That Dear Little Home in the Bay by Hutt City Libraries

That Dear Little Home in the Bay: A Short History of the Taumaru Military Convalescent Home 1916-1919

Andrew Francis

That Dear Little Home in the Bay: A Short History of the Taumaru Military Convalescent Home 1916-1919 Andrew Francis

This publication was funded by the Lottery Grants Board

Hutt City Libraries PO Box 30-037 Lower Hutt 5040 www.library.huttcity.govt.nz

Cover image: Taumaru convalescent home (Alexander Turnbull Library; Ref PA 1-0-778-48)

ISBN 9780473300579 Andrew Francis researched and wrote this history under contract to Hutt City Libraries. Andrew holds a PhD and is a professional historian based in Wellington who specialises in New Zealand during World War One.

Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………. 5 Taumaru before the First World War…………………………………….. 7 Taumaru as a convalescent home during the First World War…...11 Taumaru convalescent home closes its doors………………………...39 Taumaru after the War……………………………………………………..43 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………. 45 Names…………………………..……………………………………………...47 Image References……………………………………………………………. 49 Notes……….…….……………………………………………………………. 50 Sources………………………………………………………………………...54

Introduction Lowry Bay is synonymous with Francis Henry Dillon Bell and his family; a walk around the area illustrates the point. Street names such as Dillon Street, Lady Bell Grove (named after Bell’s wife, Caroline), Cheviot Road (after Bell’s son), Walter Road (named after Bell’s head gardener), Gill Road (after Bell’s chauffeur) and the Francis Bell Scenic Reserve, which covers fifty-five hectares, allude to the influence the Bells had in the area.1 One street name in particular stands out for those who possess an interest in both local geography and the First World War. Nestled between Cheviot Road and Gill Road can be found Taumaru Avenue, named after the Bells’ house, which stood above Lowry Bay from the late Victorian era until it was demolished in 1963.

Taumaru pre-1918

The story of the house and its owners is an interesting one: Bell was a successful and flourishing lawyer when he purchased the land in 1884, and a well-established legal expert and fledgling politician when he built the property a decade later. At Taumaru he hosted picnics and soirees for the well-heeled and well-connected of the Wellington region. But it is the house’s role during the First World War which is of particular interest as we commemorate the centenary of the First World War. 5

In March 1916, nineteen months after Britain declared war on behalf of the Empire, Bell offered the house to the New Zealand Government as a convalescent home for some of the thousands of New Zealand wounded soldiers returning from the conflict overseas. Between 1916 and 1919, around 500 soldiers passed through its doors; some stayed for a few days, others for up to six months. A matron, a small number of qualified nurses, around a dozen Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurses – who were charged with the less skilled nursing tasks and domestic duties – and a small team of cooks were assigned to the house. While there, a bond of friendship and mutual admiration blossomed between staff and patients which made the men’s stay all the more comforting. This is the story of that house which for many is now long forgotten, if known at all. It briefly describes Taumaru’s early years and the Bell family that lived there; the homestead’s wartime function as a convalescent hospital; the stories of some of those who stayed and worked there; and the house’s post-war story.

Taumaru before the First World War The land on which Taumaru would be built, which originally comprised about 550 acres, was first taken up by George Hart via a Crown grant in 1859. In 1865 the property was purchased by the Crown and a residence was erected as a country seat for the Governors of New Zealand. The Marquess of Normanby was not keen on the Eastern Bays so, in 1877, the Crown sold the land to Duncan Sinclair of Wainuiomata and his brother-in-law, retired sea captain John Mowlem. They in turn sold it, in 1884, to Francis Bell, and his cousin, Nathaniel Levin.2 It appears that neither Bell nor Levin did much with their investment for the first five years apart from lease it to others. In 1889 Bell bought out his cousin, plus a further three sections; by 1891 he owned the entire bay. In 1894 Bell built Taumaru at the south end of Lowry Bay next to York Bay which, in the 1890s, was known as Cridland’s Bay3. The name, ‘Taumaru’, appears to be a derivation of the Maori word for peaceful’ or ‘sheltered.’ Taumaru ‘A long rambling house covering in excess of 4,000 square feet of no architectural splendour but functional, it merged in with the landscape in a relaxed sort of way. The backdrop of the many native trees planted by the Bell family was always filled with tuis and bellbirds who gave their support to the peaceful atmosphere.’ Taumaru had two acres of lawns and large pohutukawas nestled back in the shelter of the surrounding hills. ‘The bank by the drive was one massive display of daffodils in the spring – an attraction which drew many motorists on a Sunday afternoon. A sundial centred the large front lawn. It had been given to the Bell family by grateful patients who had convalesced at Taumaru during World War I. The lawn itself sloped down to a spacious tennis court which had its full use.’

Entering through the front door ‘one was faced with a long passage extending from one end of the house to the other. One thing that immediately hit the visitor was the decorating – each door was painted a different colour. On the left of the hallway as one progressed were two bedrooms followed by the door to the very large kitchen and scullery. Next a short passage led to a dressing room and bathroom. Finally at the southern end was a further bedroom and the large billiard room. Moving right up the hallway one first encountered the very large drawing room followed by the equally large dining room, the master bedroom and a further guest room. At the rear were the servants quarters consisting of three bedrooms and a sitting room – a relic of bygone days as was the “bell-pull” indicator in the kitchen, a necessary adjunct to “room service”. Underneath the southern end were two further rooms which had varying uses. In total there were 11 rooms, 7 bathrooms and the kitchen and scullery. There was always plenty of wood to stoke the two large fireplaces, one in the drawing room and the other in the billiard room.’4

By the early 1900s, the surrounding bays were undergoing major developments. With the introduction of regular Wellington to Days Bay ferry sailings, landowners from Mahina Bay to Muritai developed subdivision plans and urban settlement began in earnest. In 1904, the Lowry Bay Estate Company was formed and its 36 subscribers balloted for subdivisions on the northern half of Bell’s estate, leaving him and his family with the southern half. Early purchasers were Sir Charles Skerrett – who succeeded Bell as President of the New Zealand Law Society in 1918 – Robert Turnbull, brother of Alexander Turnbull, and Thomas Valintine, future Chief Health Officer of New Zealand and director of military hospitals during the First World War.5

Under Bell’s ownership Taumaru was a ‘secluded country seat dedicated to restrained patrician relaxation of house parties, picnics and fishing excursions’ for the Bells’ circle of influential friends. 6 In these years, Bell’s legal reputation strengthened. On occasion he was called on to conduct cases before the Privy Council in London. In 1912 he returned to his political career by becoming the Minister of Internal Affairs and Leader of the Upper House. Two years later, on 4 August 1914, Britain declared war on Germany. The following day, on Wellington’s Parliamentary Library steps, the Governor, Lord Liverpool, read King George V’s declaration of war. Photographs from the time show Bell standing directly behind the Prime Minister, William Massey. Within four weeks, New Zealand troops including Bell’s own son, William, captured Samoa and, soon afterwards, thousands more set sail for Egypt.

