930s Thames: The Goldfield town revisited

Thames was used to economic hard times, more so than many other towns around the country. The gold mining booms that mostly never eventuated - to the optimism that the next big 'find' was just around the corner. The town itself was deeply in debt, but businesses and residents alike worked tirelessly to ride out the storm and prepare for better times. Sound embellished? Not at all! Thamesites, as can be seen in the book were well used to supporting one another and meeting the challenges head on. Parades and fundraisers never stopped, despite the usual major flood or two.

Many will have grown up hearing of the hardships of the depression, this booklet looks at Thames during those years.

Thames (NZ): Thames Plunket Rooms

THAMES PLUNKET SOCIETY:
Thames took an interest in the Plunket movement from the time it was formed in 1907 in New Zealand. Not found yet is when the society was actually founded in the town but it was definitely formed in Thames pre 1923. Dr Derrick's wife was credited with being instrumental in getting the society started, the actual date not yet found. The Auckland newspapers report regularly during the 1920s regarding the strength of the society in Thames and the excellent work they were doing. Their biggest supporter was The Thames Old Girls' Association who met regularly in Auckland. They were a group of women who never forgot the pioneering years on the goldfield. They were active making clothes and raising money for a new Plunket rooms at Thames. Money was even received from old Thamesites residing overseas. Mrs Neil was one of these women who sent a donation from America. (Auckland Star, 9 May 1928)

At the Annual General Meeting of the Thames Plunket Society in April 1928, the number of visits to the Pollen Street Plunket rooms were 3084 and 1057 home visits were made.

PROPOSAL AND SITE FOR PLUNKET ROOMS:
"Thames Plunket Society. The proposal to erect a new building for the Thames branch of The Plunket Society has been advanced by the Thames Borough Council's decision to grant the society permission to erect the building on a reserve fronting Queen Street. The society for some years rented a small building in Pollen Street, until sufficient funds were available for the erection of its own rooms. An early meeting of the advisory board of the society is to be called to consider the matter." (Auckland Star 13 September 1932)

In 1932 plans were submitted to the Thames Borough for a new building at Sealey Street. (Source: TCDC Consent Tracker) Part of the plan is below, which appears to be a similar design to the building that would be built in 1933.

 

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21572, 17 August 1933, Page 18

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21665, 4 December 1933, Page 16

1933 Drainage permit for new Plunket Rooms

 (Source: TCDC Consent Tracker)

  NEW PLUNKET ROOMS 1933:
"New Plunket Rooms. The new rooms erected for the Thames Plunket -Society on the borough reserve in Queen Street, facing Sealey Street, are almost completed, and the official opening ceremony will take place on Saturday afternoon, December 9. Visitors will subsequently be entertained at an "At Home" in the Masonic Hall, Mackay Street." (Auckland Star, 1 December 1933)

The papers reported that the building and furnishings had cost 700 Pounds, of which the Old Thames Girls Association of Auckland had raised 340 Pounds.It was seen as a "memorial of their fathers and mothers to commemorate the diamond jubilee of Thames."

 A view of the waiting room area appeared in "A Voice for Mother" by L Bryden. My memories of the room in the 1980s have it looking very much the same!

In 2000, the Thames Coromandel District Council approved a permit for the removal of the Plunket Rooms at 301B Queen Street, Thames. The building built in part by the Pioneers of Thames was no longer wanted, and was moved to Pipiroa.

Background:
New Zealand PLUNKET SOCIETY
Thames Plunket Clinic: 702 Cochrane Street, Thames MAP

Thames (NZ): 1947 Queen Street (Walter to Richmond Street)

QUEEN  STREET: WALTER to MARY STREETS
 In the 1947 Street Directory the residents of this part of Queen street from Pahau to Walter to Mary Street on the east side (hill side) were: Frank Clark; Hy Shepherd; Harold Morgan; H Hincho - Walter Street - Chas Farrow; David Ross; Dr Keith Michelle; Noah Jonassen, Lambs Timber yard.

On the west side of Queen Street between Walter and Mary Street were: ?Samuel Driver (old Price's house); Braemar Hospital and Ms Bach, Matron; Geo Morrison; T Morrison. It should be noted with street directories it can sometimes be confusing whether a resident is listed in one or both street when they are on a corner section. Samuel Driver is an example he is listed as being on the right side of Walter Street before the Queen Street intersect, so presumably on the corner next to the two-storey building that is Braemar Hospital.

The street directory details for Walter Street are left side from the beach: Queen Street - D Ganley, R Smith, F Vedder, Thos Roe, S & R Donkin Garage. The right side from beach: Samuel Driver - Queen Street - V J Branks, Mrs F Jamieson, H Howard, W Price, Earl Williams.

QUEEN  STREET: MARY to SEALEY STREETS
 In the 1947 Street Directory the residents of this part of Queen street from Mary Street were: B D Chapman , Theatre Ppr; Hetherington Flats; Norm Spiers, salesman; Walter Wright, dentist; Ms May Glasville; Mrs Annette Baker; Jas Finlay Clerk of Court; Trevyln Miller, Med Pract; W Judd, Mgr; W Jack, Grocer.

