July 1921

Friday 1st    It was a fine day.  In the morning the boys went to John Greenwoods and brought down Wilson’s thrashing machine as they are going to thrash their stack of wheat next Monday.  In the afternoon they planted young Lemon Trees in the piece of ground they drained .  I was digging round Fruit trees in the top orchard.
My head was pretty bad as the resuld of the fall I had on Wednesday evening.

Saturday 2nd   It was fine in the morning, but it came on to rain in the afternoon.  I was digging in the orchard in the morning and went up again in the afternoon, but it commenced to rain, so I gathered bunches of Violets & Snowflakes and then came home.  Charlie & the boys were fixing up the engine & thrashing machine ready for Monday.

Sunday 3rd   A very calm, but dull day.  I attended the Methodist service in the afternoon.  Mr Grigg played the organ in the absence of Mrs Gozar.  Only a small congregation.  Mr Richards gave us a very good address.  When we came out rain looked very near.

Monday 4th   It rained heavily last night and everything was very wet this morning.  I did not go up to the old place until the afternoon when I dug round 2 trees and dug some convolvulus out.  Charlie & Eddie were fixing a wooden pulley on to the engine.

Tuesday 5th   It was a very fine day.  Wind S.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the , I was digging in the orchard both morning and afternoon.  Mrs Dunning Senr & Ivy drove up the hill to spend the day at John Greenwoods.
They commenced thrashing the wheat in the pm, Willie & Alf Dunning came to help.

Wednesday 6th   It was a fine day.  I was digging in the orchard all day.  Charlie, the boys & Willie Dunning were cutting Oat chaff all day.

Thursday 7th   After breakfast I went down to the village to post letters to Mr Hawksworth & to Grace, then went up to the orchard and dug round some trees, also dug in the afternoon.  They finished cutting Oat chaff.  It was a fine day with the exception of a slight shower in the morning.

Friday 8th   It was a very fine day.  I was digging in the orchard all day. They finished thrashing the wheat.  There was a parade of the Territorials in Dunnings paddock.  Eddie had to drill them, so Mr Archie and Willie Dunning were helping here thrashing.  I received a letter from Mr Wallace in the evening.

Saturday 9th   It was a very fine day.  Jessie went to Auckland by the “Kawau” which left here about 12.30 pm.
They were cutting wheat chaff all day, Willie Dunning was helping them.  I was digging in the orchard in the morning and in the afternoon I planted out 16 Cabbage plants (Manchester Defiance). Afterwards I weeded the onion bed and cut flowers for the Church tomorrow.

Sunday 10th   Very fine in the morning, but showery in the afternoon.  Mr & Mrs Neeley were here for dinner.  Revd Hawksworth held service in the afternoon,  25 present.  Collection 15/3.

Monday 11th    It was a very fine day.  They finished cutting wheat chaff.  In the morning I pricked out in a box 21 Stocks & 2 Antirrhinums, also planted out in the borders, 3 Wallflowers & 2 Stocks.  Weeded between the Daffodills which are coming up.  In the afternoon I went down to the village to post a letter to Mr Wallace & I got Mrs Harper to Audit the Church Accounts, afterwards I went up to the garden and weeded the Onion bed and dug below the Bon Cretien pear trees.

Tuesday 12th   It was a very fine day.  They winnowed the wheat and put it into the grain shed, it only turned out 85 bushels, as this came off 5 acres of land, that would only be a yield of 17 bushels per acres, but as they have feed a good many shieves to the fowls, it would be about 20 bushels per acres, a very poor crop, last year from the same ground they had over 40 bushels per acres.
In the morning I was pruning roses, in the afternoon I pruned roses, finished weeding the onions & dug.

Wednesday 13th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I was pruning Roses, and digging round some young Pear trees.  In the afternoon I went down to the village to post a letter card to Mr Wallace telling him I was coming up on Saturday.  Met the steamer & got the mail.  Eddie went to Matakana to a military funeral of Charles Cruikshank a son of Dav  [?]  Cruikshank a returned soldier who died after a lingering illness in hospital.

Thursday 14th   It was a very fine day.  The boys took some cattle to their farm at Pakiri.  I took my lunch up to the garden and was working there all day.  I finished pruning the Roses, I then pruned the Rouvardras   [?]  and dug round some young Apple trees.

Friday 15th   There was rain last night and the wind is blowing from the N to day.  I went up to the old home in the morning  and dug in the orchard.  The boys were digging drains in the front paddock below the orchard.

Saturday 16th   It was a very fine day.  I got up early and had breakfast and went down to the wharf.  The “Kawau” called in from Mangawai and I embarked on board of her bound for Auckland, we had a beautiful calm trip,  Miss Bertha Darroch  &  Len Baker were fellow passengers, and in conversation with them the time passed very pleasantly.  We arrived at the Auckland wharf at 11.40 being only 4 hours & 40 minutes from Leigh.
I immediately went across to Devonport and went up to Mr Wallaces where I received a very hearty welcome.
Willie came across from Auckland in the evening to see me.