Francis Henry Dillon Bell (1851-1936) Francis Henry Dillon Bell was born in Nelson in 1851. He was the son of Francis Dillon Bell (1822-1898), a former Minister of Finance and Minister of Native Affairs. After attending school in Auckland and Dunedin, Bell Jr attended university in England. In 1873, he received a BA in Mathematics from St John’s College, Cambridge. He then moved to London to take legal qualifications and was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple in 1875. After his return to New Zealand, he pursued a legal career, establishing a legal partnership with Charles Izard and Hugh Gully. In 1878 he married Caroline Robinson, a daughter of William ‘Ready Money’ Robinson, wealthy South Island runholder and Member of the Legislative Council. Francis and Caroline had four sons and four daughters: Frank, who died while a student at Wellington College; William, who served as Member for Wellington before enlisting in 1914 and later died in Belgium in 1917;

Ernest, who served with the NZEF; and Cheviot, who served in the 10th Royal Hussars and Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. The daughters were Iris Rolleston, who was matron of the Taumaru convalescent home; Margaret; and Violet and Enid, who both served at the New Zealand Military Hospital at Walton-on-Thames. Bell possessed a strong sense of public duty and, alongside his legal career, which included serving as President of the New Zealand Law Society (1902-1918), he entered the political realm, becoming Mayor of Wellington (1891-1892, 1896). In 1893 he served as the Wellington Member of the House of Representatives, serving just the one term. In 1912, William Massey’s Reform Party came to power and Massey appointed Bell as his Minister of Internal Affairs (1912-1915), Minister of Immigration (1912-1920), and Attorney-General (1918 -1926). He also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1923-1926). He acted as Prime Minister while Massey attended Imperial Conferences in 1921 and 1924, and represented New Zealand at the League of Nations. With Massey’s health failing, Bell took on more Prime Ministerial responsibilities. Following Massey’s death in May 1925, Bell became, aged 74, Prime Minister on an interim basis – his tenure lasted just sixteen days – and in doing so became the first New Zealand-born politician to hold the office. He died in 1936 aged 84, six months after Lady Caroline’s passing.

Taumaru as a convalescent home during the First World War

Patients relax on the verandah at Taumaru

New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s losses at Gallipoli following the landing on 25 April 1915 are well documented. 2,700 New Zealand lives were lost and a further 5,200 wounded in the unsuccessful campaign which lasted for eight months. Following the withdrawal from Gallipoli, many New Zealand soldiers were sent to France and Belgium. At the same time, New Zealand soldiers also saw action in the Sinai-Palestine campaign. After emergency treatment, those fit enough to travel but too wounded to return to action, were returned to New Zealand on hospital ships. The government acted swiftly to ensure that all returning men, regardless of whether they had been discharged from military service, received the necessary treatment to assist with their rehabilitation. The New Zealand Defence Department, in conjunction with the Red Cross, had already established a number of military hospitals and convalescent homes by the time Bell offered Taumaru in 1916. 11

Sir Francis Bell on a visit to Taumaru

These included Hanmer, Rotorua, Wanganui, and Victoria Ward, Wellington Hospital. Other private homes were offered to the Defence Department to cope with the influx of men returning injured from battle. Charles Izard, Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business partner, offered his Upper Hutt home which, initially, was used by trainee soldiers struck down with measles; it later became home to up to 30 men injured at the front.7 It was estimated that between 40 and 50 men could be comfortably housed at Taumaru at any one time and, when the home closed in 1919, around 500 wounded and shell-shocked men had passed through its doors. By April 1918, of the 20,000 New Zealand men who had returned from battle, 2,130 were being treated in hospital or recuperating in a convalescent home somewhere in the Dominion.8 Preparing for patients Taumaru was established as a convalescent home for rank and file soldiers though a small number of officers also recuperated there. Its main purpose was to provide the men with peace and tranquillity to aid their recovery. The house, set on a rise in a large garden with a tennis court, three-hole golf course and stables, provided the 12

perfect setting.9 Kai Tiaki, the New Zealand nurses journal, stated that ‘In this sunny spot the invalids should recover strength and those whose spirits have suffered by the horror of all they have seen and endured, should forget it all in the calm peace and beauty around them.’10 Taumaru, the much larger of the two main dwellings Bell owned, would house the men, while Wharerua, a beautiful smaller home at the foot of Cheviot Road, would house the nursing staff and cooks.

Wharerua

A smaller cottage on the estate was turned into a workshop for the patients use. Matron of the home was the Bells’ daughter, Mrs Iris Rolleston who, in early 1916, arrived with two nurses and six VADs and set about preparing Taumaru for its first arrivals. Taumaru was readily established but Wharerua had undergone several years of neglect, so it was immediately handed over to cleaners and paperhangers. The men were provided with pleasant verandas and comfortably furnished sitting and dining rooms. A roster was established for the cooking of meals: three cooks would stay for two weeks then would leave for a week.

Taumaru patients, back row L-R: Rifleman Penlington; Private Lake; Smith; Private Mattocks; Private Collingwood; front row L-R: Private Hart; Private Lusty, c.1918-1919

The Taumaru cooks

Food was provided by the Army Service Corps, except for special extras provided by friends and donors.11 The orchards surrounding the houses were laden with fruit so the staff spent several days stewing apples. Recollections at the time state that apples found their way into every meal: bacon and apple for breakfast; stewed or baked apple for lunch; and apple fritters for dinner. 12 Taumaru also had its own complement of cows: Mrs Cherry Blossom; Miss Cora; Miss Blackberry and Madame Honeysuckle. 13

Sister Campbell and staff

The first sister of the home was Anne Campbell. She was in temporary charge as shortly after the home opened she returned to Egypt on Transport duty. She was succeeded in the role by Miss Todd, the former matron of Timaru Hospital. 14 It was anticipated that given the home was designed to provide the patients with rest and rehabilitation, specialist needs could be carried out by one or 15

two qualified nurses. Many of the other duties could be undertaken by the full-time masseuse and the VADs. The home also had its own chauffeur, Myra Shirtcliffe, who was on hand to ferry the men around in the Daimler and Renault the Red Cross provided. Mrs Rolleston also supplied her own car for the men’s use. Activities In their time at Taumaru, various sports were laid on to make the men’s stay as comfortable, relaxing and enjoyable as possible; key among these were cricket, tennis, and croquet, played on the manicured lawns within the grounds of Bell’s estate. Tennis and croquet brought out the competitive spirit in the men and staff. Mrs Gorringe, Miss Charnley and Privates Reynolds and Arnold played the first tennis match of the season in October 1917.

