The Collins Family
- Greg Austen
- Jul 17
- 37 min read
Updated: Jul 20
My mother's sister Gwenda married Russell Collins on 17 March 1945. My mother and Gwenda had a great relationship. Gwenda was the big sister who always looked after her. I have my own very fond memories of times with Gwenda and Russell and my cousins Larraine and Linda. It has been a great pleasure to research and write this blog. I am very grateful to Linda for sharing some wonderful family photos and information about the Collins family.
The Pepper Pot House
I was not certain about where to start this blog. So I just dived into learning a bit more about Russell's family. I knew that his family home was and still is a landmark house in Ponsonby of some historic significance. I also knew that he and Gwenda lived next door to his parents home and that I had stayed there for a few days when I was a very small boy- I think when only about age 4.
The Collins family home was named the Pepper Pot by Russell's mother Minnie Collins, because of its distinctive turret. The house was built during the 1890s. The builder is thought to have been Eric Holman a builder who we know from the deeds records owned the section at 58 St Marys Rd from June 1890 when he purchased it for 150 pounds until December 1897 when he sold it for 775 pounds. The large increase in price suggests a house had been built during this time. It is also possible that the architect of the house was William Holman who was either a brother or cousin of Eric Holman. William signed the deed of sale on behalf of Eric Holman.
William's father Henry Holman was also an architect and had trained his son. William started his own practice in Auckland in 1893. He designed many well known residential and commercial buildings in Auckland.
The house was rented by a young barrister and solicitor Christopher James Parr, during the period 1896 to 1900. Of interest is that Parr witnessed the 1897 deed of sale. Parr was a most impressive man. In addition to being elected Mayor of Auckland in 1911 he subsequently became MP for Eden in 1914 and in 1926 was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner in London, a position he held until 1936.
Over the period from 1897 to 1920 the house had 8 different owners. The periods of ownership varied from 5 years to as short as a few months in the case of a Mr Caughey, from whom Arthur Ernest Collins bought the house in October 1920. Our research shows that Arthur and his family lived at 42 St Marys Rd until around 1938 when they moved into number 58.
The occupier of 58 St Marys Rd for the period until 1938 was Norman Matheson a blacksmith. He had in fact occupied 58 since 1911. It seems he may have had a long term rental agreement that Arthur either could not or chose not to terminate when he purchased the house.
Norman was the 5th son of Norman Matheson of Vermont St Ponsonby.
His marriage to Sarita Mabel Porter in 1902 is recorded below.
The 1911 Electoral Roll below shows us that Norman and his wife Sarita are at 58 St Marys Rd. In addition we can see that Norman's father is at 40 Vermont St. Norman's father describes himself simply as a "settler". It is interesting to see that also on the Electoral Roll at 40 Vermont St are Angus Matheson, carriage builder, Annie Matheson spinster, Colin Matheson, grocer, and Flora Matheson spinster. At 27 Vermont St are Alexander Matheson, plumber and his wife Emily.
Although Norman shows his occupation as blacksmith he worked in the shipbuilding industry. He was also a very keen sailor. Below is the article that I came across when searching for information about Norman. The very fine looking launch is mentioned in the comments below it as having belonged to Norman Matheson of St Marys Bay. It also says that Norman was the "Zeed measurer".
The article below tells us a bit more about Norman's work. As a trained blacksmith Norman no doubt had skills that suited the heavy repair work on commercial craft.
Norman's work competing in and promoting the Z class yachts (referred to in the article above as "zeed") was recognised by the Takapuna Yacht Club who made him an honorary life member in 1939.
Below is a wonderful example of a Z class yacht.
Although the information on Norman takes a small detour from the Collins family story it adds to our picture of this part of Ponsonby during the ealry 1900s. On a Saturday morning the street of St Marys Rd probably had a steady stream of families such as the Collins and Mathesons heading down to the bay. The Collins family would have headed to the West End Rowing Club and the Mathesons to the Ponsonby Yacht Club.
Letholite
The other Collins family connection I am familiar with, which is also a Ponsonby landmark, is the building that was the premises of the Collins family business Letholite, founded by Russell's father Arthur Ernest Collins.
Below is a record I found online of a Letholite Travel Case held in a museum. This shows the "high end" luggage that was included in the range of travel luggage produced by the company. There is an interesting reference to the Dunedin retailer Home of Suitcases and its owner Miss Jimsie C Fraser.
The excellent article below describes the Letholite business in great detail. It was published in the Auckland Sun on 22 March 1930.
The two images below are from a collection held in the Auckland Museum of photographs taken by the firm Sparrow Industrial Pictures Ltd for their client Palmer, Collins & Whitaker in 1951.
The advertisement below was placed in the New Zealand Herald on 17 February 1919.
Letholite moved out of the Ponsonby Rd building in the 1980s having sold the building to Joe Adams of Joes Bargain House fame. Letholite moved to premises in Felton Mathew Ave, Glen Innes.
Below is the description of the Letholite building contained in the advertisement.
George Mills-Palmer
In searching for information about Letholite I came across some very interesting details about partner and director George Mills-Palmer. He joined Arthur and his partner D.F. Whitaker at some stage in 1918. This was just prior to the move of the business from Graham St to Ponsonby Rd.
George was a Public Accountant. He arrived in NewZealand from the UK in around 1909. It seems that he he was born around 1881 in Stoke Newington, Middlesex England. He married Winifred Clarke in Surrey in 1904. Their only child was a daughter Anita who was born in Otahuhu New Zealand in 1909.
