Avondale Historical Journal 73

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The Avondale

Historical Journal

September—October 2013 Volume 13 Issue 73

Official Publication of the Avondale-Waterview Historical Society Incorporated

Next meeting of the

Avondale-Waterview Historical Society:

At St Ninians, St Georges Road(opp. Hollywood Cinema)

SATURDAY, 5 October 2013, 2.00 pm

Copies of Avondale Historical Journal and

AWHS Newsletter produced for us byWords Incorporated, 557 Blockhouse Bay

Road, Blockhouse Bay.

The Society and AHJ editorial staff thank

Avondale Business

Associationfor their continued support and sponsorship of this publication.

If I’m right, the above photograph is more than just oneimmortalising a community meeting, one of many gatheringswhich took place in the old Public Hall on St Georges Road herein Avondale. It came from the late Mrs Elaine Bollard, when Ifirst made contact with her in 2001. Badly over-exposed inplaces, I still found it intriguing. Recently, in taking anotherlook, I thought that I could now recognise not only John Bollard,

To next page



gathering could take place in any part of the country. MrBollard might well feel proud that after 50 years unbrokenservice in the interests of education, he could see such agathering, who came to give testimony to the respect inwhich he was held, and the respect in which his serviceswere held. He felt that the people of Avondale did honour

to themselves in honouring the father of the community,for Mr Bollard had well earned that title, not only by hislengthy residence in the district, but by his fatherly interestin everything that pertained to the welfare of it.

Mr Fowlds then handed over the illuminated address,which testified that the householders of the Avondaleschool district tendered to Mr Bollard their heartiest con-gratulations on his having attained the 50th year of serviceas a member of the School Committee, which in itself constituted a unique record. It further stated that the resi-dents hoped the recipient would long be spared to con-tinue in the work which had been a labour of love.Concluding, Mr Fowlds said: "1 can assure you it givesme great pleasure to hand to you this beautiful illuminatedaddress, and I join most fervently in the wish that you maylong be spared, with unabated vigour to continue." Threecheers were then heartily given for Mr Bollard, and MrFowlds further handed to him a challenge shield, bearinghis inset photograph, to be handed to the school for anattendance challenge shield. In doing so Mr Fowlds saidthat for some time the school classes had been competingfor an attendance banner. Mr Bollard heard this, and notic-ing the banner was getting old, instructed the headmasterto procure a shield at his expense. The Committee, how-

ever, thought they would procure the shield, and take theopportunity to have Mr Bollard's photo set in as amemento.

Mr Bollard, on rising to reply, was greeted with cheers,Mr Fowlds leading, and then those present lustily sang,"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Mr Bollard said they hadoverwhelmed him by their kindness, and he thanked themfrom the bottom of his heart. Referring to school matters,he paid a tribute to Dr Aickin, who was associated withhim in resuscitating the school started in 1860 with tenpupils. Since then the school had grown enormously, until

to-day there were nearly 500 scholars, and 2000 residentsin the school district.

Mr Massey said that when he met Mr Bollard in the politi-cal arena their friendship became welded, and he believedthat would last until the end of the chapter. There was noplace where a man's characteristics came out so much asin the Parliamentary Buildings, and Mr Bollard had comeout as a good fellow. Mr Fowlds had spoken for the otherside of the House, and he could speak for his. He did notthink there was another thing under the sun about whichMr Fowlds said he agreed. (Laughter.) Continuing, MrMassey said there had been a good deal of discussion

lately as to whether Imperial honours were rightly con-ferred. He would put this to them: If a man served hiscountry for 50 years, if he took part in education and localgovernment, was returned time after time (byoverwhelming majorities, if he had a clean record, and

The Avondale Historical Journal Volume 13 Issue 73

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but also William Massey, one of NZ’s early Prime Minis-ters. Checking Papers Past for a meeting that happened atAvondale, involving both Bollard and Massey, there wasonly one which came up — the night John Bollard washonoured for his 50 year service on the Avondale Schoolcommittee.

This means that this photo is rather important to our area’shistory. The following is a report on the night from the Auckland Star , 17 July 1911.

—

Mr John Bollard, M.P., who has for 50 years associatedhimself with educational matters in connection withAvondale, was on Saturday night entertained at a socialevening by the residents of the Avondale school district,when the occasion was taken to present him with an illu-minated address setting out his services in the interest of

education. Mr J McLeod, deputy-chairman of the SchoolCommittee, presided, and with him on the platform, inaddition to the guest of the evening, were the Hon. Geo.Fowlds (Minister for Education), Mr W F Massey, MP(Leader of the Opposition), Mr F W Lang, MP forManukau, and Mr G J Garland (chairman of the EducationBoard). The hall was crowded with residents, and the eve-ning throughout was very enthusiastic.

