April 1916

Saturday 1st   Willie took the sulky down to the wharf to meet the steamer @ 8.30 pm.  I went down with him to take a bunch of Dahlias down to the Captain, I got two bags of sand which Willie carted up for me.  He and Grace drove over to Ti Point to fish and they brought home several fish.   I returned home and worked in the garden.

Sunday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  Harold, Flo’ the children & Mrs Simpson drove over to spend the day with us, all of us went down to the Church in the pm.   I conducted the service, there were 44 present, Collection 9/4.

Monday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  Willie was burning in the front. In the morning I got firewood, afterwards I weeded between the Swedish Cabbages the top side of the house.  In the afternoon I went down to Dunnings beach and got some shell sand, from thence to the steamer and got the mail.

Tuesday 4th   It was a fine day.  I got up early, had my breakfast and then walked over to Ti Point, and went across to the gum flat with Joe and Harold, tried my hand at gum digging.  We had lunch in John Torkingtons shanty and returned across the harbour about sundown, had tea at Harolds and staid the night, we played 500.

Wednesday 5th   It was a fine day.  I returned home after breakfast, the remainder of the morning I was digging round the Apple trees in the pigs paddock.  In the afternoon I loosened and put sand round some of the Daffodils in the Diamond bed, afterwards went down to the steamer and got the mail and got some sand, Willie picked pears and hauled them and a box of eggs down to the wharf, he brought some empty cases, some groceries and my sand home.

Thursday 6th   It was a very fine day.  Willie went down to the village in the morning and after an early lunch he went up to the School to help fix up the fence.  In the morning I got firewood, worked round the young apples in the pigs paddock, loosened round the Daffodils in the Diamond bed and put fine soil & shell sand round them.  Went down for the mail & attended the Library in the evening, also went to Mr A. Dunnings to fix up the Hall Committee books.   Mrs Handby came in the evening & staid the night.

Friday 7th   It was a fine day, but there was a shower of rain in the afternoon.  Willie was working up at the school all day fixing up the fence.
I got firewood, also tea tree poles which I sawed into lengths & sharpened for Kerbing for the garden.
Mrs Simpson returned from Ti Point.  Ivy Dunning came up for the butter late in the afternoon for the Tennis match tomorrow, I gave her a large bunch of flowers.

Saturday 8th   It rained early this morning but the wind changed round to the SW and it turned out a fine [day] with the exception of one shower, in the afternoon the wind blew strong from the SW and it was cold.
There was a Tennis match on this court between Leigh and Pakiri clubs, Grace went down to the Hall to help them cut sandwiches. They provided lunch, tea & supper, Willie, Mrs Simpson & I did not go down to the Hall until the evening, there was a dance and there was a great crowd.  Mrs S & I were playing 500, Jane & the children were over and staid the night at Mrs Dunning Sen.

Sunday 9th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I went down to A Davey and started in the cream cart to go to Jims, we picked up Jane and the children at Mrs Dunning Senr ,  when we got to Mr Ashworths he was just going out with his motor car on his way to Warkworth so he gave us a ride to Jim’s slip rails.   I had dinner there and we all went to Church in the Claim Hall,  Rev Boyle officiating, Mr & Mrs Redwood returned to Jim’s for tea, afterwards I walked home, stayed for evening service in this Hall.
Willie, Grace and Mrs Simpson went to Mr Glass to spend the day and the ladies staid the night.

Monday 10th   It was a beautiful day.   Grace & Mrs Simpson went to a picnic to Goat Island beach, returning in the evening.   Willie was fixing up the School fence.  I was left on my own and was working in the flower garden all day.
In the evening I went to a meeting to elect a Hall Committee, the old Comte  was re-elected with the addition of Mr A. L. Greenwood instead of Mr Neeley.  The “Gael“arrived late and I got the mail.

Tuesday 11th   It was a fine day.
In the morning I went down to the P.O to put some money into the Bank, was busy writing the minutes of the meetings that were held last night and getting my things together to go to Auckland, Willie drove me down to the wharf in the afternoon but we had a long wait. It was the “Gael”.   She ought to have left at 3 pm but it was a good deal after 4 when she left.
We had a beautiful calm passage and I quite enjoyed it, we did not get up until the clock was striking 10.
Mr Wallace was on the wharf to meet me and we went across to Devonport in the 10.30 boat and went up in the motor buss.  Mrs Wallace was up to give me a welcome.

Wednesday 12th   It was a beautiful day.  In the morning I took a walk down to Cheltenham beach and in the afternoon I went across to Auckland to do some business.

Thursday 13th   A fine day.  Went over to Auckland in the afternoon. Visited the Myers park and also the gardens in the Domain.

Friday 14th   It was a fine day.  I went over to town in the afternoon and attended the Horticultural Show in the Town Hall.

Saturday 15th   It was a fine day.  I went over to Auckland in the morning, went to Laidlaw Leeds and ordered some furniture and also to Bridgmans and bought some clothing returning to the Shore for lunch.  In the afternoon Mr Wallace & I went across to Auckland and attended the Flower Show, when we got back to the Shore we found that Gordon, his wife and little boy had arrived and staid the night.

