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McCurdy's Castle; site map, 1891.
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DescriptionPrinted in the ‘Leader’ on December 17, 1991, with an article on the McCurdys' arrival in Upper Hutt on Christmas Day, 1891. His grandson, Jack Danahay, wrote it from letters A J McCurdy wrote to his daughter, Jessie; Jessie Danahay was now over 101.
The family had come from Karori (the carter arrived at 4 a.m.). A borrowed tent had not arrived at Thorndon Rail. Two calves had escaped crates by the time they reached Taita, and some goods fell off the wagon and were smashed when the wagon drove down the old river banks, and the driver would go no further, so everything was unloaded there (presumably instead of across he river). The family set up "Pollie's Camp", a 'zareba' shelter on the south bank, with goods and furniture piled and covered by quilts and mats. Next day, some goods were loaded into a dugout canoe and pushed across the river by Mrs McCurdy, wearing her husband's ex-Parihaka naval uniform trousers. Mr McCurdy was working as normal in the Wellington Post and Telegraph Cable Room.
Rabbit shooters fired the scrub to scare out game,; the fire threatened the zareba, so he coverings were soaked; the parents fought outbreaks for a day and a half, until it 'rained heavens hard'. They moved camp down to shingle, safe from further fires. After a few days the tent arrived, and it was set up over the river, and the family settled there. McCurdy spotted the calves in Lower Hutt on his way to work a few days later.On New Year's Day, Mr McCurdy was told to move to Dunedin to set up a telephone exchange there.
The family had come from Karori (the carter arrived at 4 a.m.). A borrowed tent had not arrived at Thorndon Rail. Two calves had escaped crates by the time they reached Taita, and some goods fell off the wagon and were smashed when the wagon drove down the old river banks, and the driver would go no further, so everything was unloaded there (presumably instead of across he river). The family set up "Pollie's Camp", a 'zareba' shelter on the south bank, with goods and furniture piled and covered by quilts and mats. Next day, some goods were loaded into a dugout canoe and pushed across the river by Mrs McCurdy, wearing her husband's ex-Parihaka naval uniform trousers. Mr McCurdy was working as normal in the Wellington Post and Telegraph Cable Room.
Rabbit shooters fired the scrub to scare out game,; the fire threatened the zareba, so he coverings were soaked; the parents fought outbreaks for a day and a half, until it 'rained heavens hard'. They moved camp down to shingle, safe from further fires. After a few days the tent arrived, and it was set up over the river, and the family settled there. McCurdy spotted the calves in Lower Hutt on his way to work a few days later.On New Year's Day, Mr McCurdy was told to move to Dunedin to set up a telephone exchange there.
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Reference1991 12 17 10FormatScanned from bound newspaperSize149 x 100 mm
FormatScanned from bound newspaperSize149 x 100 mmScanned byDon McLeod
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McCurdy's Castle; site map, 1891.. Upper Hutt Libraries, accessed 30/05/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/25705