Thames (NZ): THEN & NOW - Brian Boru Corner

An iconic corner in Thames - The Richmond and Pollen Streets intersect. In this pre 1900 photo the "old" Brian Boru Hotel is on the south (right) and W Bobbett, the butcher on the north (left) side.

Source: Racing for Gold by J Williams

Today the Brian Boru Hotel remains (rebuilt in 1905-06 following a fire), and a car yard if on the left.
The Brian BOru is no longer a hotel but trades as The Brew Café.

 

The Brian Boru Hotel (2nd building)
Description
Showing the Brian Boru Hotel, Thames. Corner of Richmond Street and Pollen Street. The Brian Boru remained in the Twohill family for over 100 years. It suffered two major fires on different occasions.
Source:  'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 35-R1459'

The Brew Café, aka Brian Boru Hotel today.

A different view of the northern side. A Ford car dealership from 1936. The advertisement from the 1967 centennial booklet of Thames. Today it is still the site of a car yard and garage.

 Further information:
Thames Hotels in The Treasury Journal and Thames Resources old webpages
Hotel and Business Registers at The Treasury

Thames (NZ): Then & Now Hetherington's shop

If you had shopping to do, then Hetherington's was the place to go. At Christmas time you would have gone to see the xmas displays in the large windows. Hetherington's was a large department store that had everything in stock! Or you could get their dressmakers to make you something.

Store of Hetheringtons Ltd, Direct Importers, Thames
Photograph of the shop front of Hetherington's Ltd in Thames, direct importers of fabrics, haberdashery, clothing etc., taken circa 1910s by Frederick J Causley.
Ref: PAColl-0327-08. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22762347

 Below is a close-up showing that a sale was on: bargains on blouses, lace and other items to tempt Thamesites as they walked by.

A description of the shop was in the Cyclopedia Auckland 1902:

Hetherington, Samuel, Draper, Pollen Street, Thames. This extensive business was established by Mr. Hetherington in 1874, in a very small way as compared with its present dimensions. For fully a quarter of a century the business has been steadily growing. The premises are of two stories, the frontage being 60 feet and the depth 120 feet. All departments of the drapery trade are represented, inclusive of millinery and furnishing. Mr. Hetherington, who was born in the North of Ireland, came to this Colony in the early days. Settling in Auckland, he found employment in the line of business which he has followed up to the present. He went to the Thames in 1868, and gained further experience before establishing himself on his own account. Mr. Hetherington occasionally visits England to buy for his business, and during his absence his eldest son, Mr. Samuel A. Hetherington, has entire charge—a responsibility for which he is well fitted,

The store will be remembered by many people still in the town today as it didn't close until 1971. It had served the people of Thames for nearly one hundred years, having opened in 1874. Today there is a new building on the site, occupied by Farmers (536 Pollen street, Thames).

Further information:
Available at The Treasury: Family history book, Pre 1930 Business register and Oral History recordings

Thames (NZ): Holidays on the Thames Coast

Did you spend your childhood summer holidays on the Thames Coast? From Tararu, Whakatete Bay, Ngarimu Bay, Thornton Bay, Te Puru, Waiomo, Tapu or Te Mata - to name but a few of the holiday hotspots of old.

My earliest holiday memories are of Ngarimu Bay. Playing in the rock pools between the end of Ngarimu Bay and Thornton Bay. The big choice of which beach to swim at. Going for a trek to Miss Hammond's shop to get an ice-cream was always a necessity no matter when you passed near the bay.

Below is a 1900s photo of Ngarimu Bay - a challenging adventure on horse and cart.

Description
Showing a beach and a horse drawn buggy on the Thames-Coromandel coast road running along the Firth of Thames at the northern end of Ngarimu Bay
Source: 'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 2-V1272'

 

Below is a later view of Ngarimu Bay as housing starts to cover the hills. 

 

 

 

Links to present day Camping areas:

Dickson Park, Tararu, Thames

Te Puru Holiday Park, Te Puru, Thames Coast

The Tapu Camp, Tapu, Thames Coast

Thames (NZ): A & G Price Staff identification

Just a typical day at the foundry, except the men have come out to pose for a photograph. Maybe a large order had just been completed? All we know so far is that one of these men is John SHAND, who was an engineer at A & G Prices. Do you recognise any of your rellies in the photo??

Thames (NZ): Then & Now - Sealey Street cattle route

The 1900s view below, shows a bullock team outside Thames High School, at the corner of Sealey and Rolleston Streets. While similar photos show this could have been for a parade, it was normal to see cattle walking the streets of Thames.



Above: Sealey Street view 2012, looking up to the Una Hill.

When roading changes were made in the 1940s, a concern for many residents was what effect would this have on the stock route through the town. The changes saw section of Baillie Street closed.
Cattle would come down the Karaka Road and also from north of Tararu down Baillie Street, out to the abattoirs at Totara.

Thames (NZ): Then & Now - Victoria Park

On the north and south side of Albert Street, Thames is Victoria Park. Known in some old records as Albert Park and Victoria Park. The Park holds one of Thames' most iconic old landmark - the band rotunda.

Above is a view of the north side of the park, with the Grahamstown Railway Station top right. In the distance the Burke Street Wharf.
Below the same view, the stationmaster's house, and railway station are long gone. Now the Thames Croquet Club makes it home on the site.


