Foreword
Gary and Maureen Monk, 2019.
Is there anything more self fulfilling than writing a book to record a life’s memories?Is there anything more inspirational than reading such an account of those, whose life experiences, in another time, created and paved the way so that our childhoods were happy, secure, enjoyable and meaningful?
Is there anything more challenging than, at the age of 88, embarking on a career as an author to pen such a book? Or more courageous? I think not!
Aren’t we all so very lucky to have a mother, mother-in-law, nan, sister, aunty, cousin, friend, who has the skills to achieve just that?
This is a remarkable book that recounts a remarkable life. It is filled with rich stories and photos of family and friends who have all contributed to an epic treasure that will endure for future generations.
When I first heard that technology had created the opportunity to pen a book, that zoomed up into the cloud, to return to earth as a published hard (and soft) copy, with relevant photos and all the other proper things a book should have, I thought, wow, wouldn’t it be great if Mum and Dad could publish their memoirs.
Family conversations over recent times had begun to focus on the past and on the wonderful life they had enjoyed together for nearly 70 years.
The time was right. They had plenty of leisure time, great memories, treasures and old photos and lots of enthusiasm. Sadly Dad’s health deteriorated, resulting in Mum becoming a full time caregiver. The book publishing idea was put on the shelf.
Since Dad’s passing on 20 October, 2018, Mum has set about rebuilding her life, focusing on a future on her own. She has sought solace in spending many hours researching and recounting the past to create this wonderful book.
Whilst the book is full of happy memories, it is tinged with sadness. Dad would have loved to help compile it and most of all, he’d be very proud to read it, decade by decade, to his great grandchildren, whose futures he desperately wanted to be part of.
A foreword to this book would not be complete without acknowledging the huge part my sister Pam has played in not only helping Mum compile this piece of family history but the devotion and support she has provided in the twelve difficult months since Dad's passing.
Thank you both from us all and thank you Dad for playing the central character, my hero.
My Origins
Maureen Pamela Monk
Born Gisborne, New Zealand, 15 September 1931
Mother: Esther Cecilia East (nee Poole), born in Australia 6 February 1907, died 24 June 1986 in Gisborne
Father: Howard Geoffrey East, born in Gisborne, New Zealand 17 June 1906, died 13 September 2002 in Gisborne
Maternal Grand Parents
Ada Poole (nee Bound), born in United Kingdom 14 September 1881, died 14 June 1965 in Gisborne
Thomas Lancelot Poole, born in United Kingdom 1882, died 4 March 1956 in Rotorua
Maternal Great Grand Parents
not known
not known
Maternal Great Great Grand Parents
not known
not known
Paternal Grand Mother & Father
Eleanor Jessie East (nee Markie), born in Auckland, New Zealand March 1884, died 24 October 1964 in Gisborne
Howard Lander East, born in New Zealand 1873, died 22 May 1928 in Gisborne
Paternal Great Grand Mother & Father
not known
not known
- Chapter 1 -
The Beginnings - the 30s
It was 15 September 1931 and Geoff East of Gisborne, a mechanic, and Essie, his wife, were waiting the arrival of their second child whom they had already named Maurice to be born. Baby eventually arrived as a little girl and was named Maureen Pamela East. She already had a four-year-old sister Daphne Jean, two grandmothers, one grandfather, five aunts and three uncles. So there begins my story, 88 years ago.
I should have been a boy, as by the time I was three I had broken my elbow falling off the back of a couch, and broken it again falling off the dining room table. It had to be broken again a third time by a Dr Hall in Cook Hospital to try and straighten it (without success). Thirteen months after I was born my sister Janet Eleanor was born.
Having been born in 1931, my early years were during the Depression. My dad had taken a position with a garage mechanic at Te Karaka some twenty miles from Gisborne and was hopeful of gaining an apprenticeship. The effects of the depression put a stop to that ambition, so Dad was looking for work. Queuing up outside any business who were advertising for workers, one such business happened to be Monk and Martin. Little did he know at that time that his second daughter was to marry Monk’s youngest child, Claude. Dad eventually was offered a job by Findlay’s Bakery as a Bread Delivery driver to country residents around Gisborne (a job he held for 35 years until he retired at the then compulsory age of 60 years). It involved early morning starts around 5.30am and home about 3.30pm three days a week. He was very well known around the district from Makaraka to Waipaoa and all the little districts in between. My first memory as a four-year-old was going with my dad on the “run”, as we called it, and visiting some of his customers who made a fuss of me offering me fruit, biscuits and the never forgotten milk fresh from the cow! The three day a week job enabled my dad to take on odd jobs and over the course of the next 35 years he became a very “handyman” and excelled most as a saw man cutting and supplying wood to each and all!
When we moved to Gisborne, then a township, but now of course a city, we lived in a house in Norman Road. My mother’s mother, my Nana Poole, lived on the corner of Norman Road and Herbert Road with her ten-year-old son Ray, so we had family very near to us. My other nana, Dad’s mother, was a widow, and her and her three daughters and her other son lived with her a mile or more away which without transport made it difficult for us to visit. Both of my nanas worked full time! They were both seamstresses and worked at the then named Cook Hospital. They were responsible for making all the dresses for their granddaughters, so we were very well dressed, most times alike. The Church of Christ was on the corner of Norman Road and Roebuck Road just four houses from our home. Mum and Dad dressed my elder sister Daphne, my younger sister Janet and I up in our very best clothes each Sunday morning and off we walked four houses down the road to Sunday School.
By the time I was five we moved from Norman Road to a very old villa in Aberdeen Road, only a five-minute walk from my nana’s home which we visited often. It was one of those homes that had a verandah around the front and two sides of the house. I remember Daphne had a weekend job of scrubbing the wooden floor of the verandah. From this home we walked about 20 minutes to Te Hapara School in all-weather as no cars nor bikes were in the family at that time. We also continued walking to Sunday School, just a ten-minute walk for the three of us, every Sunday morning.
When I was about seven years old our family moved again, this time closer to our school, to 10 Wellington Street. Here we lived next door to the Niven family who had two sons and a daughter called Elaine. Her father often took her to Stanley Road Beach, a still famous East Coast Beach. One weekend day he took her to the beach but came home alone, Elaine got caught in a rip which took her out to sea and despite efforts by plenty of swimmers and onlookers they couldn’t reach her nor find her even to this day. That event had a remarkable effect on our family as our Dad often took us to the very same spot of Waikanae Beach named Stanley Road End. Dad continued to take us, and we were always on the lookout for her body. The year was 1938, I can easily remember as my third sister Beverley arrived in March 1939 and was named Beverley Laurel Elaine (she was supposed to be a boy with the name Bevan Laurie already selected and the extra name Elaine added in memory). We still walked to Te Hapara School and Sunday School, as still no bikes!
The next memorable event in my life was in January 1939. My parents were allocated one of the first state houses available in Townley Street, number 12, and I lived there for 11 more years until I was married in 1950. There were only three bedrooms, so Daphne being the eldest was privileged to have the third bedroom, Janet and I shared the second bedroom. My parents had the first bedroom which was large enough to contain a cot, as my third sister Beverley arrived in March and shared a room with my parents until Daphne was married in 1949. As the second eldest, I expected to then occupy the single bedroom that Daphne had, but alas, my parents decided that young Beverley should have that room and Janet and I shared the second bedroom room until I married in 1950.
As Townley Street was closer to Central School we left our friends at Te Hapara School and attended Central School. It was the only school in Gisborne to have a swimming pool. So, we participated in swimming events! The three eldest of us were well used to beach swimming (floundering really) as my dad continued to take his eldest three kids to Stanley Road Beach on his bike. Jan in a basket on the front of his bike, me on the bar of the gent’s bike and Daphne on a seat on the back. Oh, how I wish I had a photo of such an event. Swimming, diving and competing in a swimming pool at School was another story. Daphne excelled and held quite a few certificates for swimming. I recall receiving one certificate for diving but not sure where Jan fitted in. This School also housed the only Dental School in Gisborne at that time. So, we were fortunate to be on site for dental care and swimming lessons without having to be transported somewhere else as all the other public-school pupils had to do. I stayed at Central for five years, one in the primers, and then into Standards one to four.
1939 and the start of World War Two
Fortunately, restrictions were placed on fathers who had four children, so my dad was not required to enlist for The Services but instead enlisted for the Home Guard Services in which he remained for the entirety of the war. This was the year that my Aunty Ollie (Dad’s eldest sister) gave Daphne her old bike. Oh, how sad I was as she could bike to school whilst I had to take Janet along and walk. Not long after my dad bought a bigger bike for Daphne and I got Aunty Ollie’s bike. Then by the end of that year Dad bought a bigger bike for me and Janet got the hand me down little bike. Having a bike enabled the three of us to compete in the School’s Decorated Bike Competition but from memory I was the only one from my family that entered! Did I win a prize? Wish I could remember!
Me, three months old in my pram at home at Te Karaka in 1931.
My dad, with his Gisborne delivery vehicle leaving from Findlay's, Grey St, Gisborne in 1930.
My dad's family - Uncle Norm, Auntie Lily (seated), my grandmother East, Auntie Ollie, Auntie Doris and my dad in 1928.
My younger sister Janet, my older sister Daphne and I all dressed up by Nana East in Gisborne.
My sister Janet and I, outside Hannah's shoe store, Gladstone Road, Gisborne 1938.
Me and my decorated bicycle.
Janet, Dad, Daphne, Mum and I at Townley Street.
My Standard Three Gisborne Central School Class, 1938.
My Standard Four Gisborne Central School Class, 1939.
- Chapter 2 -
Growing Up, Meeting Claude - the 40s
In 1940 the first intermediate school in New Zealand was opened in Gisborne just two housing blocks from our home in Townley Street. My sister Daphne left Gisborne Central School mid-year and was enrolled as a Form 2 student at the new school. Janet and I continued biking to Central School and one day while playing a game of basketball (as it was called then) I broke my right wrist.
I loved school, I loved learning and was very keen not to let a broken wrist interfere with my school lessons. So, I practised writing left handed, which did not go unnoticed by my teacher, and the second certificate I received when I left that school at the end of 1942 was the “Headmasters Award for persistence for learning to write left handed”.
I spent the next two years at Gisborne Intermediate School learning algebra, geometry and French and the “three r's”. This school graded pupils into academic classes and I was in form 1A amongst 32 other very keen-to-learn students, including the headmaster Mr Slevin’s daughter Rosalind who always seemed to beat me in all subjects but not in sport. I was selected to play defence in both forms one and two but preferred to be a goal shooter, but my broken elbow made me a very inconsistent shooter.
In form two every pupil was invited to compete in the end of year Rotary speech contest. My teacher encouraged me to enter so I spent many nights at home writing a fifteen-minute speech on the subject of “Democracy”. I can remember how it started.
"The word democracy figures largely in our speech today. We hear it on the radio. We see it in the newspapers and we often use it, but I wonder how many of us here tonight understand the meaning of that word".
The rest has faded in my memory but as it was wartime, I do remember referring to the effects of war and how lucky we were to live in a democratic country like New Zealand. I also remember winning this contest and still have the cup.
It was during my last year at Intermediate my parents obtained my Auntie Ollie’s piano and Mum saved some money to allow Daphne and I to have music lessons from a neighbour Mrs Gordon. Daphne wasn’t as keen as me. I enjoyed my classes and in no time was entertaining the family around the piano on Saturday evenings (I don’t think Daph liked that as she soon decided to stop lessons). Not so I, until one day towards the end of term, three of my girlfriends and three boyfriends decided to skip school and go to the movies. We were spotted and sent to the headmaster’s office the next morning. We were all sorry and I thought that was the end of the story. But when I got home from school the next day, I remember my mother was stirring a stew on our wood stove in the kitchen and tears were rolling down her cheeks. Someone from the school had visited and told her of my adventure and I think it nearly broke her heart.She’d had a talk with Dad and decided I needed to be punished and the best punishment they came up with was to stop my piano lessons! How sad was that, not even with one year, but it wasn’t over, I kept on playing, teaching myself and entertaining the family until I got married.
The 1940s were the start of restrictions on food, clothing, petrol, in fact mostly everything we needed to survive. We all received coupons, and as we were a family of six we had a generous amount, but my mother still had to juggle the coupons, especially for butter, to last I think three months.
Living with coupons carried on right up until 1950. I remember sugar coupons were the least generous and my Dad bought us three-penny money boxes and every time we deprived ourselves from using sugar (eg. Weetbix, porridge etc.) he would give us threepence... I can’t remember what we did with the money?
We three sisters continued to attend Church of Christ Sunday School Bible Class and by 1944 the Church ran a Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, Indoor Gymnastics, Easter Church Camps, Basketball team, Hockey team, Indoor Basketball team and Tennis, and played competitively against other Bible Schools around Gisborne. We were fortunate enough to obtain the use of a tennis court in the grounds of The Hacche Family in Roebuck Road and played there every weekend.
This was the year that I left Intermediate School and started at Gisborne Girls High School where Daphne had already started. I wanted to become a schoolteacher, but as Daphne had already chosen a commercial course it was financially necessary that I should as well as my parents could save money on books and tuition fees if we both followed the same course.
As soon as I started High School, I realised I needed to “keep up with the Jones’s”. I heard of a weekend job becoming vacant at the local dairy owned by Gordon Heighway. So after school one day I approached him, introduced myself, and applied for the job on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from noon until 5pm, for which I received five shillings per day. Wow!
My mother was friendly with a neighbour around the corner, Mrs Arthur Toye, who owned a manchester shop in Gisborne. They had six children and were looking for a casual baby sitter and Mum asked me to call on them and see if they needed me. Well they did and would you believe a thirteen-year-old girl sat supervising six children ranging in age from two to nine on a casual Saturday evening for over two years.
We had many neighbours at 12 Townley Street. Mr and Mrs Syd Rule and their three children – Peter, Sonja and Jimmy, lived next door at number 14. Mr and Mrs Graham Henderson and two sons, one of whom was David, lived at number 10. The Pilkington family lived opposite and the Patterson family next to them with their autistic son John, a brilliant student. The Gabolinsky family, who lived behind us, had two daughters and one of them Marion, was later to become my bridesmaid. Mrs Saggers, a good friend to Mum, also lived behind us living in what we would now call a duplex with the Gabolinskys. They all arrived within a year after us as we were the first to move into Townley Street.
I loved my school days. I was learning short-hand and typing and was encouraged in my first year at High School to enter The Chamber of Commerce competition for typing for which I won a certificate (I still have the certificate).
Towards the end of my second year I was put on the spot when I took my sewing home (I was making a dress in sewing classes, which were compulsory if you took a commerce course). It was nearly finished but of course it was not to leave the sewing classroom as it was to be marked just like a written exam was marked. But I needed a new dress for the annual Gisborne A&P Show over Labour Weekend. It only needed the braiding sewn on the edges of the dress which was in fact a pinafore so I sneaked it out on the last sewing lesson before Labour Weekend 1946 and asked my younger sister Janet, who at fourteen years of age was already the family seamstress making all our clothes, to sew the red braid on and by show day on the Saturday I was off with my friends to the Show. When I got home my mother put my dress into the wash (no washing machine just a copper) as with spots of sauce from a sausage and specs from an ice cream, she saw it needed a wash. Well when it came out of the copper the dye from the red braid had gone right through my garment. My mother did not know that I was not allowed to bring it home and I just dreaded facing the sewing teacher, so I asked my elder sister Daphne, who by now had left school and had been three years working for Keith Woodward, a partner in law firm Woodward and Iles, if there was a vacancy at her law firm for a commercial student from Gisborne High and when they were told it was her sister they said start her tomorrow!
So instead of attending school on sewing lesson day I was cycling with my sister to work, together with Kath Lunken and Marie Mogford. That was 1946 and that was also the year that my sister Daph commenced a friendship with a boy from our church who was an electrician, Jim Powell. Two years later I began a friendship with another boy from our church who was an apprentice electrician, Claude Monk.
In 1947, my sister Janet and my friend Shirley Moss and I road our bicycles to the Gisborne Railway Station early one morning and caught the train to Napier, bicycles and all, where we were met by one of my cousins, who lived in Hastings. The four of us got onto our bicycles and biked from Napier to Hastings where we stayed with our relations for two nights and enjoyed riding round Hastings town sights before cycling back to Napier to catch the train back to Gisborne, a daring adventure for us all.
This was the year that I caught the Road Services bus and went to Manurewa, Auckland, to stay with my Aunty Doris, my Dad’s youngest sister and her husband and their four children – Shirley, Don, June and Alan. I had a wonderful holiday and became close to my cousins and remain so today. Sadly, Don has recently passed away.
I continued with the church activities which also included Easter camps which were a lot of fun. We mostly held them at the Gisborne Showgrounds or at The Wainui camping grounds. Men like Arthur Hall, Jim Arnold, Herb Halliwell and their wives organised these four-day events and became our mentors through our teenage years.
We also had a yearly church picnic to Waihirere Domain, the highlight of which was receiving ice cream in a cup from the bucket direct from the local milk man!
They were wonderful years. Shirley Moss, Beverley Smith, Joy Pocock, Nance and Beryl Murray, all became close friends. Joy became my bridesmaid. I started teaching Sunday School and singing solos in the evening church services.
At sixteen I was baptised by immersion (our church had an immersion bath) as was my sister Daphne and my soon-to-be-boyfriend Claude Monk. I had a lot of competition in obtaining my relationship with Claude, but within 12 months, by 1948, we were a pair.
I spent a lot of time with him during the winter of 1949 helping him study for his written examination for his electricians’ certificate. I read over and over to him questions from previous exams until he was confident enough to sit and pass and receive his certificate – we were both ecstatic. He could now be employed as an electrician instead of an apprentice electrician as he had been at Clare and Jones.
By this time my sister Daphne was engaged to Jim Powell from our church. They were married in 1949, my sisters were bridesmaid and flower girl for Daph and Jim’s wedding, and I sang a solo ”O Perfect Love”.
