AvondaleAvondaleAvondaleAvondale----Waterview Waterview Waterview Waterview Historical Society IncorporatedHistorical Society IncorporatedHistorical Society IncorporatedHistorical Society Incorporated

NewsletterNewsletter No. 69 May—June 2014

Prepared by Lisa Truttman, President and Editor

how it basically was like Hayward did the silent ver-

sion all over again, in the same stagey dramatic style.

Quite bizarre, considering the quality of filmmaking

that already existed at that point from America and

Great Britain. And to think he was editing that when he

accidentally set some nitrate film stock alight in the

Avondale Town Hall cinema in 1939 and set it alight!

The 1940 movie looked like it was specially rushed out

in time for the centennial celebrations.

Next meeting of the

Avondale-Waterview Historical Society:

Saturday, 7 June 2014, 2.00 pm At St Ninians, St Georges Road, Avondale

Whau Local Board Guest Speakers

Contact Alison Turner, 825-0300, if you have any

suggestions for our Guest Speakers schedule for the

new year.

Next speaker in June: Tony Goodwin, on his life in

Waterview and Avondale

The Board’s review of previously researched sites in

the area is now with Auckland Council. The Board

have also approved a project for interpretive signs at

Tait Park (pending since two years ago), Riversdale

Reserve, Arthur Currey Reserve in New Windsor, and

Saunders Reserve beside the Whau River.

NZ Federation Conference and AGM,

Te Awamutu April 2014

My thanks to the AWHS for helping to pay for my ac-

commodation at Te Awamutu and the conference regis-

tration. It was, by and large, a successful conference.

The business was carried out in the Waipa District

Council’s chamber — an excellent room with circular

table for carrying on discussions and deliberating over

matters such as the Federation’s change of name (to

become New Zealand History Federation), and matters

regarding IT requirements for museums and databases.

Those who went on the bus tour of the Waikato War

sites reported that they had a wonderful time, with ex-

cellent commentary from Robin Astridge. In the coun-

cil chamber itself, and the foyer, displays were put up

featuring the First World War/Anzac theme and reflect-

ing on Royal Tours past (considering the Tour was hap-

pening close by in Cambridge, most apt).

After dinner, the day ended with a showing of Rudall

Hayward’s 1940 “The Last Stand”, a remake with

sound of his silent movie “Rewi’s Last Stand”. I can’t

say the movie has aged well at all — I was struck by

The times are a’changing

In recent news, the property at Avondale Road formerly

owned by the late AWHS member Kurt Brehmer is

being sold as this newsletter is going to print. This

property was the last remnant of the total site of Hay-

ward Wrights nursery on Rosebank.

Also, Robert Bruce Connell has passed away on 2 May

2014, aged 91, one of the last of the Rosebank market

gardeners.