Thames (NZ): The Treasury index

A few new initiatives by The Coromandel Heritage Trust, via THE TREASURY webpages:

1. SHOP - you can browse and see what booklets, books, CDs and DVDs are available for sale. Instructions given for purchase

2. RESEARCH SERVICE - Details given of the research services available for those unable to visit in person

3. THE TREASURY INDEX - the first entries are available for searching. Have a go, you may find that you too, have a relative who called The Thames home!

Looking down Albert Street to Curtis Wharf. Upper middle left is Queen Street and the COURT HOUSE HOTEL, opposite the Government Buildings
Source: Waikato Digital Library

Thames (NZ): Auckland Star Obituaries & Thames Pre 1930 Businesses

Just to let you know about one new resource, and the update of an old one at The Treasury, Thames.

The Auckland Star Obituary Collection for the Thames area 1870s to 1945 is on the shelves. Although not quite to plan, it covers the obituary notices that appeared for residents/past residents of The Thames. Gained from paperspast, it may help you find some relatives that you have missed in the searches. It is indexed and has over 6500 entries, catalogued under 'obituary subject' and 'mention in obituary.' Amazing how much information was given, especially the ships that people arrived on.

The Pre 1930 Businesses of Thames have been revised, with new information added. The aim with this collection is to identify where possible: Business name, owner/s, location, start and finish dates. Anyone with information on these businesses is encouraged to add information to the file. A massive scrapbook, that hopefully helps researchers with their first step following a business or family member. This is indexed, and at present has over 1500 entries.

The Treasury Indexing group were hard at work last week when I visited - so there is an increasing number of resources indexed, to make it easier for the researchers of the Thames Valley/Coromandel Peninsula area.


Owning a business in Brown Street was always a challenge in the early flood years.
Above: Corner Albert and Brown Street 21/4/1923 (looking up Albert Street to hills)
Photo courtesy of: BNZ Archives



Thames (NZ): Early Boarding-Houses on the goldfields

Amongst the many businesses that prospered on the early goldfields, were boarding-houses. Although the hundred plus hotels had accommodation, more homely board could be found at the numerous businesses around the townships of Shortland and Grahamstown.

The 1870 Thames Directory has the following listings for BOARDING & LODGING Houses & REFRESHMENT ROOMS:
Shortland: John ANDREWS (Mary Street); Elizabeth CASH, William CHAMPION, William FARRANT, Mrs LEWIS' TEMPERANCE RESTAURANT, Litchfield & OSBORNES' SHORTLAND RESTAURANT, Henry LUSTY and Thomas SUMMERS OYSTER ROOMS  (Pollen Street); Mrs MOUNCES' WEST COAST BOARDING-HOUSE (Willoughby Street); Thomas POWELLS' Dining Rooms (Grey Street).

Grahamstown: Robert COMER (Burke Street); Richard DODD, Thomas KEVEN (Beach); John FERGUSON (Davy Street); HAZELL & TURNER's CAFE de PARIS, Andrew OTTO, Charles SMITH (Brown Street); C PELHAM (Williamson Street).

Suburbs: Mrs BRUCE's THAMES BOARDINGHOUSE (Coromandel Street), Thomas OWENS' MOANATAIARI RESTAURANT (Golden Crown Street); Elizabeth SIMS' MELBOURNE BOARDING HOUSE (Beach, Tookey's Town)

Life in the boardinghouse was never  dull. Papers of the day report death, theft and other events. What about the day one man had the nerve to "act as a boarder" and ate all the breakfasts!

DSC 18/6/1868

The Moanataiari Restaurant located south of the Moanataiari Hotel was a busy part of town in the goldfields day, and no doubt attracted a large number of miners and hungry travellers who had just arrived via the Wharf just down the road.

Moanataiari Restaurant and Hotel in Golden Crown Street (North off Owen Street)
Source: David Arbury Collection, The Treasury

Thames (NZ): Karaka Bakery & Store

Previously mentioned, has been the importance of the neighbourhood stores that were aound the hills and flat area of Thames. Shops like those at Fenton Street, Franklyn Street, Parawai and Tararu.
Early papers have reports of several early shops and bakeries up Karaka Road. People such as ROLLERSON's had a bakery, Mrs LUDLOW ran the STAR Store. In the 1870s, Mrs CAMPBELL had a grocery opposite the Claremont Hotel in Karaka Road.

Thames Advertiser 25 August 1877

In Karaka Road, just east of the Sandes Street intersect, was the Karaka Bakery, known also by other names. Owned and operated for many years by the GLEESON family. Several of the oral history recordings at The Treasury, speak of the importance of this shop and the high level of service they received. A wide variety of bread was available and delivered fresh to the homes around Thames; along with general grocery items. The shop changed hands in later years and closed 1960s/70s. Over the years the building under went some alterations, but still stands today.

Thames (NZ): Fireworks pre 1900

It seems at present that Thames has never seen so many fireworks - shops popped up selling tempting products; that have been set alight both day and night.

Perhaps nothing has changed after all - except the restrictions. A review of the early papers gives countless reports of firework celebrations. They were used all year round, and Thamesites needed little excuse to have a firework display. They were used at the wharf to send off boats, along with at random celebrations/meetings and Anniversaries. Along with being let off on the 5th of November, each year.

