Category Archives: 1920’s

Jean Gray

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JEAN GRAY
photos ex Clare Jordan

Today’s photos of Jean Gray (above) are from Clare Jordan. Clare found them in an old album of her  great-grandparents (Jim Turner), they show Jean Gray at sea and one that looks like on a creek somewhere, dated early 1920s. Clare’s not sure where the Creek area is, but my guess is it could be Milford Creek.
In the photo of her, hauled out on the slip with the 3 men & a dog,  Jim Turner is the one in the middle.  Claire wasn’t sure who the other two gents are.

I know nothing about this launch so look forward to some insights.

Update from Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard (Pam & George)

Photo below is George Emtage’s father (Albert) boat ‘Joyce’, which in another life was Jean Gray or at least a sister-ship. No board are Albert Emtage (Dad), George & his brother Jim
The photo is from c.1949-50 when Albert used her for commercial fishing (on the weekends)
The boat in-tow is Alberts  previous boat, a 16′ row/sail that he also used for commercial fishing from Panmure out to Motuihe .

Dawn

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DAWN
photo ex Steve Forsman

Yesterday on ww there was some chat in the comments section about the launch Dawn. Steve Forsman commented on an existing ww post that his grandfather c.1960 had owned a small, approx. 26′, launch named Dawn, that was moored in Tauranga Harbour.

Harold Kidd commented that this was most likely yet another Dawn built by Arch Logan (allegedly) for J C Spedding c.1922 but bought by Dr. Stenhouse for game fishing at Mayor Island in 1932. She was a fast boat with a 40hp Scripps.

Steve sent me the photo above last night & speaking with Harold he commented that the reference to Arch Logan building her is from a 1932 Auckland Star piece when Spedding sold her to Dr. Stenhouse of Katikati. Bill Couldrey fitted her out for game-fishing (obviously recommended by Arch) and his uncle(?) Capt. Couldrey delivered her to Tauranga for Stenhouse.

Harold feels it’s equally likely that she was built by Logan Bros under a different name but without any photo reference has been unable to ‘squirrel’ out the detail as yet. He said that you can see a resemblance to Coquette/Logan 33 if you squint a bit. One fact nags Harold – the fact she had a Scripps engine in 1932 because Lanes were Scripps agents.
To quote Harold “too many DAWNs!”

Steve would love to hear what happened to his grandfathers boat, so if anyone can add to the above – please do.

Waratah

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WARATAH

Waratah is a 28’9” kauri launch built in 1924 by Alf Bell & when launched was called ‘All Bell’. The name has an amusing twist to it in that All Bell refers to the fact that the boat had no ‘Collings’ in her i.e. Alf Bell had no time for his former business partner Chas. Collings (Collings & Bell).

Waratah is powered by a 60hp Izuzu diesel & cruises at approx. 8 knots. Currently in the middle of a ‘rolling restoration’ she is in good running order & for sale on trademe.

Harold Kidd Update

Alf Bell was a boatbuilder and a crack engineer as well. He did all of the engine installations when he was a partner in Collings & Bell. He left the firm to go to Walsh Bros’ flying boat school at Kohimarama during WW1, doing the aero engine work there.
I had the privilege of clearing out the basement of his house in St Mary’s Bay many years ago as he was a distant relative. Several of the high quality engines and transmissions I found there are now motoring eg a very early single cylinder Cadillac engine which drove a bandsaw, the wheels of which were de Dion Bouton wooden-spoked veteran road wheels. There was a 1912 Wolseley complete from radiator to diff. Beautiful stuff. Any many other treasures.
ALL BELL was a fast boat as Alf fitted her with a 6 cylinder Sunbeam engine early in her career.

09-12-2015 – An amusing update
Karen Goa’s husband Ken (who’s a boat builder) has always admired the launch Waratah. Some years ago we were lucky enough to have access to her, so we spent some happy hours pootling around the harbour.
For his 60th birthday recently (the week the Waratah sold on TradeMe), we had a big house party – with a ‘Waratah’ cake, photo attached. It was delicious.