By 1916 George and Winifred were living at 13 Cheltenham Rd, Devonport. George was listed as a Public Accountant. It seems that when he joined Letholite he brought some considerable financial skills. This was at a time when it was getting well established and growing into a very substantial business. George might also have had some useful connections in the UK. Below is a record of a business trip to London in 1920. This was following the first stage of the construction of the building on Ponsonby Rd in 1919.
By 1930 Letholite was looking for more capital to enable it to continue its growth and make the most of its recent expansion of the Ponsonby Rd building.
It is also apparent that George established an involvement with the Auckland Manufacturers Association. He became its Vice-President. He was also the President of the Auckland Master Sadlers Association. This may seem odd. However many of the employees at Letholite were leather workers and therefore were members of this association.
A surprising side to George was his interest in sailing. He also seemed to have done well financially. He had a very nice yacht designed and built.
Following the launch of his yacht Mills-Palmer sailed it to Suva and back. He seems to have taken to wearing a captain's uniform which is a little over the top for a private yacht. He also undertook lessons in navigation.
The article below provides an insight into the financial performance of Letholite in 1936. The numbers look small compared to today's values. Using the Reserve Bank inflation calculator the net profit of 3,243 pounds would be an amount of 492,737 pounds if increased for the effects of inflation from 1935 to 2025. The company's paid capital of 17,100 pounds would be 2,598,151 and its fixed assets 3,305,122 pounds. This is a very broad brush approximate comparison but assists in putting the past values into the context of todays values. Over the period since its establishment in 1912 Arthur and his partners had grown a very successful business.The company was listed on the stock exchange.
Here is an advertisement for workers. Note the provision of morning tea and wireless!
The Collins Family History
Russell's father Arthur Ernest Collins was born in 1883 in London. His parents were Arthur Seldon Collins and Alice Honor Davis Chapman. They married in Camberwell in the County of Surrey on 6th April 1882. Arthur Seldon Collin's occupation is shown as Glue Manufacturer. He was age 29 when he married Alice. His address is shown as Belvedere Marshes, Kent. His father is shown as being Eli Earl Collins a Solicitor. Alice's father James Chapman was an Accountant. Alice was age 23 and lived at 11 Culmore Rd, Camberwell.
The wedding record is shown below.
Arthur Ernest was baptised on 15 April 1883 as recorded below.
The photo below is possibly of Arthur Seldon Collins. It was found on a Family Tree on Ancestry labeled as an "unverified" photo of him.
Arthur Seldon Collins and his wife Alice had the children shown below. The first four namely Arthur, Horace, Daisy and Archie were born in England. They were respectively aged 9, 8, 4 and 2 at the time of their journey to new Zealand.
Arthur Ernest
I will set out more about Arthur and his family later in this blog.
. Horace Sydney- known as Syd
Horace was born 1 October 1884 and died in March of 1941.
The photo below has come from an Ancestry site and matches what we know of Syd. There is also a good resemblance to Syd in the Collins group family photo shown above, although he is clearly older and no longer has the very impressive moustache.
Syd was a bookbinder by trade. The Electoral Roll for Waitemata in 1911 shown below lists located at Birkdale Arthur Selden (but Selden is shown as Pelden) occupation Size maker, Alice Honor Davis his wife, Archie their son with the occupation of farm labourer, Daisy their daughter, and Horace Sydney bookbinder.
Syd married Hildred Fanny Whatford in 1911. He and Fanny had a daughter Averille Phoebe Hildred born in 1914.
The below Electoral Roll of 1935 shows mother Alice Honor Davis Collins at Tui Cres, Beachhaven, Averill Phebe at Tramway Rd Birkdale and her parents Hildred and Horace also at Tramway Rd.
Gilbert Wentworth Collins, Clerk of Birkdale and his wife Ida Mary are listed at Victoria Rd West, Birkdale.
Below is the record of the Attestation made by Syd in respect of potential service in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1918.
Below is Syd's death notice.
Daisy Millicent Alice
Daisy was born 5 September 1888 and died 31 August 1957.
Daisy married William Lewis Chamberlain at St Peters Church Birkdale on 17 March 1913
Daisy and William had six children as follows;
William Arthur born 1914, died 1970
Edith Alice born 1915, died 1978
Sidney Lewis born 1917, died 1987
John Martin born 1919, died 1991
Doris born 1923, died 2016
Betty born 1924, died 2009.
Archie Seldon
Archie was born on 9 August 1890 at Belvedere, Kent. He died on 18 December 1980.
He was a farm labourer according to the Electoral Roll Records we have found. Like his brother Syd he enlisted for service in WW1. A copy of his application for Enlistment dated 20 October 1915 is below.
Archie's grave marker indicates he served in the Rifle Brigade.
It seems that Archie did marry but it sadly did not work out well. Below is a newspaper account dated June 1937 which outlines the dissolution of his marriage.
Doris Ellen
Doris was born 1894. She was the first child born to the family following their arrival in New Zealand.
We have no information about Doris other than that she very sadly died at age 4 and is buried at the Waikumete Cemetery.
Lawrence Earle
Lawrence was born on 5 April 1895 in Christchurch New Zealand. He died while serving at Ypres on 1 December 1917. The story of Lawrence is set out later in this blog.
Elsie Victoria
Elsie was born 1897 in Stuart St, Ponsonby, Auckland. She died 7 April 1971.
Elsie married Edgar Frederick Isaac Hadlow in 1921. They had two children. Lawrence Edgar was born 27 January 1922. He died 11 August 1991. Malcolm John was born 1924 and died 1993.