Mixed doubles on the Taumaru tennis court

Corporal Gridley showed his ability with a racquet as did Sergeant Novell and the ‘King Country champion’, Private Bourne. Some brought along cameras to capture the day’s fun, which included a refreshing tea and circus performance by Private Yetton who showed his mastery of juggling buns, scones, sandwiches and cake. 15 One key social event at the end of 1916 was a cricket match 16

between the Taumaru patients and pupils from Croydon School, now Wellesley College. It was recorded that the match was ‘quite the finest witnessed for many years. Though suffering acutely from nervousness and opposed by the most finished and scientific exponents of the noble game our eleven, after almost superhuman exertions, succeeded in snatching a hard-earned victory.’16

Croydon School cricket team

As with many events at Taumaru, the match was a social occasion ‘witnessed by the entire staff and tea was afterwards provided by Miss Sommerville [Croydon School principal], to whose kindness and generous hospitality as well as that of the whole of Croydon School, we owe one of the pleasantest and most exciting days we have had this year.’ 17 When the weather was less clement, table tennis, snooker and billiards filled the time and provoked much competition, especially when North Island played South Island. The snooker table was in such demand to the point that its baize covering was replaced, a gift from a female well-wisher.18

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Kitchen vs Pantryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cricket match

Table tennis was also popular with patients and staff who pitted their skills against one another or paired up for mixed doubles. Private Daniel showed some prowess winning both table tennis and billiards titles.19 For others there were quieter pastimes such as cards, draughts, chess and solitaire.

Fun around the snooker table

For those of a more literary bent, the patients established and ran their own magazine, the Taumaru Trifler. The first issue appeared in March 1917, and was the first of five issues spanning the length of time the home was in operation. The Trifler contained stories of daily life at the home; reports on sporting competitions; mock court sittings for minor infringements; news of former patients; and well-crafted odes to the nursing and VAD staff. The editor’s foreword for the first issue stated: ‘It is with some trepidation that the editor and staff introduce you to this first little “Trifler”. You are asked to remember that it is a first effort, very small and frail and unassuming, and with no literary pretensions whatever.’20

Taumaru Trifler front cover September 1918

That may have been so, but the Trifler was compiled with care and professionally printed in Wellington by Ferguson and Osborn, the well-known Lambton Quay booksellers and printers who also printed the New Zealand Free Lance weekly journal. Also, had it not 19

been for the men publishing the Trifler, far less about Taumaru as a convalescent home would be known today. Photographs from the time and reports in the Trifler suggest the men made great use of the Bells’ boat in which they would fish off Lowry Bay. They also took up netting from the shoreline. A tongue-in-cheek article in the Trifler expressed the vigour with which the men embraced these two pastimes: ‘Much consternation has been caused lately among the Italian fishermen of Rona Bay and other places which have up till quite recently supplied Wellington with fish. From information gathered it appears they are much disturbed by a new fishing concern. The Lowry Bay Fisheries Ltd., which has been formed by Messrs. Lustyarni [Private Lusty] and Fordicio [Cpl Fordyce], whom we understand intend entering seriously into the fishing industry. The above company having secured the services of the well-known netters Charline Reevesotti [Rflm Reeves] and Spidercano, expect to be able to distribute their various catches between the cities of Auckland and Wellington … The public need have no fear, as has been the case for some time past, of any shortages of the above commodity.’ 21 The piece ended with: ‘Shall we gather at the seaside/Where bright patients’ feet do tread/Where their language flows forever/And their nicest words are said?’ There were also numerous picnic and walks around Eastbourne, the Orongorongo Valley, and the Hutt Valley. One, in the summer of 1918/19, took the men to Maori Bank at the invitation of Sir Francis Bell. The men went swimming and played baseball in between much eating. One recorded: ‘Our camp ground was a very picturesque spot, affording much scope for our photographers, and by the level state of the country enabled many of the cripples to stroll quietly in the bush and along the banks of the river, and they made the most of the opportunity.’22

‘Bringing in the Net’

There were also sailing trips to Somes Island in Wellington Harbour, which could be seen from Taumaru, though it is unclear when these trips took place as Somes Island operated as an internment camp for enemy aliens between August 1914 and November 1918. When the influenza pandemic struck, the island reverted to a quarantine station – as it had been prior to the First World War – and the prisoners dispersed to other camps.

Picnic in the Bush

The early days of Taumaru saw the men making hammocks and bags in the workroom. By the middle of 1917 craftsmanship had progressed to include ‘almost every branch of arts and crafts, wood-carving, poker work, rug weaving, the making of baskets, trays, jig-saw puzzles, lamp-shades, and all kinds of carpentering and painting.’23 Many of the items the men made were sold in the Red Cross shop on Lambton Quay.

Patients engaged in Taumaru workroom

The popularity of basket-making, carpentry and other crafts at Taumaru made it necessary to expand the home. In November 1917, Iris Rolleston approached General Henderson, the Surgeon-General and Director of General Medical Services, and requested that an extra workroom be erected at Taumaru.24 The Red Cross stated that it would pay for the cost of this project. Before plans were finalised, Rolleston contacted Henderson and requested an alteration to the original plans. She remarked that patients sent to the home were ‘on the whole, more crippled than formerly and there is a larger proportion of cases which it is advisable to keep in the top house [Taumaru].’ Therefore, she requested that the two main rooms of the ‘lower house [the existing workshop]’ be knocked into one and converted into the workroom, while the money set aside by the Red 22

Cross be spent on erecting a seven-bed ward on the south-western corner of Taumaru. Mrs Rolleston’s point, that recent arrivals were ‘more crippled’ than earlier patients, is testament to the carnage that the Western Front was causing by the end of 1917. In 1917 alone, New Zealanders had fought at Messines Ridge, Passchendaele, Gravenstafel, Bellevue Spur and Polderhoek, suffering very heavy casualties along the way. The new ward, measuring 23’ by 22’ (7m x 7m) provided ample sleeping quarters for up to eight men. This room, as well as the alterations to the ‘lower house’, had an estimated cost of £210. 25 There would also be an additional cost for furniture comprising two carpenters’ benches, 10 basket-makers’ tables and ten stools. The Red Cross, based in Wellington’s Molesworth Street, agreed to not only meet the cost of work at Taumaru but also alteration work required at Hanmer, Rotorua, Victoria Ward, Wellington Hospital and Wanganui, totalling over £1,100.26 Before long the new workroom was serviceable and the extension on Taumaru complete. Comparing photographs of the home pre- and post-1918 clearly show the new seven-bedroom ward on the extreme right of the home.

Patients relaxing on the lawn; the extension erected in 1918 can clearly be seen on the right

Such was the craftsmanship of convalescing soldiers around the country that an exhibition of their works was held in Palmerston North in October 1918. Along with articles produced by patients from the Rotorua Sanatorium, Dunedin Hospital and Montecillo Convalescent Home (Dunedin), Victoria Ward (Wellington), Wanganui and Napier hospitals, Epsom Convalescent Home, Auckland Hospital and Annexe, Taumaru patients exhibited items including woven fabric, embossed leather work, handbags and small items of furniture. A newspaper report from the time stated that hardly any of the 300 articles in the exhibition remained unsold, and in many cases further orders were placed. 27 There was also a competitive edge to the exhibition and Taumaru patients, including Privates Maroni, Wheeler, Hooper, Holland, Lusty and Millward, scooped ten prizes. Entertainment Performers also made the journey to Taumaru to entertain the patients. A Miss van Staveren and party, Miss Judd and party, and the Rona Bay Bowling Club all entertained the men with evenings of music and songs. Perhaps the most prominent performer to visit the boys at Taumaru was renowned British comedy actress Ada Reeve. Reeve had played six shows at the Grand Opera House before visiting the boys at Taumaru in October 1917. Along with her whole company, which included a dancer, pianists, a banjo-player and a magician/‘shadowist’, Reeve entertained around thirty patients and a number of staff for a full afternoon. It was recorded in the Trifler that Wellington’s notorious winds prevailed, meaning the performance took place in the drawing room. After her company had performed, Reeve sang several songs including The Girl with the Picture Eyes, Like a Lady, Tennessee and The Long, Long Trail, the latter being a song in her shows she dedicated to the “boys in khaki”.28 In Tennessee she got ‘the boys to sing the refrain; then the ladies, then everybody in the house – and everybody felt supremely happy and uplifted.’29 At the end of the performance, one of the patients, Sergeant Novell, presented Miss Reeve with a basket of red and white roses which was followed by a speech from Lieutenant Price. Miss Reeve in reply 24

