Terminus Images

7/31/2019 Terminus Images

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/terminus-images 1/11

Diagram in margin of Deed 15423, dated 20April 1859 but registered 3 December of thatyear. The Deed would have been recorded inthe Deeds Books from that date — so the milldam may have only come into existence be-tween April and December 1859 (or from mid1855, when Rooney purchased the easternfarm on the other side of the creek). John Tho-mas senior’s original Star Mills may also datefrom this period.

DI 9D.389, LINZ records



Diagram in margin of Deed 52802, dated 29 September 1879. Thos was the extent of AndrewRooney’s Pt Chevalier/ Mt Albert farm, spanning Allotments 31, 32 and 33 on the eastern side of Oakley Creek. Comparing the 1859 Thomas Deed with this, the mill dam would have been placed atthe top left corner of Allotment 31, and across the creek.

DI A2.129, LINZ records (also A2.130 & A2.131)



Diagram in margin of Deed111029, dated 29 April 1889,

being details of the probate of Robert Garrett.

LINZ records



“Showing the old mill on the banks of the Oakley Creek at Waterview. The original mill was built byJohn Thomas around 1859, but burned down in 1873. This is the second mill, built by Thomas Barra-clough and John Thomas Junior. Known as Star Mills, it was converted to a tannery by the Garrett

brothers before 1878, but had ceased to operate as such by 1893. It was finally demolished about1910.”

Ref 7-A1730, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Library.



A l t e r e d v e r s i o n o f

1 9 0 9 N Z G r a p h i c p h o t o g r a p h , a d d i n g p o s s i b l e p a r t o f

d r y i n g s h e d e x t r e m e r i g h t .



D e t a i l o f s u r v e y p l a n , D

P 8 4 4 7 , 1 3 F e b r u a r y 1 9 1 3 , f o r M r s .

J a n e T o d d .

P o s s i b l e b r i d g e o r

f o r d s t i l l i n e x i s t e n c e a t t h a t d a t e

b e t w e e n

t a n n e r y s i t e

( s o u t h s i d e ) a n d

t a n - p i t s

a r e a ( n o r t h s i d e ) .

L I N Z r e c o r d s



1920

DP 14590

1930

DP 23806

1955

SO 39987

Whatever the feature is between the northand south coasts of the Oakley Creek besidethe mill site, it appeared for over 40 years in

plans and subdivision maps produced bydifferent surveyors. Here are three examples.



Birkenhead Council Quarry

Site of bridge/ford

Track curving aroundto main road

C o w l e y S

t r e e t

15 Cowley

G r e a t N o r t h R o a d

Detail from 1940 aerial. Clearest view available of the remains of the Birkenhead Borough Council quarry (1912-c.1924).It may still have been worked by others up to c.1945, when Auckland City Council described it as “worked out” and alake.

There was no direct access from the quarry to Great North Road, unlike the larger one operated by Waitemata CountyCouncil to the west. While barges were used by Birkenhead Council, some road access would have been required. Themost direct route was over Allotment 18A, coming out beside the cottages on Great North Road.

It is possible, therefore, that the stone work still visible at the creekside of 15 Cowley Street was part of this unofficialaccess between the quarry and Great North Road. Other items, such as the boiler and boiler plates, and concrete blockswith bolts, may also have originated from the quarrying operations on the other side of the estuary.



Unofficial road across Allotment 18A (arrows). Above, from1940-1945 maps, Lands and Survey Dept., NZMS 2A #2248,Special Collections.

Below, from plan for widening Oakley Creek culvert, 1956,ACC 015 9642/89, City Archives



1 9 4 0

Y e l l o w o v a l i n d i c a t i n g p o s s i b l e s i t e

o f S t a r M i l l a n d G a r r e t t t a n n e r y .

A e r i a l f r o m

A R C w e b s i t e .



1 9 5 9

Y e l l o w o v a l i n d i c a t i n g p o s s i b l e s i

t e o f

S t a r M i l l a n d G a r r e t t t a n n e r y . A

e r i a l f r o m A R C w e b s i t e .

Documents

Terminus Images