A Census record has Elsie and Edgar living in Wallace Rd, Papatoetoe. Their cemetery records indicate they later moved to Edmund St, St Heliers.
Gilbert Wentworth
Gilbert was like Elsie born in Stuart St, Ponsonby, Auckland. He was born January of 1900 and died at age 60 on 15 August 1960.
He married Ida Mary Lock in 1922. Their children were Faith Rosemary born 25 February 1924, died 2015, John Wentworth born 1926 died 1971, Robin Alexander born 1931 died 2006 and Gilbert Ross born 1936 died 1984.
The 1935 Electoral Roll below shows Gilbert and Ida living at Victoria Road West, Birkdale. At this time Gilbert's mother Alice is a widow and is shown as living at Tui Cres, Beachhaven.
The 1919 Electoral Roll below shows that at that time Ida lived with her parents at 115 Crummer Rd, Grey Lynn.
Gilbert was included in the WW2 Ballot List issued in December 1942.
The image below shows the three gravestones of Gilbert Wentworth Collins, his son Gilbert Ross Collins and Archie Seldon Collins. These are at the Birkenhead-Glenfield cemetery.
Eli Earl Collins
Before continuing with the story of Arthur Seldon and Alice it is worth looking at Arthur Seldon's father Eli Earl Collins. Note the name Earl/Earle was continued down the generations of the Collins family. It was Russell Collins' middle name. Eli Earl Collins mother was Eliza Earl. Her father was named Eli Earl.
Eli Earl Collins was born 29 May 1818 to John and Eliza Collins in Putney. John Collins was a baker.
On 12 January 1840 Eli Earl Collins a Bachelor of full age, occupation Attorney's Clerk, living in Kensington, married Mary Fenn, a minor and spinster of Marylebone. The record is below.
Eli took up a 5 year law clerkship in April of 1843 with a solicitor Charles Blake of Briger & Blake at 32 Finsbury Circus. He subsequently established his own legal practice in London at 37 King William Street. His sons Walter Reginald born in 1846 and Archibald Earle who was born in 1861 followed him into the legal fraternity forming the firm of Collins & Collins Solicitors.
Eli and Mary had 14 children. Arthur Seldon born in Bermondsey in February1853 was the tenth born. He had 8 brothers and 5 sisters.
Eli and Mary lived predominantly in the area of Bermondsey. This is an area on the southern side of the river Thames and is close to the Tower Bridge. Below is a brief history of Bermondsey.
Eli was a successful London solicitor and well known in his community. An interesting news clipping which is posted below describes his wife Mary assisting in the launch of a substantial sailing barge in 1862.
A further connection to the sea was found in the marriage announcement below. Eli and Mary's son Edwin who was born in 1844 had become a ships captain. He married Mary daughter of George Lightbody a merchant of Chelsea, in Hong Kong on 30 December 1876.
The initials H.I.C.M.S. stand for His Imperial Chinese Majesty's Ship.
Research of the owner of the ship launched by Mary Collins revealed that its owner William Lucey owned several ships, including one that sailed to China. Captain Edwin Collins may have been the connection that resulted in his mother launching William Lucey's ship. Furthermore William Lucey lived in Upper Grange Road as did Eli and Mary.
William Lucey was also the owner of the ship that in 1877 brought up the Thames River the well known Egyptian obelisk Cleopatra's Needle that sits on the river embankment.
An 1881 Census record shows us that at this time Captain Edwin F Collins age 36 was living in Camberwell, Peckham with his wife Mary age 26. They had two children namely a son Charles age 3 who was born in Hong Kong and a daughter Sara age 2 who was born in Kent. Captain Collins occupation is shown as Captain Chinese Naval Reserve On Leave.
At some point Edwin and Mary moved to Australia as we have found a record of the burials of both Edwin and wife Mary in a cemetery in Rockwood , Sydney Australia.
A further interesting item we found was a patent held by Eli for a process for making glue. If you refer to the history of Bermondsey above you will see that industries in the area included food processing and tanning. Byproducts of these would include the ingredients required to make glue. Eli's son Arthur Seldon worked as glue maker.
It is interesting to find that his father owned the patent for a process Arthur had no doubt developed to use in his business. Arthur was only age 18 at the date of the patent. My guess is that while Arthur devised the process, being a minor of only age 18 he may not have been legally able to own a patent. A copy of the patent document is below.
Arthur went on to have a long career in the business of glue and size making. It would be interesting to know if this patent was the source of ongoing fees from other glue makers for Eli and Arthur.
At some point after 1881 and which is not yet clearly identified, Eli and Mary moved to Brighton. I suspect that Eli elected to retire and leave the legal practice in the hands of his two sons. On 30 March 1900 at age 82 Eli died at 16 Bloomsbury Plce, Brighton. His two sons managed his estate. The probate record is below. Note the value of 5084 pounds for his effects. In today's values this would be around 800,000 pounds.
Here is what the house at 16 Bloomsbury Place looks like today.
The view below looking from the front of the address shows the house is well position near the Brighton seaside.
The following account of the lives of Arthur Seldon Collins and his wife Alice was written by two pupils of Auckland Grammar School. They were Andrew Connolly and Peter Stanes. The story is included in the school's Great War Roll Of Honour, in recognition of Arthur and Alice's son Lawrence Earle Collins who died in the Great War.
PRIVATE LAWRENCE EARLE COLLINS, 1908
2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, 31599
Died 1st December, 1917
Lawrence Earle Collins, who was known in the family as "Curly", was born in Christchurch on 5th April 1895, to Arthur Selden Collins and Alice Honour Davis Chapman.