As you can see we have a lot more names that houses, many would be occupants of the Hetherington Flats. The large empty section is the site of the old Thames Gas Works, later to be the site of the Thames War Memorial Hall and RSA.

QUEEN  STREET: SEALEY to RICHMOND STREETS
 The 1947 Wises Street Directory has these residents listed from the Sealey Street intersect on the east (hill side) of Queen Street: Rev J C Macky; Les Newby; Mrs J Collins; Mrs Kirby; Danl Bustard; Richard Baker; Mrs Gollop; R Lowrie; A Neighbour and Thos Adams.

The building on the railway line (sea side) of the street is the Thames Plunket Rooms. It was directly opposite the end of Sealey Street. Look up  Sealey Street on the right hand side and you will see the Thames Star Offices, these have now been pulled down and a new building constructed. Occupied by the newspaper company - Hauraki Herald Publishers.

Thames (NZ): Thames Advertiser online 1874-1899

Well great news for researchers with the magnificent Paperspast team getting the Thames Advertiser online.

"Following the first major discovery of gold in the Thames area in August 1867, William Wilkinson and Claude Corlett decided to try their luck as newspaper proprietors in the embryonic Thames settlement. Born in Derbyshire, England, Wilkinson arrived in Auckland on the Nimroud in 1863. He joined the Southern Cross newspaper, acting as a ‘war correspondent’ during the New Zealand Wars, notably at the battle of Gate Pa, Tauranga, in late April 1864. Corlett, from Manchester in England, a compositor by training, also worked at the Southern Cross. The first issue of the tri-weekly Thames Advertiser and Miners’ News appeared in April 1868."
Source: Paperspast


The issues covered are:
1 April 1874 - 30 December 1899 (7184 issues)


You will find a wide variety of information and for the family historian no doubt BMD notices in particular that are not in the Thames/Evening Star.

Another good example of information often published by the Thames Advertiser are these roll lists - objections where people may appear more than once on a roll.  Friday 17 May 1878 are published for the THAMES and TIKI Highway Board District. Continued on page 6. Sample below:

Thames Advertiser 17 May 1878

Remember more rolls and directories can be browsed at The Treasury in Thames, if you are passing through and able to visit.

Thames NZ Phonebook 1975

Online auction sites often have phonebooks for sale, of verying ages.  These can be an excellent source of information regarding family and business location, often with specific address details.

Copies for Thames can be found at The Thames Library and The Treasury, Thames also hold several old editions.

Below is the cover of the 1975 edition that will bring back memories for local folk and a page from that directory.

Click to go to another window, where you can click to enlarge photo

TAPU, Thames Coast - genealogy resources

Introduction:
Many Thamesites have links with the small coastal bays along the coast. Bays such as Tapu (previously known as HASTINGS) were home to miners, farmers and kauri workers. The land rugged and hard, but a challenge met by many immigrant families. The isolation and challenges of getting to Thames for supplies and help, all taken in the stride of the early european settlers. Many families eventually moving to Thames, while many descendants of those pre1900 settlers remain in the area, to this day.


Below is just a small sample/suggestions of places where you can gain more information about the lifes of the families who settled the Tapu area.

Early Maps and Photos:
In the Auckland City Libraries map collection, there are several early land maps for TAPU (WEST HASTINGS). Just enter TAPU in search box. The Heritage collection has many early photos, others can also be found at TIMEFRAMES (Alexander Turnbull Library).

School records:
Tapu-Kereta School 1874-1899 are online
Further school records are available at The Treasury Thames and for sale on a School records CD
ARCHIVES Auckland has many files and attendance registers for TAPU School, the preliminary details can be seen online and viewed at the Auckland office.

Burial records:
TCDC Cemetery online database does not include the Tapu cemetery but the council can be contacted for further information
Thames Library and The Treasury Thames have burial record details. There are Monumental inscriptions -which include the names of many of the early settlers. Families such as: HAWKES, JAMIESON, MCMAHON, PLUMMER, TROTTER and WENZLICK.

The WENZLICK family history site has info on the TAPU CEMETERY plus extensive family history inforamtion

Tapu Cemetery Headstone Photos:
Available at The Treasury and online thanks C Church.

General info:
The Treasury, Thames has: local books on the coast, reunion books, local family histories and oral history recordings on Tapu (by D Jowitt), Directories and Electoral Rolls, photos, mine and battery details.


Dunnage postcards c1920: Tapu (top) and Mata aka Te Mata (above)

Thames Street Directories: 1903 example A & G Price Ltd

Yes, I admit it. I am obsessed by Street Directories. They tell you so much about a town and the people who lived within it. With Thames we see people moving regularly around the town, from one rented house to another. Streets are some years thriving shopping centres eg. Owen and Mary Streets; subsequent years find them almost deserted or turned into entirely residential areas.