That same year Claude and I had saved up some money and bought a section at 451 Childers Road for £150. There were land valuation restrictions on at that time and the selling price for the property we wanted was fixed at £130. We were told by the solicitors I worked for to pay the vendor £20 “under the counter” which we did and purchased the property with a view to building our home.
We both belonged to the Gisborne Building Society and bought a few shares and these shares entitled you to go in the draw each month for interest free loans. The more shares you had the more money you could borrow. By 1949 Claude had enough to borrow £500 and that year he was drawn to borrow interest free £500, so we decided to borrow a further £2000 at 1.5% for twenty years and had enough money to build a two-bedroom home.
In May 1949 my father acquired the loan of a 1927 Model T Ford Sedan from his dear friend Bob Friar, whose family ran the shop and Post Office at Ormond, to whom Dad supplied bread on his bread run. They took Claude and I up to Auckland for the marriage of one of our twin friends Beryl Murray (Daphne was a bridesmaid and travelled up earlier). We stayed in Wainui Guest house which had been recommended to us by our neighbour Sydney Rule, who was a salesman in Gisborne and travelled frequently to Auckland, and always stayed at Wainui House which was situated in Symonds Street, Auckland City. What an adventure for us in such a vintage vehicle.
On Christmas Eve 1949 (24/12/49) Claude and I became engaged and he called into my home and told my Dad and Mother (not asked) and we showed them the five straight diamond ring we had just bought from Hammond Jewellers one hour earlier.
Janet, Beverley, Daphne and me, at home in 1943.
Claude and I at the A&P show, 1948.
My cousin June and I, when I visited her and her family in 1948 in Manurewa, Auckland, on my very first holiday paid from my wages.
Me, Janet and Shirley Moss with one of my Hastings cousins walking down the Main Street of Hastings in 1947, after travelling from Gisborne to Napier on the Railcar with our bikes.
The then Manurewa Post Office where I posted my postcards home to my family in Gisborne, 1948.
Me and my brand new bike, which I saved and bought myself. Off to work,1947
My Mum, Dad and Claude and I travelled up to Auckland in Bob Friars Model T in 1949 for Beryl Murray’s wedding. Daphne was a bridesmaid and travelled up earlier. I knitted the jumper Claude’s wearing!
In the pinafore I made at sewing Class at Gisborne Girls High School In 1946. I was going to the A&P Show.
Bob Friar of Ormond – one of Dad’s customers – on his bread run with Model T Ford, which he lent to my Dad to take us to Auckland for Beryl Murray’s wedding, 1949.
My three sisters and I, all dressed for Sunday School, 1942.
My three sisters and I, dressed for Sunday School, 1945.
Me outside Townley Street, off to work, 1948.
In my tennis outfit ready for our regular Saturday church games.
The receipt from Woodward & Iles for payment of our section dated 10/6/1949 and signed for Woodward & Iles by M.P. East.
The settlement statement from Woodward and Iles for the purchase of our section at 451 Childers Road, Gisborne. Note the rates at £5.14 per annum.
Church of Christ Bible Class camp at Waihirere Domain Gisborne, 1948., Claude is on the top row no.5 from the left. I am in the second row first on the left. Arthur Hall is in the dark coat in the middle and Herb Halliwell is on the top row first on the left. These two men were our mentors growing up from Sunday school to bible class and beyond during our teenage years.
Church of Christ Bible Class camp 1949 at Wainui Beach. Claude is back row second left and I am in the middle with my head slightly turned to my right. My bridesmaid Joy Pocock is next to me on my left. Herb Halliwell and his wife Rose are in the front row.
Our church ladies group,1949. I am in the second row with my arms crossed and my sister Daphne is in front with the white top.
Claude leaving his home to play tennis with the Church tennis team at the Hacches home in Roebuck Road, 1949.
Easter camp with my bible class group and Pop Halliwell in front row. I am back row far left. This one was at the Gisborne Showgrounds, 1949.
The Church of Christ Basketball team 1947-1949. Second from right is my sister Daphne, then me, then my bridesmaid Joy Pocock with her head slightly down.
Our 1946 Church of Christ Hockey Team, Ian McKay, Ray Sullivan, Basil Russell, John Halliwell, Sonny Matenga, Alec Mackie, Dennis Allen, Claude Monk, Ray Richards and Noel Adcroft.
Monk Bros converted car in the town Christmas Parade, 1944. Claude is in the front seat.
My Intermediate School Rotary Club Oratory Speech winner Cup, as Maureen East, 1944.
- Chapter 3 -
Married with children & our first home – the 50s
Well what a decade this story will tell.
I continued working at Woodward and Iles, and Claude was employed as an electrician with Clare and Jones. His job took him to be interested in all things electrical, and particularly when stereo and cassettes arrived on the market, he acquired all the brochures and ideas from The Lamphouse in Wellington to which he subscribed.
We continued with all our sporting activities, travelled to Napier by train with the church basketball team and the boy’s hockey team for a weekend of sport and success.
I was trying to get together my glory box, which wasn’t a box really but a lovely cabinet with drawers hand-made by my uncle Norm, my father’s only brother. With the discontinuation of the coupon system I was able to buy sheets, blankets, towels etc., impossible to obtain earlier.
I was also making plans for our wedding which we had set for 30 September, 1950.
One of my best friends was in fact not a member of our church, where I had many friends, but was my backyard neighbour’s second daughter Marion Gabolinsky. Her father was a local policeman. I asked if she would be a bridesmaid, and my church friend and Claude’s cousin’s daughter Joy Pocock to be my other bridesmaid. Claude’s two best friends Noel Dickinson, a near neighbour, and Noel Adcroft, a mate from church, were asked by Claude to be our best man and groomsman.
Everything was going to plan with the materials for the three dresses selected and put on lay-by, together with shoes etc., and fittings were arranged with my sister Jan, who by this time owned her own seamstress business in the township. But alas, Marion’s father was transferred to Hamilton, so it was a real hurry to get her dress made before she left, so materials all came off lay-by, shoes were bought as well. They had lived behind us for ten years, so it was a sad day when she left.
Another surprise for us was Claude’s firm had a branch in Wairoa and had won the contract to build a new hospital in that town. Claude was asked to transfer down to Wairoa to assist with what was an enormous job. Question was now what to do. Claude delayed his transfer until mid-October and arranged for the Wairoa firm to provide accommodation for us. So, with all the wedding plans in place, church booked, best man Noel Adcroft and groomsman Noel Dickinson appointed, reception rooms booked and honeymoon plans all made and booked, 30 September arrived in no time.
We were married at The Church of Christ by Pastor Jim Henderson and the reception was held at Menzies Reception Rooms. Claude and I paid for half of the costs and my parents paid the other half. We had a top of the range three course plated dinner menu and a beautiful three-tiered cake made by one of my mother’s friends Mrs Hall (whose husband was a fisherman). But there was no liquor! Following the reception my dad had erected a sort of tent and guests were invited back to our home at 12 Townley Street for “drinks and nibbles”.
Claude and I left for our honeymoon on the Gisborne to Napier Railcar. My brother-in-law drove us to the station, but when I arrived I discovered I had left my overcoat at home – I had bought it for South Island weather not Gisborne. So my bridesmaid Joy’s partner Bill Wilkie sped all the way back to Townley Street and back to the station just as the Railcar was due to take off... whew that was close!
We travelled to Napier where we had booked into the now historic Masonic Hotel, then next day onto Palmerston North, and the following day caught a flight from there to New Plymouth. Then bus onto Wellington where we were booked on the Monowai to Christchurch. We spent five days there at a five-star hotel and travelled around Christchurch with trips up the Avon River on one of those days. Then we caught the overnight Monawai back to Wellington in time to catch the Railcar back to Gisborne.
In no time at all we had both packed our belongings and, with my parents help, had established ourselves at Brown Street in Wairoa, in a one bedroom flat on the side of a home with a lovely verandah.
Claude started work straight away and I found employment within a week with the secretary of the Wairoa Racing Club. Here, I was able to use my experience as a shorthand typist, especially in cases of raceday disputes, of which there were many.
Claude started rabbit shooting with some of his work mates and had a bright idea of inviting my parents and sister Daphne and her husband Jim down for a day visit with us to go rabbit shooting. Claude told them “the rabbits are just around the corner from our flat”, well he got that wrong. Dad, Mum and little Bev arrived in their Ford Model T (purchased from Claude’s father recently) with a dicky seat in the back for Daph and Jim to accompany them. But alas, no rabbits, but we did have a wonderful and memorable time together.
Claude and I travelled back to Gisborne for Christmas 1950 as we both had a few days holiday from our jobs. While we were home, we were saddened to hear that a ferry had sunk at Mt Maunganui, The Ranui, with the loss of 23 lives, two of whom were in my class at High School, Margaret Hands and Margaret Goodyear.
The next excitement in our lives was the arrival of our first child Pamela Rae. I had a difficult delivery where the medical team had to give me an epidural and deliver Pamela with forceps, resulting in her arriving with facial paralysis. Her whole face was fastened up with plaster and she had great difficulty feeding, which was all by bottle. We spent nearly three weeks in the Wairoa Hospital and when we were discharged, we were advised to seek help from experienced physiotherapists in Gisborne, which resulted in a hasty return to Gisborne to pack up and arrange transport and accommodation.
My mother’s mother, my Nana Poole, had become ill and had to go and live with her daughter, my aunt Jean. Her son, my uncle Ray, was living alone at his mother’s home at 15 Herbert Road, so family arrangements were made for me, Claude and baby Pam to live there. Instead of paying rent we were required to arrange meals for Ray and clean the property – which by the way had an outdoor toilet, gas cooker and copper for washing! I was learning to be a mother, wife and housekeeper in a very short time.
Our priority first was to get a job for Claude and then arrange an appointment with a physio at the Cook Hospital. In those days there were no delays, so Pam’s first appointment was made for three days after our arrival back. No problem for Claude to get a job, a friend offered him a job as a driver for Clare and Clare Carriers. I walked down Norman Road to Roebuck Road, a five-minute walk, and caught the hospital bus to Cook Hospital. Found my way with Pam in my arms to the physio who immediately removed all the plasters from her face and was disgusted with the treatment she had received. He began gentle massage and for the next four weeks I attended the hospital twice a week, by the same transport, until he decided he had done as best he could and was pleased with her progress. So were we, as she was now not under stress each time she opened her mouth and no more a crying baby.
15 Herbert Road was what we would call today a townhouse, i.e. two homes adjoining. 15a Herbert Road was rented to a builder, John Boswell. We couldn’t have been luckier, as when we arrived next door, he had just finished building a home and was looking for his next job. As we had bought our section some two years earlier, we had all the plans and specifications to build on our section at 451 Childers Road and showed him all the paper work and he said he would start straight away. I guess permits were easier to get in those days as he had the foundations poured within a month. Claude arranged all the sub-contractors, he did the wiring, painting and decorating and the home was ready for occupation within four months, in October 1951.
In the meantime we needed money to pay the £2,000 mortgage we had with Gisborne Co-op Building Society so I applied for a job with Ken Gillanders Scott, a sole solicitor, which meant I needed to wheel Pam in her pram to my mum at 12 Townley Street, pick up my bicycle which I had stored there since our return from Wairoa, and cycle to Lowe street in Gisborne, probably 15 minutes, arriving at work by 8.30am. I worked until 4.30pm, cycled back to Townley Street, left my bike there and walked Pam in the pram back home to 15 Herbert Road. Claude would arrive home around 5.30pm and Ray any time, so I could prepare a meal after putting Pam to bed in her cot in our bedroom.
I carried on with this job until our home was finished and we moved in early October. I then resigned from that job and worked for Bonnie Donald, who was secretary of the Gisborne Racing Club, a position I had become familiar with in Wairoa. Then, same arrangements, walk Pam in pram to Mum, cycle to work by 8.30am and home again by 5.00pm.
Claude, by this time, was keen to get back into the electrical trade, so he borrowed £10,000 from his father, at 10% interest, and bought into a half-share partnership which was called Wiren and Topic Electricians. The name was changed to Wiren and Monk and started a ten-year challenge for him in advancing and establishing a well-known, successful contracting and retail store in Gladstone Road. I continued with the job at Bonnie Donald until I was three months pregnant with Gary, around August 1952.
Then, in September 1952, I celebrated my 21st Birthday at my parents’ home. Claude had been busy building a workshop complete with woodworking gear and had hand-made me a China cabinet with an inbuilt gramophone and radio which he gave me for my 21st birthday. It has been modified over the past 67 years but is still in the family. He also bought me a brand-new Knight Piano which we later gave Pam for her 21st birthday.
Later that year my mum and dad and Claude, Pam and I went on a camping holiday to Rotorua. Mum and Dad set up a tent and camping gear and Claude had one of his firm’s trucks, in which he set up a bed for us, a cot for Pam and with a canvas for a door... I think we only stayed two nights. We went to the movies on one of the nights, but Claude saw nothing of the movie, as soon as the lights went off Pam started crying, oh dear!
Gary was born on 3 February 1953 at St Helens Maternity Hospital, Childers Road, Gisborne, so I was now a stay-at-home mum to my two children. Two years later I was working as an assistant to the headmaster at Gisborne Intermediate School, mornings only, and the two children, aged two and four, walked themselves down the road, about ten minutes, to the greengrocer, Mr Thodey, who walked them across the main road in Gisborne, Gladstone Road, to the kindergarten.
In 1954 I got my driving licence and Claude bought me a Morris Minor, so I was able to drive the children to kindy and pick them up afterwards. On the 6 January 1954 the new Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Gisborne and her itinerary contained a ride past our home at 451 Childers Road, mid-morning.
Our church preacher had asked Claude if he would transfer the church’s grandstand, which was used for festival occasions within the church, and which held about forty seats, and reinstall it on our front lawn to enable some of our church congregation to watch this royal occasion. This did indeed happen and what an event which only lasted about two minutes!
In November 1954 my sister Janet married John Halliwell and our daughter Pam was their flower girl.
By 1955, Wiren and Monk had built a very large retail shop in Gladstone Road and needed an Office Manager, so I left my position at the Intermediate School and took up that position, dropping the children off to kindy and taking them home or back to work with me if needed.
It was while we both worked in this building that we began a lifetime friendship with Ralph and Joyce Steele. Ralph was a panel beater whose business premises adjoined the new building of Wiren and Monk. Claude was always forward-thinking and fitted a press button on the outside of one of the buildings’ windows. When pressed it activated a turntable inside the building which would be playing the song “Lulu” and, of course, advertising the record player, probably a Gulbransen in those days. Some of the nearby neighbours complained when passers-by pressed the button late at night but by that time his promotional idea had worked, and sales were soaring.
We had great neighbours at Childers Road, the McCaffertys, owned the dairy next door to our home and made great pies. They also had a parrot which entertained our two children. Their daughter Billie owned a hair dressing salon and adored our children and visited often. It was Billie that recognised a crippling on my right hand and told me that her older sister had a hand just like mine that ended up paralysed. So, I asked my family doctor, Dr. Vance Gibson, what he thought, and he sent me to the orthopaedic department of the Cook Hospital where I eventually had to have a nerve transplanted to avoid losing the use of my hand. This was a real handicap for me with two children under five and only one arm.
In 1955, there was an outbreak of polio in Gisborne and one of our friends, Alva Langford, contracted the disease. One morning I woke up with a terrible headache and Claude called Dr Gibson and because one of the symptoms of polio was a headache, he admitted me to hospital. To this day I can’t recall any of my seven-day stay, only what the family told me, they gave me a lumber punch and diagnosed meningitis, a terrible disease, but nothing like polio. My mum and dad came to the rescue as they did for all our working life in Gisborne and looked after our family for several weeks.
Our other neighbours were Mary and Fred Henderson who had three children, two a little older and one younger than our two, Faye, John and Alan. They all played together mainly in the section between our properties which was part of the Gisborne Boys High School grounds, and they had plenty of room to ride their trikes, bikes, scooters and were always part of their birthday parties.
Pam also started a lifetime friendship with Margaret Wright, whose home was also adjacent to the Gisborne Boys High School grounds but on the northern side. She was one of Pam’s bridesmaids and has kept in touch with our family for over 60 years.
Claude built a huge garage at the rear of our property large enough for two cars and a full-sized billiard table room, bar and all. On Friday evenings he invited his staff, which was now in the twenties, around for a beer and a game of snooker or billiards.
In the mid-1950s the whole of the east coast in Gisborne started to be reticulated and Wiren and Monk were awarded the contract from the Maori Affairs Department to wire all their properties from Whangara to Tokomaru Bay. A huge contract when Claude and his teams were away for many days over many months. It was during one of these days when he was wiring homes in the settlement of Whangara (since famous as it was where the movie Whale Rider was set) when Claude became very friendly with two Whangara locals - Sam and Jim Leach. Claude offered to lease a piece of land from them for £30 per year and bought an old railway hut in Gisborne and arranged for his brothers, Monk Bros Ltd, to transport it to Whangara. What a contract that was, around corners, over bridges but eventually all in one day the cottage was established on foundations Claude had previously prepared, and our first beach bach was ready for use.
We had neighbours there already, Dick Houston and family, John Thorburn and family, and John Aitken and family. At last Claude had a place to go to apart from working, and what times we had with all the men taking their boats out crayfishing, putting their pots out on their way out fishing, and picking them up on the way back. All the while the kids and I had a large copper all fired up ready to light as soon as we could spot them on the horizon with our binoculars. As soon as they landed Sam and Jim Leach would appear and Claude would give them the fish catch and he would cut the fish heads off and they would be on their way, happy as Larry. (Footnote - some years later Jim was murdered by his son!)
In 1958 Claude’s partner, Ash Wiren, wanted out, so Claude borrowed more money from the Gisborne Building Society and sold my one-year old Standard (I nearly cried) and bought him out to fully own the business. This was a bit too much for Claude, so he sold the retail building to Wright-Stevenson, and rented a small shop in uptown Gisborne, with a large building, part of an old hotel, for the contractors to work from, all adjacent. This was a very good move financially and the two businesses thrived. Claude bought a Standard Vanguard and another Morris Minor for me and then the first of his five Jaguars he would own over the next seven years.