His grandfather, Eli Earl Collins, an attorney and solicitor, was born in 1818 in Putney, London. He married Mary Ann Fenn, also a Londoner, who was born in 1821 in Kensington, in January 1840 in Marylebone, London.
The family lived first in Southwark, just south of the Thames, but, by 1851, they had moved a little east to Bermondsey, where they remained until about 1871. By 1881, they were living in Footscray, in Kent, followed by a much larger move to Brighton, Sussex. Eli was a successful attorney and solicitor. He died in Brighton in March 1900.
Arthur Seldon Collins attended King's College School in London in 1867, and started his career as a manufacturing chemist at the age of 18. Ten years later, in 1881, he was managing a glue factory in the area of the Erith and Belvedere Marshes in Kent, beside the Thames. Arthur married Alice Honour Davis Chapman in Camberwell, Surrey, in April 1882, and they lived in Hackney, and then in Belvedere.
Alice, born in April 1859 in Cheapside, London, was the youngest of four daughters and a son of James Chapman and Sarah Elizabeth Davis. James, an accountant, was born in Doctor's Common in 1816, and Sarah was born in 1822 in Bethnal Green, both in London. They were married in August 1842 in St Pancras, London, and, after beginning married life in the heart of the City, they moved across the Thames to Bermondsey, when Alice was a year or two old.
The Chapman family was living in Alscot Road, when the Collins family were just around the corner in Upper Grange Road, and inevitably they knew each other. Alice's mother, Sarah, died in 1875 in Bermondsey and her father had married again by 1881 and was living in Camberwell with his new bride, Jessie, some 27 years younger. In the 1881 English census, about a year before her marriage, Alice was recorded as staying with Arthur's older brother, Horace Collins and his family in Greenwich, further emphasising the closeness of the two families. James and Jessie moved north across the Thames and were living in Paddington in 1891 and Hackney in 1901.
By 1891, Alice was living with her four English born children at the same property in Greenwich, although there is no mention of Horace and his family. Alice is described as being 'in charge of the house'. The absence of Arthur suggests that he travelled to New Zealand to organise matters, because, at the beginning of March 1893, Alice and the four children departed from London for Wellington on the steam ship Kaikoura, arriving in mid-April (46 days).
Below is a copy of the passenger list showing Alice and her children.
Now all together, the family settled initially in Princes Street (now Rutherford Street), Woolston, in Christchurch, where their first two New Zealand children were born, including Lawrence Earle Collins.
By 1897, the family had moved to Auckland, where they lived for several years in Stuart Street, Ponsonby, and where the last two of their eight children were born. In 1905, the family moved onto a small farm, "Belvedere", at Birkdale, in Tiri Tiri Road, but Arthur continued to work as a size maker, setting up and cooking the ingredients for mixes of glues and other chemicals.
Arthur died at"Belvedere" in May 1916. Alice soon moved to 9 Wilton Street in Grey Lynn; to 4 Tranmere Street by 1928; to Tui Crescent at Beach Haven by 1935; and, finally, to 27 Ocean View Road in Northcote, where she died in July 1944.
Lawrence Collins attended Birkdale School and won a Junior National Scholarship to enter Grammar. He entered the School in 1908 and was academically strong throughout his time there. In December 1910, he won a Senior District Scholarship and left the School from the Lower Sixth Form, having matriculated in 1911. Collins became a student teacher and was employed by the Education Board as a pupil teacher, before entering the Training College in 1915. He then held the position of house-master at the Dilworth Ulster Institute1 before returning to his studies at the Training College. Collins served in the 3rd Auckland Regiment as a Territorial. On 25th July 1916, six weeks after his father’s death, Collins signed up for the War and he was assigned to the 19th Reinforcements. He sailed on 15th November 1916 and arrived in Devonport, Plymouth, on 29th January 1917, entering Sling Camp the same day. He left for France on 3rd March 1917 and, after spending the next 10 weeks training at the N.Z.E.F. Base Depot, he joined the Auckland Infantry at the Front on 26th May. Collins entered the fighting at Messines Ridge and was wounded on 8th June, sustaining a gunshot wound across his right eyebrow. On the day of his injury, he was sent to the 3rd New Zealand Field Ambulance, then immediately on to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and then to the 26th General Hospital at Etaples. He was discharged from hospital on 26th June and sent to the Convalescent Depot, before being finally discharged to the N.Z.E.F. Base Depot on 29th June 1917. Collins rejoined the 2nd Auckland Battalion on 22nd July and saw much action over the next two months, culminating in the Passchendaele battles in October. On 1st December 1917, the Battalion was engaged in work to maintain the light railway east of Ypres, assisting the 10th Canadian Railway Troop, when Collins was killed by a German artillery shell. His was the only Battalion death that day. Lawrence Collins was 22 years old. He is buried in the Hooge Crater Cemetery, near where he fell.
His two older brothers also served, and both survived. On the first anniversary of his death, his brother, Sydney, inserted a Memorial notice in the NZ Herald:
Collins.- In memory of Private Lawrence Earle Collins (Curly), aged 22, 31599, Nineteenth Reinforcements, N.Z.E.F., killed in action, December 1st, 1917.
“Greater love hath no man than this.”