stated that she was pleased to perform for the boys. She told the men to ‘feel proud that you have played your part in the conflict that is going to end in a lasting peace, making the world a purer and better place for us all to live in. God bless you.’ After this, refreshments were served and a tour of the home was arranged. As Miss Reeve left, the boys sang out For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow as the cars headed away down the drive. The men, too, formed their own troupe, the Lowry Bay Comedy Company, and produced their own comedy play, ‘A Breach of Promise’, which they performed at Taumaru and at Day’s Bay Pavilion in September 1917. The cast was entirely composed of patients, though valuable assistance was provided by Iris Rolleston, Sister Gilmer, and Greta Ewen, Myra Shirtcliffe’s replacement as chauffeur. It was reported that the show, put on in aid of the Day’s Bay Ladies’ Day, was a roaring success: The pavilion was crowded with the largest audience seen there, and seats were commandeered from the grounds, the school, and wherever else possible, while many at the back of the hall had to stand. A motor bus brought visitors from town, and many cars brought people from the Hutt and the other bays, while a number of boys came from the Croydon School. All the arrangements were exceptionally well carried out by the soldiers, and the voluntary staff, wearing aprons, assisted with the programme and in selling sweets and flowers.’ 30 In terms of the performance itself, staff including Miss Phoebe Parsons, Miss Wilson and a piano duet by Miss Charnley and Miss Rathbone provided the musical accompaniment along with Sergeant Musso and Quarter-Master Sergeant Harrison. The main sketch, ‘A Breach of Promise’ was performed entirely by the men, many of them taking the roles of women. Sergeant Novell, Riflemen Elliston and Knutson, Corporal Fordyce and Privates Bourne, Belsham, Cooper and Taylor were the main performers, ably supported by Lance-Corporal Collins, Corporal Grindley and Trooper Lepper. 31 In the spirit of fundraising, a Mr Webber provided the pavilion free of charge while also closing his own confectionery business in order that other sellers could sell their wares; and Wellington printers 25

Messrs Coulls, Culling and Co. provided without charge the printing of tickets and posters. A total of £21 was raised from the performance (equating to $2,489 today). 31

Cast of ‘A Breach of Promise’

The staff Within a few days of the performance, the boys farewelled Sister Gilmer, who was leaving for her second voyage on board the hospital ship Marama which was leaving for Europe. On her last evening at Taumaru, a number of the patients performed musical items and a presentation was made of an engraved leather writing case. The ubiquitous For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow rung out as the men wished her a safe voyage and speedy return to New Zealand. 32 The send-off for Sister Gilmer was typical of the affection the men at Taumaru felt for all the staff who made their time at the home more pleasurable. Patients were kept abreast of the well-being of former staff through the pages of the Trifler. These included Anne Campbell, Taumaru’s first sister, who was transferred to the New Zealand hospital at Brockenhurst, Hants; Sister Barnes, ‘who we are delighted to hear has arrived safely in England’; Sister Marshall ‘who is now at Trentham and whom we hope to see often before she 26

leaves for the front’; and Misses Nurse, Miller, and Gubbins, ‘all now on active service and often in the thoughts of those they left behind.’33 Frances Nurse, sister of Bertha Nurse, Matron of the New Zealand Military Hospital at Brockenhurst, was one of a number of full-time masseuses stationed at Taumaru during the course of the war. Other masseuses included Miss Shirley, Miss May Cameron and Miss Nan Heath.

Some of the staff at Taumaru

Staff and patients; L-R: Private Acramen; Gunner Gillette; Miss B Hughes; Trooper Hyde; Private or Corporal Ross; Private Osborn, c.1917

Sister Ethel Barnes (Spear) Ethel Barnes was born on 7 June 1884. She trained at Nelson Hospital, and qualified in 1914. She joined the Army Nursing Service in 1915, went to Egypt with one of the early contingents of nurses from New Zealand, and served in an Imperial hospital in Cairo during the great rush of wounded and sick from Gallipoli. She was invalided back to New Zealand on board the Tahiti in December 1915 suffering from heart strain, and became a patient at Taumaru. Not long after resuming work she took on the role of charge nurse, where she was a great favourite with the returned men and staff. After her marriage she returned to Nelson. In July 1923, aged 39, she passed away from chronic nephritis and syncope; a result of her war service.34

Greta Ewen, VAD and Taumaru chauffeur

Greta Ewen Greta Ewen was a VAD nurse at Taumaru. She took over chauffeuring duties from Myra Shirtcliffe. Ewen had the distinction of being HRH Prince of Wales’s chauffeur when he visited Trentham as part of his tour of New Zealand in 1920. Her service to the soldiers was invaluable. She was ever on hand to drive them into Wellington for treatment, or to take them to a show, a remembrance service, or any other event the men wished to attend. In 1927 she married Thomas Hunter, public administrator and pioneer of New Zealand dentistry. The patients wrote many odes to the nurses. One patient, signing himself ‘OIB’ wrote: ‘My soul is full of gratitude, yet my heart is almost dead, For I cannot write the true word that I have within my head. Yet I say to you, oh sisters, that you’ve won us as a friend; That every man that’s been here is your slave unto the end.’35 Patient J Morgan wrote: ‘Doing their Bit’ There are nurses at Lowry Bay who are ‘doing their bit’ as the war slowly thunders along, Whose deeds are not chronicled in papers, or books, or sung to the tune of a song. Their’s are not deeds of valour, which wins medals or bars, to pin on the coat for proud show, But acts of self-denial, kindness, and thought, which touch the heart where’er they go. ……………………. They forego their pleasure or afternoon rest, and come by the bedside to sit, To help cheer, and comfort by action and words; God bless them for ‘doing their bit.’36

