DIAMOND HARBOUR Waterman’s cottage and the first community hall

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33153, 17 February 1973, Page 11

DIAMOND HARBOUR Waterman’s cottage and the first community hall

(By

OLIVER HUNTER)

Just above the concrete steps near Diamond Harbour wharf, may still be seen a shallow level excavation, but there will not be nearby the old almond tree once so beautiful when in bloom.

Nor today will there be any remnant of the cottage which was once so important a landmark on the windswept point.

It was the home of a waterman—a ferryman with a oneman rowing and sailing boat. Wyman was his name and from his point of vantage he could be the first waterman to sight and reach a ship when she cast anchor off Diamond Harbour. He would probably have a few vegetables or some fruit from the settlers that would be welcomed aboard a vessel where half the crew might be down with scurvy, caused by lack of fresh food. Then he would, perhaps, have to take some of the ship’s officers to Port, and return, and so began a ferry service from Diamond Harbour. Wish so many ships of many nations, anchored in the stream, Mr Wyman was probably kept fully employed. Seventy six years ago my father bought the deserted old cottage for the timber that still remained. I went with him by sailing boat to bring the timber home by sea to Church Bay. The day was fine but while we loaded the boat the wind from the north-east rose to a gale, while running before the wind, we, in an overloaded square sterned open boat, almost came to grief just off Payne’s Quarry. Beneath the dusty floor of that old cottage we had found a large quantity of neatly stacked splendid crockery. “Mellor, Taylors and Company, England’’ was the brand, but, alas, all except a few saucers had been crushed beneath the broken floor. A stunning shot “What are you looking at Boy? ” asked my father when I stood staring at the wall of that cottage when we approached it to begin its demolition. "Nothing Dad” I replied innocently, but in that wall I could still see some widly scattered shot holes. Four years before, as a boy of 10, I, with half a dozen other hardy urchins, had stood in close single file behind the hero who had fired that shot and survived. He was slightly the eldest of the band. He had secured his father’s rusty old muzzle loading pistol which had a long large-bore barrel and was of about Crimean vinttage. The old cottage, at ten paces, was chosen as his target. He had, he said, "loaded her right up to the muzzle” so we raw recruits expected a good shot—it was. There was a blinding flash a cannon-like report, a cloud of smoke, and from the still outstretched hand of our leader, that pistol whirling like a propeller, soared skyward, while we scattered to dodge the scrap-iron which ended its flight, muzzle downwards, deeply embedded in the edge of the roadway, exactly where we had been standing. Another spot worthy of mention, is the low knoll which slightly elevates the lower end of the tidy picnic area between Godley House and the wharf. Through past years all types of earthworking machinery have been employed to smooth the surface of the ground, obliterating every trace of the spot, where in the 1890, stood

the first community hall in Diamond Harbour. Today, 75 years later, residents of the garden suburb, justly proud of their present Soldiers Memorial Community Hall are asking if such a building ever existed. Yes it did —an experiment born of pressing necessity, which did more to link Diamond Harbour to Lyttelton socially than had anything else. The first road If a complete and comprehensive history of Diamond Harbour, from the early days of the first land buyers there —the Rev. R. B. Paul 1850 and Mark Stoddart 1857—is ever written, the names of other progressive men who left their marks, locally— Harvey Hawkins, John Stinson, George Fleming and George Laurenson, M.P.— might well be added in that order. The first three of those six names, are already well recorded. John Stinson, was the contractor who, with his workmen, using only the crude hand-tools of the 1870 period, formed through rugged rocky terrain the first road from Charteris Bay to Purau beach. When formed, this road gave two-way land access to Diamond Harbour where a branch road to the wharf soon developed. Stinson had already acquired property in the port where his small private residence remained intact until its demolition when excavation for the road tunnel swept away the land on which it stood. Stinson was Mayor of Lyttelton in 1896. After Hawkins had vacated Godley House, Mr and Mrs Stinson