Private Lawrence Earle Collins, son of Mrs. A. S. Collins of Birkdale, was one of the Junior National Scholars of 1908. He was in IV.A. in 1909 and 1910, and won the second prize for Mathematics and Science in that form in the later year. He was promoted to the Lower Sixth in 1911, and matriculated at the end of that year. He then entered the service of the Education Board and completed his term as a pupil-teacher at Northcote School. He entered the Training College in 1915, and acted for a time as house-master at the Dilworth Ulster Institute. He enlisted and left with the 19th Reinforcements towards the end of 1916. He was wounded at Messines the following June, and killed instantaneously December 1st by the explosion of a shell; his grave is in Belgium. Writing to his mother, a schoolmate and comrade says of him: “I have been his most intimate friend since we came to France, and I can truly say of him that he continued right up to the last a fine Christian fellow; nor did he make any compromise with anything that was evil. He was clean and straight in everything, and was also most unselfish and very thoughtful of others.”
CHRONICLE 1918, V.6, N.1 P21
Alice Collins died 22 July 1944 age 85. Here is her death notice.
Arthur Ernest Collins and Minnie Athalie Woods
Arthur Ernest and Minnie Athalie married on 14 April 1909. The notice is below. Note the reference to house names "Belvedere" and "Edge-Hill". It seemed to be a thing to do in those days.
Belvedere was the area in South East London where Arthur Seldon was managing a glue factory in 1881.
Minnie was born in Auckland on 3 November 1886. Her parents were James Johnson Woods and his wife Elizabeth Annie. James was born 7 November 1854 in Woolloomooloo, Australia and died age 101 on 17 April 1956. He married Elizabeth in St Matthews Church in Auckland city in March of 1833. They had 11 children.
James looks to have been a very interesting man. The article below which was published at the time of his 99th birthday indicates he was a serious musician.
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We are fortunate in finding that the Auckland Grammar School project on former pupils who lost their lives in WW1 has provided an insight into the Woods family history. Just as Arthur had lost his brother Lawrence, Minnie had lost her brother Selwyn. The story of Selwyn Gorton Woods and the history of the Woods family is set out below.
Selwyn Gorton Woods was born in Auckland on 28th October, 1893. He was the seventh of ten children of James Johnson Woods and Elizabeth Annie Naden, who married in 1883.
Selwyn’s grandparents, William Johnson Woods, born in January 1829 in Stoke, Surrey, and Jane Henderson Mattison, born in South Shields in County Durham in November 1824, had married in Weybridge, Surrey, in January 1854, and were determined to leave England for a country of greater opportunities. William was a carpenter and joiner, like his father, Stephen, and these were skills needed by the colonies in the Southern Hemisphere. So, William and Jane departed from London in April 1854 on board the sailing ship Plantagenet, arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, in July of that year. There they remained until after the birth of their first child, James Johnson Woods, who was born in the suburb of Woolloomooloo probably in November 1854, with the birth having been registered in the suburb of Alexandria in early 1855.
Sydney was not for them though, and in March 1855, they arrived in Auckland on board the barque Galatea. William worked as a carpenter and they settled in Grey Street (now Greys Avenue), remaining there until at least 1870. While there, they had another two sons and two daughters. William also purchased eight acres of land at Mahurangi Heads, which he held from some time before 1867 and may have been used to provide timber for his business, as well as a place to live. He also acquired land in Raglan at the corner of Brown and Queen Streets, and in Tauranga. William Johnson Woods died in July 1873 at his home in Franklin Road, Ponsonby, aged only 44 years. Jane appears to have remained in Auckland until sometime after 1894 and is believed to have returned to England, where she died around 1910.
James Johnson Woods followed his father and became a carpenter and, later, a builder and contractor. After his father’s death and up until 1880, he was living in Warkworth, but he then returned to Auckland, living first in Vincent Street in the city. He married Elizabeth Annie Naden in March 1883 at St. Matthew’s Church in the city.
Elizabeth’s parents were Greatrex Naden and Elizabeth Gorton, both English. Greatrex was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in 1836, to Joseph Naden, a land agent, surveyor and farmer, and Charlotte Greatrex. Elizabeth Gorton was from Lichfield, Staffordshire, where she was born in 1833, and the family were living there in 1851. Greatrex entered the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in London in 1854, obtaining his diploma in December 1856 and being admitted as a member. He set up a veterinary practice in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and, in March 1858, he married Elizabeth Gorton in Birmingham, where she was then living. Initially, they returned to Lichfield, and, in December 1858, their first child, Elizabeth Annie, was born there.
As well as running his practice, Greatrex joined the Army as an Acting Veterinary Surgeon. In August 1859, Greatrex was appointed Veterinary Surgeon, an officer rank, in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and, being an officer, he was able to take his family on overseas postings. Soon after, it appears he was posted, or made a private trip, to Buffalo City in Erie County, New York State, because a census record in 1871 shows their second child, Louise Emily, having been born there in February 1860. They were back in England, living in Kentish Town, London, in July 1860. Greatrex was then sent for officer training to Woolwich Military Academy (east of London in Kent), where their third child, Alice Mary, was born, just before Greatrex was posted to India with his family, arriving in Calcutta in the sailing ship Canning, probably in December 1860. Greatrex joined the 8th Battery, 11th Brigade of the Royal Artillery, and he and his family proceeded with them to Bareilly, in central north India.
Their fourth child, Emma, was born there in April 1862. Like many other British in India, Greatrex became ill and was ordered home, along with his family, the cost of which was ￡300 - a large sum. They were home by early 1863 and he was put on half pay in March. They lived for a short time in Weedon, Northamptonshire, and then in Speenhamland, Newbury in Berkshire, where he was working when he filed a bankrupt’s petition in March 1863, retiring from his business in September that year through ill health. Over the next twelve years they lived in Newbury; Sudbury, in Suffolk; and then in Slinfold, Sussex, near Horsham, and increased their family to a total of three boys and ten girls.
