LOLA
No not the plane, even though technically its a boat.
photo ex Ken Ricketts

This one might test you all. Anyone able to name & supply details on the launch behind Fred Ladd’s Grumman Widgeon ? It was the Connell family’s transport from Waiheke Island to the rest of the world when they owned the store in Connell’s Bay. Ken recalls they owned the boat from at least the 1940’s to 1987 & the photo most likely was take in the mid 1950 > 1960s period.

Harold Kidd Update

LOLA is 100% correct. Will Connell renamed her LOLA after his daughter when he bought her from John Pegler c1924. She was built by Bailey & Lowe in late 1909 for Jas. Gordon of Awaawaroa as BEATRICE. He sold her to Pegler c1920 and he renamed her EDNA after his daughter.
Connell sold her to Tom Beck c1953 when he closed the shop at Connells. She later became unrecognisable with a raked stem and a counter stern.

Roger Guthrie Update (28/08/14)

W.E.Connell was the father of Eric & Les Connell.Eric survived his brother Les.During the late 50’s and on into the 80’s Eric and his wife stayed on at the bay.They had run the store and milked the cows,sold fuel etc.While Les had run the farm.,They used Lola to ferry us and many other families to and from the Baroona and Motonui which would just stop offshore for us to jump aboard Lola.Sometimes on calm days we were plucked of the ferry in their 16ft clinker dinghy. From about 1958 Eric’s daughter LOMA often ran the LOLA on the various ferry pick ups.The 16ft clinker rowing dinghys were also used by Ernest Chamberlin who picked passengers for his end of Ponui off the ferry as well…Lola would just nudge onto the beach and we could jump off the bow onto the sand.

2014 photos of Lola ex trademe