Bluff Immigrants

It seems our Promotions Officer assisted in researching a family history according to his last report.  Seemingly he looked into a ship that entered Bluff with the family on board.  He checked the harbour board’s historical records which showed that ship didn’t enter here.  I don’t know what the ship (or family) was but realised that many people may be unaware of a site I came across years ago.

I don’t know who’s it is, if it’s still being updated or what but it has some interesting pictures and information including passenger lists and ships that brought Bluff’s early settlers.

Well worth a look

Still Doing Other People’s Jobs

Letters to the editor online and have to agree with rodeos being cruel.  They are a sad reflection on our so called evolved humane society.  Welcome to the world little calf, now we will terrify you by chasing you around and lassoing and tying you up, for our entertainment, and we’ll do it over and over and over again.  I have a view that if you won’t do something to your children then you shouldn’t do it to animals.  Surely they both deserve our protection and respect.

The godforsaken Bluff Beacon is also now online in a new folder for 2012.  If Mrs Mitchell is so community spirited and able to set up a website for the History Group (of course it is trying to sell books and glean research fees) then she could set up an archive site for the Beacon…hello, they will be historic one day!  I’m sick of circulating her bulls$#t when she is about to ruin any good media Bluff has by instigating a negative image for Bluff because of her own ego!  Don’t get me started…meanwhile historical groups should not only be researching history but ensuring that today’s society is being accurately recorded for future generations.

Seemingly there are 65 members in the History Group but I’m yet to hear of anyone other than Mrs Mitchell.  No offence intended to the rest of the group but you may like to promote yourselves a little more and not allow one person to be the public face of the organisation, it doesn’t portray a very good public image.

While I’m having a rant, I would also ask that you research it yourselves and not just obtain other people’s ‘research’.  The groups faith in ICC’s information being correct has led to many inaccuracies on the Lagan Street Cemetery board.  The same errors on the ICC cemetery search are on the Board.  I’m sorry but if there are 65 of you, didn’t ANYONE check?

For me it is an annoyance and I’ve stopped going up there because I’m sick of explaining to Asperger children why Te Wai Wai on the board is different than Te Wae Wae on the tombstone (and Te Wae Wae Bay, Te Wae Wae was Te Au’s father and whom the bay is named after).  Charles Henry Te Wae Wae Te Au was the second Charles Te Au baby to die at 9 months old.   The third Charles Te Au was Charles Thomas Te Au who made it to adulthood.  The fourth was Charles Lorne Te Au and of course the fifth is Charles Thomas Te Au (the second) a.k.a Charlie.  Not a traditional I have continued.

It does provide me an opportunity to explain to my children ‘don’t believe everything you read, check your own facts’

Cheap Bastards

For all the funding they receive I would hope the Southland Museum and Art Gallery could invest a little more money in a few 3M removable hooks!

I went to the museum today and was irritated by the cheap and ineffective method of hanging up the headphones.

They have five televisions at the top of the stairs in an all black alcove, because of the darkness I did not see the headphones beneath each screen.  Then my five-year old squealed as something in the darkness went thud.  The wide band headphones had come off their brass L cup hooks (like you buy at Mitre 10).   Even with the hook screwed in traditionally it would only just fit the band but these idiots screwed it in right next to a vertical batten (?) which reduced the hook size to about 15mm.  Hardly enough room to hang a tie let alone hefty hi-fi headphones.  I spent the next five minutes picking up headphones only to hear thud, squeal (as each promptly dropped again and startled a tired belligerent five-year old who was already on edge because she had earlier ‘heard’ the Roaring 40′s sea-lion).

I assume they couldn’t find a dwang and choose to mount the hooks on the stud next to the batten.  Maybe the battens are metal (too busy picking up headphones to find out) so they couldn’t screw into them, buggered if I know (or care).  Splurge out with that ratepayer funding and buy some 3M stick on hooks!  Please!

I must mention the embarrassment I felt over little things like the ineffective hooks, obscure signage and lovely old brass telescope that had what looked like tin foil wrapped around part of it.  Why?  We all know that things haven’t changed much for years but the average tourist would be unaware of that but the tacky shit like headphones and tin foil say something else…cheap bastards

Yesteryear

I realised that a page on this blog wasn’t going to work for the historical bits and bobs I come across so I started another blog.  I have put a link on right for those interested in history.  Each picture, postcard or article has a separate post with categories assigned so you can click on a category that interests you and see what I have filed under that.  Separate posts also allow for comments on that item.  If you know the date or date range or maybe what happened to the building or boat…etc.  If you just want to comment, feel free.  If you want a copy of any the images let me know c.teau@woosh.co.nz and I can email it, they are usually compressed for website use and may not be as good quality if just saved.