It was with the three boys and nine of the girls, that the family emigrated to New Zealand, arriving in Auckland from London in May 1875, on board the clipper, Dunedin (94 days). Initially, Greatrex was appointed cattle inspector for Kaikoura, while the family probably stayed in Auckland, where they were living in Upper Symonds Street in 1876. Another daughter and son were born in Auckland in 1876 and 1877, bringing the total to fifteen. Greatrex seems to have left the family in Auckland while he went to New South Wales, where he was appointed a probationary Constable in September 1877, retiring as an ordinary Constable in December 1878 and returning to Auckland.
In 1879, he set up a veterinary practice in Queen Street and the family lived in Graham Street, but, by about 1882, he had deserted his family, returned to England, set up a veterinary practice in Walthamstow, Essex, apparently married for a second time, and began with his new wife a life of fraud, using aliases, “George Vincent” and “Marian Steadman”. This seems to have culminated in them both being imprisioned for six weeks with hard labour in January 1887. Details of Greatrex’s date and place of death are unknown. His New Zealand wife, Elizabeth, struggled on with her large family, eventually living with her son, Charles and family in Devonport, before moving to Grafton Road, where she died in March 1898.
Returning to James Johnson and Elizabeth Annie Woods: after their marriage in 1883, they probably continued living in Vincent Street for a time before moving to Wellington Street, Freemans Bay. They remained there until 1890, when they moved round the corner to 50 Hepburn Street and stayed there until at least 1905. James and Elizabeth had four daughters and six sons, By 1911, they were living in: “Edgehill” 13 Picton Street until after 1916, again just around the corner; 20 Hepburn Street in 1919; 7 Franklin Road, Ponsonby by 1928 and it was there that Elizabeth died in September 1937. James moved after Elizabeth’s death to 42 St. Mary’s Road, St. Marys Bay, and then to 34 Brentwood Avenue, Mt. Eden, about 1947, followed by 172 Dominion Road. James died in April 1956 at 17 Oaklands Road, Mt. Eden, aged 101 years.
Selwyn Gorton Woods attended Beresford Street School, where he won a Junior District Scholarship and entered Grammar in 1907, enjoying a variety of sports, as well achieving matriculation in 1910. He left Grammar to pursue a career as a teacher, first being a pupil-teacher at Richmond Road for a brief period before transferring to the Napier Street School for two years. He then entered formal training at the Training College of the Auckland University College in 1913-14. Following this, he was appointed to Te Awamutu School.
Woods was a Territorial in the 3rd Auckland Regiment and then served in the Officers’ Training Corps of the Training College, before transferring to the 16th Waikato Regiment on taking the post at Te Awamutu. Woods attested on 6th September 1915 and was appointed as Corporal in the 9th Reinforcements, but he was to sail with the 12th Reinforcements. He was commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant on 29th April 1916. He sailed on 6th May 1916 and arrived in Suez on 21st June 1916. A month later, on 26th July, he sailed from Alexandria for England, arriving at Southampton on 7th August. After a brief period at Sling Camp, he joined the 3rd N.Z. Rifle Brigade in France on 21st September 1916 and immediately entered the fighting at Flers on the Somme. Following this, on 20th December, he was sent to the Divisional School for a weeks’ training, rejoining the Battalion on 28th December.
After a further period in front line duty he was again sent for further instruction, this time to the Corps School for five days from 11th March 1917. After a brief admission to hospital with measles in late April 1917, he again returned to front line service on 7th May 1917, but, on 28th June, after the Battle of Messines, he again had to be briefly hospitalized with general disability. After a few days of rest and recovery, he rejoined the Battalion on 2nd July and, on 27th July, he was sent for Small Arms Training before returning to the Battalion on 14th August 1917. On 1st September 1917, he was appointed to command C Company of the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade and, on 5th September, he was appointed Lieutenant. After two weeks leave in England, he attended instruction at the Corps Bombing School and he was promoted to Temporary Captain on 12th October.
He rejoined the Battalion on 20th October, fortunately having missed the Passchendaele debacle of 12th October. On 2nd December, whilst in the Front Line, he was seriously wounded by machine gun fire, sustaining a compound fracture wound to the leg and additional wounds to the back, buttock, and arm. Woods was immediately removed to the No.3 N.Z. Field Ambulance and then on to the No.3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, where he died of his wounds on 5th December 1917. Selwyn Woods was 24 years old. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
Three of his brothers, two of whom also attended the School, served, and all survived.
Trooper Basil Arthur Woods, Auckland Mounted Rifles, 13/228, died 1956.
Staff Sergeant Percy Howard Woods, (1909), 2nd Battalion Wellington Infantry Regiment, 54444, died 1990.
Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Greatrex Johnson Woods, (1898), Royal Flying Corps, died 1947.
Below is an interesting item from an Australian Whos Who describing the career of Greatrex Johnson Woods.
Arthur and Minnie's Children
A son was born to Arthur and Minnie in 1910 at their residence in Morningside. This was Raymond Arthur. Note this house was now also called Belvedere.
In the 1911 Electoral Roll Arthur and Minnie are listed at Leslie Avenue Morningside. Arthur Ernests' occupation is shown as Trunk Maker. In the 1905 Electoral Roll, at which time he was still living at his parents home in Birkdale, Arthur gave his occupation as Bag Maker. As is mentioned in the Letholite history above, that business commenced in about 1912 at premises in Prospect Place off Hobson Street.
Letholite moved to premises in Graham St off Victoria St West around 1914. The move to Ponsonby occurred around 1920. The third partner Mills-Palmer joined the firm around 1919 when the plans for expansion into the new building on Ponsonby Rd were developed.