We took a few friends Kath and Arthur Bartlett and Pauline and Chick McHugh away to Hamilton to see Shirley Bassey. Six of us in a five-seater Jag, me sitting on the utility box between the two front seats. Oh dear!
Claude began a friendship with the staff at Ball and Crawshaw, as they had been the agents that arranged the sale of his Gladstone Road retail building to Wright-Stevenson and organised the leasing of premises for the retail department in upper Gladstone Road and adjoining premises for the contracting department. This all helped Claude financially, clearing his father’s debt and his building society debt and started the first of about fifteen properties he purchased around Gisborne. The two of us would clean up the back yards, usually install a new electric stove, and paint the outside and rent it out. We also began talking to Crawshaw about selling the business, either the retail part or the contracting part. Claude’s favourite apprentice Granville Jones (his twin sister Glenda also worked for us) qualified and left us to develop a caged bird poultry farm on which he built his first home. When we visited him, Claude realised he would love to do just that, so he made the decision to sell our family home and the contract and retail businesses. During this time Claude was well into fishing so he hired a caravan from Dick Jeffcoate and towed it behind his newly acquired Standard Vanguard and we were on our way to Hicks Bay for a fishing trip. Half way up the coast the caravan got a flat tyre and what a commotion in trying to get that changed in pouring east coast weather. Suffice to say we never used a caravan again!
Still waiting for the sale of our home and businesses in December 1959, Claude and I booked the first of many overseas trips. This one, booked through Ellmers and Skeet’s, well-known Gisborne travel agents, was a 21-day bus tour from Sydney to Adelaide and back. Down the Hume Highway and back up on the Pacific Highway. In those days there was no air conditioning in vehicles, but we did all the sight-seeing, Blue Mountains and Barossa Valley. When shopping in Melbourne we met up with Diane Barnfather, niece of Olga Barnfather, whom Claude called his aunt Olga, as she and her family accompanied Claude’s mother on her immigration from England to Gisborne in the early 1900s. Diane met us in Melbourne and took us to David Jones. Diane and I went shopping in the fashion department and Claude took off to the electronic department and we arranged to meet in two hours outside the front entrance where we left from. Three hours later we were still waiting for Claude to appear. No one told him that the store was so large it had an entrance either side, front and back entrances, until Diane realised it, so we eventually caught up with him. Just in time to make our way to see the live show My Fair Lady.
Our next city visit was beautiful Adelaide, but we had to endure 42 degrees heat and the first thing we did when we arrived was for most of us to make a beeline to a huge fountain in the middle of the street and we all got saturated, but it was so hot we dried out in no time.
This being our first venture overseas we didn’t realise how uncomfortable we would be in the heat. So on our way back to Melbourne, Claude decided he had enough. So I contacted the hotel receptionist who phoned Ellmers and Skeet’s (our travel agents) and arranged a flight back to Auckland, then directly onto Gisborne, and for us to pick up all the documents tickets etc. from the Sydney Airport all within 24 hours. This happened in the days where there were no iPhones, texting, or credit cards, it all happened by telegram!
We were home for Christmas and the start of a new decade.
This is our first home we built – for two thousand two hundred pounds in 1951, at 451 Childers Road, Gisborne.
Pam, two years old, alongside her father's 'Wiren & Monk' business van.
Studio photo of our son Gary, and daughter Pam, 1955.
Picnic time at Anzac Park, Gisborne, with Claude's then new Standard Vanguard.
My Mum, Dad and my youngest sister Beverley, aged 11, at our wedding reception at Menzies Catering, Gisborne.
Little Pam in her pram in her bedroom at our home, 451 Childers Road, Gisborne.
Our daughter Pam again, a little bigger, Christmas 1951.
Our daughter Pam, baby son Gary and I on the front lawn of my parents home, 12 Townley Street, Gisborne.
Gary, Pam and their three cousins, Sue Monk, Sheryl and baby Michael Powell, visiting my grandmother, Nana East, in 1955.
Church of Christ Christmas Parade, 1957. Our daughter Pam as a marching girl and son Gary as a cowboy.
Studio Photo of our full wedding group. All the dresses were made by my younger sister Janet. Noel Dickinson on left and Noel Adcroft on the right, were our two groomsmen. Marion Gabolinski on left and Joy Pocock on right were our bridesmaids. Noel Dickonson died at the age of 60 from dementia. Noel and his wife Nancy still live in Papamoa. Joy still lives in Gisborne, and Marion in Hamilton.
Me as a bride with my 2 bridesmaids, Joy Pocok on the left and Marion Gabolinski on the right, outside 12 Townley Street, Gisborne.
Claude and I on our wedding day, 30/09/1950. Studio photo.
Son Gary & daughter Pam,1956, photo taken by our friend, Audrey Barnfather from Auckland.
Little Gary, our son, was born on 03/02/1953. He is in his pram at home, 451 Childers Road, Gisborne.
Claude and I at our best man, Noel Adcroft's wedding, 1955.
Claude, me and Daphne at the Gisborne Show, 1951.
Claude and I, with our son Gary at our best man's wedding, 1955.
This is my dad's 1927 Model T Coupe, with a dickie seat at the back, that my dad purchased from Claude's father in 1950. This is my dad with my mother and sister Daphne, and her husband Jim, driving from Gisborne to Wairoa to visit us when Claude was to take them rabbit shooting, 1951.
My Nana East, my Aunty Lily, and my Nana Poole, at our wedding reception.
Claude's original Electricians Registration Board Certificate of Registration No.E5624 10/11/1954.
Our son Gary, with Santa, 1956.
- Chapter 4 -
The Poultry Farm, Getting into Motels & Travelling - the 60s
Well this decade became a decade of many changes. The first was the sale of the Wiren and Monk retail business to Harry Johanson and the contracting business to Gordon Hobcroft. Also, the sale of our family home at 451 Childers Road and then back to Crawshaw to find us a lifestyle block to develop Claude’s dream of a 3,000 caged-bird farm.
We were successful in finding such a property in Hexton, owned by Eric Freeman and family. The property had a lovely three-bedroom one level home, about three years old, so there wasn’t much work to do to make it suit our requirements, except the garage was well distant from the house. So Claude built a carport on one end of the house which conformed quite nicely.
We were now financially well off although we did leave a few thousand pounds in the retail business to Harry Johanson, which he was to repay on a monthly basis. He changed the name to Wiren and Monk 1960 Ltd and we thought with keeping the name he would do well.
With the help of my dad, Claude and I went about building accommodation for our one-day old chicks which we needed to start our business. Then we needed to make the cage buildings and the cages from high grade aluminium which needed welding together and framing up. Claude and I organised to do that early evenings through to late evenings in what was the original and very old garage. He bought a tractor, a truck, a brand-new Mini Minor for me and he was driving around in a pink and grey Hudson Rambler, which he took as part payment from the owner of the property, Eric Freeman.
We had great neighbours, Mr and Mrs Watton across the road, a little store on the corner run by the Elsmore family, and our next-door neighbours were Norm and Alma Hyde who had a dog called Spot and our two children took him as their own. Claude also bought them a very old horse named Silver to learn to ride on and a pet lamb named Snowy to care for. Claude’s father hopped on the horse one Sunday afternoon and away he went scaring the daylights out of us all. Claude said not to worry as his Dad, having intially being a shepard in the back blocks of Gisborne, spent four years during the First World War as a member the Otago Mounted Rifles. He knew only too well how to ride a horse. As it turned out Silver didn't like the way he was being ridden and he bucked and Grandpy Monk came a cropper!
Life on the poultry farm was great for our children. We had birthday parties outside on our very large lawns, Claude’s parents would visit every second Sunday with their niece and nephew for roast dinner, and my parents would visit on the other Sundays for dinner and afternoon entertainment – Pam playing on the piano and others on other instruments.
Gary’s friends would visit and ride around the property on their bikes and I remember on one occasion Gary and friend, Lane Louie, decided to venture up the Waimeta Hill where Gary had a fall, which he kept to himself, but not very long. When he woke the next morning, he complained of a sore arm, rubbish said I, off you go to school. Later that day we had a ring from the school to say that the teacher thought Gary had a broken arm and to come to school and pick him up... then he told us his story how they had ventured up the forbidden hill and he had fallen and broke his arm. So off we went to hospital where he was diagnosed as having a green stick fracture and repairs carried out.
We planted out the property with pumpkins, the kids picked and sold walnuts and pears from the gate for pocket money and we eventually finished making the first 1,500 cages for our first one-day-old chicks which were now pullets.
Claude had made and installed the feeding trays and made a weekly trip to the Farmers Co-op to pick up the food and supplements required for the stock. At the same time, he had to visit all his tenants around Gisborne and collect his rents – no online banking in those days! He had properties in Childers Road, Hirini Street, Delatour Road, Perry Street, Atkinson Street, Berry Street, Stanley Road, Chalmers Road, Wainui and Iranui Roads.
On the farm he also made the water drip feeding equipment and all we had to do was to wait for the pullets to be big enough to produce eggs and the whole family would collect them, twice a day, and Claude would transport them to the Co-op in crates and we started to have an income. He had already made a cool room, fitted it out with the electrical equipment required and shelves to hold the egg crates. Then we started all over again building another building and sheds for another 1,500 chicks.
Claude wanted to take my Mini Minor for a good trip, so we offered to take my mother to see my younger sister Beverley who had recently married and was living in Taupo. So, the three of us took off one weekend, all in my Mini Minor, leaving my dad to run the poultry farm and look after the kids. We dropped Mum off at my sister’s home in Taupo and drove up to Auckland to order our next lot of day-old-chicks from Tegel. We were back home in no time, but I forget how my mum made it back to Gisborne.
As our birds were caged, they made great poultry for consumers and we eventually had so many orders from the gate that Claude made weekly delivery trips around Gisborne. We made a killing shed, which today would not pass health and safety regulations, and washed and bagged the chickens, only one year old but nice and plump!
Our pumpkin planting was a disaster as by the time they were ready for harvest they were not worth pulling and selling so Claude just hoed them in with his Fergie tractor. The whole family even now look back and say that these years on the poultry farm were the best years of our lives.
In early 1963, Johansen who bought the retail side of Wiren and Monk stopped making monthly payments to us as in written agreement, so we had no other choice but to put him into receivership. Claude and I sold the business, appointed Arthur Bartlett as the receiver and ended up on the right side of the ledger with full repayment in our hands.
Claude sold his Hudson and bought a brand-new Jaguar 2.4 MKII. With the help of my parents, the family took off on another fishing holiday, this time towing a 15ft Hartley boat with a 55hp Johnson on the back, towed by the new Jag and off again we went to Hicks Bay. What a trip, fish galore, every time we took the boat out, we could feed an army, mainly gurnard. On one occasion we got caught on a slipway and to this day it was a miracle that the Jag, boat and Claude weren’t lost at sea!
I cannot go any further with my story of our life on the poultry farm, which by the way was six miles from town, without writing about the trips we had to take to get our two children to school each day, to arranging pick-ups after school, to taking Pam to music lessons and Gary to rugby practice. We arranged with the owners of a restaurant, Centreway Dining Room in Gisborne – owned by friends of ours Alan and Betty Clarke – for our two children to attend at lunch time from Central School for a roast dinner several times a week. They sure enjoyed that. We then had to meet them after netball or rugby practices for nearly three years. The joys of living on a lifestyle block away from amenities!
Pam eventually went to Intermediate school and Gary followed, and a bus was provided for this, although there were still out-of-school activities requiring heaps of travel, back and forth, from the poultry farm.
My grandmother, my dad’s mother, passed away in 1962 and this was a very sad time for my dad and our family – and without Dad’s help there was no way we could keep running the poultry farm. So Claude arranged with Ball and Crawshaw for the Hexton block to be sold in 1963 to Brian Amor and family.
We still owned several properties in Gisborne and gave notice to one of the tenants in Hirini Street to vacate and we moved some of our belongings into that flat and stored the rest in a garage behind a property we owned in Dalrymple Road. Pam and Gary went to stay with my parents, and Claude and I booked an eight-week cruise from Sydney to Japan and then onto Hong Kong, Manila and back to Sydney, then onto Auckland.
We were on the Dutch ship, the Twjani, a 12,000 ton with only 96 passengers. We booked first class which only had 46 passengers and we had a lovely balcony suite. In those days, passengers were limited in the amount of money you could take out of the country, so Claude got £2000 in £1 notes and hid them in a sash he had made. I wore the sash around my waist.
All our friends told us if you visit those sort of countries you will spend up large as in New Zealand we didn’t even have transistor radios. So you can just imagine what we bought – toys galore, clothes, chests of drawers, nests of tables, a whatnot, record players, cameras, you name it, we bought it, if not in Japan then in Hong Kong. In Japan I even bought three metres of Japanese parachute gilded silk which, although Pam was only 12 years old, I intended to get my sister Janet to make into a dress for me as Mother of the Bride, which she did, and which I still have with me in my wardrobe in prime condition some 56 years on.
We made some really good friends on board including Ron and Peg Baird of Wellington, who, when we eventually arrived back in Sydney, lent us £500 as we needed to pay for our accommodation in Sydney before we boarded the ship again to return to Auckland, where a lot of our family were waiting to welcome us. The very first thing we did when we got back to Gisborne was to make the repayment to our friends.
On our arrival home we went directly to our flat in Hirini Street and unpacked and Pam and Gary joined us there until we could look around and buy a home suitable for us to live in. That happened quite soon, and we were living in a stately home at 95 Stout Street.
The Thorpe family, owners of Columbine Hosiery, lived next door and their daughter Jenny is still a lifetime friend to our family. Strangely enough in years to follow, Pam worked with Jenny at Columbine Hosiery.
We carried out heaps of interior and exterior alterations to this lovely home, but we all missed the outdoors, so we eventually sold and bought a small orchard in Makauri which was already developed with asparagus, apples and pears. At the weekends we would open one of our garages and put a notice on the fence offering our produce. One Sunday, my mum and Dad picked up Pam and Gary and took them to Morere Springs for the day. Claude was busy inside decorating and I was sorting out the pears and some passionfruit when a lady customer, who had called quite often, came to the garage to buy some fruit and as she was taking the fruit from me, she fell into my arms and died! I screamed of course and Claude came out as did her husband, who was on the road in his car waiting for her to return. Next thing Claude rang the ambulance and they arrived and took her and her husband off after taking a statement from me and for the rest of the day I was in shock.
In 1965, Claude, as a first day student, was on the committee to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Gisborne Intermediate School. We spent three days celebrating including dinners, photo taking, and Sunday service. Lots of fun with friends 25 years older than we were when we first started at that school in the 1940s.The celebrations were all the more a family affair as Gary was in Form Two at the time.
Claude had a bright idea that Gisborne needed another motel and asked me to put pen to paper and work out if we cashed up all our properties would we be in a position to build a block of Motels. He had his eye on a property next door to his parents at 511 Gladstone Road where the Huxtables lived. When Mrs Huxtable died, Claude offered to purchase it off her two sons, which together with the property behind them, which he already owned, he figured would be large enough for a residence and seven motel units. A bold dream, and it took a while to come to fruition, but he had a builder friend, Len File, who was happy to prepare the plans and arrange a permit and build the property for us.
We bought the property from the Huxtables first and were able to rent it to my sister Beverley and her husband John and their three children who had returned to live In Gisborne. We sold our orchard to Mr and Mrs Isaac who lived in Fitzherbert Street and swapped homes with some cash on our side.
Things were moving with Len File and his plans for our motel complex, but our budget only allowed us to build the two-storied home for us and the four attached one-bedroom units, leaving the three bedsitters to be built later.
We had no problems selling Fitzherbert Street property, it was a one level, large home on the river bank right in town, and with no property for us to move into we gave notice to the tenants at the rear of 511 Gladstone Road and the four of us moved in to what today you would call a slum. Oh dear, the kids hated it but when I showed them the plans of our new residence, they were sort of prepared to put up with their existence. No friends allowed though!
While the motels were on the way the whole family took a cruise on the Northern Star to Sydney, staying at a Motel near Kings Cross, and taking tours around New South Wales, then returning home on the Southern Cross.
Claude was working at Christie’s, and I was at Burnard Bull, and Claude was able to get wholesale deals on all the furniture and furnishings we needed for our new two-storied home and the four one-bedroom units. He made all the bed-bases in his father’s garage, right next door. We were able to get a great deal on buying five television sets as Gisborne had formed a group of TV fanatics and had built a transmitter on Mount Misery. Gisborne could at last receive TV in 1966 and Claude was kept busy at Christie’s delivering and installing to all their customers, most of them on wait lists.
We did make time to take two cruises around the Pacific, including one to Fiji and another to New Caledonia, as we realised as soon as the motel was finished it would be 24/7 all year round.
While we were still working, our motel was well on the way to completion and Claude was kept busy at weekends installing the wiring which came from a transformer in his father’s property 513 Gladstone Road, leased to his two brothers, Monk Brothers. One morning he and Gary were carrying out some maintenance work on the main switchboard when live wires fell, resulting in 12,000 volts shooting through him. Fortunately, he had the correct footwear on otherwise he would have been killed. Gary raised the alarm and the ambulance which took him to hopsital but other than a very burnt hand and forearm he survived and returned to work in a couple of weeks.
Claude and I, with the help of Pam and Gary carried out erecting a concrete block wall between his father’s property and our motel property, at the end of which we built a car wash for us and our guests. One morning Gary was washing his father’s white Daimler SP250 V8 in the car wash and accidentally put his foot on the accelerator instead of the brake and drove into the block fence. The reason the car was being washed was because Mark Shorter, from Shorters Motors in Auckland, was on his way to Gisborne, to complete a trade of our Daimler for a silver-blue Jaguar Mark 10, and would you believe there wasn’t a mark on the Daimler, yet we had to replace three blocks in the wall! The sale was completed and everyone, including Gary were very happy.
