avondale historical journal 80

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The Avondale

Historical Journal

November—December 2014 Volume 14 Issue 80

Official Publication of the Avondale-Waterview Historical Society Incorporated

Next meeting of the

Avondale-Waterview Historical

Society:

At St Ninians, St Georges Road

(opp. Hollywood Cinema)

SATURDAY, 6 December 2014, 2.00 pm

A Triple Wedding in 1914

Lynley Stone, a family historian, sent through thewonderful photograph above, three couples marrying at atriple wedding on 30 July 1914, held at the house of Joeland Elizabeth Hopkins, at around 309 Blockhouse BayRoad. It looks like the villa still exists today. They were:

Alice Annie Hopkins to Henry William Lamb,Emily Elizabeth Hopkins to Alfred James Burrows,and Harry Hopkins to Alice Hobbs.

continued on page 2



The Avondale Historical Journal Volume 14 Issue 80

Avondale Presbyterian Church Roll of

Honour

Reverend Robert Barton Gosnell (Methodist) officiated.

One of the grooms, HenryLamb, was enlisted as a rifle-man during the First WorldWar which followed, 25 July1916 (31417). Born atHerekino 24 August 1889, hehad been living at Houhora inNorthland as a self-employedlabourer and gum diggerwhen he married AliceHopkins. The couple wereliving at Houhora in 1915when a daughter, Alice Elsiewas born, and another daugh-

ter Majorie Edith was born in January 1917 in Auckland,

so his wife Alice was pregnant with their second childwhen he enlisted, and must have returned to the familyhome on Blockhouse Bay Road for support. He was dis-charged July 1918 as physically unfit for service aftersuffering a shell wound to the right firearm atPasschendaele in October 1917 which led to that arm’samputation. The army then proceeded to give him cleri-cal training at Oatlands Park in England for a fewmonths until he was shipped home, where he studiedshorthand, book-keeping, commercial arithmetic, stencil-ling, rotary duplicator work, and typewriting. After thewar (as at 1921), he and Alice lived in Victor Street,

Avondale.

Alice, Emily and Harry’s brother,William John Hopkins, was also liv-ing at the family home at BlockhouseBay Road when he enlisted in October1915 as a private, later sergeant. Bornin Surrey, England 21 February 1895,he worked in Avondale as a butcherfor H & J Binsted. He served in the2nd Battalion, Otago Regiment(23/1679). He was discharged as

medically unfit in 1918 after receivinga wound to the jaw on the Somme in1917.

Joel and Elizabeth appear to have been living onTitirangi Road, New Lynn, when Joel died 20 May 1924,aged 65.

Those identified by Lynley in the photo(front page) areas follows:From left (clustered into logical groups):

Unknown womanHerb Malam (rear), May Malam (given name MabelMary Hopkins), holding Graham Malam.Alf Lamb (Harry Lamb’s brother); Ben Hopkins (given

name Arthur Hopkins), Harry Lamb and Alice Lamb(nee Hopkins). Unknown flower girl, possibly Harry’ssister or niece. Jack Hopkins (given name William JohnHopkins), Bridesmaid (friend of Alice’s); unknownwoman, possibly Harry’s sister.Harry Hopkins, George Hopkins, Alice Hopkins (neeHobbs), George Burrows, Eadie HopkinsJoel Hopkins (father); Alf and Emmie Burrows, (neeHopkins), Bill Burrows (Alf’s brother); Elsie HopkinsIvy Burrows (Bill’s wife) holding Jean Burrows; Eliza-beth Hopkins (mother) with dog; May Hopkins (neeScott) holding Buster Hopkins.

Lynley describes herself as “I’m an amateur family his-

torian, really interested in the Avondale/New Lynn/

Kelston area. My families of interest are the Hopkins and

Gibson families, both of whom arrived in the area be-

tween 1908-1915. Between 1912 and 1925 they marriedinto families with names of Malam, Lamb, Burrows,

Whittaker, Matheson, Hobbs.” She is very keen to hearfrom anyone who has further information on the family,or has connections with them. Contact her [email protected], or phone 849-8274.

Recently, I was asked by Auckland Council to contributeresearch toward the text of the two First World War heri-tage trail signs here in Avondale, one at Memorial Park,the other Avondale Racecourse. In the course of that, Ilooked through Papers Past to see what was going on inAvondale during the war — and discovered a roll ofhonour of which I had not been aware .

A wedding in wartime

The triple wedding on 30 July may have been one of thelast, if not the last peacetime wedding in the greaterAvondale district before WWI — but just as a point ofinterest the first one during the war period itself was at StJudes, September 1916.

The first war wedding in Avondale took place this week,

at St. Jude's Church, when Private Harry Walker was

married to Miss E Lees. The bride, who was attended by

two bridesmaids (Miss Emily Lees and Miss Bertha

Walker) looked very sweet in a beautiful dress of. white

crepe de chine, white satin train, veil, and orange blos-

soms, and was given away by her brother, Mr B Lees.

The best man was Private Parkes, and Private Grovesacted as groomsman. The Rev Cable officiated. The

bridegroom leaves very shortly for the front. ( Auckland

Star 16 September 1916)



The Avondale Historical Journal Volume 14 Issue 80

William Ralston INGRAMD McLEAN

R BAINFrederick (George) OXENHAMReginald Philip FILLUELEJames Alexander CROOKS

Served: H HERONJohn Samuel BROWNEFrederick Harry WALKERW A WOODWARDArthur John COUTANCHEGeorge (Richard) HAM(P)SHIRE

Frederick Ivo HAM(P)SHIREN W HAMSHIREJohn Alexander MILLER (Millar)John CRAWFORDGeorge Joseph HOLLINGERArthur (John) HOLLINGERAlexander STEWARTG F F REIDJ R HOYESC INGRAMWilliam Neilson INGRAMRobert Somerville INGRAM

John McCRAEA D DAVISDr Susan Annie ROBERTSONSister Nancy Marion ROBERTSON

At the request of the Government, yesterday was

observed by religious bodies throughout the Dominion

as a day of prayer for the war. Appropriate serviceswere held in all the local churches, and the size of the

congregations showed that in general the Government'

suggestion was very heartily supported. Well-attended

united gatherings were also organised by many local

bodies … A special service was held in the Avondale

Presbyterian Church in the afternoon, when a roll of

honour was unveiled. The members of the Avondale unit

of the National Reserve and the local Boy Scouts were

present. ( Auckland Star 8 October 1917)

This was Avondale’s second Roll of Honour, after the

Oddfellows Lodge one unveiled in June that same year.The Avondale Union Parish very kindly granted me per-mission to photograph the roll, where it is displayed atpresent in their church on upper Rosebank Road.

The roll (above) is divided between those who died inservice, and others who served during the war.

Killed in action:Alexander John McLEANJ M McLEANR McLEAN

Robert John WILLOUGHBYR GIBSONReuben FLAXMANJames Parker McCRAE

avondale historical journal 80

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