Sunday 17th    A change in the weather today, the wind has changed to the NE, so I have only just come up in time.  Mr Wallace & I attended morning service at Trinity Church, in the afternoon I went across to Auckland and went up to Willies place at Ponsonby,  Flo’  is staying there & in the evening Mrs Simpson,  Flo’,  Willie & I went to Jasper Calder’s mission service in the Princess’ picture Theatre,  afterwards I returned to Devonport.

Monday 18th   It was blowing hard & raining last night and there were several heavy showers to day.  I went across to Auckland in the morning and had a good look round the shops and then went up to Willie’s place, had lunch there and then he & I went shopping in Karangahape Rd & Symonds St.  I bought a suit of clothes, an overcoat and a pair of boots.  Returned to the shore.  Mr McMurtrie came in the evening and we played 500.

Tuesday 19th   A very showery day.  I went over to Auckland in the afternoon, took the car up to Parnell to call on Mrs Blennerhassett at St Georges Bay Rd, but found that she had gone to New Plymouth, and that Elsie (Henry’s wife) was staying with her Uncle who lives at Epsom, so I had my journey for nothing.

Wednesday 20th   It was a showery day.  I went over to Auckland in the afternoon, went up to the Hospital to see Arthur Greenwood, returned by Karangahape Rd where I bought a pair of working trousers.  Returned to the Shore.

Thursday 21st   It was a showery day.  I went over to Auckland in the morning.  Went to consult Mr Loseby about the exzema on my legs and got some ointment & mixture, returned to Devonport for lunch and went across to town in the afternoon and went up to Jim Greenwoods who lives in Gundrey St Newton and had tea there and returned to the shore in the evening.

Friday 22nd   It was a fine day.  I did not go across to Auckland, but in the afternoon I took a little walk and called at a nerseryman named Clist and had a look round, I bought packets of White Stone Turnips & Red Beet.

September 23rd   [sic: Saturday 23rd]  It was a fine day.  I went across to Auckland in the morning and took the car up to Ponsonby to stay a few days with Willie & Grace at 85 Norfolk St, I found Fred & Nell staying there.  In the evening we went to the Tivoli picture Theatre to see a piece entitled Paying the Piper.

Sunday 24th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie, Fred & I took a long walk round by Cox’s Creek,  Point Erin park.  In the afternoon Fred, Nell & Mrs Simpson went across to Devonport to see the Wallaces, they returned to Ponsonby and then all of us went to Revd Jasper Calder’s mission service in the Princesse’s Theatre in Queen St which I enjoyed very much.

Monday 25th   It was a fine day.  Willie is working at Carpentering at St Pauls St.  I went to Mount Roskill to see my old friend Willie Rumciman, they live at a beautiful big house close to the mountain formerly the property of Mr Joseph May an old colonist, I spent a very pleasant time chatting to my old friend.  The daughter drove me to Mount Albert & I took the car there & returned to Willies place.

Tuesday 26th   It was a showery day.  I took a walk along Karangahape Road in the afternoon looking in the show windows .  In the evening Fred, Nell, Grace & Mrs Simpson went to His Majestys theatre  to see Shapespears  [sic: Shakespears]  play, “The Merchant of Venice”.  Mr & Mrs Kirk came in to play cards with Willie and to mind Nell’s baby.  I went to the West End Picture Theatre to see Robbery under arms.

Wednesday 27th   It was a very fine day.  Grace & I went to Symonds St and then took the car for Mnt Albert and then walked to Avondale,  when passing the Poultry Competition Farm we saw Johny Salt and George Fletcher who were working there.  We went to visit Alec & Mrs Haskell who have bought a house at Avondale , we had lunch there, there  [sic]  son Jim is working at the brickworks, we saw him as he came home for lunch.  in the afternoon we intended to call at Mrs Pearsons  (Nells mother)  but we met her in the street and went home with her and had afternoon tea there, we walked back to Mt Albert and took the car back to Auckland.  In the evening Fred took Willie & I to His Majestys Theatre to see Shakespears play “As you like it”.

Thursday 28th   It was fine in the morning.  I left Willie’s place and came to Queen St.  Went up Kyber Pass  to a sale of furniture in a boarding house  in Burleigh St off Kyber Pass, kept by Warwick Sadler.  I then returned to Mr Wallaces at Devonport.

Friday 29th   It was a fine day.  I did not go over to Auckland until the afternoon , I went to see the “Kawau” off.   Fred intended going down, but he did not turn up,  Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning  &  Mr & Mrs Harry Dyer were going down by the “Kawau“,  I did some shopping and then I returned to Devonport.

Saturday 30th   It was a showery day.  In the morning I went down to the Shore to do some shopping.

Sunday 31st   Several showers during the morning & pm.  In the morning I went to the Presbyterian church, in the pm Mr Wallace and I went across to town , took the car to Mt Eden to pay a visit to Ken Wallace, had tea there, and in the evening we went to Jasper Calders Mission service.