by Peggy Butterfield
October 2017
5
Historical Happenings
More along the river bank
Beside the Avon, a little south of Bassett Street roundabout, stood an old cottage which was demolished after floods in 1993. This was originally the home of Amelia Frances Rogers. Amelia was the daughter of a pioneer family the Inwoods, who came to New Zealand in 1851. New Brighton Road was very sparsely populated, and the family farmed in Burwood.( Inwoods Road is named for them) Amelia( known as Frances) established a private school in the city, while her mother operated a post office from the family cottage on the banks of the Avon. When old Mrs Inwood died, Frances took over the post office and also taught the piano in the back room. She had large strawberry and asparagus beds and sold the produce. She was also a Sunday school teacher right up to her death in 1928. Frances married a master mariner, Brent Rodgers, but he died only 18 months later. She was known as a kindly woman, always dressed in black. Before our river b a n k w e n t t h r o u g h t h e upheaval of the earthquakes, this memorial was quite an imposing sight. On a recent wander round the banks I found the stone, but not the plaque. The museum has written to the history department of the City
Council, and we have been assured all of the local memorials are in safe keeping. As we don’ t want our history to be forgotten, we are hoping that one day these memorials will be re-instated.
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MONDAY MOVIES at the Museum |
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1.30pm every Monday |
Come early for a cuppa and a chat. |
$ 2.00 donation |
2 nd A Matter of Life and Death 1946 David Niven Fantasy- Romance 1hr 44min 9 th Folly to be Wise 1953 Alistair Sim Comedy 1hr 31min
16 th That Touch of Mink 1962 Doris Day, Cary Grant Romance Comedy 1hr 39min 23 rd The Band Wagon 1953 Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse Musical 1hr 52min
30 th A Town Like Alice 1956 Peter Finch, Virginia McKenna Drama / Romance 1hr 57min