My schooling was at Pukemiro primary plus three miserable years at Huntly College.
Life in Pukemiro was great, we had a lot of space around us, plenty of farmland and playgrounds. The school was at the top of the hill and my days there were very good. The Headmaster at the time was Basil Arnold and he was a veteran from the first world war. Unlike my grandfather he did not mind talking about his experiences of that time and he ...
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Mum and Dad had met when they were young and they were both babies when their respective families had bought them to Pukemiro.
When I was old enough to start college the advice given to me at that time by dad was “Do not work with your hands, work with your head. I do not want you to go and work down the coal mine.” There was no ...
Continue Reading ? ShareI always wanted to travel and as a kid I dreamed of going to Christchurch in the UK to see where my dad was born. This happened to actually happen later in my life when I was twenty one years old and when I think back it was a goal well achieved.
The picture is of the Christchurch Priory where my father was christened before coming to New Zealand.
Glen Afton was another coal mine close to the settlement of Pukemiro. The trains from Huntly came through as far as Glen Afton. There was a number of passenger trains from and to Huntly plus a number of coal trains taking coal from the Glen Afton Colleries in addition to coal from the McDonald mine and the Pukemiro mine.
The coal from the McDonald mine came to Glen Afton by a two way rope driven skip way and the Pukemiro coal ...
Continue Reading ? ShareThe Pukemiro Ambulance brigade was very active in the township. There was a good bunch of people who were involved. They gave their time for free and as far as I know were used on regular occassions for both coal mine accidents and private matters.
Continue Reading ? SharePrior to coming to New Zealand my grandfather Walter Hilliar fought in the first world war. I recently uncovered many photos that I had never seen before. These photos are of my grandfathers regiment in the UK. He was in the artillery and was sent to Ypres in Belgium where he fought and survived tough conditions. He rarely spoke of these experiences but I do know he came in contact with gas and yet survived.
Continue Reading ? ShareArthur Robinson was one of the very first residents to settle in Pukemiro. Arthur arrived in a horse and cart and I believe at that time there was no bridge across the Waikato river at Huntly. Arthur was the father of my Uncle Ron Robinson who was married to my dads sister. These good people played a very big role in my life and I am most grateful. Arthur is pictured here with Martha his wife on the far left ...
Continue Reading ? ShareThe Hilliar family together with the Nelson family.
As mention before my Grandparents on both sides immigrated from the UK to New Zealand. Walter Hilliar and his wife Mabel came to Pukemiro in 1927. My very first memories in this settlement are still very clear to this very day.
I can still remember as far back as being in my cot as a baby, afraid of the dark and I rattled the side of the cot on a number of occasions trying ...
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