 Further reading:
An article in The Treasury Journal: VICTORIA PARK AND THE THAMES BAND ROTUNDA.
By Kae Lewis, Althea Barker and Dave Wilton.
 New Zealand Heritage Register: Category 2

Thames (NZ): Church at Kirikiri

On 30 November 1874, a new church was opened at Kirikiri.

Anglican Church Kopu
Source: The Ohinemuri Journal

"The new church, which has been built at the Kirikiri native settlement, Thames River; was formally opened for service yesterday. The building is weatherboard, carefully lined and finished, has Gothic windows, and is in every respect a very neat ecclesiastical structure. At the west end there is a belfry, on which there is a good bell suspended, and over the porch there is a neat cross erected. Over the chancel there are beautifully illuminated texts in the Maori language, which were sent from England by Miss Weald, a lady who takes a very great interest in the Maori mission, particularly in this diocese." Thames Star 1 December 1874

 We know exactly what the church looked like even today, thanks to a report in the Thames Advertiser 30 January 1886. When the Maori Mission Church was replaced at Parawai, the church was replicated.  "The dimensions will be the same as those of the Kirikiri Church, and the plans for that building will also be adhered to."

Further details are in the Ohinemuri Journal:

By Rev. GORDON KAA

The old Anglican Church at Kopu, demolished in recent years, stood near the Hikuai road turn off. The details of its building is recorded in the diary of the late Mr Tiki Reihana:-

Te Whare Karakaia kei Kirikiri

 

The translation reads -

• 28/3/1874. The timber was milled for the Church.
• 19/5/1874. The foundation blocks arrived. It was built during: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November.
• 27/11/1874. They finished painting.
• 28/11/1874. The pews were bought.
• 29/11/1874. The Rev’s Wirema Tepea and Wiremu Pomare were ordained to priesthood.
• 30/11/1874. The Church was opened and dedicated.

In the Auckland Weekly News I July 1909, is the photo of a wedding at Kerikeri, Thames, with what looks like the church on the left. Was there another building next to it that was used by the Mormon Church? Is Kerikeri - Kirikiri?

DO YOU RECOGNISE ANY OF THESE PEOPLE?

 

The description reads: THE SPREAD OF MORMONISM AMONGST THE MAORIS: A MAORI WEDDING WHICH WAS CONDUCTED RECENTLY IN THE MORMON CHURCH AT KERIKERI, THAMES, AUCKLAND.
Source: Auckland Weekly News 01 JULY 1909 p005 'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19090701-5-4 .

Do you have any photos of the Church before it was demolished?

Thames (NZ): First Motor Wedding 1913

Thames Star, Issue 14522, 14 May 1913, Page 4

A 'Thames First' event  - the first time a motor car was used on the wedding day.

The marriage took place at the St Francis' Church in Willoughby Street, Thames.

It was the marriage of Mr Samuel DEVCICH of Puriri to Miss Matty MERSEP of Auckland. 

"The bridal party arrived at and departed from church in motor cars."

What a sight it would have been for the town!

If anyone has a photo of the wedding, I would love to include them in this post:)


Thames (NZ): Mining Map showing land acquisition

Having looked at the videos in the previous post, it is interesting to see this map showing the land ACQUIRED by James Mackay for mining. A lot of land!

Sketch showing the extent of the acquisition of land by M. Macky for mining purposes between Manaia & Kirikiri
Source: 'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, NZ Map 3573'

Below is a crop of the Thames area - note the maori names for the places around the town.

Further information:

The Treasury at Thames has a large collection of mining maps and access to maps of the Thames township area.

Thames (NZ): Te Kauaeranga the history of the Thames

A MUST WATCH. A two part video on YouTube that gives the history of Te Kauaeranga, the area we know today as Thames. The commentary is fittingly in te reo Māori, but the English sub-titles are a full transcript which adds to the story being told.

Key points to watch for and learn more about are:

• From Moehau to Te Aroha - there were 12 tribes of the Marutuahu
• Settled the land pre-European times
• Tainui canoe visited the coast
• Te Kauaeranga name for area known as Thames
• James Mackay appointed to purchase tribal lands
• Chief Taraia Ngakuti Te Tumuhia was against sale of the land (photo right)
• 1852 Gold at Kapanga
• Gold found at Thames by Tangata
• 1867 Thames gold rush
• Maori land leased for mining, was to be returned
• Chiefs allowed early Kauri logging for ship building
• Matai Whetu Marae history and relationship to Kopu and Meremere
• Importance of Whakapapa, and local maori customs
• Need for oral history library for Hauraki

THE VIDEOS are:

Part 1 of 2 Te Kauaeranga the history of the Thames

Published on Apr 17, 2012

 

Part 2 of 2 Te Kauaeranga the history of the Thames

Published on Apr 17, 2012

Part 1 and 2 Te Kauaeranga the history of the Thames Waka Huia TVNZ 17 April 2012 - 'Te Kauaeranga' is a 29'00" documentary on the history of the Thames area Southwest of Coromandel during Thames Heritage week - "A week-long celebration of the rich history of Thames."

Further information:
The Treasury Journal - CHIEF TARAIA NGAKUTI TE TUMUHUIA and JAMES MACKAY
Also The Hauraki Mission Station.
The Treasury and Thames Library have a large number of books about the local tangata whenua.
Hauraki iwi website