In his opening address the chairman said the gatheringwas unique in the Dominion, as Mr Bollard had an unbro-ken record of 50 years' service in education matters in thetown. His services commenced before the Education Actcame into force, and since had continued. Mr Bollard now,and had for many years, occupied the position of chairmanof the School Committee, and the promoters of the gather-ing were gratified to do honour to him. It was also gratify-ing to see the Hon. G Fowlds present in his officialcapacity, and Mr J Bollard's political associates, MrMassey and Mr Lang, and also Mr Garland, chairman of the Education Board. It was well known what Mr Bollardhad done for the education of the district, and although theCommittee had approached the Education Board fromtime to time they had never asked for anything unreason-able, as shown by the fact that the Board gave them

everything they asked for.

The Hon. Geo. Fowlds, in making the presentation of theaddress to Mr Bollard, said that he felt it a high honour tobe asked, as Minister for Education, to come and present,on behalf of the residents of Avondale the memento to hisold friend. Mr Bollard and he did not, as was shown, playin the same political backyard, but for nearly 25 years theyhad known each other, and he believed he was right insaying they had mutually respected each other. There wasonly one opinion throughout Auckland, he might even sayNew Zealand, with reference to their friend Mr Bollard.

Everywhere he was respected. (Applause.) He had stood atest of over 50 years' residence in that part of the country,and he (the speaker) thought he was correct in stating thatMr Bollard had not a single enemy. (Long and loudapplause.) They had met on a most unique occasion, andhe thought it would be many years before such another



Coromandel School and the following year studiedChemistry at the Coromandel School of Mines. He was at

Ponsonby School in 1900 as a relieving teacher thensecond assistant master, but resigned from there in 1902.He applied for the position of assistant master at ThamesHigh School that year, but in April 1903 was appointed toAvondale. In 1906, he was selected as first assistantmaster at Parnell School. He transferred back to Avondalein June 1910 as headmaster. Around the same time he wasappointed secretary of the Auckland branch of the NZEducational Institute (President 1913-14).

Alec Darrow was prominent in the life of Avondale rightfrom the start of his time as headmaster of our school. In1912 he was involved with the setting up of the AvondaleBowling Club. He seconded the motion for special recog-nition to be given to Sandford and Miller after the planecrash in 1913. Reports on local fundraising for soldier’scauses during World War I usually saw his nameincluded , and when the Spanish ‘Flu struck the commu-nity he was one of the tireless volunteers at the temporaryhospital on the racecourse in 1918, contracting ‘fluhimself towards the end of the crisis but, thankfully, re-covering. He presided over meetings of the AvondaleBeautifying Society in 1920, and in 1921 backed movesfor the establishment of the John Bollard MemorialScholarship for the school. In 1927, he was involved at

public meetings concerning the amalgamation of Avondale with Auckland City.

Alec Darrow was farewelled from Avondale School whenhe retired in June 1931 after 21 years as headmaster atAvondale, and 40 years in the teaching profession.

was above suspicion, he was worthy of honour. Thespeaker knew of none more above suspicion than the guestof the evening, and he asked how would Sir John Bollarddo? (Applause.) "And let mc add," he concluded, "LadyBollard, because I have noticed on nearly every occasionon which a public man does anything worthy, that man

has a good wife to support and cheer him."

There were two matters he would like to refer to, in con-nection with which Mr Bollard had taken a prominentpart. One was the making provision, whereby those takingup agriculture for a living should be able to acquire thefreehold of their property. He was glad to be able to saythat to a certain extent provision had been made for this.The second matter was one in which Mr Bollard had en-deavoured time after time to have provision madewhereby young fellows taking up the profession of agri-culture should have an opportunity of getting a soundeducation, scientific and practical, in agriculture. Unfortu-nately he thought they had not done enough, and, speakingseriously, it was agriculture upon which the countrydepended, and must depend, and it was necessary there-fore, that their farmers should be as well endowed educa-tionally as the farmers of other countries. He was notsaying that they were not at present, but they had to look to the future, and he hoped that long before Mr Bollardwent out of public life some provision would be made inthat direction by Parliament ...

During the evening a musical programme was contributed,and the gathering broke up with the singing of the

National Anthem.