Thames Star 6 Nov 1874

Over the years there were countless accidents from fireworks and the bonfires that littered the hills around the town. In 1880, the builders of several bonfires couldn't wait and lit theirs on the 4th November - leading many to think there was a terrible fire up at Upper Albert Street.

Thames Star 5 Nov 1880

Later in 1919 Christchurch City Council were lobbying to have fireworks subject to the same restrictions as firearms - due to their dangerous nature.

THE GRAND FIREWORKS DISPLAY FROM THE END OF THE RAILWAY WHARF, AUCKLAND, ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 10, 1908.

Source: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19080820-14-2

Thames (NZ): PUCKEY family

While many of us search to find the earliest we can track our genealogy back anywhere in the world, it is always of interest to see when our ancestors first stepped onto New Zealand shores. Many of New Zealand's earliest settlers and those born in the early days - eventually spent some time on the Thames Goldfields. The lure of gold escaped no one!

The PUCKEY family are pioneers of early New Zealand, and yes they too, spent some time on The Thames. The first recorded Europen marriage in New Zealand was William PUCKEY to Matilda DAVIS.
"At Waimate North on 11 October 1831 Puckey married Matilda Davis (who was then aged 17), second daughter of Rev. Richard Davis, thus becoming the first European couple recorded to be married in New Zealand. Their first child was born in early January 1833, but only survived for seven weeks."

In later years, Matilda PUCKEY (after the death of her husband) would come and settle with family in Thames. Matilda died 15th July 1884 at her son's Sandes Street home and is buried in Shortland Cemetery.

One of her son's EDWARD WALTER PUCKEY was a well known native interpreter in the Thames area (previously mentioned in an article on Daldy McWILLIAMS.) Part of his obituary is below.


Auckland Star 18/2/1924 (full obituary at paperspast)



Mr Puckey would have walked across this Hape Creek Footbridge turning left into Mackay Street, then right into Grey Street (past the little building - the Post Office) to work at the Land Court on the corner of Grey and Pollen Streets.



Thames (NZ): Charles Blomfield (artist)

While collecting obituaries from the Auckland Star, it never ceases to amaze me the names that have passed through Thames. We often say to people, I'm sure you will have a Thames connection somewhere!!!

One such person who spent time on the Thames Goldfields, was CHARLES BLOMFIELD. The extended Blomfield family arrived in New Zealand in 1863 on the Gertrude.

"Samuel found work in the building industry, and Charles was employed by a house painter and was taught paint mixing, wood graining and other decorative skills. He was later to set up a business specialising in decorative art work.
By 1867 economic depression and unemployment had come to Auckland. Following the discovery of gold at Thames, Samuel took his family to live there; he soon found employment building houses for the hundreds of people who joined the goldrush. Charles Blomfield, with two of his friends, was among the gold-seekers, but their claim was very poor and after weeks of hard work they had only a meagre amount to show for their efforts."
Source: Muriel Williams. 'Blomfield, Charles - Biography', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 1-Sep-10
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/2b28/1

Charles BLOMFIELD is remembered today for his landscape paintings, including the one below of the 'pink and white terraces.'

Oil painting of the White Terraces, Lake Rotomahana, by Charles Blomfield, 1888

Thames (NZ): New article Treasury Journal (Nurse Pennell)

A new article is available for reading in THE TREASURY JOURNAL (The Coromandel Heritage Trust).

Title:
Nurse Mary PENNELL and family of Paeroa
by Doreen (Penne) Pennell

The story starts with Mary's father Patrick MCCARTHY who was a fencible and came to New Zealand in 1847. Full family history is given, along with a wonderful account of a women who served her community as nurse and midwife. Mary PENNELL (nee MCCARTHY) died of influenza during the 1918 epidemic.

Remember contributions are welcomed by the Editor, contact details available at the bottom of this page.

Paeraoa Maternity Hospital c1950

Thames (NZ): Early Electricity supply

While many of us experienced several hours of no electricity last Saturday, it makes one realise how reliant we are on this resource.

One hundred years ago, Thamesites were relishing the few hours of electrical current they were being supplied and the joys of having street lighting in certain areas.

In September 1914, there had been 210 application for electric current. Technical details on the electrical plant were in the paper 10 June 1914, along with reports that businesses were busy changing over from gas to electricity supply.

By 1915, there were 308 households connected to the Mains. They were being supplied on certain afternoons: Monday, Tuesday and Saturday. A Street Lamp had been put at Karaka Creek Road, while the people around Clarence Street had petitioned for a lamp.

A few years later in 1919, the community was being reminded about how wonderful Electricity was, and they were urged to sign the Thames Valley Electric Scheme petition.

Thames Star 30 August 1919

Full details on the history of electricity supply in Thames can be found at the Hauraki Pump House in Cochrane Street, Thames.

Thames (NZ): New article in TREASURY JOURNAL

Just alerting readers to a new article in THE TREASURY JOURNAL.
The details are: H LOWE, Mayor of Thames 1910-1919 by A Arundel.

Henry LOWE ran a butchery in Pollen Street, known as LOWE & GOODWIN. The shop was located in the area north of the Mary Street intersect. Full family details can be found in the article.

A list and photos of other early Thames Mayors can be found at The Treasury website.
Captain William DAVIES was in 1874 elected the first Mayor of Thames, following the establishment of the Thames Borough in 1873, and the amalgamation of the townships of Shortland and Grahamstown.