Judea Sale Yards, 1950

Guest post by Anne Baker (née Stead)

When I was about 10 years old a Mrs London supplied the refreshments on Sale Days. This was done from a shed by the entrance to Mr Robins’ farm and along his driveway was a row of very tall walnut trees. The water for the tea was boiled on an open fire by the shed doorway and my mother helped with the sandwiches.

When I realised it was a Wednesday and the stock sale was on, I would ‘throw a sickie’ so I could go with her to the sale. The shed had a big drop-down wooden servery facing the stockyards and the teas were served through there to the stock agents, truck drivers and farmers attending the sale. I had to sit under this shelf — out of sight!

Sheep Fair - Judea, Bay of Plenty Times, publ. 24 Jan 1961
Tauranga City Libraries, Gifford-Cross Series, Ref. gca-525

After the sale was over, us kids used to go over to the yards and ride on the sheep — good fun!  — until the truck drivers chased us away. Two truck drivers I remember, Gerald and his son Charlie Bennett, Andersons drivers I think, and stock agents —  Archie Strang and Montgomery (Monty.)

I enjoyed the atmosphere and the sound of the auctioneering sale, especially when a beast escaped. Dogs and men put on ‘quite a circus’ until it was back in the yards.

Annual Heifer Sale, Judea, Bay of Plenty Times, publ. 24 August 1963
Tauranga City Libraries, Gifford-Cross Series, Ref. gca-5381

One day I fell into the sheep dip there, my biggest brother, Ernie, pulled me out. We walked up the road (past Mr Robins’ long boundary hedge that had lovely climbing roses growing through it) to the Judea Store where Mrs Jamieson gave me some of her daughter Peggy’s clothes to wear home. Then I got in BIG TROUBLE.

Mrs Jamieson was Mr London’s sister (he had beehives) and she had a big garden where London Place is now. There was a big fence all round the garden and there lived a big, big tortoise.

Sometimes the stock for the sale was driven down a dirt track from 12th Avenue. Formerly the Kopurerua River ran in a curve alongside the road towards 11th Ave. Later this was filled in by a rubbish dump and the river ran in a straight line to the estuary.

 Editors Note: You may also enjoy Beth Bowden’s previous 2019 post on the Judea Sale Yards

Recollections of Dennis George Marsh

Part 1 of a series contributed by guest author Dennis Marsh

“Bill Rolfe and George Marsh”
Image collection of Dennis Marsh

My Dad George Ascot Marsh was born in Tauranga, as was his father, as was I. He lived on the Cambridge Road farm - located where the water tanks now stand – and from an early age was required by his parents to help milk morning and night, along with other members of the family as they became old enough.

“George's School Photo, Old Otumoetai School, top of hill where current school is located”
Image collection of Dennis Marsh

He did his schooling at the Otumoetai Primary School that was situated not far from its present day location.

Image collection of Dennis Marsh

To get to school, they used a horse and in later years the family had a bike. One child would go to a pre-arranged point leave the bike and start to walk. Two of the other kids would ride the horse form home to where the bike had been left, and they would leave the horse and ride the bike to the next pre-arranged point passing the walking kids on their way. They other kids would start walking from home, get to where the horse was and ride it to where the bike had been left – the second stop. The kids on the horse at the second stop would then walk to school, the kids on the bike would bike to school and the kids on the horse rode the horse to school and tied him up in a paddock provided for the purpose. After school they did the whole thing in reverse.

“Cot Marsh (Pop), Tom Tanner, Ron Brown, Dad, Ted Tammel, First Farm”
Image collection of Dennis Marsh

Dad did all his schooling there, I do not know how old he was when he left. He started working as a drover with a couple of his mates Cyril Griffiths and Sam Sherman.

“Mum and Dad”
Image collection of Dennis Marsh

He met my Mum, Nola Morine, while she was working in a milk bar on the corner of McLean Street and The Strand  — owned by the Harrison family. It was a large shop for its time and was like a corner dairy which specialised in ice creams and milk shakes. Mum and Dad used to attend dances that were sometimes held in the Town Hall in Wharf Street between Durham and Willow Street. They also used to go to the weekly dances held in Hayman’s Hall opposite the Boys College on Cameron Road. Mum’s family had a dance band and they used to provide the music for the dances at Hayman’s Hall.

“Dennis and George Marsh with 1939 Ford V8 truck at first farm”
Image collection of Dennis Marsh

I can recall going to the dances on a Saturday night, Mum and Dad would put us to sleep on the back seat of the Ford V8 that they owned at that time.

(To be continued)