The esteem in which the patients held the staff and the respect the staff had for the men is unquestionable. On occasion romance blossomed and at least two marriages resulted from staff and men meeting at Taumaru; one of them being between Rifleman Frank Hawthorne and Miss Hilda Dawes, which the Taumaru patients celebrated by presenting a ‘handsome dinner set’ to the happy couple.37 The patients were keen to extend their good wishes to former staff members who left the home to wed, such as in 1918, when Myra Shirtcliffe married Dr J Garfield Crawford, MC. 38 Tragically, on 5 September 1920, just two years into their marriage, Myra died in childbirth. Kai Tiaki recorded that: ‘Her bright and happy nature made her a general favourite, and deep sympathy will be felt for her husband.’39 The house itself, a sanctuary for the men following their wartime experiences, was regarded with similar approbation: ‘Taumaru the Beautiful’ The mist of early dawn is on the hill, on the hill, The islands in the harbour dreaming still, dreaming still. Oh come with me and stand on the opal-tinted sand, Where the water laps the shore at Taumaru. Sunlight falls like diamonds on the sea, on the sea, A moon of blue and gold laughs for you, laughs for me. Care can take no toll, joy of beauty fills the soul Oh sun, blue sea and hills at Taumaru. At evening there’s a path of gold for you, gold for you To reach the dreams that never will come true, never true. ‘But wait with me and see rosy clouds so quietly Changing to the pearl of dusk at Taumaru, dear Taumaru. A city lies asleep across the bay, across the bay, Let it take its fitful slumber while it may, while it may. Oh stay with me and rove down a feathery fern-tree grove,

‘The Hospital up on the Hill’ There’s a hospital upon the hill Where you go when you’re seriously ill. If you’ve got meningitis, Or even gastritis, All you do is to lie there so still. And the nurses there you will find To you are exceedingly kind, For you sleep all the day And you still draw your pay In the Hospital up on the Hill. And when out of bed you must stray You then take a trip one fine day To a home that they’ve got – Such a nice little spot – Far away from the City so gay. The Sister, the Staff and the boys Soon change all your sorrows to joys, And you soon get so strong That you forget you belong To that dear little Home in the Bay. 40 The loss of friends The idyllic setting of Taumaru and the activities and distractions provided, which were designed to help the men rest and recuperate, were just one side of the story. The harsh realities of war were evident when the passing of former patients was relayed to the men. One of these was Private Alexander Edward Cooper who, after spending some time recuperating at Taumaru, succumbed on the operating table at Wellington Hospital on 15 October 1917. Private Alexander Edward Cooper Private Cooper enlisted in the Otago Infantry Battalion before his twentieth birthday and sailed for Egypt on 16 October 1914. He was at the Gallipoli landing and was in action for about a month when he received a gunshot

wound in the face which necessitated his removal to the Base Hospital at Alexandria. After a month’s medical treatment he recovered from his wound and returned to the front. This time he was in some of the hottest fighting on the Peninsula, until 13 July 1915, when he was severely wounded by shrapnel in the chest. He was removed to Malta, thence to England, where for several months he was under treatment in the Walton-on-Thames Hospital. In June 1916, he was invalided home to New Zealand. As a result of his last wound he underwent ten operations. A further operation was considered necessary under which he succumbed. He was 24 years of age. Private Cooper was awarded a military funeral, and two cars went from Taumaru with a large number of his comrades, who wished to pay the last tribute to ‘one who had been with us so long and was loved by everybody.’ Private Cooper is buried in Karori Cemetery, Wellington. The Taumaru Trifler recorded Cooper’s passing with one of Cooper’s fellow patients providing the following: In Memoriam Laughter he loved, and music, and the sun. All boys’ delight to him were worth the while. All things of youth and mirth had ever won His glad sweet smile. And now to us who loved him is the day Robbed of its glory – all its gladness fled; Its mirth, its music, locked with him away; And yet he is not dead. He has but laid aside his warrior’s sword, Passed with a quiet glory from the fight, To where in radiance waiteth the reward For the true and faithful knight.42

Another death that had an effect on the men was the passing of Captain Chaplain Patrick Dore. Dore, himself injured at Gallipoli, was a regular visitor to the home. It was noted that during his time there ‘we all learnt to admire his patience in suffering and his thoughtful kindness to all about him. He had the merry heart which makes the paths of others lighter, and to many of us his loss is a deep personal sorrow.’43 Others commented that Captain Dore took a keen interest in all the sports the men played ‘and was always ready to advise and help … we at Taumaru have lost one of our best friends’. 44 A year after his death, a requiem mass was held at Dore’s former church, St Mary’s in Foxton, which was attended by parish priests from the district. The Wanganui Chronicle noted that ‘the people of New Zealand need no panegyric of Father Dore. His name was a household word amongst the friends of the boys who so bravely fought on Gallipoli, and for whose sake he gave his young life.’ Dore’s headstone, a Celtic cross of polished Coromandel granite, measured eight feet high.45 Captain Chaplain Patrick Dore Patrick Dore was born in Co. Limerick, Ireland, in 1886. He arrived in New Zealand in 1910 and became a Catholic priest, first in Palmerston North, then in Foxton and Kaikoura; the former being where he was when war was declared. He enlisted in the New Zealand Chaplains’ Department, Auckland Mounted Rifles within four weeks of the outbreak of war. He served in Egypt and Gallipoli and was severely wounded in the spine during the advance in August 1915 while attending to injured men.46 For his actions undertaken during heavy fire he was awarded the Military Cross. He was sent to Devonport Hospital, England, then returned to New Zealand. While undergoing surgery he died on 15 July 1918, aged 33, at the Misericordia Hospital in Auckland. His body was returned to his parish and he is buried in Foxton Cemetery.

Armistice and the end of war On 11 November 1918, the Armistice was signed that brought an end to the fighting. The following day, New Zealanders woke to this news and immediately took to the streets to celebrate. The news was greeted with much delight by the staff and patients at Taumaru.

Group portrait of patients at Taumaru

Reaction to Armistice Day ‘All hearts were glad and excitement reigned supreme, added to naturally by the noise of shrieking syrens [sic] and jangling bells.’ ‘Breakfast was just over – a few of the boys were out in the boat when the boom of the guns resounded in the far distance, yet there was no mistaking it … Within an hour of the sounding of the guns about a dozen cars, kindly provided by the Patriotic Society, arrived to take one and all into the glad city. On the arrival of the cars a rush was immediately made to decorate them with flowers, ferns, etc., and thereby add to the exhilarating occasion. By about 11 o’clock we were all in town, where the flags were flying and the buildings decorated in honour of the auspicious occasion. Here we joined the

long array of flag-bedecked motor-cars and passed along through the happy, jostling crowds, and countless processions, with their drums, tin cans, toy trumpets’. Speeches were delivered at the Town Hall by William Massey (Prime Minister), Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence), Sir Joseph Ward (Deputy Prime Minister) and JP Luke (Mayor of Wellington). After the speeches ‘about a dozen of our boys partook of the hospitality of Mrs. Hope Lewis and Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy and lunched at the Hotel Cecil. Others again spent the day in merry making and in meeting old acquaintances. A few of the boys, unable to move about freely, enjoyed afternoon tea in the open air while resting in their car in the middle of Willis Street – quite a novel idea and thoroughly enjoyed.’ ‘Everybody returned in the evening to Taumaru (where an impromptu concert was held), feeling they had celebrated the greatest event in the history of the Dominion in a right royal and worthy way.’47 The influenza epidemic, 1918 The armistice celebrations taking place around the country were tempered by the influenza epidemic which was at its height in November 1918. On 12 November, when thousands took to Wellington’s streets to celebrate, the capital was already firmly in the epidemic’s clutches. The epidemic caused widespread devastation, just as it had done in most other countries around the world. Exact figures of those that died are unknown: estimates suggest anywhere between 50 and 100 million deaths. In New Zealand, over 8,500 fatally succumbed within a few months of 1918 and early 1919, this figure equating to almost half the number of New Zealand service personnel killed during the course of the four-year conflict. The epidemic was indiscriminate in who it targeted. The Featherston and Trentham military camps were hit hard, so too were Maori communities with over 2,000 recorded deaths. No one, it seemed, was immune to its deadly pervasiveness. 35

