Saturday 1st It was a fine day, but blowey. Pheasant shooting commenced today, Jim went out, but only shot 7 quail. Hector & I made a trellis for the passion fruit that Jim planted.
Sunday 2nd It was a fine day, but windy. Revd Addenbrooke held service in the Hall in the morning, there were present 5 adults, 5 children. The Parson went to Pats for dinner. In the pm I went to Mrs Whitakers where I always get a welcome, also called at Birdsalls but found no one at home.
Monday 3rd It rained during last night, but it was fine ‘tho windy.
I posted a Weekly News to my sister in law, Mrs Henry Clarke in England, also sent my Bank Book to Auckland to get interest added
also a letter ordering flower plants from New Plymouth in conjunction with Laddie Whitaker.
Gubb’s car service started to come as far as here today, the driver Tom Ramsbottom had his lunch at Pats. I sowed a row of Sweet Peas.
Tuesday 4th The weather in the morning was not so bad , a few slight showers, but very windy, but in the late afternoon and evening the showers were heavier and more frequent. Bowden Birdsall came in the morning for me to witness his signature. He staid for lunch and we had a great chat.
Wednesday 5th The 63 Anniversary of my leaving England in the Ship “Queen of Beauty”. It was a very showery day, not so bad in the morning as the afternoon , in the morning I did a little digging and clearing of grass & weeds.
After an early lunch I went in the butcher’s lorry to Laurence Whitakers, Mr & Mrs Wallace and Mr W’s brother Hugh from America were staying there, I was very pleased to meet my old friends again, we had a long chat together. Mr W showed me the little farm & house he has bought of Mrs Edgar Meiklejohn , I was very pleased with it. I returned home in the lorry.
Thursday 6th It was a fine day, ‘tho windy. I continued digging this side of the broad beans. In the afternoon we had a lot of visitors
Mr & Mrs G. Wallace, Mr Hugh Wallace, Mr & Mrs Whitaker, Laurence & Alma, the men folk had a look at my garden & Jane gave them afternoon tea. Will Dunning came in his car to take them back to Big Omaha . Mr & Mrs G. Wallace are leaving tomorrow, Mr H. W. is staying longer,
Friday 7th It was a fine day. I continued digging this side of the broad beans . By tonight’s mail I received a letter from Willie.
There was community singing at Leigh this evening. Jim rode over to it.
Saturday 8th It was a very fine day. I formed 2 beds and sowed them with Brown Spanish Onions – about 28 rows in a bed .
There was a Hockey Match in the Domain in the afternoon, Omaha V Kaipara Flats, the former won. There was a large gathering to witness the match.
Sunday 9th It rained heavily last night and during this morning, but cleared up a little in the afternoon. Revd Rouprecht should have held service in the morning, but on account of the weather he did not come. In the pm Eddie Wyatt came to ask me to return with him to stay a few days , he had his lorry down at Pats so I went with him to Leigh.
Monday 10th It was a fine day. After breakfast I went up to my old garden, it is a complete wreck, the cows are allowed to trample over it, they have stumped and ploughed the hill, returned to Eddies for dinner and in the pm went down to the village to transact some business at the P.O – then went to call on Mrs Gravatt, but found nobody at home so called at Mr A. Dunnings where I had pm tea, returned to Eddies to stay.
Tuesday 11th It was a fine day. In the morning I called at Mr Stewarts had morning tea there, and then went down to the beach, Charlie, Eddie & Jim were working at the saw mill cutting timber, went up to C. Wyatts for dinner, and in the pm I called at Mr Gozars, then Gravatts , but found nobody at home, so I called at Arthur Greenwoods, found only Aubrey and Phil only at home, Arthur was up the hill at Mrs John Greenwoods painting the house, so I then went to MrGriggs where I always find a welcome. Miss Grigg was home for a holiday , returned to Eddies. There was a Ratepayers meeting in the hall in the evening. Eddie and I went down in his lorry, there were about 40 ratepayers present , Arthur Greenwood was Chairman the three candidates for riding members, viz Robert Wyatt, Dan Kempt & Lew Meiklejohn, the meeting lasted about three hours. The county election is tomorrow.
Wednesday 12th Although threatening, it turned out a fine day. Eddie Wyatt was Returning Officer at Pakiri, he went in his lorry and Maggie and I went with him, I had a look at the beautiful little Church they have built lately.
Called at Harry Dyers & Alf Gravatts where I had dinner. In the afternoon I called at Mr Rennies and Joe Harpers, Arthur Wright was staying there, having had an accident on Monday, a horse having rowled [sic: rolled] on him. Mrs Harper showed me her flowers.
In returning to Leigh after dark, there was a thick fog which dimmed the lights and Eddie had a difficulty in seeing the road.
Thursday 13th It was a fine day. All of us got up early as Ivy was going to Auckland by steamer this morning, Eddie took her down to the wharf in his lorry. I went to breakfast with Jim & Elva.
