January 1911

Sunday 1st   It was a beautiful day.  Harold drove Miss Johnson over in the morning to stay with us.  Revd Teale held service in the Hall in the afternoon, the congregation was good, the Revd gentleman gave us a very good sermon.  The collection was 15/s
Mr Teale, Vic Simpson & Willie Knaggs were here for tea, I went over to Dacres Claim with Mr Teale and attended his service there, afterwards walked home, Mr Teale staid with Jim & Jane.

Monday 2nd   It was a fine day and although very hot , a nice breeze tempered the heat.
The usual New Years Picnic at the Whangateau Domain, I rode and Willie, Grace & Miss Johnson walked over, we all went to Janes and had lunch there,  Wilfred T,  Archie Dunning Junr,  Mr & Mrs Jennings were also there for lunch, we all went to the Domain in the pm to witness the sports.  The Warkworth band discoursed sweet music,  Mr Banks had a Refreshment Booth.  I had tea at Torkingtons table and rode home, reaching there just before dark, having enjoyed a very happy day.

Tuesday 3rd   There was a shower of rain early in the morning, but it afterwards turned out a very hot day.  Willie picked 7 Cases of Burbanks.  I was working in the flower garden and making up my Quarterly Returns.

Wednesday 4th   It was a very fine day.  Victor Simpson came over from Ti Point to pack his bag and he and Miss Johnson left by the “Kawau” for Auckland.  Willie hauled the 7 Cases of Burbanks and their luggage down to the wharf,  Grace & I also went down to see them off, I carried up a bag of sand,  Mr & Mrs Charlie Drayall came round from Ti Point in the “Kawau” and they came up here to spend the day.

Thursday 5th   It was a very fine day.  I was making up the books of the Public Library and in the pm I took them down to Mr R. Matheson to get them Audited, but he was in Auckland,  I staid tea there and called in to see old Mrs Duncan Matheson who is 84 years old.  From there went down to the village to get the mail which had just arrived by the “Kawau“.  Willie was digging round the Tomato plants.

Friday 6th   It was a beautiful day.  Willie & I were bad with diharea, I was lying down most of the day, but Willie managed to knock about, he hauled some Wool down to the wharf and brought u some Cases, in the pm he was digging round the Pumpkins in the farm orchard and when he had finished milking he had to go to bed as he felt influenza coming on.
Grace went down to Willie Dunnings to ask Willie if he would look after the Library for me.

Saturday 7th   A very hot day.  Willie was not at all well and did not get up until the afternoon.  I felt alright again.  I got firewood, carried sand from the creek & sieved two tins of pine needles, took up some Snowflakes and filled in the hole with leaves, manure, sand &c.

Sunday 8th   It was a beautiful day.  Willie & Grace walked over to Ti Point to spend the day.  I staid at home and went to the Revd Parris service in the afternoon, he gave a splendid New Years sermon.

Monday 9th   It was a beautiful day.  There was a heavy shower in the morning which freshened up everything.
Willie picked some Jargonell Pears and some Burbanks.
I was working in the flower garden and carried up sand from the creek.  Willie went down to meet the Steamer in the evening to get a jar of Arsenate of Lead, also the mail.

Tuesday 10th   It was a very fine day.  Willie was picking fruit and he took it down to the wharf to send away by the “Kawau“, Grace had a big wash and I cooked the dinner and did odd jobs round the house, watered the Onions with the soapsuds.  Mrs D  & Grace Knaggs called in the afternoon and had a look round my garden , they brought me a small flower plant which I planted in the evening. Carried up sand from the creek.

Wednesday 11th   It was rather dull first thing in the morning, but it turned out a very hot day.  I helped Willie pick fruit first thing in the morning, he hauled it down to the Steamer in the afternoon , I also went down.  Mr R, Matheson Audited the Books of the Library.