Private Frederick Charles Coveny Private Coveny enlisted in the Canterbury Infantry Regiment and set sail for Egypt on 13 June 1915. He was wounded at Gallipoli and returned to New Zealand. While at Taumaru his fellow patients and staff ‘learnt to appreciate his happy nature, his grit and patience in suffering. He was popular with everybody, and a wide circle of friends will mourn his loss.’ After leaving Taumaru he was demobilised and took up clerical work in the Government Life Insurance Department. When the epidemic got a grip of the city, Coveny volunteered to nurse the sick; it was here he himself became sick. The Trifler recorded that Coveny ‘died that others should live.’50 Private Coveny died on 4 December 1918 aged 24. He is buried in Karori Cemetery, Wellington. There were approximately 773 influenza-related deaths in the Wellington area. There were also 26 deaths in Lower Hutt, 22 deaths in Petone and three in Eastbourne. 48 Fortunately, there were no deaths at Taumaru. As the Trifler recorded, this was due solely to Iris Rolleston and her staff who ‘fought day and night for the lives under her care.’49 Taumaru was, however, affected by the influenza epidemic: former patients and visitors were taken by the deadly virus. Corporal Arthur Gridley Corporal Gridley was another former Taumaru patient who succumbed to the epidemic. The patients at Taumaru acknowledged his passing: ‘We will always remember him as the light-hearted and generous man he was, first in all fun and sport, and never last when there was work to do; we knew him best as ‘‘Grid.’’ He spent hours daily in the garage where he helped to do any repairing that was required, and in fact in any department of the life here he always could be relied upon to play a leading part.’51 Corporal Gridley died at the height of the pandemic on 26 November 1918 at Christchurch Hospital. He is buried in Linwood Cemetery.

Colonel Matthew Holmes ‘For a considerable time he came here regularly once a week as our Medical Officer and we know that he loved the work; and not a few owe their present good health to his guidance and help … he was particularly anxious that the men should enjoy much outdoor exercise; so he took a keen interest in all the sports, especially netting, in which he always joined on the day of his visit. When war broke out Colonel Holmes was, we understand, the first medical man to join up in New Zealand, and was immediately posted to the Expeditionary Force which went to Samoa. Later he returned home and again left New Zealand, eventually serving on Gallipoli, in Egypt and France, until his health broke down and he was invalided back. He never regained his usual health, and when the World Epidemic swept through our Dominion it found a victim in his weakened constitution, and although he put up a long, brave fight he was carried away – practically a young man. Now he rests with those thousands of warriors who gave their lives for the sake of honour and the Old Flag of Freedom.’52 At the time of his death, Matthew Holmes was a Wellington general practitioner based in Upper Willis Street, Wellington.53

Taumaru convalescent home closes its doors With Germany’s surrender and the Armistice signed, events moved rapidly. By June 1919, the Paris Peace Conference had taken place and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles signed on 28 June 1919, five years to the day after the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, a significant event in the lead-up to the outbreak of war. Taumaru was established for the duration of the conflict, so with war at an end, plans were put in place to redeploy the staff and relocate the patients who still required care. The end of the war was also the impetus for some staff to move on. Iris Rolleston, matron since the convalescent home was established, announced that she was leaving for England. Her leaving was the cause of much reflection among the patients she had admirably served. Before she left, it was announced that she had been awarded the CBE to go with the MBE she already held. 54 Mrs Iris Rolleston ‘This lady opened Taumaru with a small band of about six VADs, and during her nearly three years’ administration, hundreds of men who ‘did their bit’ have passed through its homely doors restored to good health. To-day our VAD staff is composed of nearly fourteen of the hardest working ladies in this Dominion. Often commencing duties long before dawn they remain cheerful right throughout a long day, whether scrubbing and polishing floors, darning or stitching clothing, or preparing delectable meals, carrying on until ‘lights out’ doing their ‘bit’ on the ‘home front.’55 Mrs Rolleston ‘proved herself to be an excellent organiser and an honoured friend of the soldier boys

who came into contact with her. We have no hesitation in saying that the Taumaru Convalescent Home is second to none in this Dominion, a fact due chiefly to her untiring efforts.’56 ‘We call [Taumaru] a home because during her regime she made it so, and such that many in this Dominion can do well to emulate whether in private life or public institution … During the recent Epidemic Mrs Rolleston reached the height of our affections and admiration … We are sorry that she will not be with us while we celebrate the Third Anniversary of the Home’s inception.’57

VAD staff also announced their departures. Alice Nathan, who had been at Taumaru since it opened, was regarded as cheery with a bright disposition, and in ‘all the sports and merriment of our life here she took a leading part.’ Mabel Rutherford, too, was much admired. She left Taumaru to marry her fiancé, who was returning wounded from the conflict. The Trifler commented that she exerted an influence amongst the boys by her strong character and sporting instincts. In the afternoons or the evenings, whether tennis, croquet, netting or ping-pong was in vogue, she was always present. Whatever our whims, whatever our moods, she was always the same cheerful, happy and ready listener.58 Before leaving, Mabel invited all the staff and patients fit enough to travel, close to 60 in total, to the Wellington Opera House to watch the comedy ‘Going Up.’ A great night was had by all where they enjoyed songs such as Up Down, Left Right, A Touch of a Woman’s Hand and Here’s to the Two of You.59 Miss Monckton and Miss Miller relocated to Trentham Hospital, which in 1919 was being prepared to accommodate up to 1,000 patients. They were charged with the task of assisting the Red Cross in altering and adapting the Rotunda Ward into a recreation room; and Miss Charnley, another former Taumaru staff member, headed up a team of VADs in the kitchen at Trentham. 60 40

Miss Monckton and Miss Miller

The end of the war caused many to reflect on the previous five years of death and destruction. One patient recorded his thoughts in the Trifler: Equality of Sacrifice ‘The war which has just concluded brought many changes. It helped many of us whose minds had previously been narrow and dwarfed to look at things in general in an entirely new light. It taught us to sink our differences of opinion, political and otherwise, and remove from the pathway any obstacle likely to hinder us in the successful prosecution of the war.’ And, with the war concluded, ‘we must ensure the safety and well-being of the future, we must bring about a better

understanding between men of all classes by sharing more equally and evenly the burdens and responsibilities that life brings. We must all give for the common good according as we are endowed with health, money or brains, otherwise this war will have availed nothing, and the sacrifices been in vain.’61