Opening day for Gisborne Motel was set for 20 September 1966 but on the 12 September Claude’s parents took themselves off in their car to Rotorua to stay with Claude’s only sister Florence. Three days later his mother took a bus from Rotorua to Hamilton to spend a few days with Claude’s brother Harry and his family. But she suddenly died on 16 September when getting out of bed. So, all arrangements were made for her funeral back in Gisborne, with most of the families from Rotorua and Hamilton becoming the first occupants of two of our motel units (complimentary of course).
So opening day when the “vacancy” sign was to be erected was delayed until 25 September 1966. Claude’s father, now being widowed, came into our home for evening meals each night, and I managed to go over once a week and house clean for him, so all was easily managed.
I resigned from Burnard and Bull, but Claude kept working at Christie’s and made good friends with Tom Milne, who worked there, and his wife Phyllis. We had also made good friends with our accountant, Arthur Bartlett, and his wife Kath; our solicitor, Chick McHugh, and his wife Pauline; and a group of friends from the Gisborne TV Society, so did a lot of entertaining in our lovely two-level home attached to the motels.
Our business was an instant success, being on the main road into Gisborne and being new. We were attracted by travelling salesmen and offered cooked breakfasts on request, although we provided each unit with bread, butter, milk, peaches, marmalade, tea, coffee and sugar on arrival.
Revenue was coming in which enabled us to proceed with the erection of the other three units at the rear of the Motel (the house we lived in while the motels were being built was pulled down and section cleared by us) and in January 1967 these three units were completed, and our 24/7 days began in earnest.
On Christmas Eve of 1967 Claude had a motor vehicle accident while working for Christie’s and broke his nose and elbow. The Cook Hospital orthopaedics couldn’t fix his nose, so we had to take a trip to Auckland. Three days later when we arrived back to Gisborne – my parents were running the motel for us and looking after Pam and Gary – Claude’s father came over to the motel and told us he had remarried. That was a bombshell to us as we had opened our home to him and cared for his property. Pam and Gary were devastated as their nana had only been gone just over a year so there was animosity towards Claude’s father and his new wife, who were living next door.
Everyone was uneasy, and to add to that Pam had invited her long-time girlfriend Susan Smees to come and stay with us in the school holidays. Claude had bought Pam a Volkswagen Beetle – for doing very well in her School Cert exams – so Pam and Sue drove off one Saturday afternoon out to Ormond to buy some fruit and veges. The next thing we got a ring from the Cook Hospital to say that the pair of them were admitted with quite a few scratches but no broken bones. Pam had driven onto the gravel edges of the road and right into a power pole, the two of them were thrown out through the passenger door but the car ended up crumpled around a lamp post and subsequently written off!
With the tension arising between our family and Claude’s father, with Claude refusing to even meet “her”, Claude decided to sell the Motel and move away.
This was a bold and brave move, but the business was in very good shape and we had plenty of interest and we eventually sold to the Carruthers Family. They didn’t quite have enough cash, having sold their own fish and chip business at Makaraka, they still needed to sell their home in Island Road, but unfortunately, they couldn’t become unconditional. So we arranged to take a short term mortgage back on their home to allow them to take over the business within a month.
We now had to find another home for us to live in. The children were both at Lytton High School, Pam represented basketball for two years, captain in the second year and was a prefect as well. Gary played for the First Fifteen for two years as hooker and was a prefect as well. So, we purchased a small home in Dalrymple Road close to Lytton High and went about trying to make it suitable for our family short term. We added a second toilet, built a garage and redecorated throughout.
I went back to work at Burnard and Bull but by the end of the year Carruthers’ home had not sold, so we took ownership possession of that home, which was a dream home compared to Dalrymple Road, and discharged their mortgage.
Soon after we moved into Island Road a previous interested buyer contacted the real estate agent and offered us a price we could not refuse. Much to Pam and Gary’s dislike we made another move, this time to a magnificent 3,000 square foot house in Seymour Road with five bedrooms, three with fire places, two lounges, formal dining room, maids’ quarters too, but only one bathroom. It was a very large section wading its way down to the Riverside Road river.
First thing we acquired was a goat to eat away at the uncared-for backyard which we had to fence off. We advertised for one and Claude and Gary went and collected it only to find that its name was Claude.
We then turned the maids’ quarters into another bathroom, no bath, but shower, vanity, and toilet and a new laundry. Claude converted one of the large lounges into a full-sized billiard room with a full-size bar at one end named The Riverside Bar.
Pam started Auckland University and boarded at O’Rourke Hall studying for a BA including Music.
Gary was still at Lytton High School and spending more time playing sport, particularly rugby, and concentrating on speech contests, encouraged by his English teacher, Winifred Morice, whose father was Gary’s tutor. He was in the school’s First Fifteen for three years and at the same time was selected to represent East-Coast Poverty Bay in the Royal Overseas League national secondary schools speech contest. It was known as the Anthony Eden Cup. As it was 1969 and the Bicentenial Celebrations of Cooks discovery of Poverty Bay, Gary's speech was on the life of Captain James Cook. He became a finalist, which was a great result. The Headmaster of Lytton High decided Gary would not get UE accredited, despite having average marks higher than some of his mates, so he was forced to sit the national examination which he passed with one mark to spare. “Well done Gary” said Claude and me.
So, when school holidays arrived, we arranged to take Gary and three friends, Barry Cram, Dennis Barry and Murray Steele, on a fishing trip to Waikaremoana and Pam and her friend Sue Smees were left to babysit our home.
Claude and I stayed in the hotel while the boys stayed in Pat Crawshaw’s cabin which he kindly loaned us together with his trailer boat. I forget whether we caught many trout, but the boys learnt to waterski and everyone had a great time.
When we arrived home, we discovered Claude’s firearms collection gone, most of his liquor and goodness knows what else had been taken from the house. It turned out that Pam invited some of her friends around for a party and gate crashers arrived. Claude called the police as his gun collection was very, very special, particularly his father’s Winchester, but alas he never saw it or the others again. Pam was terribly upset and apologetic.
I remember on one occasion we invited our neighbours over for a special dinner, they were Michael Chrisp, and his wife Joan, Ron Monk (Claude’s cousin who lived two doors down Seymour Road) and Ian Shaw and his wife. I made it very special with drinks and hors d’oeuvres in our billiard room and bar, and in our very formal dining room, silver service, silver cutlery, crystal glassware and Royal Dalton china. The menu included creamed celery soup, oyster cocktails, chicken in the basket and bombed Alaska.
We hung over fifty rolls of wall paper and I don’t know how many gallons of paint in this home and were very proud of our finished do up. I bought a ride-on lawnmower, as although Claude the goat had tidied up the back bank, the lawn was huge with one driveway in and another driveway out making the entrance circular.
Having only spent a very short time in the motel business, Claude was scheming on moving back into that business. He met a land agent named Lally who was keen to sell our property. He also asked Claude if he was interested in becoming a land agent. Claude thought both offers over and before you could say “Jack Robinson” our lovingly restored home in Seymour Road was sold and we were moving again, this time into a small home in Oak Street.
The section ran down to the Taruhera River and was planted in asparagus, so we were able to trade in fruit and veges. Claude was fast getting into the real estate business helped by a friend Bruce Papworth, who was an agent with Ball and Crawshaw, and a few agreements were soon signed, and Claude really enjoyed the life. It was his type of working and he had plenty of experience with all the buying and selling and was doing very well.
While we were living at Oak Street, the Lytton High School rugby coach was organising taking the First Fifteen rugby team to New South Wales, Australia and Gary was keen for us to travel over. So, we got together players’ family and friends including Ernie Langford, Margaret and Gretchen Mettner, Warwick and Lil Spence, Derrick and Dianne Gilbert, the Robinsons, Shirley and Huskie Preston and ourselves, and travelled over by plane to Sydney and on to Orange and then on to Waggawagga and back to Sydney with some success. We had loads of fun on these travels and wonderful memories.
Claude didn’t return to Auckland with the team as he had already booked a tour with his brother and two friends to cruise to Japan for Expo ‘70, and to Hong Kong and Manila, a trip of a lifetime. I flew up to Auckland to meet him on his return from Japan. Claude had made a diversion at Brisbane and left the cruise and flew back to Auckland as I really think he was homesick and planning his next move.
Bruce Papworth and friend of ours Barbara Greatbatch, who had been Gary’s English teacher whilst at Lytton High, together with a third partner, had built a one level home and nine motel units at Wainui Beach. Their third party wanted out. A price was decided, and of course we had to sell Oak Street and buy, manage and move into Wainui Motels.
Our son Gary on the Massey Ferguson 35 tractor at eight years of age.
Sitting in the sun outside our bach at Whangara – Claude, Gail and Jenny Houston, Gary and me.
Trevor Charles and Claude unloading the first televisions in Gisborne 1967.
One of the many catches we made at Tatapouri Beach, Claude, Gary and me.
Gisborne Motel by day.
The transportation by Monk Bros of our first bach to Whangara. A railways hut that Claude bought and converted to a bach.
Our home at 95 Stout Street, Gisborne, next door to the Thorpe Family of Columbine Hosiery.
Gisborne Motels by night. 1966.
Our daughter Pam's 1961 school class photo with teacher Mr Bugden.
Claude on his tractor at Hexton getting the paddock ready for pumpkin planting.
Our daughter Pam's VW Beetle after her accident in January 1966.
Me in the lounge of the Gisborne Motels, 1966.
Taking our first land tour around Tokyo, Peg Baird far right.
Claude's 1966 Daimler 250 V8
Our son Gary with our next door neighbour's dog Spot, on our lawn at Hexton.
Me and Messie on our arrival in Japan, 1964.
Me taking it easy at Whangara.
Our son Gary's 8th birthday party, outdoors, with the family, at Hexton.
On board 'Tjiwangi' departing from Auckland's Port, 1964.
Hawaiian night on board 'Tjiwangi'. I am in the middle of the photo.
The three sisters having fun at Daphne's Balance Street home with Christmas gifts from our parents, 1959.
Claude and passengers selecting a buffet meal on board Tjiwangi', white jacket and all.
Photo from Gisborne Intermediate School's 25th anniversary. Claude is seated, second row far right.
The mad hatters dinner on board 'Tjiwangi'. I have a singing parrot on my head, but goodness knows what Claude has on his.
Grampy Monk, Gary, Claude and me with Roy and Audrey Barnfather at The Colony Restaurant, 1967.
My brand new Mini Minor, 1961.
Our Hexton Poultry Farm home, Back Ormond Road, Hexton,1960.
The pink and black Hudson Rambler and our daughter Pam's friend Margaret Wright holding the family pet lamb 'Snowy', 1961.
Claude and Daphne Paice playing a deck game against the editor of The Tasmanian Times and his wife.
Claude and I with Daphne and Harry Paice playing deck quoits on the 'Tjuwangi'.
Claude's 4.2 Daimler, 1969.
The poultry farmers – Claude and me, 1963.
Another one of Claude's cars. Claude's 1970 2.8 Daimler XJ6.
Claude's 1966 Daimler 250 V8 at Waitomo Hotel. Roy Barnfathers sister's car parked in front.
Lytton High School Speech Winners, 1967. Form three winner, Sheryl Powell and form four winner, her cousin, Gary Monk.
One of our musical evenings in our Hexton home with family and Nancy and Bill Thompson, with Nana Monk playing Gary's guitar left handed, 1961.
Me in the office of Wainui Motels.
- Chapter 5 -
More travelling, Tauranga, heading home to Gisborne - the 70s
We had established ourselves at Wainui Motel and Claude had capital to improve the appearance of the motel building by extending the lounge, installing a covered car park in front of the office, and putting in a swimming pool at the rear of our residence. We were fortunate enough to have some of our clients from Gisborne Motel travel the extra distance to Wainui to fill our units from Monday to Friday, and our offer of cooked breakfasts was an enticement, and the business was thriving.
In reading My Story you will be amazed at the buying and selling we were doing with businesses and homes, and so was the IRD. We were investigated over a term of three years. They even seized Pam and Gary’s post office bank books. I had a nervous breakdown and Mum and Dad came and ran the motel while Claude was still in the real estate agency business.
Gary left school after the 1st XV trip to NSW in August 1970 (the main focus of his last year at school) and went to work at J. Wattie Cannery, to earn money to go to University. The plan changed and he and Claude drove to Auckland for a job interview at Lands & Survey, where he started in November 1970. He then had a gap year before being persuaded by his new friends, Pete DeLuca and Rod Needham (who became his best man and groomsman) to join them at Auckland Law School, which he did in 1972.
We celebrated Pam’s 21st birthday at the very large lounge in the Motel on 31 March 1972 with the whole family, including Claude’s estranged father and his new wife. We arranged for friends of ours Ron and Hilary Low, who were caterers, to cater for us so it was a breeze and loads of fun.
Pam continued at the University but was very homesick and unsettled, and left University to work in the Bank of New Zealand in downtown Queen Street. That is where she met and developed a friendship with a work colleague Lesley Serjeant, who later became Gary’s wife.
Not long after I had to have a prolapse operation, and Gary asked Lesley (Les) if she would like to go to Gisborne to help Claude run the Wainui Motel. Between them and my parents they managed very well. When the time came for Les to go back to Auckland, Gary drove down in his Triumph Herald, a car which Pop (my Dad) and Claude had just restored with a reconditioned engine. He picked Les up to drive back to Auckland and the car crashed on the black ice around Rotorua Lakes. The next thing we knew was they were in Rotorua Hospital and the car was a write off. Claude grabbed his XJ6 Jaguar and with his dear friend Dominic Moleta travelled to Rotorua in a record time to sort things out and in the end the car was replaced with a Mini 850.
Gary and Les recovered with no broken bones. After Gary's first year at University he took time out and joined Tim and Dave Langford to go to USA on a working holiday, where he stayed with his English teacher from Lytton High, Winifred Morice, who had moved there some months previously. Claude had arranged through a mutual friend of his, and Pat Crawshaw, for Gary to be employed by Jim Boswell, a commercial beef rancher in the San Joaquin Valley. Jim was a regular visitor to Lake Waikaremona, to fly fish. The job allowed Gary to earn enough money to take a Greyhound Bus to New York and back, a trip that had a lasting impression on him.
After a couple of years, we needed a break from the seven day a week Wainui Motel work so with Tom and Phylis Milne we arranged for Mum and Dad to look after the motels and we took off in Tom’s car for a trip down to Wellington. We got on the ferry and toured down the West Coast of the South Island and right down to Bluff. Claude and Tom played few games of golf on the way, then back up the east coast to Christchurch and ferry back to Wellington, then back home to Gisborne having had two weeks’ enjoyable break.
Early in 1972 Claude, who had become very involved in Golf, organised with ten of his playing partners and their wives to take a ten-day holiday to Fiji. Ted and Norma Mitchel, Fred and Iris Tate, Brian and Joan Whineray, Dominic and June Moleta, Bruce Papworth and his mate Bruce Mason, Claude and I, Noel and Nancy Adcroft, Warwick and Margaret Neill, Hilary and Ronnie Low and Rob and Bev Dyas.
We landed in Suva and went and watched The Fijian Open golf competition, then made a beeline to all the audio and golf shops that abounded in Fiji in the 1970s – there was nothing like it in New Zealand! I think all the men bought golf clubs and record players and speakers – not sure how we all got on with oversized baggage.
We had a wonderful holiday staying at various resorts, one of which got flooded out and what a commotion in the middle of the night. We travelled up towards Nadi, stopping and playing golf wherever we could, and that holiday was over so soon we were flying back to Auckland and onto Gisborne and back to Wainui Motel to relieve my parents.
Throughout the whole of the 70s Claude continued playing what was to be a decade of golf. He quickly reduced his starting handicap of 18 down to single figures and he and one of his many golfing partners, Brian Whineray, won the coveted Barnsgraham Competition and he was very proud of that achievement.
In 1973 we sold the Wainui Motels and rented a flat in Palmerston Road from Dick Peach. Pam was engaged to Michael Sulliman from Auckland and a wedding was planned for Claude’s birthday on 24 November 1973.
Of all the homes we had owned over the past 23 years, where garden weddings would be wonderful, we were living in a rented flat with one spare bedroom, no garden but fortunately located centrally. The reason we were renting was we were looking to get into the hotel industry in partnership with our two partners in Wainui Motel.
Pam’s wedding was a wonderful occasion, and Pam and her husband Michael returned to Auckland, back to their working lives. Gary returned to Auckland to continue his law degree studies and Claude and I were on our own in a very small flat.
We were waiting for a date to be fixed for our IRD case which we had appointed Ivor Richardson to act on our behalf. The case eventually was heard over a period of three days and Claude was cross examined over two days, but we had to wait three years for a result which I will write about later in My Story.
Claude left the real estate industry and in December 1973 Claude and I travelled to Auckland for an interview to obtain the licence of The Tauranga Hotel in the Strand in Tauranga with Sir Henry and Lady Evelyn Kelliher who approved the transfer of the licence to Claude. We were purchasing the licence in partnership with Bruce Papworth and Barbara Greatbatch from The George Woods family as a going concern.
The Tauranga Hotel was on the waterfront and the opening/closing hours were 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Saturday. It was, in that day, a magnificent hotel, two levels of accommodation and staff quarters at the rear of the building.
At first, we thought the hours were great. But with a good occupancy rate of the rooms by travelling salesmen, the house bar was kept open till very late at nights and then Claude had the job of refilling the other two bars. So we were getting very tired and we needed reliable honest staff. We decided to invite our daughter Pam and her husband Mike to come and work for us and of course they had accommodation within the hotel and Pam ran the office and Mike was our bar manager.
