March 1929

Friday 1st   It was a very fine day

Saturday 2nd   It was a fine day.  There was a cricket match at the Domain.   Whangaripo  V  Omaha.  No big scores were made on either side, but Omaha won by 12 runs, this is the first time Whangaripo has been beaten this season.  Several ladies came with the visitors.

Sunday 3rd    It has been threatening for rain for some days, but we have had none for a month.   There was no service here to day .  All from this house took their lunch to Lew’s bay and joined the Jim and Tom Ashtons.  I staid at home reading.  Went down to Pats in the pm, met Mrs J. Greenwood, Ethel  &  Mr Petrie.

Monday 4th   Rain still keeping off.  Heard that Mr J. H. Bond had died at Auckland early this morning and is going to be buried alongside his first wife in the Matakana cemetery tomorrow.
Mr Bonds first wife was a sister of Mrs Dunning Senr .  she died at the residence of her son in law Mr Norman Matheson in Auckland and was buried in Matakana cemetery on 16th July 1895.
Jim went to Matakana to consult the Dr .  Welcome rain fell in the evening.

Tuesday 5th   A few slight showers to day, but we have had no quantity of rain to do much good.  Mr Bond was buried in the Matakana cemetery to day.  Jim went in Laddie Whitaker’s car.

Wednesday 6th   It was a showery day.  There was to have been a picnic in the domain of the combined schools of Leigh and Ti Point, but on account of the weather it was put off.  Dr Whetter sent me a bottle of Medicine.  Mr Perks sent me a Leicester Chronicle containing the letter I wrote to the Editor.

Thursday 7th   It looked very dull and a few showers in the morning, but it cleared up and the sun came out.  Mr Saddler an old settler who used to own a farm at youngs creek came up from Auckland to attend Mr Bond’s funeral,  he has been staying at Mr A. Dunnings, Alf D. brought Mr S in his car to see up  [sic: me]  and then they went to Birdsalls.

Friday 8th   It was threatening for rain in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.  I had written to Mr Bromley and sent him a Leicester Chronicle, these were posted this morning .  I went down to Pats to change newspapers.

Saturday 9th   It was a fine day.  The furniture in Mrs Wallaces house at Big Omaha were sold at the Farmers at Warkworth today.  As Laddie Whittaker  was going to it in his car, so Jane went with him and she bought a rimu oval table and some  sundries.
The children went to a picnic to Leigh in Tom Ashton’s lorry

Sunday 10th   It was a very fine day.  Rev Yule held service in the hall in the morning ,  Jim & I staid at home, the others went.  Ted Dunning and his two sisters were her here for dinner.

Monday 11th    It was a very fine day.  I was cleaning onion seed.
By the afternoon mail I received a pair of trousers from Mr Perks.

Tuesday 12th   It was a very fine day.  There was polling in the hall to elect Licensing Commissioners for Marsden.  Charlie Whitaker was returning officer.  I went to the hall to record my vote.
I was cleaning onion seed.
Mrs Whitaker & Laddie brought May Dunning back in their car in the evening.

Wednesday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Jim went to Matakana to play a friendly game of cricket.  There was picnic in the domain of the combined schools of Leigh and Ti Point .  The children were brought in lorries & cars.  There was a cricket match between the boys of Leigh & Ti Point, the latter won.  Afterwards there was a match between the boys and the girls , and boys won.  All of us had lunch and tea under the shade of the trees.

Thursday 14th   It was a very fine day.  I was shelling beans, and cleaning onion seed.

Friday 15th   It was a very fine day.  I was cleaning onion seed.   Hector went to Warkworth in Tom Ashton’s lorry and they brought back the oval table Jane bought at Mr Wallaces sale.

Saturday 16th   It was a fine day, but the wind is still at the N and threatening for rain.
There was a cricket match at the domain Omaha  V  Port Albert, the visiting team batted first and made 68 runs,  Omaha then batted and made 2      .    Eddie Wyatt made over 100 runs.  Port Albert batted again and made 123,  thus Omaha got a 3 point win.  Several ladies came with the visitors and the local ladies entertained the cricketers and a lot of visitors  to lunch and tea.

Sunday 17th   It was Pat & Dolly’s little boy Owen first birthday.
As it commenced to rain Jane & I picked in all the dry beans.  It rained the remainder of the day which will do a lot of good as a lot of settlers are short of water.


This was the final entry in Charles Septimus Clarkes diary.  He died 10 days later on the 27th of March at Jane’s place in Whangateau

The following Obituary was published in the Rodney and Otamatea Times on the 17th April 1929.