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Edah
Theresa Mattingley & Harry
Bryan  | |||||||||||||||||
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Edah
Theresa
Mattingley was the eldest of Sarah and Thomas's family and
was said
to be "a delicate girl" She was b; 14 Feb 1880 in
Temuka, and
attended the Temuka school. She became a keen Salvation Army lass
and
her ability at home skills is awarded first in buttermaking
at the
Temuka A and P show
 Marriage - Edah Teresa Mattingley to Henry (Harry) William
Bryan (Photo src: Benbow Book
P51
 Bryan children: Pearl, Myrtle; Iris; Arthur; Townley; Cecil and Flora. Mabel b. later | ||||||||||||||||
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HENRY (HARRY) Patrick BRYAN came to NZ at the age of 4.
9 Jun
1874: From landfall 20th June 1874 at Dunedin, they sailed
up the coast the following day were landed at
Timaru and then went by Cobb and Co coach
to Temuka. They were billeted at the Volunteer Hall until
suitable accommodation could be provided.
9 Jun
1874: From landfall 20th June 1874 at Dunedin, they next
sailed up the coast and the following day were landed at Timaru.
They were taken by Cobb and Co coach to the Temuka Volunteer Hall
where they were billeted until suitable accommodation could be
provided. The family settled at
Temuka and here the Mattingleys and Bryans received their education.
In the 1890's Harry Bryan was recorded
regularly as an
athlete excelling at the various sports events held in the
South
Canterbury area and rewarded by prize
money - distance,
jumps, hurdles etc (for many years he held the record
with
a hop, step and jump of 44 ft). 1891 he played
rugby for
the Waihi Football Club
Edah was aged 24 yrs when on 26 May 1904 she and Harry married and in 1907 they moved to Otira. Grey River Argus, 9 Dec 1910: FROM OTIRA TO CASS. On Monday next, 12th inst, for the first time a new line of coaches will run on the Christchurch Road connecting with the express train from Greymouth and carrying passengers and luggage to Cass. Messrs Bryan and Moynihan are the proprietors and they have had built special coaches for the purpose and secured a splendid team of horses. The services of the best drivers have been engaged and passengers are assured that every comfort and safety can be relied on. The firm are determined to cater for the tourist traffic, and with their very up-to-date plant we wish them a full measure of public support. A line of opposition coaches on this route has been long needed, and the new proprieters are to be congratulated on their enterprise. We are told the fares by this new firm will be considerably reduced - the fares will be 1Pound single and 30s return, and Messrs Henniker and Co., Greymouth, have been appointed local agents from whom all information can be obtained. The trains will be met at each end, and passengers can rely on catching the connecting trains.
In the 1880s a rugged road for stage coaches was hacked across Arthur's pass. In 1906 a contract was signed for to rail link, a hugely difficilt task. In 1910 Cass was the stop on the railway line and served as a base for track maintenance ganges using men, horses, picks, shovels and drill and blast methods in the difficult, mountainous critical section between Arthur's Pass and Otira where the construction of a 10 km tunnel started in 1907 . During this period coaches were used to transport passengers between the two railheads and the tunnel was not completed until 1923 due to spiralling cost and WW1 labour shortages. Work on the Passenger_services>Midland Railway line involved 16 tunnels including the Otira tunnel, river bridges and 4 viaducts, West Coast Times: 10 Dec 1910 Messrs Bryan and Moynihan are starting a new line of well equipped coaches to connect with the trains to Otira and Cass which will ran on Monday next, 12th inst, for tlie first time. The fares will be £1 single and 30s return, ami Messrs Henniker and Co., Greymouth, are the Coast agents, who will afford every information to travellers. The trains will be met at each end, and passengers can rely on catching the commenting trains.
Above: Coaching Scenes . WESTLAND LAND BOARD. West Coast Times , 18 Dec 1913: H. Bryan applied for 4 acres 2 roods (run 459), Block X, Otira S.D. Granted. H Bryan Elected to Otira School Committee
Bev
McInnes
shared this photo. Although the family photographed were not
identified, we believe it illustrates perfectly the
ages of
the Bryan children ...
Grey River Argus, 30 Sept 1915: GREY MAGISTRATE'S
COURT At
the Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, yesterday, Henry Bryan was
charged with
the theft, of oats from Archibald Hall's stables at Otira on the
24th
inst. The police evidence was to the effect that complaints had
been made
by the proprietors of the stables at Otira, and both Hall's and
Cassidy's
stables were watched on the night in question by Constable
Shannon, who
saw the accused enter Hall's stables, strike several matches, and
return
in about five minutes with nearly half a sack of oats. After
leaving the
stable, and when about 50 yards from there, the accused was
accosted by
the constable and admitted he got the oats from the stable, and
was taking
them home, also admitting that he had got permission to take the
feed, but
explaining he was in the habit of doing business and borrowing and
exchanging stable requisites with Mr Hall. The accused stated that
he was
a carrier and had been in the Otira district since 1907, had run a
coaching business, and afterwards worked for Hall. On the 23rd he
was told
to be in readiness, if wanted, to drive an extra coach, over
Arthur's Pass
for Hall Bros. He had a horse of his own, which had been returned
by Mr
Bevan that day, and as the horse was not eating the chaff, accused
went to
Hall's stables abut 8 o'clock to find the groom in charge to get
oats for
a long journey on Sunday. The groom being absent, accused went to
the
hotel at about 8.30 to see Mr A. Hall, or the groom, but
was
unable to see either. He remained at the hotel till closing time,
when he
left for home. On passing the stable, the doors of which were
still open,
there was no one there. He took two or three buckets of oats, with
the
intention of informing the stables on the morrow. Mr Hall, in his
evidence, stated that had the accused asked him for the oats he
would have
lent them with pleasure. The case was dismissed.
After Edah's death, Harry went on to be a
cook at
Broken River for the workers and train personel and in 3 Aug
1927 he
sold pigs from his farm at Otira at Addington,
Christchurch. He moved to Christchurch 1938 where
he lived
at 201 Avonhead Road with his youngest son Cecil
George* Bryan
(occ. labourer) Their house was broken in and valuables
including his watch and chain were taken and sold. Son George
d: May
4, 1940 at Christchurch aged 25 years and Henry now alone,
moved back to the Westcoast where he died at Otira 29 Sep
1953.
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