Before the doors finally closed, the patients wished to express their gratitude to the Bell family for their generosity in giving over their home for three years. The Evening Post recorded that ‘Probably the most popular soldiers' convalescent home in New Zealand was that established at Taumaru’. The men, it recorded, ‘are now scattered in all parts of New Zealand, but they have not been unmindful of the happy time they spent at Lowry Bay. Recently they presented an illuminated address to the owners of the home, Sir Francis and Lady Bell, and following this there was a further pleasant surprise for the owners of Taumaru, when a handsome sun-dial was quietly brought to the home and erected on the lawn. The sun-dial is of very pleasing design, and bears the inscription: "Amydd ye flowres I count ye houres." To this the soldiers have added an inscription of their own, commemorating the use to which Taumaru was put during the war period, and recording the gratitude of the former inmates, to Sir Francis and Lady Bell.’62 Sir Francis and Lady Bell were themselves not immune to the tragedy of the First World War. They had three sons serving: Ernest, Cheviot and William. William, was Member of Parliament for the Wellington Suburbs and Country seat from 1911-1914. When war broke out he resigned his position and enlisted in the Samoa Expeditionary Force. There he was a close aide to Colonel Logan, Samoa’s military commander. Following the Expeditionary Force’s. taking of Samoa, Bell took control of the Civil Service allowing Logan to concentrate on other matters.63 Later, Bell requested a transfer to England. There he enlisted as a Captain in the 1 st King Edward’s Horse. He died in Belgium on 31 July 1917. 64 42

Taumaru after the War When the hospital closed in 1919, Taumaru and Wharerua were handed back to the Bell family. The remaining patients were moved to Trentham and Miramar Hospitals. 65 Francis Bell moved back into Taumaru while his son, Cheviot, moved into Wharerua; soon after Taumaru returned to being a site for hospitality and entertainment. Bell had been an enthusiastic and accomplished cricketer in his youth, and retained an administrative interest in the game. Each test side to visit New Zealand was invited to Taumaru: the great English batsmen Jack Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe, and Wally Hammond were just three of the names to pass through its doors. 66 Receptions were held for Bell’s employees and Justice Department staff, and lunch and tennis parties took place, one hosted by the Bells’ daughter, Enid, for her niece, Cara Johnston, who was heading to England. The Evening Post recorded that ‘Luncheon was served out-of-doors … and between sets of tennis the guests bathed in the bay in front of the house. Tea was served on the veranda.’ 67 As Sir Francis entered his eighties in the early 1930s, he was still an active partner in Bell Gully. He was chauffeur-driven into Wellington daily from Taumaru, sometimes picking up pedestrians on the way. In 1931, Bell once again offered his house to the Red Cross, this time to house maternity patients evacuated after the Napier earthquake.68 In September 1935, Lady Caroline, his wife of 57 years, passed away. Six months later, at Taumaru, Bell also died, on 13 March 1936, two weeks before his 85th birthday. Bell received a state funeral and many tributes were paid to the lawyer, statesman and humanitarian.69 After his death, Bell’s estate was put up for auction. In November 1936, around 20 lots were initially sold, realizing a total of £10,555, equating to approximately $1.2 million today. The lots sold for between £80 and £650, with Taumaru and the two and a half acres accompanying it, falling under the hammer for £4,050 70; the following year the rest of Bell’s estate was sold off.

Taumaru was purchased by Albert Stichbury who, it seems, continued the tradition of using the house as a site for social and charitable occasions; one of them being, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, opening the home and grounds to the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society. 71 By the late 1950s, however, maintenance costs and increasing rates led the Stichbury family to offer the house to the government as a Prime Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residence, and also to numerous embassies; both met with little interest. In 1963 it was sold for the final time: the house was demolished and the land was subdivided into 17 sections to meet the pressing demand for more housing. The sundial, presented to the Bells in 1919, was saved and passed on to Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s descendants.72 Wharerua remained at 4-8 Cheviot Road until 1987, when it was moved in four pieces to Otaihanga on the Kapiti Coast.73

Conclusion

Group portrait on steps of Taumaru

In the three years that Taumaru operated as a military convalescent home it provided comfort and sanctuary to approximately 500 men who had experienced the horrors of front-line fighting in the First World War. They arrived physically or psychologically wounded. The staff, which comprised a matron, just two or three qualified nurses, and a team of VAD nurses and cooks, helped the men recover to the point that they could either re-enter civilian society or be fit enough to return to active service. While the devoted nursing staff provided theatrical entertainment, sport, recreation and picnics, they also provided compassion, comfort and someone with whom the men could share their troubles; an equally important treatment in the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recuperation. And the house itself, with its manicured lawns, large pohutukawas, sheltered yet open spaces, and frequent bird-song, had a reviving effect on the men who, through the pages of the Taumaru Trifler, regularly expressed their unwavering gratitude to the staff and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;that dear little home in the bay.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Taumaru national anthem We came from Blighty a short time ago And when we got here we thought it was slow; But we’ve changed our minds, as you surely will say, It’s sorry we’ll be when we leave Lowry Bay. Miss Monckton’s a lady, as everyone knows, She’s known as a good sport wherever she goes; She is one of the best, and if you don’t agree We’ll hang you all up to a sour apple tree. After dinner at Christmas we did serenade All the boys will tell you what a mess there was made; Old Brownie was covered in flour we confess But Miss Prins was in a ––– of a mess. There is a young lady who’s fond of a game, Although you all know her we’ll mention no name, With two of the boys she had promised to play And the pair of them missed playing tennis that day. When talking of Theosophy you must all agree Our Masseuse Miss Watson is top of the tree; She’s tried to covert us, if she can we guess Then we’ll all be living on mustard and cress. We’ve got a lady who’s called Miss Inwood, At fixing you up she is very good; If you’ve any pains or feeling quite ill She’ll do you more good than the doctor’s best pill. Miss Allen’s a lady we think she’s a goer, She is the boss of all Whare-roa; She got up this morning and made us some tea, That is one reason we like her you see. There’s a girl here of whom we advise you beware. Her name is Miss Stott and she has auburn hair; She’s fond of animals, but doesn’t like hogs; We’re giving her the cutest of long hairy dogs. Now here is good luck to you ladies so dear; It’s trouble we’ll meet when we have to leave here; But in civvy life when a toast we would drink Of our V.A.Ds we always will think.74

Names George Hart (1820-1895) Born in London. Arrived in Wellington 1843. Purchased Lowry Bay in 1858 or 1859. Represented Hutt on the Wellington Provincial Council 1853 to 1861. Owned Winchmore Estate near Ashburton. Charles Izard (1860-1925) Wellington lawyer and MP. Nathaniel William Levin (1818-1903) Merchant and politician. Cousin of Francis Henry Dillon Bell and co-owner with Bell of Lowry Bay. Lord Liverpool (1870-1941) Arthur William de Brito Savile Foljambe, the 2nd Earl of Liverpool (1912â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20), was New Zealand's first Governor-General. He was originally appointed as Governor of New Zealand in 1912, but in 1917 the office was raised to Governor-General, and his term was extended until 1920. William Massey (1856-1925) New Zealand's Prime Minister from 1912-25. John Mowlem (1840-1910) Early settler in Wainuiomata and Lowry Bay. Owned Northbrook, a prominent house in Wainuiomata. Eventually settled in Palmerston North. Marquess of Normanby (1819-1890) George Augustus Constantine Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby, Governor of New Zealand from 1874 to 1879. Duncan Sinclair (1846-1920) Early settler in Wainuiomata and Lowry Bay. Business partner and brother-in-law of John Mowlem. Eventually settled in Palmerston North. 47

Charles Skerritt (1863-1929) Solicitor and Chief Justice from 1916 to 1929. Resident of Lowry Bay. Ellen Gladys Sommerville (1884 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1958) Founder and principal of Croydon School. Robert Turnbull (1865-1923) Brother of the book collector Alexander Turnbull after whom the Library is named. Resident of Lowry Bay. Thomas Harcourt Ambrose Valintine (1865-1945) Doctor and public health administrator. Chief Health Officer/ Director General of Health 1909-1930. Director of military hospitals during World War One.

