THE MAFFEYS OF HORORATA

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32524, 6 February 1971, Page 11

THE MAFFEYS OF HORORATA

(By

I. D. MAFFEY)

The death of Miss Hilda Maffey in Christchurch last month broke the association of this well-known Hororata family with the district

Her father, Richard Maffey, was bom in Alton, Hampshire, on November 26, 1842, and in 1859, at the age of 17, sailed with his brother, John, for the Canterbury settlement where they took up land on the Hororata downs from 1866 onwards. Two years later he married Louisa, daughter of the dashing, red-headed Irish Major Byrne of Reading, Berkshire, at St Paul’s church, Papanui, and on the day of their wedding the young couple drove out to establish their new home at Hororata, which they named Glen Alton.

This consisted originally of a small dwelling built with virgin sod and a floor of earth. Later, as the family increased further rooms were added in wood, and sections of the sod walls were partly covered with weather boarding to protect them. A lovely orchard and a croquet lawn flanked by English

trees and a hawthorn hedge gave the homestead a picturesque setting. Remains of the old oven in which their bread was baked can still be seen today and the old dairy still stands, the thatching evident under the present iron roof.

These were the days When settlers had to be reasonably self sufficient, communication with the populated centres being by horse drawn transport only. When the railway from what is now Darfield to Whitecliffs opened in 1875, the position improved, but a visit to Christchurch still required virtually a full day. For the Maffeys it meant early rising, harnessing the horse and buggy to get to Coalgate station to catch the 7 a.m. train from Whitecliffs, a somewhat tedious journey to Darfield, shunting waggons en route, and transferring to the Springfield train which brought them to town. In the late afternoon, the performance was reversed and Hororata would be reached in time for a late tea.

Richard Maffey seems to have run a mixed farm, including some cattle and sheep. In his later years he was a well-known figure in the district, riding in his horse and buggy, with his white beard flowing in the wind. He was a lay-reader and churchwarden at St John’s Church, Hororata, for many years. He was also a keen supporter of the local library and associated with the Coalgate saleyards. Richard Maffey died in 1932, having previously left the running of the farm to one of his sons, the late Roberto (“Bert”) Maffey, who when he gave up farming made his home in Glentunnel.

Miss Hilda Maffey was the youngest of his nine children, all of whom were closely associated with the life of the church during their lives, Hilda, Maude and Edith giving yeoman service in the iSunday school and as church (organists. Maude, the music tether, with a very kindly

disposition, was well remembered among the then young people of the district for her efforts to introduce them to an appreciation of music. The Rev. Frank Wright, now vicar of Amberley, recalls

how, in his younger days, he was associated with Miss Hilda Maffey in playing for the dances held at Hororata and neighbouring districts at which she played the piano enthusiastically.

On her death the homestead passes to other ownership and soon the only remaining evidence may well be the road leading to the old homestead which bears the family name.