Category Archives: 1950’s

Mansion House Bay c.1950

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Mansion House Bay c.1950

photos from Helen & Richard Andrew’s family collection (grand daughter & her husband of Henry Allen -Tiromoana) ex Ken Rickitts.

The above postcard of Mansion House Bay Kawau Island, was written by Alma Allen (Tiromoana) in the early 1950’s & sent to Esme & Joe Coggan — their daughter & son in law &/or Helen their grand daughter as a little girl, now Helen Andrew.

Ken has attempted to ID some of the boats &  can identify Mananui (P.R.Colebrook’s days), Valsan (Arnold Baldwin era) & very importantly to Ken the Lady Claire (in the Stan Headland era), Headland had her cabin sides beautifully varnished, which disappeared later. Ken believes the photo was taken circa 1953-55.

Note Valsan anchored off the end of the wharf & with the stern tied to wharf — A.D.B. used to take family away for about 10 days at Christmas, then swap crews, for a “men’s” crew, & cruise. He never tied to the wharf when the family were there & never left the wharf, when they weren’t there, so this is without doubt, taken in the second half of a Christmas period. — He, & Len Peckham, (Lady Sandra) took unplanned turns, at sharing the wharf in this manner in this era.

04–09-2024 INPUT ex JEANETTE RHODES – These wonderful stories of Mansion House’s bygone era have promoted me to add my bit.  I became a baby of Mansion House in 1941. Mother was a housemaid there. We lived in the staff quarters right behind MH. The Hooks cottages were there and their only daughter was my playmate. As I got older and smarter l collected the beer bottles thrown overboard by the yachties, receiving one penny for each one from the shop. When the Americans came in on their ships, they’d take me to the tuck shop and buy me everything a kid could dream of.  I also joined the staff with their ukeleles on the wharf to welcome / farewell the large weekend ferries arriving from Auckland with 100’s of passengers. I knew all the songs.  Long streamers were held by passengers and staff on both sides as the ferries pulled out.  New Year Balls were unimaginable with everyone dressing up and drinking, eating, dancing like there was no tomorrow. Midnight, the less drunk ones would climb up the huge Kauri pillars in the lounge and kiss the ceiling. Tradition it was !
The snake pit at night was out of bounds to me but I used to spy on the adults drinking and doing silly dumb things with each other.  I also knew very well, the Vivian Bay Barneys and their boat St. Claire. Great memories of a bygone era.

Unknown Launch 08/11/2013 (probably Antares)

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Unknown Launch 08/11/2013

Unknown Launch 08/11/2013

Arcturus b

Arcturus b

Arcturus a

Arcturus a

Arcturus c

Arcturus c

Alcyone

Alcyone

photo from Helen & Richard Andrew’s family collection (grand daughter & her husband of Henry Allen -Tiromoana) ex Ken Rickitts.

Given the chat on the previous post re McGeady boats I have posted this c.1950 photo that is ‘tagged’ as a McGeady launch, interested in your views as to if this is correct & the vessels name & anymore details.

Also interested in ID’ing the launch in the background.

17/03/2015 Update
Ken R is confident that the mystery has been solved , the launch is Antares – In the photo above & you will see the white peaked cap always worn by Cyril Parker every time he went to sea, the cap was evident in all pics, also the mast & placement thereof, is identical, although the lower half of the coamings had been painted by the time the photo in question was taken & therefore Ken tends to think in the later 1950s for this one.

Karina

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KARINA 

photos & details ex Dean Wright & current owner Winston Jacob

Designed by Parsons & built in 1959 in Tauranga. Carvel planked hull, powered by twin 120hp Fords. LOA 38’6″ x B 11′ 6″ x D 3′ 6″.

Karina was a gamefishing charter boat operating out of Paihia during the 1970′s and 80′s. Owned by Alan Limmer. She once caught a black, a blue and a striped marlin all in one day. The first time it had ever been done in NZ. Possibly never been repeated.

Anyone able to ID the blokes in the cockpit with the thresher shark ?  The owner / skipper Alan Limmer is on the right in the white t-shirt.

Winston Jacob has owned Karina for 14 years (1999)

Update 02-08-2017 – Photo below ex Dean Wright

Karina

27-03-2018 Update from Lee Wilkinson

“I came across my Grandparents old boat on your website today, I posted a wee comment, but since have found a couple of photos which I thought you might like to add to the story of Karina.  The owner prior to my Grandparents was Les Henry, (i couldn’t remember his surname when writing the comment) – and quite possibly the original owner.   Not sure of the dates my Grandparents owned her, but my mum recalls going down to trial her 1961, as she was pregnant with me at the time (the memory of morning sickness!!)  Les Henry lived in Pukekohe but had the boat based in Tauranga i believe.   My grandparents moved her to Maraetai, where she was on a swing mooring just below their home there.

Below are a couple of photos with my Grandmother, Janet Jones, with her catch of a Thresher shark in 1964 off Karina.  Quite a biggie of the day I believe, and especially for a female angler.   