Here is an advertisement for staff that refers to the Prince's Rink Buildings.
Around this time Arthur and Minnie moved to Ponsonby. A move to 42 St Mary's Road had occurred by 1920. Although they were living at 42 our search of the deed records for 58 St Marys Rd shows that Arthur had purchased that property in 1920. The move into 58 would not occur until 1938.
The 1928 Electoral Roll below shows the address of 42 St Mary's Road.
Arthur and Minnie had three sons and a daughter. The sons followed their father into his very successful business. Two of the sons also joined their father in his dance band. Arthur played violin, son Ray played the piano and Russell sang. They performed at the local Westhaven Yacht Club. Linda tells me that Russell was a boy soprano and sang in the choir at All Saints Church.
Below is the only newspaper advertisement that I have so far found that refers to a Collins musical group. It is very likely to be Russell's brother Ray.
I have found a number of advertisements for a Russell Collins performing as a singer. I am not certain whether this is our Russell. Below are some examples. The Chez Paree is described as being at Bucklands Beach. Russell Collins seems to have been a regular performer there through 1939 and 1940.
It seems that Arthur and his sons were also members of the West End Rowing Club. This is mentioned in the article below that appeared in the Northern Advocate of 11 March 1931.
The above mention of Mr A. M. Spencer of the National Trading Company aroused my interest. I had seen a death notice in which the Collins family paid tribute to a Mr Spencer. This is below. It is clear from this that Monty Spencer was a very close family friend.
I suspect that Arthur and Monty also had a business relationship. The National Trading Company operated a wholesaling business that was possibly a distributor of the Letholite bags. The trip north referred to in the above article could have been a visit to retail outlets owned by National Trading Company.
The founder of the National Trading Company was Mr John Schischka. When he died on 2 December 1936 the following tribute set out the story of his formation of this business along with his other interests.
Monty Spencer was clearly close to John Schischka, as we can see from the record of the marriage of John's son Frank where Monty was the Best Man.
The rowing connection between Arthur Collins and Monty Spencer extended into the participation in rowing of Arthur's sons Ray and Rex. This is evidenced in the report below of a West End regatta in 1930. A. Spencer was competing in the Veterans race. Both Rex Collins and "R. Collins " are listed in the fours crews. I assume the references to R Collins are Ray. Rex seems to have mainly been in the cox seat. The photo further below shows that he was significantly shorter than his brother and therefore very suited to that role.
When Monty died the notices below were published by the ARA Masonic Lodge and the Auckland Provincial R.A. Chapter. These are both Free Mason organisations.
Russell Collins was also a freemason. I do not know if his father was but I am inclined to believe it was the case given Monty Spencer's involvement. His daughter Linda tells me that she has Russell's Masonic Regalia still and that he was very involved in the Herne Bay Masonic Lodge No. 340. "He was their Secretary for years and I used to type up the Annual Accounts and various other stuff for him. He was also a past master. He belonged to the Blue Lodge (Herne Bay) and the Red Lodge which I think was Ara".
Here is some information on the history of the Ara Lodge.
The History of Ara Lodge 348 dates back to September 5, 1842. On that date a Dispensation was signed by the Officers of the Australian Social Lodge, No. 260, I.C.,
Sydney, N.S.W which enabled those early Masons to hold a Lodge meeting.
The first meeting of the Lodge was held on February 9, 1843, when Sir Frederick Whitaker presided as Worshipful Master. Thus, Irish Freemasonry began in New Zealand.
The Lodge flourished, and over the years, built Lodge rooms. Firstly in Princess St, Central Auckland, along with the Grand Hotel which was adjacent to the Lodge rooms. While those buildings are gone, the original historical façades are still present, proudly being the entrance and frontage to the new buildings built behind.
In 1927, the Lodge built new Lodge rooms on Airedale Street Where Ara Lodge still holds its meetings.
Ara Lodge carries out significant charitable activities. The main annual events are:
The Ara Art Awards provides up to 32 scholarships each year to year 13 students continuing studies in the fine arts.
The Ara PPTA Music Competition is a music competition for year 7 and 8 students.
This competition is in conjunction with the Auckland PPTA and is fast becoming known as the foremost music competition for. these talented students attending Intermediate School.
. Arthur and Minnie's family
Information on the sons and daughter of Arthur and Minnie follows. Each of the sons followed their father into his very successful business. I believe that Russell trained as an accountant and in due course became the Company Secretary. In the census below for 1946 Rex describes his role as warehouseman. Ray gives his occupation in 1938, 1941 and 1954 as manufacturer. It seems they each covered the key aspects of running the business.
Being the eldest son Ray perhaps had the broader senior role once Arthur stepped aside. I note that Arthur described his own occupation simply as "manufacturer" in census information. He was still describing that as his occupation in 1954. Arthur died in 1954 at the age of 72. His death certificate indicated he was then retired. He died from an asthma attack.
Raymond (Ray) Arthur
Ray was born 12 January 1910. He died 24 July 2000.
Ray married Stella Ethel Dawson in 1936. Electoral Records indicate they initially lived at 40
Cumberland Avenue. They subsequently moved to 98 Warnock St, Westmere.
Greatrex Selden (Rex)
Rex was born 10 November 1915.
Greatrex is an unusual name as a christian name. It is usually found as a surname. I found when searching Ancestry records for his mother Minnie that she had a brother called Greatrex. Going back further we can see that Minnie's great grandmother was Elizabeth Greatrex. This is no doubt the reason the name was given to her son. He was usually referred to as Rex.