Thursday 12th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was spraying the trees in the orchard all day.  I got sand from creek,  also from beach,  got firewood,  worked a little in the flower garden,  went down for the mail early in the afternoon.

Friday 13th   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down to post some letters, carried up some sand.  Willie was spraying in the orchard, having some mixture over he sprayed the Tomatoes.  I was working in the flower garden.  I went down to the Village in the evening, there was the Annual Meeting of Subscribers to the Library, 6 Subscribers were represented , the old Trustees were elected and I was appointed to the same office I held before.

Saturday 14th   It was a beautiful day.  Willie & Grace went fishing to the Goat Island & brought home a lot of fish.  I staid at home, carried up sand from the creek, got firewood and worked in the flower garden and gave the plants a good watering.

Sunday 15th   It was a fine day ‘tho rather dull at times which made it much cooler.  Willie & Grace staid at home.
After breakfast I walked over to Ti Point , called in at Harolds and then went down to Mrs D. Knaggs, had a look round her garden and then called in to Harolds again.   He, Flo & children were going over to spend the day with Jim & Jane so I thought I would go there too, so I walked on ahead and got there nearly half an hour before they arrived, we all had dinner there, and in the pm Harold took me a drive as far as Matthews, we had a yarn with Jack Matthews outside his place, I had not been this way for several years, so I saw several new houses and lots of improvements.  We returned to Jims for tea and returned home afterwards.  Harold gave me a lift in his buggy as far as Ti Point road.
I enjoyed my days outing very much.  After I got home I watered the garden.

Monday 16th   It was a very hot day.  Willie picked 7 Cases fruit.  I was tieing up, digging round & watering the 6 Tomato plants that Minnie gave me.  In the pm I went down to the village , called in at
A. Dunnings to ask if Ivy would play the organ for the Church of England services.  Got the mail and carried up sand.

Tuesday 17th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was not at all well, so I took the horse down to the wharf with the 7 Cases fruit, brought up the remainder of the empty fruit cases (14), and a bag of sand, called in at the store for some Celosia plants that Mrs D. Knaggs sent me.
I planted 9 of the Celosias in the evening.

Wednesday 18th   It was a very fine day.  Willie was a good deal better to day.  He picked 2 Cases of mixed fruit for Mrs Simpson and hauled them down to the wharf, he hauled up some grit for the fowls.

Thursday 19th   It was a very fine day.  Ernest Wyatt came and he & Willie were cleaning their Danthonia Seed.  I went down to the village in the evening to post some letters and to get the mail.

Friday 20th   It was a very fine day.  Ernest and Willie were cleaning Danthonia.  I was doing odd jobs.  Went down to the Village in the evening to get the mail and to look after the Library.
They tried the stone crusher to day for the first time and it worked satisfactory.

Saturday 21st   It was a beautiful day.  Ernest & Willie finished cleaning the Danthonia seed by mid day.
There was a picnic to Goat Island beach, Grace went in the morning & Willie went after dinner.
Mr & Mrs D. Knaggs who were going to drive to Warkworth to hear the Mission that is to be conducted by the Revd  A. H. Colville, offered me a seat in their buggy so I was pleased to avail myself of their kind invitation .  I met them at Ti Point school and enjoyed the drive to Warkworth very much, I had not been there for several years so I saw great improvements along the road,  we reached Warkworth just before dark.  Duncan put up his horse & buggy at Bridge House and he & Mrs K went to Mrs Zanders.  I had tea at the Bakers & engaged a bed at the Temperance Hotel, walked out into the township after tea, met Revd Teale who introduced me to Revd Colville with whom I had a long chat and it was a strange coincidence that Mr Colville was educated at Uppingham Grammer school near to Ridlington where I was a Cadet on Mr Wortley’s farm.  Mr Colville held a short open air service in the township which I attended.
I slept at the Temperance Hotel kept by Mrs Graham.