IMG_2373

01-01-2016 Input from previous owner Alastair MacKenzie

“I lived in Schoolhouse Bay for a few years from about 1964 . I worked for Herman Holdings (an offshoot of Herman Timber Co. of Whangarei). Charlie Herman owned most of the land from Schoolhouse Bay across to the Coppermine and down to Sth. Harbour and my job involved logging pine to be barged to the mill at Whangarei as logs, wharf piles and farm posts etc. We (that is Barney Mahanga and I) also largely built the wharf and laid the foundation for the motels on the bay beachfront.

I looked around for a vessel for my family and I to explore further and go fishing and found the launch Waratah in the next bay around toward Mansion House. She had been used for long line fishing and had copper tanks under the bunks, was rather untidy and as I recall things didn’t work for the then owner who left her with the folk in the next bay from us to sell.
She was powered by a Chrysler Crown marine petrol engine (very thirsty !) and had keel cooling tubes. I tidied her up – she had a mast in those days tho’ no bow rail and she was pretty smart and reliable. As I recall she had a beam of about 6′ 6″ and tho’ very seaworthy would roll like the dickens in a side swell.
 
There was no schooling available in those days so when my family and I left the island I took the Waratah across and left her with the boat builder (forgotten his name) at Sandspit, who sold her for me.

ps Barney and wife Lucy lived in the old Schoolhouse and my family and I in the house a hundred m. or so up the hill from the wharf. An elderly couple (the Sowerbys) lived in an old homestead just to the left off the wharf.”
 

Wenna

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Wenna

WENNA

With ww I try to plan the posts a few days in advance, well yesterday Harold Kidd turned my schedule upside down when he sent in the above photo of Wenna. Earlier this week,
Harold was the recipient (on loan) of a photo album from Margaret Field of the O’Neill* family. One of the photos was the stunning one of Wenna above.

Wenna was recently purchased as  Rangitira & renovated by Pam  Gundy at the Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard (launch day photo below)

*Eric O’Neill arrived in NZ with his family just after WW1 and lived in Ring Terrace, just above St. Mary’s Bay & Wenna was built for him around 1925. Given his residence, most likely by a St. Mary’s Bay builder, the options being Collings & Bell, Leon Warne, Dick Lang (or Sam Ford who took over Lang’s yard in 1923 and used Ford’s moulds until 1924 when Lang returned).
Now two days ago I was sent a photo of Marua (below), by Dave Jackson via Adrienne, Dave’s father, (David Jackson Snr) was one of the owners of the Marua c.1955-56. Dave commented that Marua & Wenna were very similar in design, with Marua being built in 1915 for E. McKeown by Peter A. Smith who was an engine supplier and contracted out his hulls to St Mary’s Bay builders. Harold would pick Dick Lang as the builder of Marua’s hull, not Leon Warne who was still with Collings & Bell in 1915. It’s likely that Dick (or Sam Ford possibly) built Wenna too. Marua was a total loss as a result of the fire that destroyed the Baileys yard.

There’s always the possibility that Collings & Bell built both boats but Harold does not think they did much (if any) work for Peter A. Smith as they were more interested in selling their own brands of marine engines where the greater profit margin lay and weren’t short of their own orders.

All of the above aside – both Marua and Wenna are best described as typical St. Mary’s Bay – built launches of the period.

Note – when Pam’s partner George (Emtage) saw Margaret Field’s photo of Wenna, he starting looking for his chainsaw – he liked what Harold described as the slinky look – so do I.

Pam on the other hand is happy with Wennna’s tram-top, which according to Dave Jackson was built by Cyril Freeman of Ponsonby. He was working for Shipbuilders at the time, but this job was a ‘homer’. This was during the late 1940’s maybe even the early 1950’s.