Rex married Lesley June Burcher. I have been able to find their engagement announcement in January of 1941 but have not been able to find a marriage record. However it seems from the information shown below in the Electoral Rolls for 1943 the marriage must have happened around 1943.
The records below indicate that Rex served in the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) during World War 2 and was promoted to the rank of Captain on 15 July 1945.
Lesley died on 8 March 1992. Rex died 16 November 2007. They had three sons Christopher, David and Andrew.
Russell Earle
Russell was born 16 March 1919.
He grew up in Ponsonby and attended Ponsonby Primary School. He subsequently went to Auckland Boys Grammar School. His daughter Linda has told me that Russell sang in a musical group that also included his father Arthur on Violin and brother Ray on piano. She mentioned that they often played at the Westhaven Boat Club. There was clearly some musical talent in the family including the bassoon playing of Minnie's father James Woods.
I found on Papers Past a series of advertisements dating during 1939 and 1940 that mention Russell Collins as a singer. Below are some examples. I have not seen any that mention his father or brother playing alongside him. I cannot in fact be certain this is our Russell. It is a possibility. I am told that Russell was a boy soprano in the All Saints Church choir.
There were many advertisements over the period of the early 1940s for dances featuring local live bands. Below is an example which includes the Westhaven Cabaret. I know that my mother and her sister Gwenda enjoyed attending the regular dances at around this period of time. They were living in Cambria Rd in Devonport during the early 1940s. I understand they would often go to The Pirate Ship at Milford which was a very popular dance venue. A trip to Westhaven was probably easy to do using the Devonport Ferry.
The WW2 Ballot List below shows that in 1941 Russell lived with his parents at 58 St Mary's Rd and was employed as a clerk. My assumption is that this was at Letholite.
Russell served in the Navy during World War 2. He was stationed at Perim Island as a radar operator. Perim Island is located in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea. It was considered to be a strategically important location for monitoring and controlling shipping traffic. It also served as a coaling station enabling ships to refuel with coal.
The announcement of his engagement to Gwenda May Hardy dated 9 October 1943 indicates he was a Leading Radio Mechanic and was currently on overseas service.
Russell married Gwenda at All Saints Church Ponsonby on 17 March 1945.
The bride and groom are shown below along with the Best Man Cliff Thomas, my mother Lilian Jean alongside her sister Gwenda and their younger sister Shirley in the front.
In the 1957 Electoral Roll below we see that Russell and Gwenda are then living at 1 Melford St. This is next door to 58 St Marys Rd where Minnie who is then a widow is still living. Minnie died 13 July 1979 and the house at 58 St Marys Rd was sold 3 September 1980. Ray and Stella are shown at 98 Warnock St.
Russell and Gwenda had two daughters, Larraine and Linda. In the photo below Gwenda is holding new baby Linda while Larraine smiles for the camera.
Piha Beach
The Collins family had a long association with Piha Beach and its surf life saving club. I am advised by Linda that her grandparents had been regular visitors to Piha for many years. This association continued with Russell and Gwenda and their family making regular summer trips to Piha and staying in the camp ground.
At some point Russell became involved with the surf life saving club. The photos below are from the excellent book Piha- guardians of the iron sands. This was written by Sandra Coney. Sandra's father Tom Pearce was a member of the club as was Sandra.
Russell became very involved with the management of the club and the management of the teams competing in the various life saving competitions. He was Chairman of the Piha SLC from 1965 to 1969 and Team Manager 1966 to 1967.
. Gwenneth Elizabeth
Gwen was born 9 July 1922. She died 3 August 2019.
Gwen married Desmond Watson Hurley on 29 July 1944. Des Hurley was like his father-in-law a successful businessman. He joined his brother Ray in founding the business initially known as Hurley Bendon, making women's lingerie.
Ray and his brother Des were keen sailors from a young age. They lived in Herne Bay and were members of the Herne Bay Yacht Club. If you refer to the list of club members' names in the second to last paragraph below it reads like a who's who of some of New Zealand's top sailors and yacht builders. Des and his yacht Valarie were regular place getters in the club sailing.
Below is an extract from a Herald report of 8 October 1934. It describes the first race of the 1934-35 season for the Herne Bay Sailing Club. Des Hurley sailing Valarie was starting off scratch. In other words the other yachts had a head start on Des which indicates he was generally faster than them. Despite the head start for the others Des soon caught up and came across the line first.
An interesting coincidence is that also sailing for the Herne Bay Yacht Club in the 1930s were Ollie Riley and his son Vic. Ollie was a brother of Annie Riley who married Charles Lingham Hardy.
Below is the newspaper report of Vic's win in the Lipton Cup of 1941.
I understand from Linda that Gwen and Des were very keen sailors throughout their lives and made regular sailing trips to Fiji.
The article below was written when Ray Hurley was inducted to the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.
Bendon has had an interesting history. It grew into a very successful business but in the 1970s it felt the effects of competition from cheaper imported goods. In 1974 local manufacturing was closed and product was sourced from offshore. During the 1980s the ownership changed and Bendon became another company that was caught up in the hectic sharemarket trading of the time. In the early 2000s Bendon was bought by the infamous Eric Watson of Cullen Investments. In 2021 an Australian entrepreneur Justin Davis-Rice bought the company at a time when it was in severe financial distress. It now seems to be continuing in business quite successfully.
Family Photos from Gwenda and Russell's 50th Wedding Anniversary
In 1995 Gwenda and Russell celebrated 50 years of marriage. They gathered together their respective brothers and sisters and some of their children. Below are photographs from that wonderful event.
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