John Mowlem - Tauranga’s Own Big Game Hunter-Fisherman

Guest article by Max Avery

John Mowlem in the 1940s and the big-game reel he designed
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 05-319

From 1926 to 1951 Tauranga was home to retired engineer John Mowlem. The owner of a large property in the Wairarapa, he lived at No. 94 Devonport Rd on the cliff overlooking the railway bridge and moored boats, drawn to the town by the abundance of big game fish in its off-shore waters. He had a workshop on the property and Miss Philomena Lantz kept house for him.

Boating party on Virginia, 1926
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 02-341

Mowlem’s earlier history included playing rugby as an All Black and several big-game shooting safaris in Africa, the trophy heads from which adorned the walls at No. 94. Yet, it was big-game fishing for which he was to become best known. The first marlin taken at Mayor Island were three fish boated by a Colonel Calthorpe on Billy Edwards’ launch in 1922 and Mowlem, learning of this, quickly determined to try the new sport.

Catch of fish by John and friends 1920s or 30s
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 02-339

Soon after settling in Tauranga in 1926, as precise in his approach to his sports as he probably was to his engineering, he became dissatisfied with the existing small-drum single-speed Nottingham big-game fishing reels then in common use. In consultation with veteran angler Arthur Fletcher he contrived a reel with a bigger drum and a narrow spool mounted centrally on the rod, which brought the line in tidily and faster. The prototype was too heavy, but further trials resulted in a fine light reel incorporating fibre and cork washers in a string sprung-steel ball-bearing braking system, which proved most successful, and was widely used.

Mowlem’s bach on Mayor Island 1940s
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 05-317

Obviously a man of substance, Mowlem bought two well-known game launches,(Naomi in 1933 and sold in 1938, and Virginia, sold in 1946) and chartered them with experienced skippers. Ever keen to practise what he preached, he spent a lot of time on Mayor Island and its surrounding waters. He was amply rewarded on January 26, 1932, when he boated a world record 820 pound striped marlin. Mowlem was elected inaugural president of the Tauranga Deep Sea Fishing Club in 1937, after forming the club in association with Mr A.J. Mirrielies. In 1938 he built the first private bach on the island at South East Bay.

Weighing fish at the Big Game Fishing Club’s camp on Mayor Island
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 05-316

Following John Mowlem’s death at the age of 81 in 1951, two doctors established consulting rooms in his house, the walls of which still sported his African trophy heads. Prospective patients sitting in the doctors’ waiting rooms might have wondered whether they had arrived at a veterinarian’s by mistake.

John Mowlem’s living room at 94 Devonport Rd, c1950
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 02-338

Te Kura

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura) formerly known as Correspondence School turns 100 this year. For an amazing overview of the school’s history visit their website created to celebrate the centenary https://tekura100.co.nz/.

The Postman, New Zealand Education Department, Volume XXIII (Christmas 1950)
Image courtesy of Tauranga Heritage Collection.

Delving into the Tauranga Heritage Collection I came across The Postman, the school’s annual magazine. First published in 1927, it contains student poems, essays, and short stories alongside photographs of children and their pets. An entire section is dedicated to the school’s clubs and societies which in 1950 included The Naturalists’ Club and School Museum, Esperanto Club and Meccano and Models Club.[i]

My Puppy.

Two little ears and a little pink tongue,
That goes in and out when he’s had a long run.
Four padding paws as quiet as a mouse,
There’s nothing he likes better than a run through the house.
Two little eyes like twinkling stars,
Afraid of nothing except tractors and cars.
A little stump tail that wags all the day,
That is my puppy when he’s at play.

MARY HENDERSON, S.3. Picton.[ii] 

The Postman, New Zealand Education Department, Volume XXIII (Christmas 1950)
Image courtesy of Tauranga Heritage Collection

A poignant feature of the magazine is the ‘In Memoriam’ page, a reminder of why many students were enrolled in the school and a clear example that building relationships with students – all be it from a distance – was a core principle established by Janet Mackenzie when she established the service in 1922.[iii]

“Thomas Overton - It is with deep regret that we heard of the death of Thomas Overton early this year. Thomas was a bright, cheerful little boy, and the news of his death following an operation, came as a shock to his teachers. To his parents and his brother John, we extend our sincere sympathy.” [iv]

The Postman, like Te Kura has evolved and is now called Link up. Published several times a year it is also available online https://www.tekura.school.nz/assets/link-up/Link-Up-April-2022.pdf. Much of the content remains the same and, as I discovered, is a wonderful source of positivity and inspiration.