The first one has Les Henry (the very tall man with the folded arms), my Grandfather Harry Jones, (with his hands on his hip), and then my Grandmother Janet Jones. (don’t know the two in the background.”

Unknown-1

Unknown

 

 

Lady Joan

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Mystery Launch 15/10

LADY JOAN

photo ex Dave Jackson

Having a few blokes in the photo should help with ID’ing this launch. Given the wooden cask (water??) on deck it most likely is during an extended summer cruise. The wharf certainly is not OHS compliant.

Harold Kidd Update

I don’t know what she is but guess that she’s Collings & Bell c1914-22, maybe even Leon Warne of the same period.

Input from Dave Jackson – 16/11/13

1958c

Nagles Cove

Lady Joan

Built for Joe Lobley

Built by Bailey’s

Next owned by Taylor Family

Alcyone

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Alcyone

ALCYONE

photo & details ex Ken Ricketts

Built by McGeady c.1947 for a Mr Stewart, an accountant of Suddley St. Orakei, (right opposite Henry Allen owner of ‘Tiromoana’) she was to have had 2 Redwing petrol engines, but Stewart changed his mind during construction & fitted 1 Ailsa Craig instead. Stewart sold her in mid to late 1950s to Aubrey Webster, the founder & owner of Trimol Laboratories, who replaced the Ailsa Craig with a 6LW Gardner, about 1960, which Ken thinks she still has today. He owned her until the mid to late 1960’s & sold her to Humphrey Beale, who owned until at least the late 1980s or early 1990s. Beale was a real estate agent, who used her extensively for taking clients to Rakino, Waiheke & Gt Barrier. Ken lost track of her after he sold her. Webster was a family friend of Ken’s, as also was Beale, who Ken shared the same occupation with (real estate) for many years.

Harold Kidd Update

ALCYONE was built for Noel Stewart of Sudeley St Orakei by Supreme Craft (McGeady) and launched in January 1951, fitted originally with a 6 cylinder Ailsa Craig diesel engine. Stewart sold her to A.A. Webster of Takapuna some time before 1964 when Webster had her registered with Lloyd’s Yacht Register, still with the 1950-built Ailsa Craig. Webster still owned her in 1973 according to APYMBA records.The image above was taken during the welcome for the GOTHIC on its arrival in Auckland for the Royal Visit, 23/12/1953, when the AMYC was out in force.

30/03/2015 New photo ex Sea Spray ex B Worthington ex Ken Ricketts

Mandalay

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MANDALAY

photo from Dave Jackson

It is very hard to design a sub 36′ launch (I’m guessing on her length) that looks ‘right’ i.e. that all the bits work together, in proportion. This very smart launch (in my eyes) ticks most of the boxes.

Input from Dave Jackson 16/11/13

Mandalay

Built by Dave Jackson & Graham Christian

Devonport, 1957

For Ken Quinton

Original – 4 cylinder Ford

Designed by Brin Wilson

Karina

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Karina

KARINA

photo & details from Winston Jacob (owner)

Designed by Parsons & built in 1959 in Tauranga. Carvel planked hull, powered by twin 120hp Fords. LOA 38’6″ x B 11′ 6″ x D 3′ 6″. Winston purchased her in 1999, any further info on her past would be appreciated.

1956 Sydney Hobart Race Film – Hard to Windward

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1956 Sydney Hobart Race Film – Hard to Windward

Lin Pardy has just posted a great youtube link on the WoodenBoat Forum for the 1956 Sydney > Hobart race. Lin’s comments below

“Kim Newstead, our hosts when we were invited to speak at the Hobart Wooden Boat Festival last year, just sent along a link to a wonderful 15 minute movie someone found in their garage. It is a professionally made program (16 or 17 minutes) from the 1956 Sydney Hobart Race, all on classic wooden boats, all with cotton sails, not a harness, pulpit or stern rail to be seen. Yes, times have changed. Thought everyone here might enjoy this.”

Tiromoana – a peek into her past

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A peek into Tiromoana’s past

photos ex Ken Ricketts

A collection of photos assembled by Ken Ricketts showing Tiromoana in the 1940’s, 50’s & 60’s.

Photos: In Police ‘grey’ – 1943 / With steam ferry in Tamaki River c1960 / On the slip at Okahu Bay c1950 / Okahu Bay c1950 with Henry & Mrs Allen in cockpit / In her modern livery at Coggan jetty c late 1960 / Rickett family aboard xmas 1945

Gay Dawn

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GAY DAWN

The 34′ Lidgard designed bridge decker, built by Bill Waters 1953. Very similar to Monterey & like Monterey started out with varnished coaming, have to say I think they suit her (& Monterey) better than the paint.

12-01-2016 Photos below from during the build & launching period c1947>1953.

Note refer comments section for more details on her past

(L>R) Bill & Bryan Waters c1947/48
Gay Dawn building
Gay Dawn building
Gay Dawn building
Gay Dawn building
Gay Dawn launch day
Gay Dawn just launched c1953 Okahu Bay