There are many stories I could tell you of our life at The Tauranga Hotel including one of the patrons bringing a chainsaw into the public bar, and after a few beers started sawing into the bar. Then two women drank too much and started fighting and Claude was called to sort that out. One of our patrons claimed to have been a driver for Al Capone and was a daily visitor, but those sorts of occasions were normal any day of the week.
Claude started playing golf with some of the patrons and played in the LVA tournaments around the Bay of Plenty, coming home with plenty of trophies.
I had to organise the very busy dining room, white table cloths, silver cutlery, a very good chef and a very reputable menu. We had full bookings most nights.
How long can we keep this work up? Not long. We celebrated Gary’s 21st birthday on 3 February 1974 and the rooms were full of our family and friends from Gisborne and Lesley’s family from Auckland and Gary’s friends from Auckland. It was a great occasion.
By late 1974 we were wanting out and found one of our patrons Brian Alley, who owned the Strand Motel, to buy us out. This happened very quickly and Claude and I and Pam and Mike returned to Gisborne. We bought a home and income in Wainui Road for Pam and Mike to live in and bought ourselves a tiny holiday home in Centennial Drive on Waikanae Beach which we altered, installed hot water and turned the garage into a second bedroom. We named it “Pearly Shells”.
Pam got a job with Columbine Hosiery and Mike got a job with The Gisborne Herald and life was getting back to some normality from a life running motels seven days and nights a week.
Then later in 1974 we had an SOS from our friend Dominic Moleta who was on extended holiday in England with his wife June, staying with their daughter and their family who were having domestic troubles. Claude suggested we take a trip to England and asked Dominic to organise accommodation for us for two months and for him and June to stay with us and tour around with us. We also wanted to see the All Blacks who were on tour to England, Wales and Ireland. We had arranged with Ian Kirkpatrick, who was captain at the time, to provide us with tickets for the Welsh and Irish games and we arranged tickets for Twickenham privately. We were so lucky to see the ABs on tour and that was the only time in our lives that we did.
We also took a 12-day European train pass to Europe crossing over on the ferry from Dover to Calais, travelled around Paris, onto Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, Holland and Belgium and the ferry back to UK. It was a tour of a lifetime, Luxembourg being our favourite.
By the time we got back from Europe, Dom and June had planned their return trip home to Gisborne via Singapore, Hong Kong, Auckland, Gisborne. So, they asked us to join them and in anticipation of us saying yes, as we had not made any arrangements, all we had to do was pay the travel agent and we were off within two days. What a wonderful time we had and at the same time had been able to make peace between Dominic and June. Home for Christmas with all the items we had bought in Hong Kong.
Then along came Stan and Iris Timmings, who had first approached us to buy Gisborne Motels in 1968 but didn’t have the finance. They eventually built Teal Motor Lodge further along Gladstone Road. They were tired of the life of managing the motel and asked if we would be interested in managing it for them. We were still living in Pearly Shells but not employed so it seemed a good opportunity to do what we loved doing – meeting, greeting and accommodating people from all walks of life.
I explained to them that we had three trips to Auckland to make during the year, one being to Gary’s capping ceremony, and then to his wedding in November 1976, and the following year for his admittance to the bar (how wonderful for us and him) and they said they would relieve us whenever we needed.
So, we were back in business, but this time helping someone else make some money. Talking of which we still had not received a decision from the IRD about the case we brought against them which by now was over three years old.
A few months into our employment at Teal Motor Lodge we had a phone call from Ivor Richardson QC who wanted to see us. So this was arranged, and he arrived with the best possible news for us – we had won our case! A very rare outcome to beat the IRD! We were so relieved, but the amount of costs was considerable as we had employed the very best QC in tax law in New Zealand who later went onto be an appeal court judge (Sir Ivor Richardson PCNZMQC). It was over, but Claude said he would never go into business again or pay any more provisional tax in his lifetime, and he didn’t.
Later in 1976 we made a trip to Auckland for Gary’s capping ceremony and were pleased to take his proud grandparents, my mum and Dad, with us for such a memorable occasion. Then in November we were back in Auckland along with twenty of our friends and family this time to celebrate Gary and Les’ wedding. What a great time we all had. The service at Holy Trinity Church in Devonport followed by the reception at McHughs of Cheltenham, on North Shore – right on the beach. Wonderful memories for our Gisborne family and friends and Lesley's family and friends as well.
In 1976 Stan and Iris Timmings sold Teal Motor Lodge and opened the Whispering Sands on Waikanae Beach so we moved back to Pearly Shells, which we loved. The idea was we were to supervise the building and equipping of the new motels and finally commissioned them and managed them for over three years.
Claude continued with his “golfing career”, as I called it, as he played six days a week, but never on Sunday. We also took a trip up to Auckland where Gary and Les had bought a house in Altham Avenue, Mt Eden, which needed some TLC and Claude loved doing something for his family as he had done over many years for his friends in Gisborne.
Then on 21 August 1978 our first grandchild arrived, Sarah Jane. How proud we were, especially my parents. Over the Christmas holidays 1978/1979 Gary and Les brought four-month-old Sarah down to Gisborne and they stayed with us at Whispering Sands and we were able to be hands-on grandparents for the first time in our lives. Life was good.
In mid-1979 Stan and Iris shouted us a trip to Fiji in appreciation of our dedication and commitment of commissioning and managing Whispering Sands for over three years so we both enjoyed another Fiji Holiday during our mid-winter and with great weather.
Our son Gary and I on his admission day, 1976.
Claude and Gary on his admission day, 1976.
Gary & Les' wedding group, 6/11/1976. Holy Trinity, Devonport.
June Moleta and me at Harrods in London, 1974.
The whole golf party setting off from Suva to Nadi.
The little crib made by Claude in Gisborne, and our little granddaughter Sarah, and her truck, also made by Claude, in her bedroom at 21 Altham Ave, Morningside.
Some of the group of a tour that Claude arranged to watch The Fijian Golf Open, 1972 – Ron and Hilary Lowe, Bruce Papworth and I, June Moleta and Claude.
My parents enjoying the outdoor furniture around the pool at Teal Motor Lodge, Gisborne, 1975.
Our daughter Pam with her fiancee Michael Sulliman, celebrating Pam's 21st birthday at Wainui Motel, 31/3/1972.
Wainui Motel, Gisborne, which we purchased as a nine unit motel in 1970.
Teal Motor Lodge, Gladstone Road, Gisborne, owned by Stan and Iris Timmings and operated by Claude and I.
Claude and me arriving at Gary and Lesley's first home in Altham Avenue, Morningside, Auckland, 1979.
Claude starting redecorating Gary and Lesley's home, 1979.
A collection of electronics, we purchased on our Fiji golf tour, as well as golf clubs and phones.
Lesley walking along Waikanae Beach, Gisborne, with Whispering Sands Motel in the background – the motel Claude and I commissioned and managed, 1976.
Our holiday home, Pearly Shells, upper Waikanae Beach, Gisborne. Photo taken by Gary from his cousin Michael Powell's plane, 1974.
Rod Needham, Gary and Tim Langford, waiting for Michael Powell to arrive to take them to Ardmore airport, 1974.
Gary and Rod Needham at the airport waiting for their pilot, Michael Powell.
- Chapter 6 -
Grandchildren, Moving to Auckland, Losing My Mother - the 80s
Well life seemed to be going along great for our family when Pam and Mike announced they were separating! This was right out of the blue and upset my parents and Claude and I and we were wondering what next.
We had sold Pearly Shells so Pam couldn’t move there, so it was decided that Pam stay at the Wainui Road flat and Michael move elsewhere. There was another surprise, the Timmings decided to lease Whispering Sands so we would have to move out, oh dear, what a shame we had sold Pearly Shells, but we were fortunate that the tenant in the other flat in Wainui Road was moving into a rest home so we arranged to move in there in March 1980 with Pam in the other flat.
We were at a time in our lives when we thought we should move to Auckland to be nearer to our granddaughter and Pam decided to move with a friend to Australia. So Claude and I took a visit to Auckland to look for a home to buy. After four days we had settled on a lovely four-year-old brick and tile three-bedroom home at 4 Bodi Place, Te Atatu, with settlement on 16 September.
We went back to Gisborne, arranged the sale of two or three properties we still owned and help Pam pack up and waved goodbye to her at Gisborne Airport. We then packed ourselves up and arranged a carrier to cart our furniture up to Auckland.
We placed our home and income house at Wainui Road on the market and travelled up with a loaded trailer and arrived at 4 Bodi Place mid-afternoon on the 16 September in time to meet our truck with our furniture onboard. So, Gary, Les and Sarah were at Altham Avenue, we were at 4 Bodi Place and Pam was somewhere in Queensland.
We realised we would miss our old friends and family when leaving Gisborne, but we did have Roy and Audrey Barnfather who were residents of Auckland, so we did have friends to visit at weekends.
I found a job working for a furniture factory in New Lynn as Administration Manager for Finewood Furniture and Claude worked as a handyman at a Mt Roskill Rest Home (Glamis) just a few hours a day.
Claude had also fitted out a vacant space at the rear of our double garage as a woodworking work shop so while I was at work, he kept himself busy. The pride of this work being three grandfather clocks. One for us, one for The Barnfathers and one for the parents of an old friend in Gisborne, Ronnie Hopps. While he was working at the rest home, the supposedly Al Capone driver from our days at Tauranga Hotel was a patient, and Claude was asked to chat with him to keep him quiet and not annoy other patients. He died during Claude’s two years working there.
In 1981 our second granddaughter arrived on the 7th January, a healthy Laura Ellen, a sister for Sarah and we had Sarah visit with us whilst Gary was visiting Les and Laura.
Early in 1982 Claude and I flew to Sydney to see the live show “Cats”. What a memorable time we had.
Later that year Gary and Les changed homes and bought a home on the North Shore at 50 Kia Ora Road, Birkenhead, a lovely Lockwood home with a lovely backyard.
In 1983, Gary broke away from working for Mathias LWR (we have a photo of Gary and Roger Cribb flying to Gisborne in an LWR plane) and established his own company, Intersea, which took off spectacularly.
We took time out and went on a visit to Norfolk Island, a real quiet place to visit away from the Auckland way of life. We even put pressure on my sister Daphne and her husband Jim to take another trip there the following year. The history of the island could be read from the huge well-kept cemetery.
One day in early 1983 when we were visiting The Barnfathers at their home at 2 Upton Street, Herne Bay, their son in-law Graham Haycock, who was a bank clerk at Westpac 79 Queen Street Auckland, suggested to Claude that he visit the manager at the bank as they were looking for the appointment of a building manager/custodian urgently due to illness. Claude drove in to see them the following Monday and was offered the position provided he could start ASAP. What Graham didn’t tell Claude was the job came with a two-bedroom penthouse on top of the bank including telephone and power. Wow! Claude started the following Monday after we had moved enough furniture from 4 Bodi Place to make it comfortable. We also had a private car park attached to the bank, so we were very well catered for. I drove back and forth from the bank to New Lynn and remained with Finewood Furniture as I was in the middle of being trained to computerise the business, a huge job especially for a 52-year-old woman in 1983.
In July 1983 we had a phone call from Pam in Brisbane saying she wanted to come home as she was expecting a baby in November, a bit of a shock for both of us. But that put aside we were able to offer her to live in 4 Bodi Place which was vacant, but she stayed at 2 Upton Street whilst the Barnfathers were away in Australia with their families. Pam also spent some time living with Gary and Les, who had sold 50 Kia Ora Road and bought a larger home in Hororata Road, Takapuna. It had a room for her. We eventually found a flat for her to live in, in Birkenhead, when we welcomed to our world our first grandson, Ben, born on 16 November 1983 and we were grateful that Les was able to assist Pam at delivery.
1983 was the first year that we could view the Farmers Auckland Christmas Parade from our eighth-floor balcony at 79 Queen St or take the lift down to the ground floor and get a view. When the grandchildren were old enough, they were able to watch for another 12 years.
1984 saw us sell Bodi Place and we purchased a brick and tile home on a large section on the North Shore, at 231 Eskdale Road Birkenhead. Pam and Ben left their flat and moved in and Pam was able to take in a boarder to help her with her budget. That year my parents drove up to Auckland and stayed with us at the penthouse as they wanted to meet their great grandchildren.
Now Claude was in his element with having a property to “do up”. Firstly, he subdivided the section and sold the huge back yard which backed on to Park Road and fenced off the back yard. This left the huge basement garage empty with no access for a car. So Claude started converting it into a lounge, bedroom, new toilet and shower. He also fitted a bar into it. He changed the garage doors into aluminium sliding doors, bringing a lot of light into the mini apartment. He laid new carpet and flooring to the shower and toilet and that kept him busy all year. He also paid for a conservatory to be built in place of the balcony which added value to the property. We redecorated throughout and had a carport placed on the concrete parking space at the front of the building.
All these alterations and additions at Eskdale Road were paid for from the proceeds of the sale of the back yard. Pam and Ben would visit us in our city penthouse on a regular basis and one Friday around 2.00pm they arrived, Ben in his pushchair, Pam hot and sweaty from travelling in two buses to arrive at our apartment from Birkenhead. Claude decided he just had to buy her a car. So, he did just that the following day and we dropped it off to her on the Saturday.
We were lucky enough to have Sarah and Laura stay overnight with us several times a year. We would take them shopping down Queen Street dropping into Georgie Pie or McDonalds, walking round Downtown Auckland Port Area. Claude decided to take them to see a circus being held at Victoria Park, just a seven-minute walk from our penthouse, but the skies opened, the marquee leaked, and Claude managed to get them home on a bus but still very wet!
In 1985 we took ourselves over to the Gold Coast and chose to stay at Broadbeach and visited my sister Daphne and her husband Jim Powell at the apartment they had bought at Surfers Paradise. It was a lovely way to have a holiday, staying in your own home with your own chattels which prompted us to look around at what was available. But not at Surfers, we preferred Broadbeach. Prices were so reasonable compared to New Zealand and we were quite interested but left it for twelve months before we purchased.
In May 1986 my wonderful mother became very ill and I decided I should spend some time with her and Dad. So I resigned from my job at Finewood Furniture and went to Gisborne on a couple of occasions and was with her when she passed away on 24 June 1986, just one week after our family had celebrated my dad’s 80th birthday.
In July we planned a return visit to Broadbeach and to take Dad with us. This was a memorable time for us taking Dad to DreamWorld, SeaWorld and other attractions in the area and we were so fortunate that Dad was a very active octogenarian and no problems with his travel arrangements. It was by chance on this trip where we booked to stay at the Queensleigh Apartments Queensland Road, Broadbeach, and discovered that the unit we were booked into was Number 5 and was available for sale for A$75,000 fully furnished. We discussed this with Gary, and he was happy to jointly purchase with us and settlement took place within a month. The apartment was available as a rental income when the family were absent so that was an added advantage.
We didn’t bring Dad back home with us on that trip, as he stayed on with Daph and Jim who were holidaying at Surfers Paradise and Dad returned home to Gisborne with them. Claude and I were backwards and forwards to Queensleigh several times to attend to updating the washing machines, dryer, curtains, bedspreads etc., and to enjoy the great weather on the Gold Coast.
On one such visit we took Pam and Ben with us and were able to drive them around all the entertainment and wildlife parks, DreamWorld, SeaWorld etc. We also arranged for a seven-day holiday for them both to Disneyland which we were so happy to organise for them both.
Late in 1986 I needed to do something with my accounting skills so applied for a job at Ports of Auckland in the training department, a somewhat boring job just booking appointments for training port handlers for examinations, scrutineers etc, and issuing of certificates. I stayed with them for three years until 1989 when I found a position with solicitors Holmden and Horrocks just four doors down in the CML building in Queen Street. I was initially hired as a librarian but after one year was appointed Legal Administrator, a role I held for six years. The biggest job I had was organising the move from CML building to 490 Queen Street. I organised packing, carriers, distribution of new keys, arranging the production of new printing, business cards, letterheads etc. The biggest part being the removal of the library books and keeping them in alphabetical order while being packed. I needed to arrange for IT people to disconnect and reconnect all the individual computers, printers, desks and phones - a real nightmare - but everything worked out well. The only mistake was the key makers gave us the wrong keys so staff who moved in to sort out their furniture did not have access on Saturday, but I went to the key makers in CML with my key, had about fifteen copies made and delivered them to the new uptown premises to staff as they arrived.
I also had the responsibility of removing and re-establishing all the deeds. I had previously arranged with a joinery company to fit out one of the very small offices in the new premises with shelving suitable to hold the deed folders and of course additional shelves going forward.
I think my skills of shifting house so many times in Gisborne assisted me in getting this shift as smooth as possible and all 26 staff, partners and associates were all organised for the start of 1990.
My parents visited us at our penthouse at 79 Queen Street, Auckland, in 1984, to meet their great grandchildren. This photo was taken on our balcony where I was growing my orchids.
One of the many visits we made to our friends Roy and Audrey Barnfather at their home – 2 Upton Street, Herne Bay. Here we are viewing their orchids.
Me and my sister Daphne riding around Dream World, Gold Coast, 1986.
My mum and dad in 1984 visiting our daughter Pam at her home 231 Eskdale Road, Birkenhead. The whole family was there, but our son Gary was taking the photo.
Our friends Audrey, Molly and Andrew Tseung at one of our many Yum Char lunches we shared with them over 30 years. Andrew was Claude's GP until he retired.
Me lazing in one of our chairs at our apartment we owned at Queensleigh Apartments, Broadbeach, Gold Coast.
The late Michael O'Brien, owner of Finewood Furniture, New Lynn, observing me, his Administrator Manager, commencing computerising all the operations of the company – a huge job!
We took my dad over to the Gold Coast in 1986. This is him, me and my sister Daphne, enjoying the ride around Dream World.
This time we are holidaying on Norfolk Island, with my sister Daphne. Her husband Jim took the photo.
My parents at their home in Temple Street, Gisborne, with their brand new Honda Civic, 1982.
Our Subaru Vortex, in the car park at the Westpac Bank, 79 Queen Street, Auckland.
