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House, Chatsworth Road; No. 71, 'Woodhill'; a friendly possum.
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PhotographerChapman-Taylor, James Walter
DescriptionThe client's booklet included this picture and two of sunlight through trees on Chatsworth Road.
The accompanying description is:-
"A VISITOR
New houses are always interesting and this little lady had curiosity strongly developed together with a love of comfort during the cold weather and no objection to a little sugar on occasion. Hence the building of nests and even houses.
Our little visitor used to take up a quiet and comfortable position in the tool shed and sometimes stay there all day. Our sugar tin was frequently upset and every grain of sugar eaten. Pieces of apple could be pushed near to the little creature as she sat on the top shelf among some bags. She would pick up a piece in each front paw and take alternate bites. She did not like to be caught and made to pose for her photograph however and her powerful claws made a leather glove well worth while when arranging for her picture. She was not much frightened for all that and came again and again even after being caught more than once. When released near the foot of a big birch tree she quickly climbed up it and was soon out of sight. Nor could she be seen from the ground no matter how carefully we looked for her among the branches. You can see from the photograph how nearly alike are the tones of her fur and the bark of the tree.
Nearly every day a Tui would come and sing to us from the top of a nearby tree. Fantails were numerous and the little black-and-whites would fly down almost under our feet to pick up insects where we had disturbed the ground. As we walked down through the darkening bush at evening time a Morepork would often swoop on silent wings close past our heads and silently watch us from some near by branch.
After dealing all day with people and affairs of men it must be a pleasure indeed to return home to such a spot among the peaceful trees and the bush creatures that live in them."
The note was followed by a signature, and may have been on the last page of the booklet.Date TakenSpring 1932?
DescriptionThe client's booklet included this picture and two of sunlight through trees on Chatsworth Road.The accompanying description is:-
"A VISITOR
New houses are always interesting and this little lady had curiosity strongly developed together with a love of comfort during the cold weather and no objection to a little sugar on occasion. Hence the building of nests and even houses.
Our little visitor used to take up a quiet and comfortable position in the tool shed and sometimes stay there all day. Our sugar tin was frequently upset and every grain of sugar eaten. Pieces of apple could be pushed near to the little creature as she sat on the top shelf among some bags. She would pick up a piece in each front paw and take alternate bites. She did not like to be caught and made to pose for her photograph however and her powerful claws made a leather glove well worth while when arranging for her picture. She was not much frightened for all that and came again and again even after being caught more than once. When released near the foot of a big birch tree she quickly climbed up it and was soon out of sight. Nor could she be seen from the ground no matter how carefully we looked for her among the branches. You can see from the photograph how nearly alike are the tones of her fur and the bark of the tree.
Nearly every day a Tui would come and sing to us from the top of a nearby tree. Fantails were numerous and the little black-and-whites would fly down almost under our feet to pick up insects where we had disturbed the ground. As we walked down through the darkening bush at evening time a Morepork would often swoop on silent wings close past our heads and silently watch us from some near by branch.
After dealing all day with people and affairs of men it must be a pleasure indeed to return home to such a spot among the peaceful trees and the bush creatures that live in them."
The note was followed by a signature, and may have been on the last page of the booklet.
Date TakenSpring 1932?Depicts or relates to
Part of
CollectionChapman-Taylor, J.W.
About the original
ReferenceP49-4-19FormatGreyscale photocopySize205 x 146
FormatGreyscale photocopySize205 x 146Scanned byDon McLeod, August 2015
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House, Chatsworth Road; No. 71, 'Woodhill'; a friendly possum.. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 18/03/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/24146