Long Family Association In Station Management

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29246, 2 July 1960, Page 8

Long Family Association In Station Management

Twenty-three or 24 miles inland from Hawarden lies the -little sod homestead of the Eskhead station, still the headquarters of the property aftef 97 years. In the last few days a new family has. been settling into toe homestead. The change has more than ordinary significance for the continuity of management of this station has almost equalled its continuity of ownership. EskhCad, which lies at the head of the south branch of the Hurunui between Mount White and the L akes Stations, was taken up in 185& by Christopher Edward Dampier, whoeameto Canterbury in 1850 as solicitor Of the Canterbury Association. It has been In the hands Of the tame family ever singe, _ After Christopher Dampier, Croslegh DampierCrossley was its owner and it now belongs to H. M. C. DmnpierCroMley, Who took over after the death pt his father before World War 1. Managers About 1873, Angus Kennedy wen to Eskhead as its first manager. When he died there 51 years later he was succeeded by a grandson, Angus Trftmper. Angus Trumpets father had been a shepherd on Eskhead and had married a daughter of Angus Kennedy. Angus Trumper died in 1952 and ■his place as manager was taken by hit son, Harry Trumper, who left the station at the end of May for Banks Peninsula, where he is BOW managing Springvale estate. Little River, breaking a family association with Eskhead dating back 87 years. Before he

took over the management of the station from . his fathet, Harry Trumpet worked on the station under hie father for seven years. The homestead at Eskhead is the same house that Christopher Edward Dampier had built lit 1863. It is a characteristically lbwslung sod structure With Walls 18 inches thick, making it Snug in winter and equally cool ih summer. The former is an essential quality in this country, Where this week a blow lamp was being used to “unfreeze” exposed pipes. It had a thatched roof and the thatch can still be Been under the eaves of a more recently fitted iron roof.

Most Visitors to Eskhead have tb stoop down to get inside the miniature back door. It is a little dark inside but in the kitchen today modern appliances stand out in contrast with the thatched toof held in place by birch beams. Over the fireplace in the dining room hang the silver framed photographs of Angus Kennedy and ms Wife and Over the dining table an old milk basin acts as. a shade and reflector for the lights—there is a diesel lighting

plant. The Old house has changed little over the years and it baa needed surprisingly tittle Upkeep. It is L-shaped With four bedrooms, a sitting room and dining room and a kitchen'.

The homestead ilea about four miles above the' junction of the south and north branches of the Hurunui and is reached by a narrow and winding road which at

first follows the Waitohi and later the south branch of the Hurunui. e Eskhead station covers an area - of 35,000 acres running up to a n little more than 6000 ft, and carries , between 11,000 and 13,000 sheep ' and 300 head of cattle. In the past is the flock has been all Metinb !t but now halfbreds are being ’• introduced. Thfe Cattle are mainly Herefords. 8 “ Shearing 11 e In the early flays the sheep g were driven over the Eskhead i, tops and thence down the Ashley e to Woodend to Dampier's Brockr enhUrst property at Woodend to y be shorn.

In the last three years 10 miles of utility vehicle track have been built connecting the homestead with two of the three station huts. Apart from facilitating the Servicing of these huts and the movement of portable dipping equipment tor treating the sheep out on the station, it has also speeded up the driving bf sheep into the station homestead, a journey from the hut nearest the homestead, which once took 10 hours, has now been shortened to three. Mr and Mrs A. N. Macdonald and their family of five children are the new occupants of the little White and green homestead at Eskhead. The baek country is also in their blood. They have come to Eskhead from Snowdon in the Rakaia and before' that from the Mackenzie. This week their two daughters were settling back again to correspondence school lessons.