The current home page item is interesting I think, it’s a letter to the editor from 1885 about the future prospects of Bluff.  I think the most interesting point is that we are still saying the same a hundred plus years later…nothing changes.  The irony is, the author (unknown) is lauding the need for banking services in Bluff (then Campbelltown)…lol…what was I saying about an ATM?

1923-1928 From Sea

Panorama from sea

Not the greatest quality but still interesting.  Click to enlarge then point and click to zoom.

Finished!

Click to enlarge then point and click where ever you want to zoom in on

Bluff 1956

I’ve been working on piecing together a photo from Timeframes.  The detail is incredible on some photos.  I have used the zoom feature then copied each image and pieced them back together, at least 50 separate images for the one I’m working on.  Here is the top half that I have completed

November 1956

This image is 490 (pixels?) wide whereas the actual image I’m creating is 5000 wide.   There is a panorama which includes the whole of Bluff, detail isn’t quite as good but still interesting.  One picture I love is of the reservoir in 1955, stunning!  I was up there yesterday and it sucks.  Cracker mentions the mess at Sandy Point but at least they have lupins and hollyhocks (I thought they were foxglove).  We have gorse and blackberry.  It’s hard to get to the water’s edge now or even see it because of the dense weed growth.  I might work on that photo next.  The pump house below the reservoir is the most precarious structure and I may need to take a photo for those who don’t get up there.  The water is pouring out at a incredible rate, so much that a rock bridge has been made (by the loggers? ICC staff?) to allow dry feet.   It’s interesting to see the earlier photos, circa 1910, and what the hill actually had on it.   I know rope merchants came here to consider using the flax, maybe we should fill the damp areas with flax, using Robert’s seed ball idea of course!

19 January 1856

From the Otago Witness

Inverkelly?

At a celebratory dinner in Dunedin in 1856 in honour of the visit of Governor Thomas Gore Browne the guest of honour proposed naming the town at the Bluff after the Otago provincial superintendent, William Cargill. With the prefix ‘Inver’ – Scots for mouth of a river – Invercargill came into the world. Its previous name was Inverkelly, named for an early resident.

 

New Page Added

I’ve started a new page ‘Historic Bluff’ (top right) with images I’ve come across and descriptions if available.  It includes where the image came from in case anyone wants the image.  I ruthlessly stole most of them from websites, some will be the postcards I have purchased and scanned.

If I had the time I would love to take a photo of the same spot now but I’d probably be harassed by people who think I have an agenda…I like old pictures and I like Bluff (used to love it but redneck morons have taken that away – haven’t shut me up though LOL)

Will add more when I can.  Another endless task I’ve added to my list of things to do, seems I’m my own worst enemy.  I’m renowned for starting things I can’t finish (duh me)!

Big Picture Dreamers

I came across this site a while back and have been impressed with their commitment, communication and that they seem to problem solve along the way.  They have grandiose views and seem to be working toward them.  They had stages planned, 1, 2..etc..but due to funding issues they reinvented the stages and now have 2A and 2B.  They don’t seem to be sitting around going woe is me (or running to ICC), these guys (and girls) are selling scrap metal and Trade Me items for their cause.  Have a good look around their website, I find them inspiring.

They had to deal with ICC for two years over power issues and then store stuff in the Scottish Hall and even set up in the back of The Lollie Shop.  Here’s an article from their site from December 2010 about their plans and good on them for getting on with the job.  In my view they deserve a lot more credit but seem to be plodding away with few knowing the great attraction they are planning (and all within the Awarua Industrial Site)

Awarua Radio ZLB

The current building which houses the museum, is situated in the proposed reserve which will form part of the Invercargill City Council’s Awarua Industrial Site development 10km south of the city and was built in 1979 as a transmitting hall.

In 2008, members of the museum society, with funding assistance from the Community Trust of Southland and the ILT Foundation completed stage one of the project to replace the roof and reclad the external walls of the building at a cost of $61,000.

Stage two of the project will complete the upgrade of the building to meet current requirements for a public facility and contain a 48 seat Victorian style auditorium including vintage projection equipment. It will also house a modern museum display area featuring various highlights of Awarua ZLB’s colourful history and the role various communication devices played in Southlander’s lives in the 20th century.

The museum project team is currently working with a team of recognised heritage professionals including Chris Curry (Te Papa National Services), Dave Asher (South Coast Productions) and graphic designer Jacqui Byars to ensure that the visitor’s experience is a quality one.