Harry Alexander Darrow

(1875-1947):

an early headmaster of

Avondale Primary School

I’m very grateful to Dr Don Bassett, family historian, for

providing information on one of Avondale Primary’s earlyheadmasters. Harry Alexander Darrow (he preferred to becalled Alec) was born in 1875, the third surviving child of James and Clara Darrow, at Tararu, Thames. JamesDarrow came from Northern Ireland and worked as aminer in Australia, Otago and Thames, then as a bush con-tractor on the Coromandel Peninsula. Alec Darrow wasclever from his early years — he was awarded a juvenilescholarship in 1887, and received at least some secondaryschooling at Auckland Grammar, and went on toAuckland University College.

Dr. Bassett has traced Alec Darrow’s teaching posts, start-ing as a pupil teacher at Devonport in 1891, much of thefollowing coming from his research (with some extra fromPapers Past). Darrow became a member of staff by 1894,then sole-charge teacher at Pungaere in the Bay of Islandsfrom 1895. From June 1897 he was Assistant Master at


Page 3

Harry Alexander (Alec) Darrow

(courtesy Dr. Don Bassett)




Page 4

The Avondale Historical Journal

Published by:the Avondale-Waterview Historical Society Inc.Editor: Lisa J. TruttmanSociety contact:19 Methuen Road, Avondale, Auckland 0600Phone: (09) 828-8494, 027 4040 804email: [email protected] information:

Website: http://sites.google.com/site/avondalehistory/ Subscriptions: $10 individual$15 couple/family$30 corporate

The Trams

Letters received.

I was interested to read Don Gwilliam's interestingarticle about the Avondale Trams [last issue]. The 6

am tram rattling over the railway bridge was my alarmclock – and I lived at Waterview! From Waterview wewould normally catch the bus to Pt Chev Hall Cornerin order to catch the tram to town, alternatively youcould catch the bus to Avondale but it was more sec-tions thus more expensive. Every penny counted in thelate ‘40s.

The trams had double sliding doors from the platformsand the seats immediately inside were longitudinal.My mate Bryan Trenwith and I once caught the tramto the city and adjacent to us on the seats were two

pretty girls. When we reached the Civic picture theaterthe doors were flung open and the girls dresses wentup over their necks – as we knew they would do. Wesat there straight faced until we got off the tram andburst out in hysterical laughter. We would be moregentlemanly now — I think.

Tony Goodwin

Have just sat and read your latest Journal and reallyenjoyed it. Boy did it bring back memories … Goingto town on the day the war (45) finished was a magicalday for us, we all got dressed up and went in, the

crowds were everywhere, all the town packed. I re-member the trams had a very hard time going downQueen Street.

There was a lady who used to live in the bottom, off Taylor Street who used to go to town with flowers forsomeone and she gave the conductors a bit of a rev up,so that when they saw her coming they would start tomove off, and she had to run and grab the rail andclamber aboard, it made them all laugh, because shewould growl most of the way.

What a great life we had, never worried if we missed atram and had to walk, just part of the fun.

Maureen Exler

At St Judes Hall on 9 May, he was farewelled by a gather-ing of between 50 to 60 teachers who had worked withhim over the years. Miss E M Newton read letters fromformer teachers of Avondale School, “referring eulogisti-

cally to Hr Darrow's many sterling qualities. She added

her personal tribute of admiration of Mr. Darrow as aman of unswerving rectitude of character, a headmaster

whose ability was vouched for by his pre-eminent place on

the grading list and as a proved friend of very many years'

standing.”

The school formally farewelled him in June.

On the eve of his retirement, Mr H A Darrow, headmaster

of the Avondale school, was farewelled by the children

and teachers last week. “Mr Darrow has always incul-

cated the highest ideals of conduct, which he has exempli-

fied in his treatment of pupils, teachers and everyone con-

nected with the school," said Mr F E Blakey, first assistant master.

Two chairs and a travelling rug were presented to Mr

Darrow by Roma Ihaka, Tui Connell and Trevor Green,

on behalf of the children.

In thanking the children for their gifts, Mr Darrow said

that no one could realise what it meant for him to sever

the ties formed in 21 years at the school. He regretted that

his travels could not have been made before he retired so

that he might have told the children about the lands he

was about to visit.

On behalf of the school, Mr. Blennerhasset thanked Mrs

Darrow for the big part she had taken in the school's out-

side activities. Cheers were given for Mr and Mrs Darrow

and the children sang the school song, "Act Well Your

Part." ( Auckland Star 2 June 1931)

Harry Alexander “Alec” Darrow died 8 May 1947, andwas buried at Purewa Cemetery. He owned two propertiesin Avondale I know of so far: 1798 Great North Road(1920-1946, where Nurse Edwards had her home 1936-1940) and nearly 7 acres at the south-east corner of Riversdale and Rosebank Roads (1919-1944, part sold to

State Housing earlier).

Documents

Avondale Historical Journal 73