Mr Rennie who was going to Warkworth in his lorry gave me a ride to Jim’s gate, I found that Jane had gone over to Leigh yesterday in Mr Stewarts sulky to stay for the Church of England Bazaar which is to be tomorrow night.
In the afternoon I was doing some odd jobs in the garden.
Friday 14th It was a fine day. I was weeding the Daffodils. By the evening mail I received a parcel of flower plants from W. Mitchinson – Nurseryman from New Plymouth that Laddie Whitaker had joined me in sending for. Jim, Hector and Jean drove over to Leigh in the evening to attend the Bazaar.
Saturday 15th It was a fine day. Directly after breakfast I went to Whitakers to divide the plants I received last night with Laddie Whitaker. The remainder of the day I was planting my share , viz
3 Penstemons, 3 Pansies, 3 Aquilegia, 3 Red Larkspurs ,
3 Pimpernells, 3 Carnations, 3 Gypsophila, 3 Rock Plants,
3 Dianthur and some bulbs of the Bude Gladiolus that Mr Wallace sent me.
There was a Hockey match at Dome Valley, local club V Omaha, Jim went in Rennie’s lorry, Omaha won. Also a Football match at the Domain, Omaha V Matakana, Omaha won. Jane returned home in Eddies lorry.
Sunday 16th It was a fine day ‘tho very cold, I heard that there was a frost at Wilsons, Mr Milligan held service in the hall in the morning, all of us went, there was a fair congregation. Jean returned in the evening from spending the weekend at T. Ashtons.
Monday 17th It was a fine day. It was the last trip of the cream cart from Pakiri today, Jim has not been sending cream for some time.
I sowed a 3 ft bed of Brown Spanish Onions, there were 28 rows in the bed.
Tuesday 18th A miserable day. Dull threatening and slight showers. I was not able to do anything in the garden.
Wednesday 19th A very wet day. Nothing doing outside. I wrote a long letter to my sister in law Mrs Henry Clarke of Sydenham England.
Thursday 20th Minnies 49th birthday. It poured with rain today causing a flood. I put some of my garden seeds away.
Friday 21st Still raining. Hector & Jean went to school, but as there were so few there the Teacher let them out early. No mail to day, as there is a slip on the railway line, so that the train could not pass. The mail will come to Warkworth by train tomorrow.
Saturday 22nd Showery again to day. Minnie called in the afternoon. There should have been a football match in the Domain, but as so few turned up there was only a scratch match.
Sunday 23rd Still a showery day. There should have been a Methodist service in the morning. Revd Parson came but no one turned up.
Monday 24th A few showers in the morning, but very fine in the afternoon. Trevor Gravatt started a new mail service with his new car, it is three times a week from Leigh to Matakana, connecting with Gubb’s service between Matakana & Kaipara Flats. In the afternoon went up to the Cemetery and cut about 60 bean sticks.
Tuesday 25th There was no rain to speak of although there was a big rainbow in the morning.
The ladies belonging to the W.C.T.U and other friends tendered to Agnes Torkington a Kitchen tea in the Leigh [hall] as she is shortly going to be married to Sandy Matheson. After we had finished lunch Muriel Walden called saying she would take Jane & I over to it so we soon got dressed, her car was [waiting] at our gate, there was in the car Mrs Schollum & Ella Birdsall. There were about 30 ladies in the hall, Mrs Grigg presided, musical items were given by Mr & E. Grigg & Mr Milligan, also gramophone selections, Mr Stewart sang and gave a comic story , a table on the stage was loaded with useful presents, and the ladies provided afternoon tea.
Wednesday 26th It was a fairly fine day, Alma Whitaker came to spend the day.
The annual meeting to elect the Domain Board was held in the hall in the evening, Jim went to it.
Thursday 27th A few slight showers. I was not able to do anything in the garden, as everything was very wet.
Friday 28th A fine day, and much colder as the wind has gone round to the SW. Mr & Mrs Stewart were here for tea, and afterwards all of us went to the hall for the Community Singing, the attendance was not so numerous as usual. Receipts 35/- .
The Stewarts [staid] the night here.
Saturday 29th Fine day with the exception of a slight shower in the afternoon. In the afternoon Jim & Jane went to Matakana in Mr Rennie’s lorry to witness a Hockey & Football match.
Sunday 30th A showery day. There should have been an Anglican service in the hall in the morning Revd Addenbrooke came, and the Redwoods in their car, I went down, but no others turned up so there was no service. Mr Addenbrooke went for dinner to the Redwoods. As Dolly is at her mothers, Pat came here for dinner.
Monday 31st It was a fine day, ‘tho cold. I pulled up all the Canadian Wonder beans and put them on the rubbish heap. I enclosed the heap with boards and collected a lot of cow manure & put it on the heap.
The rainfall for May at Warkworth as recorded by the Postmaster was a total of 15.89 inches. Rain fell on 24 days, with a maximum of 4.52 inches on May 20th. Last year the fall of rain for the month of May was 8.28 inches.