On one of our trips to Broadbeach we took our daughter Pam and her son Ben, and this photo was taken at one of the nearby animal parks.
My dad with his two great granddaughters, Sarah and Laura, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
Claude made this slot car set in the basement of the bank, 79 Queen Street, and assembled it in the staff lounge over the Christmas holidays for our grandchildren's entertainment.
Son Gary, his wife Lesley, children Sarah and Laura, at my niece Julie's wedding in 1986.
A view of Queensleigh Apartments from the rear, which housed all the vehicles.
A rear view of our property at 231 Eskdale Road, Birkenhead, with our Subaru Vortex in the foreground.
Claude and Roger Cribb flying to Gisborne in Lane Walker Rudkins plane, 1983.
A roadside view of our home we bought for our daughter Pam and her son Ben to live in at 231 Eskdale Road, Birkenhead.
A visit to our daughter Pam at Eskdale Road, my mum and dad, son Gary, me and Pam.
It was in 1983 that we moved to the penthouse Westpac, 79 Queen Street, Auckland, This is a photo of the then Westpac staff, Claude is hiding away far left.
A view of Queensleigh Apartments, Queensleigh Avenue, Broadbeach, with Claude in the foreground, our apartment was level three, apartment five.
Claude at one of the many Norfolk Island stone monuments.
Claude and me in our garden at 4 Bodi Place, Te Atatu South, 1980.
Our first Auckland family home, 4 Bodi Place, Te Atatu South, bought in September 1980.
The first of three grandfather clocks made by Claude in his basement workshop at 4 Bodi Place, Te Atatu South.
The highchair Claude made for our grand daughter Sarah.
My nana Poole and my mother's grave site, at Tarahera Cemetery Gisborne.
The Auckland Monk family 1983, Gary's wife Lesley, our daughter Pam, me with Gary and Lesley's daughters Laura and Sarah, and Claude, in the garden at 4 Bodi Place. I think Gary, who took the photo, had just returned from overseas and bought the Mickey Mouse toys for the girls.
- Chapter 7 -
Raleigh Road, Claude's diagnosis, retirement and more travelling - the 90s
Claude and I were still at 79 Queen Street and over the seven years there we always held the family Christmas dinners, using the Bank’s staff cafeteria and dining room. How wonderful for us and the grandchildren now aged twelve, ten, and seven to enjoy these facilities.
Pam and Ben were still in Eskdale Road and Gary, Les, Sarah and Laura had moved from Hororata Road, to Hauraki Road and then onto 19 Cameron Street.
Gary and Les also bought a lovely Lockwood home at Algies Bay and many a holiday was spent up there right on the beach. I even took my Dad up there on a Christmas visit he had with us in 1990.
We decided to sell our Broadbeach apartment and were happy with the price which enabled us to buy 4 Raleigh Road, Northcote, a four-bedroom home upstairs and a self-contained one-bedroom flat downstairs. The plan being that Pam and Ben would move into the upstairs home and we would rent the basement flat and when we retired would have a home to live in away from the Bank.
We booked a fly/cruise holiday flying to Tahiti with Air NZ (unbeknown to us Gary had upgraded us to first class,) stayed one night there and cruised on the QE2 back home to Auckland on a very memorable holiday, the first and only time we ever flew first class!
In 1994, Gary was making alterations to his bathrooms at Cameron Street, so Claude was able to transfer the toilet, shower and vanity to Raleigh Road and went about making an en-suite in our basement apartment and outside porch. It involved a lot of work but ended up with shower, toilet, vanity and floor to ceiling linen cupboard where a front door porch once existed. He ordered an aluminium window to be fitted and arranged for a plumber to connect the toilet but did all the other work himself.
Later in 1994 Gary visited Gold Coast to farewell his friend and business colleague, Dave Ferguson. Then in 1995 he sold the Algies Bay beach house and bought out John Evans and the Dave Ferguson estate to become the sole owner of Intersea. That same year, Gary, together with his friend the late Charles Shadbolt, and Neil Holt, went to the Rugby World Cup in South Africa, a memorable trip for them.
In December 1995 Claude was diagnosed with prostate cancer, a real shock to us all. He had to resign his position with the bank as he needed a TURP operation urgently. This meant we were to move into the basement flat at 4 Raleigh Road and make it comfortable for us. I kept working in the city but reduced my days to four, taking the bus from the bus stop directly outside our home and taking me to within one block from Holmden and Horrocks and the reverse on the way home.
Claude recovered from his operation but required 39 radiation treatments over seven weeks. His oncologist said he would have about five years to live which gave us a somewhat of a shock. Claude managed his radiation well without any side effects and we started landscaping Raleigh Road which took him about two years.
We started playing indoor bowls with Lesley's parents, Fred and Marion Serjeant, at St Luke’s Anglican Church just around the corner from our home.
Gary and Les were in the process of renewing their kitchen and bathroom, so instead of having it destroyed Gary and Claude removed the cabinetry, wall oven etc, shower and toilet from Cameron Street and took it to the Raleigh Road garage. Then over about two months the kitchen was re-established upstairs for Pam and Ben. It was amazing how well it fitted with very little alterations to be made and all he had to buy was a new laminated top, custom built by a company in Glenfield. We then laid new wooden planks on the floor and bought a new dishwasher and how smart it all looked, 1996 style.
In February 1996, I retired from Holmden and Horrocks and started as a volunteer at North Shore Hospice and had paid casual employment at AUT as an invigilator. Claude also volunteered at the Hospice warehouse where he would repair and certify electrical appliances, and I would help with clothes sorting as well as my domestic work within the Hospice.
I still had heaps of time on my hands and was pleased when Lesley introduced me to the game of Mah-Jong. How lucky I was that as it became a game I mastered and enjoyed.
In June 1996 the whole family travelled by hired van to Gisborne to celebrate my Dads 90th birthday. A wonderful memorable time for the whole family, as Dad had lived on his own for ten years and was still in very good health.
I have failed to mention throughout My Story about Claude’s love of motor vehicles. Just before leaving Queen Street we sold our Subaru Vortex for a brand-new Subaru Sedan. Then later that year we sold that and bought a Honda Legend. Claude just loved this car, but I found it very big and he decided to buy a new Daewoo, Why I never know. But it was a good size for me and easy to drive.
As Claude thought his life may not make the new millennium (the year 2000) he made plans for me to move upstairs and live with Pam and Ben. Then we could let the basement apartment and have additional income.
So, to this end, he went about dividing the full-size bathroom upstairs into an en-suite for the front bedroom and removing the wardrobe from that bedroom and the bath from the bathroom and made a space large enough for him to install a shower, toilet and vanity as an en-suite for one of the front bedrooms. Then he fitted a smaller bath and vanity into the original bathroom which had a separate toilet annexed. And, of course, in the meantime Ben had his own en-suite bathroom.
In 1999, we celebrated Sarah’s 21st birthday. Where had all the years gone? Spending weekends watching her play netball, visiting Diocesan School where Sarah and Laura had been educated for their secondary years and where Laura was in her final year as head prefect.
'We were all so proud to have Dad come and stay with us and attend Sarah’s 21st birthday at the Trench Bar on the waterfront in Auckland City. More moments galore to remember.
View from the road of 4 Raleigh Road, Northcote, Auckland.
One of the ornamental gardens Claude created at 4 Raleigh Road.
Another 85th birthday party, June 1991, for my dad and his four daughters – Bev, Jan, me and Daphne.
Our outside garden gazebo built and erected by Claude in 1994.
Claude the chef, making the sauce for our Christmas pudding at our downstairs unit – 4 Raleigh Road, Christmas 1996.
Our outside patio Raleigh Road 1996. Note the fence erected by Claude during radiation treatment for his prostate cancer.
A great image of granddaughter Laura, daughter-in-law Lesley, son Gary and granddaughter Sarah, in makeup in the USA.
My father's 90th birthday in Gisborne, 1996.
Observing the catch at Gary and Lesley's Algies Bay beach house in 1990.
My dad again making running repairs to Gary's boat at Algies Bay.
Another Yum Char dinner with the Tseung family – Carol, Audrey, Molly and Andrew.
Celebrating my 60th birthday at the very first 'Valentines Restaurant', 1991.
My dad visits for Sarah's 21st birthday – me, Dad and Pam, August 1999.
Harry, Jean and David Monk visit us at Raleigh Road in the late 1990s.
In our front garden Raleigh Road, 1997.
Another birthday celebration with my dad and his then 11 great grandchildren.
Claude and I visiting my dad at Temple St, Gisborne.
Marion Serjeant, Claude, me and my dad taking time out from Sarah's 21st birthday celebration.
My dad and son Gary watching the special video entertainment at Gary and Lesley's daughter Sarah's 21st birthday, August 1999.
Celebrating granddaughter Sarah's 21st at the Trench Bar, downtown Auckland, August 1999. My dad, with his grandson Gary and his family – Laura, Sarah and Lesley.
Family celebration at Cameron Street with Fred and Marion Serjeant.
The Tseungs visit Raleigh Road, 1996.
Fred and Marion celebrating with us at my 60th birthday.
My dad and his grandson Gary.
A family occasion at Gary and Lesley's home at 19 Cameron Street, Takapuna. Front row Fred and Marion, me and Pam, and at the rear, Claude and Ben.
An aerial photo of our home 4 Raleigh Road, Northcote, bought in 1990 as a home and income. It was a four bedroom home upstairs and a one bedroom, one conservatory separate unit downstairs, with a four car garage.
Another ornamental garden created by Claude in 1997.
Claude's workshop at 4 Raleigh Road after the removal of all his workshop hand and floor machines.
A ferry trip to Devonport from downtown Auckland and back from our bank penthouse.
A family Christmas dinner in the conservatory 4 Raleigh Road – Sarah, Lesley, Pam, Claude, me (standing), Laura and Ben.
Sarah with her great grandfather, my dad, Pop.
- Chapter 8 -
Graduations, weddings, losing Dad, Great-Grand Children - the new millennium
The new millennium had arrived. We spent New Year’s Eve in our Raleigh Road apartment with our friends Ian and Vonne Bailey. We were planning a holiday to Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Airlines, compliments of Gary and Les, and were hopeful Vonne and Ian would join us. However, they were planning a visit to Fiji at the Denarau Island Sheraton Villas so we decided that when we got back from Kuala Lumpur, we would go off with them to Fiji.
Our holiday to Kuala Lumpur was something different... locals riding on bicycles or motor bikes occupied all the roads. We had great accommodation right in the middle of the shopping complex and we took a cab to the Twin Towers. I remember that well as Claude left his camera in the taxi and of course we never saw it again. But we did manage to find the exact model in one of many camera shops around our hotel, so we were back in camera business albeit having lost some photos of course.
There was an Irish bar adjacent to the hotel and that was our favourite eating house for lunch, dinner, and of course Claude’s Guinness. Claude shopped for clothes, mainly shirts, good quality ones at great prices. Shopping was a breeze. We only stayed eight days and arrived home to organise ourselves for our Fiji trip with Ian and Vonne.
This would have been our fourth visit to Fiji, so we knew Nadi and Suva well and the climate was great. We were booked into the new Sheraton Villas and the highlight of our stay there for Claude was the wonderful cooked buffet breakfasts included in the price of our trip. Our first introduction to turnover toasters and of course the great variety of fresh fruits.
In 2001 we celebrated the first of four graduations within our family grandchildren. Sarah completed her BA/BCom and we saw her capped and celebrated after with a special dinner. How proud we were.
In 2002 our neighbours, the McKenzies, sold their home to a Russian family, the Rezniks, and I became very friendly with Michael and Yana Reznik who had recently married and were expecting their first child a little girl and they named her Sophia. As Yana needed to return to work as a model I offered to care for Sophia, on and off and on demand, and I became very close to her. Looking after her in my home most of the time over three years.
On the 7 January 2002 we celebrated Laura’s 21st birthday at The Trench Bar, the same venue as Sarah’s. My Dad was not well enough to attend, but Gary had arranged, through his cousin Michael Powell, for Dad to make a video which was played at the party. It left me in tears.
Then the low arrived when Dad was admitted to Gisborne Hospital with a blood infection. On 13 September 2002, my inspirational father passed away in his sleep, aged 96.
Claude and I drove down to Tauranga and picked up my sister Daphne and her husband Jim and we drove down to Gisborne. Claude and I stayed in Dad’s unit and Daph and Jim stayed with their son Michael. Janet and John had organised all the funeral arrangements. Gary and Les and the girls flew down and Gary gave the eulogy.
Pam and Ben had visited Dad two weeks before he passed away and Gary made note of this in his eulogy with the further remark that while we were attending Dad’s funeral Pam was playing the organ in the North Shore Hospital chapel as she worked at the hospital.
The four of us stayed on to help Jan and John clear out Dad’s unit and hand it back to the owners, Daph and Jim. When that was all done Claude and I drove back to Raleigh Road reflecting on the life and times of my wonderful father who in the whole of his life had only two stays in hospital.
Time for a change but this time “the car“. Claude put the Daewoo on Trade Me and had it sold in seven days. For the next five carless days he searched online and in papers to find a BMW Series 3 Coupe and as we had the cash got a good deal from Wairau Road Motors and as I write I am still driving it travelling about 500kms a year!
Early in 2004 we proudly attended the capping of our second grandchild Laura with a BCom/LLB followed by a lunch in the city. We were so fortunate to see our two granddaughters graduate; my mum and dad would have been so proud!
Then my life changed when my sister Daphne separated from her husband Jim and due to her state of health placed herself into the Chelsea Private Hospital in Gisborne. I flew down in October to visit her in hospital and although she looked a little ill I didn’t think she would have passed away four days later. We all flew down for her funeral. Such a very sad occasion. Pam played the organ at the service at Daph’s request.
That same year we were planning for Bens 21st birthday to be held at home at 4 Raleigh Road, so Claude decided the upstairs home needed redecorating inside and out. He started outside, removed one window each day, rubbed it down, painted and fitted new hinges and replaced it before dark. I think that took 14 days. Then he painted the rest of the exterior and probably finished within six weeks. Then he started inside and decided to paint over the existing wallpaper, rubbed down all the dark stained skirting boards and painted them and painted the kitchen and laundry too.
Ben’s girlfriend Trish moved in during 2004 and we all helped with the decorating programme. We decided to get quotes to lay carpet throughout and when that was done Claude laid laminated wood panels for the kitchen floor.
The party took place on 16 November with family and friends enjoying a lovely homely gathering.
The 2004 highlight was Laura’s admittance to the Bar in October and the start of her working in the legal profession following in her father’s footsteps. Also, like her father, this did not last long as she preferred to make a career in Human Resources, and now owns her own business ProgressionHR.
Late in 2004 the Reznik family decided to leave New Zealand and migrated to London. What a gap in my life, but I was still invigilating at AUT and doing weekend volunteer work at Hospice whilst Claude kept himself busy in his workshop.
2005 started a new way in our family life. Sarah and Laura had boyfriends and it meant a change to our Christmas Day dinners, which since 1980 had always been with us at our home wherever we were living. Claude said we must have all the family with us for Christmas dinner, but Sarah, Laura and Ben all had to share Christmas with their partners’ parents, their own parents and us. Well that wasn’t going to happen so Claude came up with the idea of having our Christmas Day Dinner on Boxing Day, and all the family agreed, and this arrangement continues to today.
This was the start of Claude taking an interest in cooking, mainly at Christmas, but making soups and scones on a regular basis too. Especially baking scones for my friends that came to our Raleigh Road apartment to play Mah-jong every Wednesday afternoon. I first learnt to play the game with Lesley then followed that by joining the Northcote Senior Citizens on a Friday morning. I was beginning to become a very good player, so I joined up at St. Peters Church, Takapuna, where Les played. I enjoyed catching a bus outside our Raleigh Road apartment which took me to Takapuna and then just made the short walk to the Church. I really enjoyed this game, especially improving my play.
One highlight of 2007 was the wedding of our eldest granddaughter Sarah to James Greenway on 24 March. What a grand day and night we had. They were married at the Holy Trinity Church in Devonport where Gary and Les had been married, and Pam was the organist, followed by a reception at the Maritime Museum in the city. A wonderful memorable night for us all.
Another highlight of 2007 was Claude’s 80th birthday held at The Spencer on Byron where Gary and Les arranged for a penthouse to be reserved and for a chef to provide a super dinner, waiters and all. It was a wonderful evening for the whole family and a night in the penthouse for Claude and me. Very special indeed.
On 2 February 2008 Laura was married to Jonathan Burton at the lovely Puketutu Island Wedding venue. How lucky we were to be in great health to attend and enjoy both of our granddaughter’s weddings.
Sarah and James bought a home in Napier Avenue, Takapuna, and over the next couple of years kept Claude out of trouble with repairs and maintenance. Especially with removal of a bath and later on the installation of a bath... hard to reason with that! Claude just loved helping out as it kept him occupied.
Sarah and James welcomed our first great-grandchild into the world on 9 April 2008 and named him Joshua James, Claude liked to call him “JJ”.
In 2009 our only grandson Ben, Pam’s son, graduated with his BSc on 5 May and then the arrival of Ben and Trish’s first son Caelin on 1 June 2009. So four generations were then living at 4 Raleigh Road.
'Pam was still working at North Shore Hospital, Ben was working in the IT Industry, Gary still had his flourishing Intersea seafood business, Sarah was a stay at home mum and Laura was working in HR recruitment.
Early in 2010 Claude and I fancied a cruise and decided on one offered by Royal Caribbean Lines onboard the Rhapsody of The Seas, which left Auckland and returned to Auckland February 2010. Wow! This was no “bags before breakfast” and only needing to unpack once after our 14-day cruise down the east coast, a wonderland magical cruise through the Milford Sound of New Zealand in perfect weather, over to Sydney, back up the west coast of North Island to Paihia, then back to Auckland. This would have been the best holiday by far competing with Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Europe, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Broadbeach, Fiji, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, Tahiti, and our numerous cruises around the Pacific.
