Recollections of Kawau Island – By Bob Edwards
Bob Edwards lived on Kawau for a ‘number’ of years (he was the ferrymaster at one stage) & this is a record of his recollections of those times. It was given to Keith Presland & typed by Flo Presland (I love the old typewriter font & hand corrections)
This was forward to ww by Ken Ricketts & I have posted the tale because I agree with KR in that much of the history contained herein may be lost forever, if this is not recorded in a formal way. While not all wooden boat related, Kawau is a special place to most of us & I’m sure this 15 page tale will be an enjoyable read for most of you.
Click on the link (blue text) below to view / read – enjoy 🙂
KAWAU MEMORIES -BOB EDWARDS RESIDENT FROM 1940s TO EARLY 70s
photo of Bob Edwards on-board ‘Kawau Isle’ at North Cove c1970’s
Harold Kidd Update
It’s a great piece of local history with some brilliant, spare tales. A few comments. NANCIBEL was built by Bailey & Lowe in 1920 and was not a conversion of Andros’ open boat. “Emptage” is Emtage of course of Motuora who had the launch ILA/OLA. “Bunty” Palmer married a Nops. Unless I’m confusing the several KORORAs, this KORORA was built by David Reid in 1907 for Judge Seth-Smith and was later MURIWAI, then OSTEND before reverting to KORORA. She had been used by the RNZAF who had bought/hired her from Whakatane in 1943. She then had a K2 Kelvin which was undoubtedly replaced in service by the standard armed forces issue of a Chrysler.
PS Spero Andros sold NANCIBEL to Gubbs shortly after his wife Molly (Kathleen Mary) died in February 1941. Gubbs’ first day of operation was 11th June 1941.
A Neat Idea from Baden Pascoe
This is great stuff. Let’s ask any readers if they can find photos of the boats mentioned in the articles. I remember the “Mairie” (not sure if the spelling is correct) very well. One of the Harrison boys ran her out of Whitianga. Last time I saw her she was on the hard up at Te Atatu as an unfinished project. Shame, nice little boat. One day my brother Mitch and I were steaming with her in a big sea out by the Twins (in Mercury Bay), man could she roll!
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What a great surprise to hear Bob Edwards still going strong. When I was 8 or 9 years, we stayed with the Hookes, who had a Bach and owned Momona point. As a child we played with Edwards kids and remember eating a box of bananas, out the back of the shop. Bob was the engineer who kept Kawau with lighting and the generator shed hummed to the sound of those diesel motors, thanks to Bob. Alan Horsfall was the manager and as the Kawau Isle left the wharf with many happy holiday makers, we through coloured streamers and the loud speakers rang out,” till we meet again “. I hope the memories of Kawau, for all those who loved it there, will remain for ever, cheers Grant Hudson
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Am delighted to say that I spent a lovely half hour with Bob yesterday at the Summerset Falls Retirement Village at Warkworth, where he is living very quietly & comfortably at the wonderful age of one hundred & seven (107) years old
Whilst fairly physically frail now, although I understand had a drivers license until about 12 months ago, he still has great mental faculties for his age.
We talked of the KAWAU ILSE, NANCIBELLE & KORORA , the fire in the generator shed at Mansion House Bay in the later 1940s & the then manager “Bunny ??? at that time — would you believe I’ve forgotten her surname now & I knew her quite well myself — my mind is obviously a lot shakier than his.
Anyway it was amazing to see him at 107 & something that others I’m sure will be delighted to hear. — KEN RICKETTS
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PS Spero Andros sold NANCIBEL to Gubbs shortly after his wife Molly (Kathleen Mary) died in February 1941. Gubbs’ first day of operation was 11th June 1941.
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It’s a great piece of local history with some brilliant, spare tales. A few comments. NANCIBEL was built by Bailey & Lowe in 1920 and was not a conversion of Andros’ open boat. “Emptage” is Emtage of course of Motuora who had the launch ILA/OLA. “Bunty” Palmer married a Nops. Unless I’m confusing the several KORORAs, this KORORA was built by David Reid in 1907 for Judge Seth-Smith and was later MURIWAI, then OSTEND before reverting to KORORA. She had been used by the RNZAF who had bought/hired her from Whakatane in 1943. She then had a K2 Kelvin which was undoubtedly replaced in service by the standard armed forces issue of a Chrysler.
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What a great read. The next trip to Kawau will have a lot more interest knowing some of the above history and tales.
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There is also a pic of the back end of KORORA at Schoolhouse Bay Wharf, with yours truly in the foreground, taken by my mother, circa 1947, in JULIANA’S dinghy,.in the post on “A Brief history of the Kawau ferry transport 1946 -1990” — KEN RICKETTS
Am very pleased that my references to the GM in NANCIBELL, & Perkins in the KORORA, have also been authenticated in that post, by Bob Edwards in this post. — Nice to know I get it right sometimes. — KEN RICKETTS
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Hi Baden,, I sent Alan a pic of the MAIRIE that I scanned from 8m movie footage taken from my parents launch JULIANA, c 1953, which I sent, when I wrote the post, & it has been posted on “A Brief History of Kawau Transport” — KEN RICKETTS
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Hi Alan,
This is great stuff. Let’s ask any readers if they can find photos of the boats mentioned in the articles. I remember the “Mairie” (not sure if the spelling is correct) very well. One of the Harrison boys ran her out of Whitianga. Last time I saw her she was on the hard up at Te Atatu as an unfinished project. Shame, nice little boat. One day my brother Mitch and I were steaming with her in a big sea out by the Twins (in Mercury Bay), man could she roll!
Baden
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Correct – she now does a regular (tide permitting) return trip to the Riverhead Head Hotel
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Mr H. Didn’t we see “Kawau Isle” at Riverhead in March?
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Went to school with Dig Stanaway’s son JIm, (later a captain of seriously big boats) Used to stay at Mansion House (annex, not the main house) in the early 1960s and spent a lot of the time crewing the Sandspit ferry and driving the seriously un-WoFed vehicle that transported luggage and stores from the wharf.
I called Mr Houghton’s in-laws from there in 1964 to learn the results of my heroically sub-optimal efforts to attain UE in that year….
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