MARUA

Marua

 WENNA (Rangitira) 2014

Wenna 2014
Wenna 2014
Wenna 2014

07/11/14 – photo of Wenna ex Harld Kidd ex Bob Wiley

 

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #2 – Ngatoa 1928- 29

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Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #2 – Ngatoa 1928- 29

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #2 – Ngatoa 1928- 29

Thanks to Robert Brooke for making these remarkable cruise drawings done by his father, Jack Brooke, available to ww followers. Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise. Todays post is the second of several – enjoy.

The above drawing records the travels of Ngatoa during what I assume was their annual Christmas / New Year Cruise. They certainly clocked up some miles – with White Island to the South & Great Barrier to the North. From the drawing of White Island it would appear that she was very active at the time.
This one does not list the crew.

Esme

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ESME

details & photos from Harold Kidd & Ken Ricketts

Esme was built by Joe Slattery for Henry Allen in 1921. He owned her in the 1920’s>1930’s. The photo above is from the early 1930’s after Allen raised her cabin top and put on a dodger. Hopefully one of the ww followers can ID some of the children on board.

More info here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/29/esme/

Below is a raw photo essay in how our classics were ‘updated’ over a short period (approx. 10yrs). click to enlarge.

As Launched

1st Update


2nd Update

07-04-2017 Photo below ex Ken Ricketts

ESME - 1920's

 

Matanui

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MATANUI

Sometimes on ww things happen fast, sometimes they take time – todays post started off in early April – then almost 4 months later someone lights a match & boom – details & photos appear.

Details from Harold Kidd, photos ex Bruce Overhill.

Matanui was built as San Luis by Ernie Lane in Picton for Martin Beck of Picton in 1923 for Cook Strait conditions. Beck sold her to Auckland owners in October 1925 and motored her up. Early Auckland owners were W.J. Bridson and J.A. Peacock but Walsh Brothers bought her in 1933 and fitted a Kelvin diesel, for which they were Auckland agents.
Between 1942 and 1945 she was used as a Naval patrol launch out of Suva (and may have had a petrol engine installed during that period (Chrysler Crown?) for rationalisation purposes. She was sold back to Leo Walsh in July 1945 but on sold to Joe Kissin (not Kissen) a well-known North Shore businessman of Lake Road, Takapuna, once again Kelvin-powered. Jack Brooke helped Joe with a redesign in 1952. She was moored off Queen’s Parade Devonport, in close company with Moana, Ariki, Spray II, Marangi, Tasmin, Jacqueline and the 30 sq meter Tangaika either side of the Iris Cable Wharf. Her call-sign was ZMQB
The Kelvin was replaced with a Fairbanks-Morse by 1954 and that by a new 6 cylinder Fordson diesel in 1960. By 1973 Joe had sold her to W.K.Downey of Epsom.
He sold her to Thames and then she came back to Auckland owned by O’Meara until about 1983 etc etc.

To read more on her past click this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/05/id-the-boats/comment-page-1/#comment-11765

‘New’ photos from Bruce Overhill – 03/09/2014

Mystery Boat 30/08/2014

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Mystery Boat 30/08/2014

photo from snapshot book of H.D.Guthrie.

Roger Guthrie sent in this photo from his Grandfathers collection, the date is approx. 1925 & the location Waiheke Island.
The name of the launch is not known but Rogers suspects it may have been owned by the Lambourne family.

Anyone able to ID the boat?

If you are new to waitematawoodys, when ww first started there were some neat late 1920’s/1930’s old b/w boating movies of Waiheke Island & the Stein Family (Arran Bay) launch Waitangi, the Stein’s owned Waitangi for 20>30 years. Enter ‘Guthrie Family’ in the Search box & enjoy.

Update 31/08/2014

Photo below of Minerva  from “Deeds not words” (pp 44) ex Derek Molander

Rosemary

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Rosemary- 1925 Anniversary Regatta.

ROSEMARY – but which one?