There is am index of some of these at the Thames Resource web pages, The Treasury at Thames has an ever growing collection of the directories and they are able to be browsed in their entirety at Ancestry.

Many years have a house by house location, so you can pinpoint approximately where people lived, whereas others are arranged alphabetically.  The delightful part is the advertisements that are included for many of the businesses of the time. Below are some examples and a full page advertisement placed by A & G PRICE.

Grahamstown Shops, Pollen Street

Many people venture to the Grahamstown market that is held each Saturday morning; take a minute to step back in time and picture what the street used to look like.
You can use the street directories to see what shops were in the street or check out the business list

The photo below is taken from the Pollen street & Pahau Street Intersect, looking North. On the right just out of view is the Picture Theatre and Junction Hotel. Further down to Battson's Plumbing shop (still there today) and further down to shops such as Charles Palmer's Confectionery Shop.  On the left hand side you can see the Salvation Army Barracks

1947 Aerial Photos of Thames by V C Browne & Son

The wealth of information available via the internet never fails to surprise. Sincere thanks to Kim who passed this link on.  It is for photos taken by V C Browne & Son (an aerial photo collection 1932-1978)

Enter 'Thames' in the search box to see the selection of photos that extend from the Parawai/Kauaeranga area and Moanataiari to the south. On the surface you may think they are just another aerial photo but if you order a digital copy...you will soon see how special these photos are.  You can literally take a tour around Thames and zoom in and out on streets and houses.

These photos combined with the 1946 Wises Street Directory (copy available at The Treasury), will allow you to work out more accurately where you/your ancestors lived.

Below is a small example from the  photo (resolution reduced) TH1-46 V C Browne & Son Thames 1947, photo no 21.
The focus is the corner of Mary and Queen Street, Thames.  On the left is Lamb's timber yard and on the other side of the road, a large empty section. This is where the Thames Gas Works was located and the site of the future Thames War Memorial Hall (which was built in the early 1950s)

Part of Photo 21 TH1-46 VC Browne & Son Aerial Photo Collection
Corner Mary & Queen Streets, Thames 1947

1868 Businesses at SHORTLAND, Thames

Thanks to a report in 1917 by M WHITEHEAD we can travel the streets of Shortland and see the shops that were in existence in those early, goldrush years.  When thousands wandered the often muddy streets to collect provisions and stop for the odd drink or two.

The report was published in The THAMES STAR newspaper 1 August 1917. The person in question being MATTHIAS WHITEHEAD who came to Thames in 1868 and went on to establish his own bootmaking business in Pollen Street (opposite Walter Street).

The writer turns the corner of Grey Street into Pollen Street, past ADLAM's Store, then takes us north past RENSHAW's, BARNETT's DINING ROOMS, FORD's Hotel, BNZ, Bootstore, Mr OTTO's BOARDING House & Restaurant, SHUTLTZ's Auction Mart, Bootstore, Jewellery shop, Bowling alley, PEAK's Butchery, LICHFIELD, OSBORNE & Co Grocery.

We then go back to the other corner of Grey & Pollen Street on the eastern side at BUTT's SHORTLAND Hotel. Northwards onto HAMILTON's Bakery, LEVY & GOLDWATER Wine & Spirits, KARAKA Hotel, MASON's Hairdressing Saloon, MAY the bootmaker, BARNETT & LEVY General Store, CULPITT the saddler, WOOD the tobacconist, CULPITT's Fancy Pastry Shop, PEMBROKE Hotel, WAIT's Stationary & Library, WILLIAMS drapery and HOTEL [Bendigo] on corner of Willoughby and Pollen Street.

Other shops mentioned in the next block were EXCHANGE Hotel, COX's Chemist, BERTRAM the tentmaker, WILSON's drapery and HUME's Butchery.

Shortland, Thames (1870s) taken from corner of Grey & Pollen Streets (looking north), Butt's Shortland Hotel on the right.

Take a few moments to read the newspaper article in full, and imagine walking up both sides of the street - just as M WHITEHEAD did back in 1868.

(This photo and many others of early Shortland available at The Treasury, Thames and online via sources such as Digital NZ)

1946 WISES NZ Post Office Directory for THAMES

Well having saved the pennies I got this CD from Colonial Books, not expecting tooooo much, so as not to be disappointed, but what a gem. 2 CDs and loads of names.

Often with the Wises Directories you dont always get full listings for families not in business and can be disappointed when the streets are lumped together with all householders alphabetically and not by street intersect.

For THAMES it is perfect and streets are generally laid out in order so you can work out where your family was  living.

My Grandfather F E CORNES is in Pollen Street (Right side from Burke Street, between the Walter Street and Mary Street intersects)..so about where the Vets office is now.

My other Grandfather C BARKER is in Sealey Street (Left side from the sea, just before the Sandes Street intersect). This I knew, it is the old house on the Eastern corner of Sealey and Edward Street - but still great to see in print!

Definetly worth a look and may help solve some electoral roll problems all round New Zealand.

I have many earlier directories available for perusal at my website.