5
by Peggy Butterfield
Historical Happenings
WIRIHANA LOOP ARANUI and ELITE EDUCATION FOR BOYS
In 1890 William Wilson bought 14 acres and six perches of land and built a large house on
the corner of what is now Rowan Avenue and Rowses Road, 83 Rowan Avenue.
The Maori name for Wilson is Wirihana, and Mr Wilson was referred to as Wirihana Wilson.
The house and property was also known to the community as Wirihana and the tram stop
and loop on Pages Road near to Rowan Avenue was known as the Wirihana loop. Mr Wilson turned the large
house into a school for boys.
The area had “hundreds of acres of scrub land, pine plantations, sandhills and a fine sea beach”, an ideal area
for boys to grow. There were paddocks with lupins and gorse. The school kept a cow. The late Mr. Stuart
Rutherford, when a pupil there, milked the cow for a shilling a week. And there was a large greenhouse. The
tomatoes in his greenhouse loomed large in several ex-pupils’ memories. A punishment for poor work or being
late might be to prune the tomatoes with Mr. Wilson. The diet seemed to be almost entirely composed of
tomatoes. (To do Mrs. Wilson justice, others record that the food was actually very good, although those of her
grandchildren who remember her in her old age in England cannot recall signs of the gentler domestic virtues.
She seemed severe, authoritarian, and demanding of perfection. But grandson, David Wilson’s earliest
recollection of her, dressed severely in black, taking a fancy to him at the age of about two, which would be in
1930, and pronouncing that the boy should have the N.Z. chair which she had carved – beautifully.
The school was known as Wirihana, but everyone still called it Wilson’s school. However one effect of the
change in name was to get the pupils to call William Wilson,
behind his back, “Wearie Willie”. But he was also affectionately
called “Professor” Wilson by his neighbours. He was described
variously as genial, understanding, calling the boys by their
nicknames, a great story-teller, with yarns that he would
serialize to keep up interest, but also a great disciplinarian.
Several times each week he would walk 20 or 30 of the pupils
into New Brighton after school, where they would spend an
hour or two in the shops or on the beach. The boys were
described as exceptionally well-mannered, walking along in
double file. The School uniform was college grey, jacket,
waistcoat, short trousers, white shirt, Eton collar, and school
cap or straw boater with a gold stripe around with the
monogram W upon S, in gold at the front.
Mrs. Wilson was in charge in the house and in the dormitori es.
Punishment from her could be six of the best with the cane. But
the boys still had fun. Mr M. G. Ogilvie recalls a pillow fight
during which a feather pillow burst and the consequent efforts to recover every last feather and to bury them
lest Mrs. Wilson discovered the crime.
But in 1927, when William was 75, they retired, closing the school and giving a pension to the one remaining
long-service teacher.
The large fourteen-roomed house and 5½ acres of land were purchased by the late James Finnerty Later it
was divided into flats, sold, subdivided again, and the land developed.
The above extract is from Tim Baker’s book “Aranui and Wainoni History,” which can be read at the
museum
MONDAY MOVIES at the Museum
1.30pm every Monday
Come early for a cuppa and a biscuit first
$2.00 donation
DECEMBER 2017
4th The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. 2015 Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel, 2hrs Drama Comedy
11th Al Jolson Story. 1946 Drama Biography 2hrs 8mins Larry Parks ,Evelyn Keyes
18th Holly and Ivy. 1952 British Drama 1hr 20mins Ralph Richardson ,Celia Johnson
JANUARY 2018
1st 20,000 Leagues under The Sea. 1954 Fantasy Science fiction 2hrs 7min Kirk Douglas, James Mason.
8th Elephant Boy. 1937 Adventure. 1hr 25min , Sabu, Walter Hudd
15th Bulldog Breed. 1960 Comedy 1hr 37min Norman Wisdom, John Le Mesurier
22nd Treasure Island. 1950 Adventure Family. 1hr 36min Robert Newton, Bobby Driscoll.