Feature photo & background info ex Harold Kidd.Ozone & Rosemary photo ex classicboatsnz. Other photos & email ex Melvin Adams

There has been a lot of chat / debate recently on ww concerning the the launch Rosemary in regard to her origins & what became of her over the years. Things are complicated by the fact that there have been / still are several Rosemarys out there. You can read the chat here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/27/ozone-rosemary/comment-page-1/#comment-11545

Todays post is focussing on the launch that was built in St.Mary’s Bay by Leon Warne in December 1920 for himself and his brother George and was taken north for game-fishing out of Russell. The Warne brothers then set up boatbuilding, repairs as well as gameboat chartering at Russell. Rosemary originally had a Scripps 4 cylinder but was later fitted with a Redwing. She was one of several launches that were very successful in promoting the deep sea angling sport in the Bay of Islands, both from Russell and Whangaroa.
Rosemary was originally launched as a dashing flushdecker. As pictured in the photo above from “N Z Vintage Launches”  of her on the Waitemata in the 1925 Anniversary Regatta.

Enter Melvin Adams who has a launch named Rosemary, moored in Mill Bay Mangonui. Melvin has owned the boat for approx 10 years & has been tracking her past & is confident that his Rosemary is the same boat (Leon Warne) pictured above. She has a more ‘spacious’ cabin these days.  One of Melvin’s photos below indicates the areas where he can clearly see the areas where portholes used to be.
Below is a photo montage showing Rosemary thru-out the years – I’ll let you be the judge if Melvin’s Rosemary is the Warne built ex game boat.

Make sure you read the e-mail from one of her previous owners – Don Jansen to Melvin , is a good tale of life as a ‘commercial’ fisherman.

As always – click on photos to enlarge 🙂

WAINUI (II)

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#2506

WAINUI (II)

There as been a lot of activity in comments section of ww in regard to Wainui. The original story I posted on her back in June 2013 under the headline ‘Getting Hooked’ told the tale of her current owner Phil Parks & how he came to own the classic wooden launch Wainui. Its a good story & can be viewed at the link below  –

Getting Hooked

Last Friday the post popped up again & we uncovered some insight into her past & some wonderful details & photos from Harold Kidd. Phil Parks advised that the restoration project was now scheduled to start in late 2014, aside from other things in life getting in the way, there was a wee oops that saw Wainui sink at her mooring.

Firstly a brief history of WAINUI II 

  1. Built by Joe Slattery c1924 for E.O. Ward.
  2. Wrecked on Rangitoto February 1936 and badly damaged.
  3. Ward sold to Val Maxwell, teacher at King’s College, as a wreck. Maxwell rebuilds probably close to present configuration.
  4. Maxwell sells 1939.
  5. Later owners include Sandy Searle 1967-72, then Dr. Ranginui Walker 1972, gap of 3 years then John Hobden 1977-81, Stan Bayer 1981-84, N Amos 1984-7, Ken Meyer 1987-90.
  6. Capt. John Harrison (ex-skipper of HMNZS TUI), Harold has fond memories of the TUI wardroom, bought her at Sandspit 1990 in poor condition with 40hp Ford Ebro. Orams rebuilt her substantially 1991-2. John renamed her Tilikum and kept her at Parua Bay then sold shortly after and went back to sail.

 

Photo Gallery of WAINUI II

# 2507 was taken in 1928 alongside the Bayswater Wharf. Note the steam trams.

#2507

# 2505 shows her being launched for the season from Bailey & Lowe’s. This pic was used in the Herald on 24/10/30. The yacht on the right is almost certainly Ladye Wilma on Heartseae’s cradle.

#2505

# 2506 shows her on the rocks at Rangitoto in February 1936 (same image as used in the header)

# 2509 she’s at Lees at Sandpit in April 1990 when John Harrison bought her, looking fine but seriously rotten.

#2509

# 2508 at Orams in Whangarei under major reconstruction in April 1991.

#2508

# NZ Herald 4 Feb 1936 (Papers Past) – high on the rocks at Rangitoto. The 6 occupants were washed out of the cockpit, with  2 females being injured.

# NZ Herald 6 Feb 1936 (Papers Past) – showing the extensive damage she sustained.

NZH PP 06/02/36

# Current Photo 2013 (low res image)