AWA AWA
photo ex Coralie Hilton collection via Gavin Bedggood
Today’s photo (if we believe the caption on the back) is of the launch Awa Awa, built for a ‘Judge Marten’, most probably by the Deemings Yard in Opua, Bay of Islands.
The photo was taken from the beach at the Deemings yard with Opua in the background.
Coralie Hilton was the daughter of a marriage between a Deeming man who married a Bedggood woman (Gavin’s side of the family). Coralie died recently, aged in her 90’s.
Any woodys able to confirm the launch is Awa Awa & her build details etc ?AWA AWA
photo ex Coralie Hilton collection via Gavin Bedggood
The current Deeming in residence at Okiato say their are few if any records from Deemings boat yard about. He had not heard of Awa awa but said the yard turned out a boat a year from about 1910 on average so it could well have been one they built.
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There’s an awful temptation sometimes to make the facts fit the clues. Alan is publishing a very grainy pic of MAKORA taken from Papers Past. The bow is different and there appear to be only 3 ports on the cabin top. But the two boats are VERY similar.
Here you go . AH
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I had assumed it had been built by Deemings boat yard… I will ring Mr Deeming tomorrow and ask if any of the yards records might survive. He is the last in a long line of very skilled Deeming wooden boat builders. I have a few more pictures of other boats from that yard from back in the day that I will pass onto our host to post. (thanks Alan!) 🙂
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Would have been some fine sleuthery if she was.
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Scrub that, she very like MAKORA but isn’t her.
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Sudden thought; James Gordon owned MAKORA from 1934 to 1938. He lived at Awaawaroa on Waiheke. Maybe he changed her name to AWA AWA (ROA) during his ownership?
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AWA AWA and “Judge Marten” have me bluffed. She’s very much like the Chas Bailey Jr 35 footer MAKORA built for Fred Alison of Matiatia in 1914 and later sold to L V Martin of Wellington in 1938 by James Gordon of Waiheke..
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Keep them coming love to see new posts 😄
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