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NAME:
Amelia Priestley
BORN:
Whangara
21 April 1898
MARRIED:
Hugh Douglas Eric Robinson
7th May 1920
DIED:
Kaitaia Hospital
23 June 1986
This chapter is a tribute to Amelia, the eldest daughter of WIlliam and Kate Priestley. It has been written by her grand daughter Robin Hodkinson (nee Edwards) and is based on some of the fond memories she has of her grandmother..
We hope you enjoy this window into the life and times of our tipuna Amelia, and as with any of our chapters, we invite whanau to share any stories and pictures that you may have of her.
Any corrections, additional information, pictures or stories relevant to this chapter can be submitted via the contacts in the footer section of this page. Accreditation is given, where applicable. Many thanks to all those who have contributed.
"A Puriri at Pakarae"
"A Puriri at Pakarae"
When I was a little girl and asked my Granny Amelia where she was born, she told me “under a puriri tree at Pakarae.”(I had heard of babies being found in cabbage patches or storks bringing them so under a puriri tree didn’t sound too unusual). She was born 21 April 1898.
I was always interested to know where this place called Pakarae was. I knew it was near Whangara and had been an important staging post on the way up the coast in the days before the highway was made. There had been a hotel there and a ferry to take travellers across the river. The stage coaches made their way up the coastline and relied on the low tides to make their way along the beach. At some points they had to go inland. Some of the old tracks are still visible today.
Article - Parakae/Whangara Hotel.
Article - The demise of Whangara Hotel
Amelia Priestley (Dine)
Amelia Priestley (Dine)
Amelia was the first daughter of William Augustine (Bill) Priestley and Kate Campbell (known as Rangi Kahiwa, “little mother”, because she cared for her half siblings when her mother died in childbirth having Hone Kupa. Granny started school at Whangara School in 1904. Later on in the 1940’s she would return as a teacher.
Article - Whangara School History
Amelia was known as Millie or Dine to most people. When she was little, her older brother Wi Kepa called her “Teina”, his little sister. Teina became Dine /Dinah and sometimes Diane.
The family moved to Cochrane Street, Te Hapara, Gisborne, soon after this. Amelia did very well at school, as did all the children, with Amelia and brother Harry receiving full attendance medals from Gisborne District School. Some of the children went on to become teachers. Amelia had wanted to be a dressmaker and was very good at sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery. Her uncles encouraged her to go to teacher’s training college in Auckland.
It was in Auckland that Amelia met her husband to be. Hugh Robinson had returned from serving in the machine gunners corps in France during the Great War (WWI). The soldiers were camped on the site where the Auckland War Memorial Museum now stands. Amelia had a sweetheart who went away to the war but sadly he never returned. He gave her a greenstone heart which I have inherited.
Amelia and Hugh were married 7 May 1920 at Holy Trinity Church, Gisborne.
The Old Pakarae Pub and Ferry ca1898
They first went to live in the King Country where Hugh was farming at Roto and Te Whakarae near Ohura. Hugh and his brother Tom had the difficult task of breaking in the rugged country and raising sheep.
They had two children. Joan, born 21 February 1921 and Douglas Nevill born 19 April 1922. Amelia got peritonitis when Douglas was born and nearly died. Later on, they were to adopt Amelia’s sister Rangi’s daughter, Dawn, when Amelia's sister Rangi passed away.
The Robinson King Country Farmland 1920's (Click to Enlarge)
Amelia and Hugh's Family Wedding Portrait 1920
During the great depression they lost their farms and walked off with just their personal belongings. Amelia had been teaching and had saved and bought a little car that took them to Gisborne where they had to start all over again.
Back in Gisborne, they opened tearooms and Amelia was able to go teaching to supplement their income. Later on they opened a real estate office in Peel Street. They were also to buy a small farm in Valley Road, where they kept a few animals. They lived at 173 Stanley Road. Their home was always open to visitors and it was very seldom there wasn’t whanau staying with them.
Google Maps (173 Stanley Road) - Streetview
Amelia’s half-brother Kara Carrington lived close by in Stanley Road.
When they “retired” In the 1960’s, they moved to Auckland where they occupied themselves with a variety of businesses, from hairdressers, to tearooms, delicatessen to a coffee lounge.
The (Tempo) Coffee Lounge was at 492 K Road and almost next door to the Pink Pussycat Lounge. The “staff” from there used to get there coffee and eats from the Tempo with nephews Paul and Albie also being frequent visitors. Granny was a great cook and was always up at 5:30am to bake for the various eating places they owned over the years. Her home cooking was very popular as it was baked fresh every day.
Google Maps (492 K Road) - Streetview.
Article - K Road Old and New
They finally bought a property at 5 Athens Road, Onehunga, where they finally did retire. Google Maps (5 Athens Road) - Earthview
Hugh passed away 28 October 1978, at the Masonic Hospital. In 1981 Amelia sold the house, and moved in with granddaughter Robin and family, before moving to Taipa in 1982 to daughter Joan. Amelia passed away 23 June 1986 at Kaitaia Hospital. They are both buried at Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland, in the Soldiers lawn cemetery, plot K-3a-222.
My Granny was the most important person in my life, she was a very kind, special lady and I learned so much from her.
- Robin Amelia Edwards Hodkinson
Amelia Documents
Amelia Documents
1902: Pacific telegraph cable begins operating between New Zealand, Australia and Fiji
1908: Auckland to Wellington main trunk railway line opens
1918: Influenza epidemic in which an estimated 8,500 die
> 1920 - Married Hugh Douglas Eric Robinson: 7 May 1920
1920: Anzac Day established
> 1921 - Child Joan Robinson b. 21 Feb 1921
> 1922 - Child Douglas Neville Robinson b. 19 Apr 1922
1926: National public broadcasting begins under auspices of Radio Broadcasting Co. Ltd
> 1929 - Child Dawn Robinson b. 18 Aug 1929 (adopted)
1929: Economic depression worsens
1931: Napier earthquake
1945: End of World War II. V.E. Day
1959: Auckland Harbour Bridge opens
1969: Man walks on the moon
1977: Home Computers become commercially available
1982: First köhanga reo established
> 1986 - Died: 23 Jun 1986
Amelia Media
Amelia Media
(Click on enlarge icon below to view in full screen)
Amelia Whakapapa
Amelia Whakapapa
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