Sunday 22nd   Another very hot day.  When I came out on to the verandah I met a yong man who very much interested me,  a Mr Palmer, a son of the late Archdeacon Palmer of Melanesia is living as a Cadet on Mr Houphtens fruit farm at Henderson, he is come to see some fruit farms round Warkworth that are for sale,  Revd Colville commenced the mission in Christ Church (Anglican) at 11 am.  There was a good congregation and more than half staid for communion.  Mr Colville gave a very earnest address.  I returned to my boarding house for dinner and had to meet My & Mrs Knaggs at the Bridge Boarding House at 2 pm.  Mr Palmer walked with me to our rendezvou and was very sorry to part company with him.   I came with the Knaggs in their buggy as far as Ti Point school and then walked from there home which I reached soon after 6 pm having spent a very pleasant outing.

Monday 23rd   It was a very hot day.  Willie was picking fruit all day.
I was doing odd jobs.  I went down to the village in the evening to get the mail.

Tuesday 24th   It was a very hot day.  Jane and Mrs Birdsall Senr walked over in the morning and staid dinner.  Afterwards we all went down to the wharf,  Willie hauled the fruit down and brought up 1 Sack Bran & 1 Sack Maize.  The “Kawau” came from Mangawai and took a lot of fruit and several passengers Mrs Harper and Ray being amongst them ,  Mrs H intends taking Ray down to Wellington .  The “Orewa” also came in from Auckland bringing several passengers.

Wednesday 25th   It was a very fine day.  Frank Pratt put a horse in here for a week as he is going to Auckland by the “Orewa“.   Minnie, Alma,  Agnes  &  the baby also came and staid for dinner.  Willie carried a box of Eggs down to the wharf.   I got firewood and got sand from the creek.

Thursday 26th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was digging between & clipping the Tomatoes.  I went down to the village before dinner to get the mail which arrived by the “Kawau”.  Grace went down to see Hettie Wyatt in the pm.

Friday 27th   It was a fine day.  Jim came first thing in the morning and brought us some mullett.  Mr Woodcock left two horses here and went to Auckland by the “Kawau“.  Ernie Greenwood came & bought the Catamaran for £3.
After breakfast I went down to the village to post letters, carried up some sand,  got firewood,  worked in the garden, carried up sand from creek, went down to the village in the evening to get the mail and attend the Library.  Willie sprayed the Tomatoes with arsenate of lead and budded Peaches.  It thundered a good bit in the afternoon and it commenced to rain when I was coming home from the Library.

Saturday 28th   It rained a good bit last night, it has freshened things up, moistened the surface of the ground, but has not sunk in deep where the ground was lumpy.  It was a dull day as if it would come on to rain again.  In the morning Willie was digging Potatoes in the farm orchard.  I got firewood, carried up sand from the creek, was working in the flower garden , planted a Miniture Sunflower and a Zinnia.  Willie & Grace went over to the Claim in the pm, intending to go to a Dance over there, and to stop with Jim & Jane.

Sunday 29th   It rained heavily last night and it was showery to day.
I got up early and got all the work done and then layed down and had a read until it was time to get my dinner ready, afterwards I got dressed and went down to the Hall.  Revd Teale held service, there was a fair congregation.  Collection 7/6.  Miss Ivy Dunning played the organ for the first time.
Willie & Grace returned home in the afternoon in time for tea.

Monday 30th   The Anniversary of Auckland was yesterday and is to be kept as a holiday in Auckland to day.  It was a beautiful day, wind from SW.  Willie was shoeing the sleigh.  I got firewood, carried up some sand from the creek, dug the borders of the Diamond bed, and put burnt clay on it.

Tuesday 31st   It was a fine day, ‘tho dull.  In the morning I was burning clay in the back yard, went down to the P.O to get a Money Order and to post a letter, carried up a bag of sand, got firewood, and carried up sand from creek.
Willie was picking fruit and I was helping him in the afternoon, Willie took two loads down to the wharf, fruit & danthonia.