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| Governors Bay 1926 |
Now here's an interesting photo, especially in relation to an earlier post in which Murray Radcliffe commented on the original Governors Bay store. Here it is, on the left hand side of the road, quite a substantial building. Jones' Motors is on the right, where the store was later located and where She Cafe is now.
There are some other intriguing features in this photo. On the left, above the store roof, I can see a framework which might be part of Tapley's cherry cages?? Someone might correct me on that - or confirm it. The jetties are interesting. The one in the distance at Sandy Bay Point would still have been in use. The Governors Bay jetty, on the right, had its final lengthening completed in 1927. Is it possible that they are actually working on it in this photo? Too indistinct to be sure...
Does anyone know who the two men in the foreground are?
Finally, my apologies. I've been trying to keep a record of where photos have come from - libraries, museums, locals... My record keeping hasn't always been the best and I can't acknowledge this one I'm afraid. If and when I can, I will!
In 1865/66, the Hall Brothers of Governors Bay delivered 400 cubic meters of cut tufa stone to the site of the Christchurch Cathedral. The stone, said to look like chalk speckled with coal dust, was quarried in the Allandale valley on the property of Paul Hodgson. At this stage, it is not known if the stone was eventually used in the Cathedral as construction was halted for several years due to lack of funds. However, the stone was used in the first Christchurch Town Hall, St Johns on Latimer Square and the Trinity Congregational Church (later known as the Octagon). Samuel Hall built the stone cottage above the Lyttelton Road, and it's likely the Hall Brothers supplied stone for the bridge which is currently being repaired on the corner below. However, I know little more about the Hall Brothers other than Samuel made a mean parsnip wine (according to Frances Cresswell).
My name is Joseph Aldridge and I am looking for further information about the Hall Brothers. I can't find any mention of their descendants but would love to make contact with anyone who knows anything about them or anything more about their quarrying of Hodgson's Burnside Quarries. I can be contacted on wordsmith156@gmail.com.
NB: Joseph is currently writing a history of Living Springs and is researching Allandale history as part of that project.