This also happened to be our last cruise as two weeks after our return Gary and Les popped into see us at Raleigh Road and took us for a ride to The Poynton Lifestyle Village in Shakespeare Road. Claude and I found it not unlike being onboard the Rhapsody of the Seas without the sea! On the 24 May 2010 we moved into apartment 1314, and a totally new life started for the two of us.
Later in 2010 on 21 September, our third great-grand child, Liam Gary, was born to Sarah and James to complete their family. It was very exciting to have three great-grand children and how lucky were they to have great-grand parents!
Claude and I with our granddaughter Laura at her 21st birthday 7/1/2002.
Claude, son Gary, me and daughter Pam celebrating at our granddaughter Laura's wedding.
Vonne and Ian Bailey with me enjoying complimentary breakfast at The Sheraton Hotel, Denarau Island, Fiji, 2000.
Sarah, Laura and Ben, our three grandchildren, at Laura's 21st, 2002.
Les, Gary, me, Pam and Claude at Gary and Lesley's home, Cameron Street, Takapuna, on the occasion of their combined 50th birthdays, 2003.
My sister Daphne Powell, mother of Sheryl and Michael, at her home in Welcome Bay, 2000 – happy and well, a wonderful sister.
My two sisters, Bev Webber and Jan Halliwell, with our cousin, my mother's niece, Ngaire (nee Patty) Ericson.
Our best man and his wife, Noel and Nancy Adcroft, with Claude and I after attending my dad's funeral, 16/9/2002.
Claude, daughter Pam and me, with our only grandson Ben on his graduation day.
James Greenway (granddaughter Sarah's husband), me and Sarah at their wedding reception.
The family at granddaughter Laura's wedding in 2008. She married Jonathan Burton.
Sarah's husband James and I had a kiss and a cuddle after their wedding ceremony.
The East family celebration 2009, held at Manurewa. Front row, Trish holding Caelin, Gary, Lesley, Marilyn (nee East); next row, Ben, Claude, Shirley Steward and me. Back row, Pam, James holding Joshua, Sarah, Jonathan, Laura and Jennifer (nee East).
Claude and me with our first great grandchild Joshua, in our conservatory, Raleigh Road, Northcote.
Gary at the Gallipoli Anzac service, 2000.
My workmate, Eleni Carpendale, with her husband Glenn and baby Bianca in our conservatory in 2000.
Jonathan, me and Laura at their wedding reception, 2008.
Joshua and Claude at his first visit to McDonalds, Akoranga Drive, Northcote.
Our grandson Ben celebrates his 21st birthday at home, 16/11/2004, with me, Claude and his mum Pam.
Painter Claude, 2001, painting the outside of 4 Raleigh Road, Northcote – he even made the scaffolding!
Claude and I with younger granddaughter Laura on her 21st birthday.
Claude and I with son Gary and his wife Lesley in a cafe on a trip to Waiheke Island, 2003.
- Chapter 9 -
Life in Apartment 1314 at The Poynton - 2010 to 2019
The size of our brand new apartment at The Poynton didn’t unduly bother us, as we had had 13 years living in a penthouse in Queen Street, and we had downsized quite easily. There were very few residents at The Poynton at that time we moved in as it had only been open for eight months.
We were fortunate to have been provided with one of the small garden beds which had been installed along the Shakespeare Road end of the village, and to this day have enjoyed the advantages of having fresh spinach, mint, parsley, runner beans, tomatoes, chives, and cauliflowers.
Nothing much seemed to be organised in the way of activities within the village and even though I continued my invigilating job at AUT, I started up a group of residents and taught them to play Mah-jong. Gary had donated an electronic table to MetLifeCare (owners of The Poynton), and it enabled us to have the opportunity to be able to learn electronically.
Claude and I noticed there was some kind of green outside and later discovered it was a golf croquet green. I remembered my sister, Janet, in Gisborne, who played associated croquet, telling me that their club was looking to introduce another game called golf croquet in order to grow their membership. So, she sent me the rules and the diagram of the layout of the green, and Claude and I spent the winter months, mostly on our own, playing around the six hoops which were part of a complete set donated by Hayden and Rollett, the builders who built The Poynton.
In October 2010 I was gardening at Gary and Lesley's home in Cameron Street in Takapuna and fell down the garden concrete steps. I broke my collar bone and L4/L3 vertebrae and was out of playing golf croquet and doing aquarobics for three months. Claude was great handling all the domestic duties, cooking, cleaning etc.
By the end of 2010 we had 38 residents of The Poynton playing the game of golf croquet. Claude lived to play croquet, making mallets to give to his mates, designing the layout of the newly acquired croquet shed, painting the hoops, you name it he did it.
I enjoyed forming competitions to play to keep the players interested, communicating and showing them how to play the game... life was good.
My sister Janet and her husband John came and stayed with us and were able to teach the croquet players the tactics of the game. I also took over as convenor of the aquarobics team that was originally started by our physiotherapist who handed the programme over to me and which is still used today, some nine years later. Claude and I were also involved in organising '500' card games so we never had a spare moment.
We made so many friends in all the codes we started and played in. Close ones being Denis and Eileen Ralph, the late Fred and late Margaret Karlsson, Graham and Zoe Upson, Joyce Keyworth, Maureen Norris, Marilyn and Ted Roberson, the late Shirley Harford, Truus and Fons Knipping, Garry and Carrol Carter, Robin McAlpine, Kantha Soni, Ray and Lynne Brown, Lynda Gatley, Joan Rutter, John McGuiness, Elizabeth Abraham, Lillian Bennett, Elaine Hutchison, Bob and Cherry Porter, Pauline and John Mackle, Judy Webb, Gay Johnstone and David Wiley, and Pat Wiltshire to name a few.
Claude’s prostate side effects were destroying his kidneys and one of them failed. So in 2012 he had to go to North Shore Urology and have a catheter fitted. He was back on the croquet green within two days.
We needed better quality golf croquet balls, so Claude advertised on Trade Me and purchased a set, and later some of the players gifted him $100 so the balls were all replaced. Claude wondered what he should do with the old ones and came up with the idea of four competitions Yellow Ball Comp, Red Ball Comp, Blue Ball Comp, Black Ball Comp. In that order as that was the order the balls deteriorated in. Then he mounted them, and they were presented to the winners on each competition day and they kept them until they were competed for the following year. Apart from these competitions I also arranged, New Chums, Pairs, Mixed Doubles, Married Couples, Pick your Own.
I also scratched my head trying to figure out how to format a daily playing schedule. I started off with four games, six days a week, but within two months I had to change it to six games, seven days a week, adding a twilight game later on.
We entered the North Shore inter-village golf croquet competition and because of the encouragement, dedication and commitment we won the trophy on our very first attempt. Gary designed and produced Team Poynton shirts to wear and Claude and I were very proud of all our team and how well they played and how smart they looked.
I was busy with Mah-jong all day on Wednesdays. One of our players, Ros Clews, who had Parkinsons disease, excelled at the game on the electronic table as it required no dealing, but as her disease worsened, she left The Poynton and moved just round the corner to Lady Allum Retirement Home in Napoleon Avenue. I knew she would hate not being able to play Mah-jong so the late Shirley Harford, Lois White and myself made up a four and visited weekly to keep her interest in the game. Claude used his mobility scooter to take all the tiles, racks, etc. over, and then would return around noon to pick them up. Then a couple of the Lady Allum home residents showed an interest in the game so each week on a Friday I was able to make up a four and we kept playing for a couple of years.
As I have previously mentioned, our son Gary donated an electronic Mah-jong machine to The Poynton and with Claude’s electronic experience and my love for the game, we set up Mah-jong in the Village. I started out with beginners as the few residents that played Mah-jong at that time all played outside the village. As new residents began to move in, I approached them with invites and written info about the game (which I had previously done to encourage croquet players) and was thrilled to have at least 16 players in the morning. So, I started an afternoon session which always had 12 to 16 players.
Claude was regularly called off the croquet green on a Wednesday when some one of our players had hit the wrong button and the table needed urgent repairs which Claude never failed to fix on the spot.
We also really enjoyed our '500' games which we usually played on Wednesday nights on the ground floor and Tuesday afternoons in apartment 1122. When The Poynton decided to provide a carvery on a Wednesday night we moved it upstairs to apartment 1122 on Thursday. But when a la carte dining commenced our evening game fell away.
In 2011, Gary shouted Claude a Father’s Day train trip from Parnell, in the refurbished railcar, to Tauranga, Rotorua and back, just one night away from home. We had a well-earned break away from The Poynton and visited Claude’s brother in-law Henry Butt in Rotorua. A couple of years later we took a one-day rail/bus trip from Parnell to Whangarei to Paihia and back to Parnell. A busy but fun day when we were both fit and well.
On 10 November 2012 our grandson Ben married his partner Trish and we had a lovely family and friend’s wedding at Zen Garden, Whitford. What a wonderful venue and a great event for the family.
This was the year Claude failed his driving licence because of his failing eye sight. A real disaster for him, especially as I had to be the driver in the family. He joined the Blind Society who were very helpful in providing mobility car parking, discounted taxi fares, talking books etc.
Then he started knitting on a loom large enough for him to see and he spent lots of his time making hats for friends and family and matching scarfs. He also started making muffs for the elderly here in the village and mini hats for new-borns. He encouraged some of our friends to make them and he gathered them up on a three-monthly basis and drove over on his mobility scooter and delivered them to the maternity ward on level two North Shore Hospital.
To keep himself busy he really got into his baking, making scones, loaves, cakes and biscuits for our Mah-jong group and also for friends and family.
He was fortunate enough to get a cataract operation compliments of our District Health Board and it initially was great for him as he could see colours so much better. He was offered another operation on his blind from birth eye but naturally he offered it to another patient.
From 2013 to 2018 Claude had continual kidney problems and spent many a night in North Shore Hospital but he never had any pain and wondered what all the fuss was about.
He had bought himself a Pride mobility scooter and he really enjoyed this scooter as much as he enjoyed the dozen or more cars he had previously owned.
We used to have regular Monday night drinks on the first-floor lounge and once a month on Friday nights Claude would scooter over to the fish and chip shop and bring back separate parcels for the six to eight friends to eat with our drinks.
As he was finding it somewhat tiring getting around this now very large eight building village, Gary shouted him an indoor travel scooter, so he was able to continue his meetings with his first-floor friends and getting to '500' on Tuesdays.
Due to Claude’s failing health he was no longer able to continue taking the Mah-jong gear over to Lady Allum, but Ros’s daughter suggested she wheel Ros over to The Poynton on a Friday morning so that Ros could keep up with the game and this continued until her health deteriorated and she was bed ridden, she was only 62.
On 24 November 2016, Gary invited the whole family to Spencer on Byron to celebrate Claude’s 89th birthday as he thought perhaps Claude wouldn’t last another year to celebrate his 90th.
When his 90th birthday came around on 24 November 2017, instead of spending it with his family at the Sage Restaurant at The Poynton, he was having an emergency procedure at the Intervention Urology Theatre to have a nephrostomy tube inserted, because his kidneys had failed. Without this procedure he would have been dead in 24 hours. Following this procedure, whilst still in hospital, Claude had a stroke, but he had the very best rehabilitation treatment at home where physios, occupational therapists and nurses visited him at home instead of the rehab ward at hospital and he recovered very well. We postponed his birthday for two weeks when we all celebrated at Sage Restaurant.
When we arrived at The Poynton, we had two great grandchildren, Sarah’s Joshua and Ben’s Caelin. Throughout the years at The Poynton we added five more, Sarah’s second son Liam in September 2010, Laura and Jonathan’s miracle Ella – born three months prematurely in February 2011, her brother Oliver in February 2013, followed by Ben and Trish’s second son Ezra and then in 2018 his little sister Willow. Claude loved them dearly and talked about them all the time. Although Willow arrived one month after Claude died.
In 2015 Gary received and ONZM in the New Years Honours. In May Gary flew his two very proud parents together with Lesley, Sarah, James, Laura and Jonathan, to Wellington to attend his ONZM investiture at Government House. It was the most memorable occasion in our lives. Our only son, born in Gisborne some 62 years earlier, was officially recognised by his country and Queen for services to his country. We were very proud.
A year or so later the chef at The Poynton spent some of his spare time making a movie about the village residents and staff. It was called "Cheese Scone, The Movie". Claude featured in that movie, he and three other mobility scooter owners did a scoot through The Poynton garage basement. It was such a hoot. My aquarobics team were briefly featured performing exercises in the pool, as was the Mah-jong team. The saddest thing about all this was that Claude passed away after the film was shown as production took nearly two years.
Claude had another stroke at home and as he preferred to have me care for him rather than The Poynton staff, I cared for him for three months until I broke three vertebrae in February 2018, and we found ourselves both in care at The Poynton. The care was great but just what we didn’t really want and the cost for Claude was outrageous and paid for by Gary and Les.
I can’t thank The Poynton caregivers enough for the attention they gave both of us over eight months. Fortunately, my care was covered by ACC and then later and until the time of writing by DHB. Pam and her friend Sherry came every night after work and prepared our evening meal which was wonderful and to this day Pam has cared for me – shopping, cleaning, taking me to appointments, you name it she has done it. Claude never had any pain (I had enough for both of us) and was a perfect patient.
After five months of horrific pain I managed to get an appointment and was lucky enough for Les to take me to the pain clinic who prescribed Gabapentin which worked instantly and after experimenting with more than ten other drugs I was at last pain free.
Gary bought Claude a lift chair which gave him more mobility on his own, getting in and out of chairs for meals, bedtime etc., but he was getting tired of not being useful. I tried to tell him he had spent plenty of time and spent heaps of money on family and friends all his working life. Now it was time to sit back and let people do things for him.... that didn’t go down well. He begged Gary to help him to get out of his body which was an embarrassment to him in so many ways and so undignified. So with the help of Hospice, Claude passed away in his sleep with me by his side on Saturday 20 October 2018, around 10.00pm. It was Labour Weekend 2018, and all the family were in Auckland and able to be present with him before he was taken away.
No one will ever know how I felt after 70 years together, and 68 years married. It is emptiness, heartbreak, and “what now” with life without my Claude.
Two years earlier Claude and his mate Maurice Speight hopped on their mobility scooters and rode down Shakespeare Road to visit Nelson Elliott, the undertaker, and talked to him about using his services when they passed away. He came home with all the printed documentation and Claude had decided on a simple cremation which was what he got. Gary rang Nelson and everything was arranged including a family farewell to our wonderful husband, father, father in-law, grandfather and great grandfather which they had had with them for all their lives.
A simple ceremony was held at the Elliott’s Funeral Parlour and Gary, Les, Sarah and James, Laura and Jonathan and Ben all paid their last respects.
A week or so later Nelson came back to our apartment with Claude’s ashes and I presented him with a lovely wooden tiny casket that Claude had made, Nelson put them inside and I have them on my dressing table in my bedroom... he is with me all the time.
Now we had to face his birthday and Christmas without him. To me that seemed impossible.
I celebrated Christmas here at The Poynton with Pam, Ben, Trish, Caelin, Ezra and Willow. Their first Christmas without their father, grandfather and great grandfather.
I would like to include the results of the Maureen and Claude Monk Golf Croquet Chosen Pairs Competition in which 32 players participated on 17 and 20 September 2019. They were competing for a cup, donated by Gary and Lesley, and resulted in the winners being Alison and Ron Rennie. Well done to all the players.
I somehow feel my story ends here but I had to either go with Claude or get help to recover from my broken bones. Now 12 months later I am walking without a walker and grateful for all the help I have received from The Poynton staff and the outside care I have received and the special care and help from my family. My children Pam and Gary, daughter-in-law Lesley, Sarah and Laura and their families, and Ben and his family. I have had Pam visit me every day since Claude passed away, and I can never thank her enough nor could I have lived to write this story without her assistance and encouragement and all the extra help from Gary and Les.
Claude, Pam and Me celebrating Claude's belated 90th birthday at The Poynton, 2017.
The whole family celebrating Claude's 90th.
Claude's 90th birthday cake.
Claude and me with our then six great grandchildren, celebrating our last Christmas together – at Laura at Jonathan's, 2017
Another photo of me with little great granddaughter Willow (Ben & Trish's daughter).
Daughter Pam with a scarf Claude made for her in 2017.
Claude with great grandchildren Ella and Oliver, with the matching scarves and hats he made for them on his loom, 2017.
Great granddaughter Ella with a scarf Claude made for her, 2017.
My old workmate Eleni Carpendale and her family who visit us two or three times a year, usually in the school holidays.
Little knitted toys, Claude made, 2017.
Daughter Pam, son Gary and his wife Lesley, looking through an old Gisborne Photo News in our Raleigh Road conservatory.
Our dear friend Joan Rutter working on one of her many jigsaw puzzles in the first floor Poynton lounge.
Our Poynton friends Celine Stolberger and Joyce Keyworth, playing 500 in the card room, first floor, The Poynton.
Our dear friends John McGuiness and Graham Upson chatting with us in a sunny corner of the 1st floor lounge, The Poynton.
The late Ros Clews with the Lady Allum Mah John team I taught to play with her in 2016. Sadly now, all deceased.
Ros at her Mah Jong set at Lady Allum 2016.
The late Marion Serjeant at Laura's in happier times.
The late Margaret Karsson and Robin McAlpine at Mah Jong, 2017.
Noreen Thompson and Maggie Dickerson at Mah Jong, 2017.
Lillian Bennett and I with motivational speaker Cam Calkoen when he was invited to speak at The Poynton, 2019.
Boris Reznik, one of our neighbours, who lived next door to us in Raleigh Road, visited me in 2019.
Another photo of me with little great grandaughter Willow, 2019.
Me on my 80th birthday at apartment 1314. Pam's grandson Caelin is shown with me.
Claude and me with our then five great grandchildren, Christmas 2015.
'Rhapsody of the Seas' departing from Auckland, February 2010, photo taken by Gary.