and members of their genial adult family took up residence there for a time, and by loving care of the 18roomed premises and by saving them from ruin by vandals and neglect, did so much to preserve for our admiration a landmark, prominent, beautiful and historic. Throughout a long period of uncertainty most of the original Stoddart land, except for a small area of 32 acres bought from Stoddart s estate by Messrs A. and J. Hunters of Church Bay, was being leased to local farmers. Remarkable man One bright spark from the dynamic mind of George Spencer Fleming, owner and occupier of many broad acres in the back-blocks of Port Levy, took effect in Diamond Harbour. Fleming was indeed a remarkable man. Besides sheep and cattle farming and dealing, and also harvesting cocksfoot seed on his own land, he at times leased and farmed large areas of nearby farms, or the old “Scab Run” and Education Reserve, a grazing area south of Little Port Cooper. Who could imagine, that the tall Herculean, florid-faced man, skilfully working a team of bullocks or a couple of laden pack-horses in rough country could ever find time to worry about the large flock of sheep he farmed on far away Auckland Island?

One thing did worry him constantly—the need for better, safer and faster transport and postal and telephone facilities between his home and Christchurch, 30 miles distant via hill roads. His varied business, including attendance at stock sales at Addington, demanded much of his time and attention. Stories of his attempts to reach or communicate quickly with Christchurch are still legendary on Banks Peninsula. He could choose between riding direct to the city or catch a steam launch at Port Levy, but it ran to an uncertain timetable. He occasionally rode to Purau or Diamond Harbour, paddocked his horse there, then tried to find any vessel afloat that might help him to cross the harbour. Finally he bought a large row-boat and moored it near the old derelict wharf on the east side of Purau Bay. Wind and weather were seldom co-operative, and soon put an end to this seafaring. Ideas ridiculed Fleming’s lone efforts to start a telephone service were incessant. His original idea was a telephone line on poles to be erected across the mudflats from Governor’s Bay to Charteris Bay. Then came his finally accepted scheme, for a complete Christchurch-round-the-harbour service to Port Levy.

As with the later Lyttelton borough extension scheme, open ridicule greeted every early mention of such a “fantastic proposition.” Meanwhile all lower Diamond Harbour was intermittently overrun by varying

numbers of picknickers, campers, visitors and sightseers. It was at this stage that George Fleming had a good idea. “First build a hall,” he said, “that will give shelter and be a place of entertainment to people who do come here. It will encourage them to stay and as they increase >n numbers they will help us all to get a better and regular boat service. Other conveniences will follow.” No immediate response came from Diamond Harbour, while from the chronically progress-resistant dwellers m neighbouring bays, there came such damaging queries as "Have you heard about Fleming’s Diamond Harbour asylum? ” However a few Lyttelton businessmen of brighter intellect boldly accepted the proposal and helped the scheme along. A weather-board. hall seemed to spring up overnight with conveniences commendable for those days. A smooth hardwood floor was laid for dancing and rollerskating. Around the knoll, a broad, level, circular, footracing track, was formed, and nearby grass was closely clipped so that outdoor sports could be held there. Mission fulfilled The numbers of visitors increased, and, as foretold, improvements in services folMaved — telephone and postal service and at last a regular boat service. The hall fulfilled its mission far beyond expectations. I have every reason to remember that first hall. My parents and family, of whom I was very much a junior member, had been invited to attend the wedding of my cousin. The wedding was held in the picturesque old cottage built by Stoddart. It was, at the time of the wedding, leased and occupied by the parents of the bride, who were then farming the main area of the property. Under the watchful eye of my oldest sister, I was permitted to attend the wedding dance held in the hall at night, where the customary opening grandmarch was led off by the indispensable pair of newly weds. The whirling dancers, the uncertain flickering lights of lamps and candles, the gay decorations and the rhythmic music ail combined to leave an indelible impression on my mind. I do not know if Mr Fleming ever had or maintained any financial interest in the building The first Diamond Harbour communitv hall was dismantled and transported, by sea, to Sumner or New Brighton, there to be re-erected as a nucleus of another project. Once again the mostly unsettled folk of Diamond Harbour were without a leader until the advent of Mr George Laurenson, member of Parliament for Lyttelton, who had to fight and win his election campaign while simultaneously battling for and carrying through his Lyttelton borough extension scheme.