Image References All images are from the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand. Permission must be obtained before any reuse of the images. Cover ref PA1-o-778-48 Taumaru convalescent home p.5 ref PA1-o-778-40-1 Taumaru pre-1918 p.11 ref PA Coll-2101 171260-1/2 Patients relax on verandah at Taumaru p.12 ref PA1-o-778-20-2 Sir Francis Bell on a visit to Taumaru p.13 ref PA1-o-778-6-1 Wharerua p.14 ref PA1-o-778-67-2 Taumaru patients, p.14 ref PA Coll-2101 171372-1/2 The Taumaru cooks p.15 ref PA Coll-2101 171251-1/2 Sister Campbell and staff p.16 ref PA1-o-778-45-3 Mixed doubles on the Taumaru tennis court p.17 ref PA1-o-778-11-1 Croydon School cricket team p.18 ref PA1-0-778-14-1 ‘Kitchen vs Pantry’ cricket match p.18 ref PA1-o-778-19-1 Fun around the snooker table p.19 ref MS-2120-4 Taumaru Trifler front cover, issue 4, September 1918 p.21 ref PA1-o-778-59-1 ‘Bringing in the Net’ p.21 ref PA1-o-778-52-4 Picnic in the bush p.22 ref MS-2120-5-28-3 Patients engaged in the Taumaru workroom p.23 ref MS-2120-8 Patients relaxing on the lawn p.25 ref PA1-o-778-36-1 Cast of ‘Breach of Promise’ p.27 ref PA1-o-778-42-1 Some of the staff at Taumaru p.27 ref PA1-o-778-3-1 Staff and patients p.28 ref MS-2120-12-1 Greta Ewen, VAD and Taumaru chauffeur p.34 ref PA1-o-778-18-4 Group portrait of patients at Taumaru p.41 ref PA1-o-778-8-3 Miss Monckton and Miss Miller p.45 ref PA1-o-778-35-1 Group portrait on steps of Taumaru

Notes (1970, March 7). Evening Post , p. 14. (1936, March 7). Evening Post, p. 10. 3 (1970, March 7). Evening Post, p. 14. 4 Stitchbury, J. (ca 1980). Lowry Bay – The Place of the Many Blue Duck’. In John Stannus Stichbury, 1921-2003 : Papers (Ref: MS-Papers-4166-2). Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington. 5 Bagnall, A. (1972). Okiwi : European occupation of the Eastern Bays, Port Nicholson : An outline history. Eastbourne: Mahina Press, p. 94 6 Stitchbury, J. (ca 1980). Lowry Bay – The Place of the Many Blue Duck’. In John Stannus Stichbury, 1921-2003 : Papers (MS-Papers-4166-2). Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington. 7 Blundell, S. (2014, Winter). Coming and Going. Heritage New Zealand, p. 17. 8 (1918, April 25). Evening Post, p.6. 9 (2010, April 24). Eastbourne Herald, p. 14. 10 (1916, April). Taumaru Convalescent Home for Soldiers, Lowry Bay. Kai Tiaki, IX(2), p. 111. 11 (1916, April). Taumaru Convalescent Home for Soldier, Lowry Bay. Kai Tiaki, IX(2), p. 111 12 (1919, March). Taumaru Trifler, 5, p. 6. 13 (1917, March). Taumaru Trifler, 11, p. 6. 14 (1916, April). Kai Tiaki, IX(2), p. 117. 15 (1917, November). Taumaru Trifler, 3, p. 6. 16 (1917, March). Taumaru Trifler, 1, p. 9. 17 (1917, March). Taumaru Trifler, 1, p. 9. 18 (1918, September). Taumaru Trifler, 4, p. 15. 19 (1917, July). Taumaru Trifler, 2, pp. 3-4. 20 (1917, March). Taumaru Trifler, 1, p. 3 21 (1918, September). Taumaru Trifler, 4, p. 22. 22 (1919, March). Taumaru Trifler, 5, p. 22. 23 (1917, July). Taumaru Trifler, 2, p. 2. 1 2

Henderson, R. S. F. (1917, November 21). Director General of Medical Services to Director of Railways and Works. [Letter]. Army Department – Inward Letters and Registered Files - Medical – Buildings – Taumaru Home – Erection of Workroom. (AAYS/8638/AD1/997/49/ 315/1). Archives New Zealand, Wellington. 25 Henderson, R.S.F. (1918, January 30). General R.S.F. Henderson to Minister of Defence. [Letter]. Army Department – Inward Letters and Registered Files Medical – Buildings – Taumaru Home – Erection of Workroom (AAYS/8638/AD1/997/49/315/1). Archives New Zealand, Wellington. 26 Henderson, R. S. F. (1918, February 14). General RSF Henderson to Officer-in-Charge, Red Cross Society. [ Letter]. Army Department – Inward Letters and Registered Files - Medical – Buildings – Taumaru Home – Erection of Workroom. (AAYS/8638/AD1/997/49/ 315/1). Archives New Zealand, Wellington. 27 (1918, November 1). Invalid Soldiers Work. Wanganui Chronicle, p. 6. 28 (1917, October 2). A Brilliant Artist. Dominion, p. 9. 29 (1917, October 4). Ada Reeve’s Way. Dominion, p. 7. 30 (1917, November 3). Taumaru Trifler, p. 11. 31 (1917, November 3). Taumaru Trifler, p. 11. 32 (1917, November). Taumaru Trifler, 3, p. 14. 33 (1917, March). Taumaru Trifler, 1, p. 3. 34 (1923, October). Obituary. Kai Tiaki, XVI(4), p. 181. 35 (1917, March). Taumaru Trifler, 1, p. 5. 36 (1917, July). Taumaru Trifler, 2, p. 4. 37 (1917, September). Taumaru Trifler, 4, p. 21. 38 (1918, September). Taumaru Trifler, 4, p. 21. 39 (1920, October). Obituary. Kai Tiaki, XIII(4), p. 193. 40 (1917, March). Taumaru Trifler, 1, pp. 10-11. 41 (1917, July). Taumaru Trifler, 2, p. 3. 42 (1917, November). Taumaru Trifler, 3, p. 3. 43 (1918, September). Taumaru Trifler, 4, p. 1. 44 (1918, September). Taumaru Trifler, 4, pp. 1, 5. 24

45 (1919,

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Websites Archway, Archives New Zealand, Military personnel files, 1914-1918 http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ Auckland Museum Cenotaph Database http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph. Reserve Bank of New Zealand inflation calculator: http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/monetary_policy/inflation_calculator.