Me with the red sunshade sitting with friends at our first Christmas dinner at Sage Restaurant, The Poynton, December 2010.
Me presenting the 'Claude & Maureen Monk Pairs Competition' Cup to the winners, Ron and Alison Rennie, 2019. Cup donated by Gary Monk and family.
Claude playing indoor bowls at The Poynton, 2010.
A view of one of the many waterfalls in the Milford Sounds, taken by me on board the 'Rhapsody of the Seas', Feb 2010.
Another view of the Milford Sounds taken by me on board the 'Rhapsody of the Seas', Feb 2010.
Our cabin stewards and me on board 'Rhapsody of the Seas', 2010.
Pam and her grandson Ezra visiting us at The Poynton, 2017.
Claude was the founder of The Poynton Golf Croquet Club. This is him opening the season in October 2017.
Me and Claude on the 'waiting bench' awaiting the arrival of Gary to take us to a Hauraki School outdoor event.
Grandson Ben's wife Trish, on her capping day, 2/10/2012.
Our second Christmas at The Poynton, 2011.
My 80th birthday at The Poynton, 2011.
My 85th birthday flowers.
Claude taking time out in the North Shore Hospital chapel, 2016.
Pam celebrating her 60th birthday at The Poynton with family and friends, March 2011.
Claude on his knitting loom, 2016.
Claude and I with Pam's oldest friend (and bridesmaid), Margaret Maxwell (nee Wright) visiting us at The Poynton.
Lois White and John McGuiness at Ray Brown's 90th birthday luncheon, November 2017, at Aubergine Restaurant, Takapuna.
Joan Corbett coming to say goodbye when she left to go to Lady Allum.
Sherry, Pam's friend and workmate who cooked for us for six months during Claude's illness, wearing a hat and scarf Claude made for her, 2018.
Our grandson Ben with his son Ezra, out for dinner, 2017.
Les and I attending Lillian Bennett's launch of her book, "My Life Story" at The Poynton, July 2018.
Lillian Bennett introducing her "Life Story" to The Poynton residents with her son Aidan, July 2018.
Claude's friend Roy Booth on the Poynton first floor lounge, 2018.
Claude and Gary sunning themselves on the first floor lounge, winter 2018.
The Aquarobics team 'welcome me back party' held in Sage Restaurant.
Pam took me to Waitakere Hospital for my first aclasta infusion 2018.
Me and Regan Shaw, assistant manager of The Poynton, in the Sage Restaurant, 2018.
Pam's grandson Caelin on his 10th birthday, 2019.
Pam's grandson Ezra on his 2nd birthday, 2018.
The first cauliflower from our garden, 2017.
Our friend Joan Rutter celebrating Christmas with us on the first floor lounge, 2017.
Joyce Keyworth and Lois White celebrating Christmas on the first floor lounge, 2017.
Pam with Maureen Norris at our Christmas party on the first floor lounge, 2017.
The two Maureens celebrating Christmas on the first floor lounge, 2017
Lois White and Elizabeth Abraham celebrating Christmas on the first floor lounge, 2017
Eileen Ralph celebrating Christmas on the 1st floor lounge, 2017.
My first drive following my back injury, out to McDonalds, Northcote, 2019.
Elizabeth Abraham visiting Joan Rutter, Christmas 2018.
My cousins Priscilla Gibbs and June Pradhan visiting me in my apartment, 2018.
Me visiting Pam's son Ben and wife Trish's new home with their three children, Ezra, Willow and Caelin, 2019.
Claude and I with our then six great grandchildren at Claude's belated 90th birthday at The Poynton.
Me and Joyce Keyworth on our way to view "Cheese Scone The Movie".
Joan Rutter, Graham Upson and Roy Booth on the red carpet for "Cheese Scone The Movie", 2019.
The Poynton staff girls Karen, Pauline and Sharlin on the red carpet for "Cheese Scone The Movie", 2018.
Me with my nephew Bryan Webber and his two sons Logan and Cameron celebrating my sister Bev's 80th birthday in Tauranga.
Me and my friends welcoming Ros Clewes daughter Stephanie to a morning tea at The Poynton Cafe celebrating the 'near arrival' of her first child. From left, Noreen Thompson, Elaine Hutchinson, Stephanie Clews, me and Lois White.
Our past manager Craig Peploe, sneaking out with Joan Johnson's dog, Lilly.
Pam visits our friend Alva Langford in Gisborne, April 2019.
Pam practising at her church in Newmarket. Anzac Service, 2019.
Me out cleaning the car for the first time after my back injury, January 2019.
Grandson Ben and wife Trish's daughter, little Willow, visiting me in my apartment, 2019.
I am able to hold wee Willow for the first time since she was born, 2019.
Claude with Gary and Lesley's four grandchildren – Oliver, Ella, Liam and Joshua.
The Governor General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, presenting Gary with his ONZM, Government House, Wellington. A very proud day for our family. 19 May 2015.
Claude on his pride mobility scooter ready to participate in "Cheese Scone The Movie" as part of the scooter race, Poynton basement, 2017.
Bastille Day at The Poynton, 2011 – Lynne Brown, Joan Rutter, Ann Rutter, Arthur Rutter and me.
The Monk Family Golf Croquet Cup on display on competition day, 2019.
Claude, me and Pam with Caelin, on Grandparents Day, Northcote Primary School, 2015.
Joyce Keyworth and Sylvia Fox at 'Happy Hour' in the Poynton downstairs lounge, 2014.
Me on Melbourne Cup day at The Poynton, 2010.
Joyce, Eileen, the late Margaret, and Lois in the downstairs lounge at a Christmas function.
Joyce and I at a Metlifecare presentation, 2019.
Claude and I competing for 'the face of The Poynton', 2011.
Roly Houghton's 90th birthday.
Graham and Zoe Upson attending Roly Houghton's 90th birthday, 2019.
Me, ready to attend Roly Houghton's 90th birthday, 2019.
Claude with our neighbours Fons and Truus Knipping in happier days.
A special muff Claude made for a staff member, 2017.
Joan Rutter and Claude sharing a drink in Joan's apartment, 2016.
A very cold Graham Upson at cards 2016.
Claude with three of his four great grandsons, Caelin, Liam and Joshua, at the Spencer on Byron Takapuna on the occasion of Claude's 89th birthday, 2016.
Sarah, Liam and Lesley, celebrating my 88th birthday in my apartment, September 2019.
My Claude on his last day in The Poynton gardens.
Claude and I. Our last time together in The Poynton gardens.
Daughter Pam at her new keyboard, Raleigh Road, Northcote.
Our dear friend Joan Rutter.
Alva Langford with daughter Jenny on a visit to Claude and I.
Joshua, Liam and their new puppy, Zep.
The Carpendales visit me, 2018.
Liam with a hat made by Claude.
Josh with a hat made by Claude.
A collection of hats knitted by Claude.
Caelin with a hat knitted by Claude.
A lovely photo of Lesley and Gary Monk, my son and daughter-in-law.
Me with a scarf made by Claude.
Pam with a knitted scarf made by Claude.
A knitted cat made by Claude.
A snowman knitted by Claude.
Graham Upson, Claude and Joan Rutter filming for "Cheese Scone The Movie".
"Ready, Set, Go", Graham Upson, Joan Rutter and Claude filming for "Cheese Scone The Movie".
Graham Upson, Joan Rutter and Claude filming for "Cheese Scone The Movie", joined by Roy Booth.
Claude ready for a day out.
Three snowmen knitted by Claude.
My sisters Jan, Bev and me at Bev's 80th birthday.
The Tseung family visit Claude.
Granddaughter Laura with children Oliver and Ella on board their father's new boat, 2019.
Gary & Les visit Rod & Ann Needham, Morrinsville, 2018.
Claude with Gary and Lesley's grandchildren, 2017.
Our dear friend Sophia Reznik in London, opening our birthday gift to her, February 2018.
Gary and Lesley's first Omaha beach house – boats and all!
Great grandson Joshua's band, "The Exploding Emus".
Great granddaughter Ella's school project, "Who Am I". 2018.
Joan Corbett leaves The Poynton to live in Lady Allum in 2018.
The three Santas – Caelin, Pam and Trish Monk, 2012.
- Chapter 10 -
Special Family Memories - Children and Grandchildren
I have always got things to remember about my family.
Firstly, my daughter Pam has loved music ever since she was seven, playing for family events, for church and hospital services and for enjoyment for herself. In 1999 she privately recorded a piano recital with 16 Special Favourites on CD. For several years she had a few pupils and taught them in her home at Raleigh Road. She recently played at the monthly Fellowship Service here at The Poynton and will continue on a bimonthly basis shared with our friend Zoe Upson.
She was a very active netball player right through her school days and was a prefect and netball captain at Lytton High for two years. She is continuing with her job as an administrator for a NZ Well Women’s programme including time working for St Johns volunteer service.
Secondly, my son Gary and his wife Lesley. Gary was educated at Central School, Gisborne Intermediate, then onto the newly opened Lytton High. He participated in most school sporting events but excelled in oratory and rugby and was a prefect and captain of the First XV in his final year. He then went on to Auckland University and obtained a Law Degree.
Gary changed careers and in 1983, starting up an exporting business, Intersea Limited, which he still owns and manages, in between all his governance and volunteer work he does around the North Shore and beyond. A few years ago Gary made a "bucket list" and on that list was his desire to record a CD with him singing seven wonderful songs, which included one dedicated to his loving father called "Father and Son".
Lesley has worked all her married life raising her two daughters, caring for her mother, looking after her four grandchildren, and engaged in much volunteer work for groups on the North Shore – including Hospice, Wilson Home and the National Party amongst others.
Now to my three grandchildren.
Pam’s only child Ben, now aged 35, was very close to Claude. Gary and Les helped with his education at Rosmini College where he became a prefect, then to Auckland University where he finished a degree in Science. He was interested in soccer which he played throughout his primary school years and a couple of years at Rosmini.
He was an avid cricket player through his secondary school years and still plays even to this day. He sat and passed several IT exams extramurally and has worked in that field since his graduation.
Gary and Lesley's eldest daughter Sarah had a wonderful childhood. She was educated at Hauraki Primary School in Takapuna then onto a private school Diocesan School for Girls in Epsom. She played netball from a very early age excelling as a goal shooter at both schools. She attended Auckland University and completed a conjoint degree BA/BCom and worked in the world of commerce. She is back in the commerce business today working with her father at Intersea after having her two children.
Gary and Lesley's younger daughter Laura was also educated at Diocesan School for Girls in Epsom. She was the Head Prefect and like Sarah excelled in netball. Then she completed a conjoint BCom/LLB Degree and followed in her father's footsteps, working for a law firm in Auckland until she decided law wasn’t for her. She moved into Human Resources recruitment and now has her own successful business and shares her time working in that and caring for her two children.
- Chapter 11 -
Our Great Grandchildren
Our first great-grandchild was born on 9 April 2008 to our granddaughter Sarah and her husband James. He was named Joshua James. He excels in playing the drums and has his own band called the Exploding Emus. His music career to date includes drummer for the Hauraki Primary School Orchestra and Rock Band, the Belmont Intermediate Orchestra and Rock Band and the North Shore Junior Orchestra.
Our second great-grandchild was born on 1 June 2009 to our grandson Ben and his partner Trish. He was named Caelin David. Caelin has a love for anything electronic, like his dad .
Our third great-grandchild, Liam Gary, was born on 21 September 2010 to our granddaughter Sarah and James. A brother for Josh. As well as his music, electric guitar, Liam is into anything sport, so much so I can’t keep up with him and not sure if he will become a Black Cap or an All Black – or both. No kidding!
Our fourth great-grandchild, a wee little girl, was born prematurely due to pre-eclampsia on 20 February 2011 to our granddaughter Laura and her husband Jonathan. Ella Jane spent her first 100 days at Auckland Hospital's NICU unit and what a little fighter she was, and still is. Our miracle great-granddaughter who is a wonderful student and so keen on learning, receiving headmaster's certificates and this year was the Year 4 oratory winner.
Our fifth great-grandchild, Oliver Frederick, was born on 1 February 2013 to Laura and Jonathan. A brother for Ella. Soccer is his game and fishing on the side! And might I add he won the Year 3 oratory cup this past year as well.
Our sixth great-grandchild, Ezra Thomas, was born on 15 January 2016 to Ben and Trish, a brother for Caelin. Ezra is now at day-care three days a week and already shows his great-grandfather's flare of woodwork, having become very good at using a glue gun!
Our seventh great-grandchild was born on 15 November 2018 to Ben and Trish. Willow Daphne Lynne is a little sister for Caelin and Ezra. She is beautiful and yet to show us her skills, perhaps she will follow in her paternal grandmother's path and become a pianist?
This book would never have been written without the daily physical support from my daughter Pam who has been with me every day since 14 February 2018 and the constant care and gifts Gary and Les have provided for me and Claude for many years.
I have really enjoyed investigating, collating and writing My Story. You need to enjoy writing it otherwise you will never complete it. Time and most of all patience is required and assistance from your family and friends.
Our last Christmas together 2017, at Laura's, Claude and I pictured with our then six great grandchildren. Oliver is on Claude's knee, Joshua, Ezra on my lap, Ella, Liam and Caelin.
Our seventh great-grandchild was born to Ben and Trish in November 2018, sadly after Claude had passed away. I am holding Willow Daphne Lynne, a much-loved little sister for Caelin (right) and Ezra (left).
- Chapter 12 -
Family Wedding Photos - Through the Ages
Studio photo of the freshly married Mr and Mrs Claude Monk.
Claude and I as Mr and Mrs Claude Monk on the way to our wedding reception.
Our son Gary and Lesley, now Mr and Mrs Gary Monk, with Fred Serjeant (Lesley's father) and me chatting at the rear, 1976.
A studio photo of our daughter Pam's wedding to Michael Sulliman, 24 November 1973 (Claude's 46th birthday). Pictured from left, flower girl Julie Halliwell (my niece), Michael's brother Paul – groomsman, Anne Poulgrain – bridesmaid, Michael and Pam, Margaret Wright – chief bridesmaid, Gary Monk – best man, Deryn Webber (my niece) was flower girl.
Claude David Monk and Maureen Pamela Monk with groomsman Noel Dickinson, bridesmaid Marion Gabolinsky on the left, and our bestman Noel Adcroft and senior bridesmaid Joy Pocock, on the right, 1950.
Our niece Julie (nee Halliwell) and Kevin Hooper after their wedding ceremony at the Church of Christ in Gisborne, with my parents, in 1986.
James Greenway, me and grand daughter Sarah at their wedding reception at Maritime Museum, Downtown Auckland, March 2007.
Our family's wedding photo of Sarah (our granddaughter) and James Greenway outside the church at Devonport, March 2007.
Our family's wedding photo of Laura (our granddaughter) and Jonathan Burton's wedding at the reception grounds, February 2008.
Our bestman Noel Adcroft with his wife Nancy on their wedding day in Gisborne, 1955.
My bridesmaid Marion and her husband Tony Wrench on their wedding day in Hamilton,1955.
The full wedding party of my sister Janet's wedding to John Halliwell, outside the Church of Christ, Gisborne, 1954. Our daughter Pam was the little flowergirl.
A studio photo of Janet and John's wedding party, Janet holding little Pam's hand.
My youngest sister Beverley Laurel Elaine's wedding to John Webber, with my niece Sheryl Powell as flowergirl, at the Church of Christ, Gisborne, 1960.
My sister Janet's friend Shirley Grundy bridesmaid, our daughter Pam as flowergirl, Janet the bride, Anne Fraser junior bridesmaid (Janet's niece) and my sister Beverley as bridesmaid, taken at the family home, 12 Townley Street, Gisborne.
Jonathan, granddaughter Laura and me at their wedding reception, 2008.
My maternal grandparents, Thomas Lancelot Poole and Ada (nee Bound), on their wedding day 1885.
Trish and Ben (Pam's son and our grandson) exchanging their wedding vows with Laurence McLeod celebrant, 10th November 2012.
Our son Gary and Lesley signing their wedding register 1976.
My paternal grandparents, Howard Lander East and Eleanor Jessie East (nee Markie) on their wedding day, 1884.
Pam with her son Ben and wife Trish on their wedding day, 10/11/2012.
Our son Gary and Lesley's wedding family photo outside All Saints Church, Birkenhead, Auckland. Claude and I are on the far left and Marion and Fred Serjeant (Les's parents) on the far right.
- Chapter 13 -
Time to Say Goodbye
I remember when my dad was young...
Thick, black, shiny, brylcreem hair.
Tanned, tort, muscular body from years of labour.
Infinitely talented with head and hands. He could create anything.
A fascination and appreciation of all things electronic.
Original stereophonic fanatic, 78’s, 33’s, singles, reel-to-reel, cassettes, 8-track, CD's, mp3.
A chef that could have been.
An eye for smart fashion. A white tux tailor-made on-board ship.
But a tormented and frightened youth.
Smothered by a loving mother afraid to lose him living in the shadow of a bitter damaged war battered father.
With only one seeing eye, amazing hand-eye-ball coordination, hockey, tennis, billiards, table tennis, golf – a champion at all.
A risk taker with quiet self-confidence.
Victory was the goal more than the challenge.
Success was achieving more than the past had predicted.
Resilience and perseverance, he never gave up.
Hugely competitive.
Draining swamps, fighting fires, flipping deals, helping others, fishing, ocean cruising, exploring the future.
Caring, adoring, fussing over family.
Protecting, forgiving, proud and respectful.
Then exhausted, frustrated, spent, sad and frightened.
But now free.
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
- by Gary Monk
Words of Wisdom
Looking back through my past
Be fortunate to be born to loving parents.
Pick your right partner whom you can support through your married life.
Create a safe place to call home.
Educate your children and follow and help them and their children.
Embrace your neighbours and enjoy the fellowship of your friends.
Face life with willingness and aspire to succeed.
Work hard, play hard and success and happiness will follow.
Maureen Monk
March 2020