Sunday 16th   It rained heavily last night and early this morning but it cleared up and was a fine day.
Alma & I went to Trinity Church in the morning, it was [a]  Church parade for the Maori soldiers who are encamped at Narrow Neck. Bishop Averill preached an excellent sermon.  After Church I went across to town and up to Ponsonby to Mr J.J. Woods who built our Church.  He lives in Hepburn St.  I had dinner there and Mr woods & I took a walk in the pm and in the evening I went with them to St Thomas’ Church, and returned to the shore afterwards.

Monday 17th   The weather was not too good it seemed threatening for rain.  In the morning I went across to town and saw the “Kawau” off , I intended to go to Onehunga in the afternoon but the weather looked so threatening that I returned to the Shore.

Tuesday 18th   It was a fine day.  I took a walk down Albert Road, called on Mr McGinley, also on Mrs Southerland and Mrs McKenzie then went across to Auckland, had lunch and then went to the Chamber of Commerce to hear Bishop Averill give a Lenten address, went to meet the “Kawau” from Omaha.  Willie sent a case of apples & pears which I carried across to the shore.  Mr Wallace spent the evening at Noels.

Wednesday 19th   It was a very fine day.  I went across to Auckland in the morning, saw the “Kawau” off, sent down some papers by her, had lunch and then went to hear the address to workers on the wharf by Revd  Monckton, afterwards to hear the Bishop in the Chamber of Commerce, then I took the tram to Onehunga, called on my old friend Revd M Kirkbride but as he was in great trouble about his brother Edmond I did not stay but went on to Canon Haseldens, returned to the Shore.

Thursday 20th   It was a fine day.  Went across to Auckland to do some shopping.

Friday 21st   Good Friday. It was a fine day.  I had pains in my head so did not go out anywhere.

Saturday 22nd   It was a fine day.  In the morning I went across to Auckland to do some shopping, returning to the shore for lunch.
In the afternoon I went across to Auckland again, took the car out to Mt Eden, called on Mr Grindrod but found them out, but Mrs G’s sister Miss Renolds showed me round the garden.  Then I climbed to the top of Mt Eden from whence I got a splendid view.  Returned to the shore for tea.   Gordon & wife came to spend the Easter.

Sunday 23rd   Easter Sunday.   In the morning I went to Trinity Church, it was beautifully decorated.  I returned to Mr Wallaces for dinner and in the afternoon Mr Wallace and I went across to Auckland and took the tram up to St Stephen’s avenue and walked down Gladstone road to Gillies park which has been recently purchased as a park for Parnell, it joins Kilbride the late residence of Sir John Campbell.
In the evening Mr Wallace & I attended the Presbyterian Church, Revd Budd the recently appointed ministed officiated.

Monday 24th   It rained heavily early this morning but it turned out a fine day.  I was not very well so did not go out anywhere in the morning, but in the afternoon Mr W & I took a walk up to Ken’s place at Bayswater.

Tuesday 25th   It was a fine day.  I went across to town in the morning and made several purchases and got all my things on board the “Kawau”, then returned to Devonport for lunch and said good bye to all my friends and returned to town.  There was a military procession starting from the wharf up to the Town Hall to celebrate the anniversary of the landing at Anzac.  The “Kawau” left at 3 pm and I was a passenger by her, we arrived at Leigh at 8 pm,  I had wired to Willie to meet me, but they had driven to Warkworth and returned home late and did not bring the sulky down but walked down to meet me and help carry my parcels home.

Wednesday 26th   It was a fine day. Willie commenced to work in the quarry near the wharf.
In the morning I went down to the wharf and carried up two parcels of books to the Library which I catalogued & numbered. Grace drove Mrs Simpson over to Ti Point and on returning home she took the sulky down to this wharf and Willie brought up some oats and manure.

Thursday 27th   It was a fine day.  I picked 1 Case of Persimuns & 2 Do Keifers.  Mr Roose was here for lunch.  Grace & I drove down to the Steamer carting [?] the 3 Cases of fruit with us and brought up 2 egg boxes & a bag of sand.
I went down for the mail & attended the Library in the evening. Willie took the catamaran down to the wharf in the evening & hauled up 8½ Cwt Barb wire.

Friday 28th   It was a fine day. I was working in the flower garden, I planted 24 Anemone plants in one of the three covered beds, also sowed seed Pansy seed (Yates exhibition variety) in a box.  In the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer, the Captain gave me a paper.  I carried up some sand.

Saturday 29th   It was threatening for rain in the morning so I got a lot of firewood and it was fortunate that I did for it rained heavily all day.   Willie went to work at the quarry but on account of the weather he had to come home in the middle of the morning.

Sunday 30th   It rained in the morning but cleared up in the afternoon.
I held service in the Church in the afternoon but on account of the weather there were only 12 present.   Collection 3/9.
Beatie Wyatt played the organ.