References

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[i] It is interesting to note that by 1955 the Esperanto Club is no longer in existence at the Correspondence School. Esperanto, a language created in 1887 by Leyzer Zamengov, was intended as a universal second language that promoted world peace and understanding.

[ii] The Postman, New Zealand Education Department, Volume XXIII (Christmas 1950), p.50. Tauranga Heritage Collection.

[iii] https://www.tekura.school.nz/assets/link-up/Link-Up-Dec21.pdf

[iv] The Postman, New Zealand Education Department, Volume XXVIII (Christmas 1955), p.36. Tauranga Heritage Collection.

Ebenezer Norris and Family (Part 2)

In 1890 when Ebenezer suddenly passed from this world following the untimely drowning of his brother William, his family fell on hard times. The 1880s had been a decade of financial struggle for many and the Norris family was no exception. Newspaper records show they offered their home ‘Barbreck’ for sale unsuccessfully for months, stretching into years, in the late 80s whilst Ebenezer was still with them.

Colin Campbell Norris, 1871-1926
Image courtesy of McKenzie family

Following his death sons Colin and Gregory, who were 19 and 15, found work on coastal ships, 17 year-old Amy undoubtedly helped to run the home, and the two youngest Ruby and Connie were but nine and six. 

Suddenly having to adjust to her straitened circumstances, Amelia coped admirably for one who prior to her marriage had not even had to attend to her own hair. Barbreck Store on Wharf Street continued to trade but eventually home and business were lost and they moved back to ‘High Trees’ in Harington Street and took in boarders. They were however a close and happy family.

Barbreck Stores advertisement, Bay of Plenty Times 11 Feb 1891

Frederick, the  adopted nephew married in 1902. Gregory George married in 1909 and he and his wife Edith had two daughters, Rose and Edith. She must have died rather young and some years later GG married Grace, the youngest daughter of family friend Canon Jordan. Amy married Captain Charles Millar, also in 1909.

Soon after this, Colin, Ruby, Connie and Amelia became resident at ‘Dilston,’ — “a large colonial homestead in Elizabeth Street East at an elevation of about 100 feet overlooking the harbour” — and advertised for boarders once more.

Wedding day of CC Norris and Annie Chivers, 1911
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-585

In 1911 there were two more marriages in the family. Colin, now a land and estate agent who travelled and promoted Tauranga as a desirable area, met and married English born Edith (Annie) Chivers in Wellington at the Island Bay home of her uncle Richard Keene, the mayor of Melrose. Colin was 40 and his bride around 30. They returned from their wedding trip to set up home at ‘Dilston.’ Colin’s business partner George Bell won Connie as his bride that same year.

Small sailboats on Tauranga foreshore, Norris building behind, after 1911
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-589

Around this time Norris and Bell commissioned a commercial building at the bottom of Devonport Rd later known as the Triangle building. At one time their estate agency was not too far along the Strand.

Colin and Annie had their first daughter Nancy in 1912, followed in 1919 by Amy Ada Campbell (called Gipsy all her life) but their aunts Amy and Connie remained childless and Ruby was a spinster. The latter was a talented florist and had her shop in Devonport Rd.

Sewing party in Fencible cottage, Tauranga, 1898
From L: Horne, Davies, Maria Harvey (née Bickers), Connie Norris
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 01-617

Tragically Annie died within a week or two following Gipsy’s birth and shortly thereafter Colin put ‘Dilston’ up for sale and moved with 7 year old Nancy to ‘Rawhiti’ at 206 Devonport Road (opposite Holy Trinity). There they resided with Amelia once more and Connie and George took over the care of baby Gipsy.

Muriel Griffiths (back left) and Ruby Norris (centre front) with friends
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-046

Interestingly, in 1923 an old family friend Gilbert Mair passed away aged 80 at ‘Rawhiti’ having spent several years with the Norris family. His body was taken by Te Arawa to Maketu for about 36 hours and then from the Ohau Channel by waka to Ohinemutu where he was later interred in front of St Faiths Anglican Church.

Colin was interested and involved in boating all his life, he established the Auckland Anniversary Tauranga regatta with the trophy known as the Colin Norris Gold Cup.  He died in 1926, aged 55. His mother Amelia reached the age of 88 and passed on nine years later.

Many thanks to Gipsy’s daughter Fiona for all her kind help with this story.

Sources
Papers Past
Pae Koroki
Notes by Gipsy Mckenzie from private family papers
Gilbert Mair, by Ron Crosby 2004
Three Brothers - The Adventures of Ebenezer, Gregory and William Norris in NZ, 1851-1899  by Rick Norris, 2021