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Alfred started
schooling at Riverlea school and went to stay with his
grandparents George and Elizabeth Adlam where he was admitted to the
Oakura School on 12 Mar 1907. His last day was 18th June 1908
and he returned home his family at Riverlea. Alf remembers the
accident when one day 6 or 7 children were racing our horses to the
Riverlea school. "My horse was an ex-racer and my brother and I were both
on it when we tumbled off and I hurt my head badly. The doctor said had
the cut been a fraction deeper I would have been dead" a scar he was
to carry on his forehead all his life. Father Arthur Griffin was on the
Parents Association when the School's name was changed from Makaka to
Riverlea. Alf attended Riverlea for about 6 years and said there were
about 40 pupils on the roll with two teachers - Mrs Benton and Mrs
Hewett. A curtain was used to partition the room to separate the two ages
- the older and younger children. Alf remembers it as a good school
with good teachers. In 1939,
Alf bought a 1938
British Bedford truck and used it extensively for many years on the farm,
including the daily ritual of taking milk to the Kaupokonui Dairy factory and bringing
whey home for the pigs. Daughter Ava sat her driving licence test in the
truck. Eventually it was retired and quietly rotted away in a farm paddock
until 1991 when grandson engineer Ross McCall undertook the long job
of restoration with some help with upholstery and wiring. After much
research as some parts were found to be rotten and needed to be completely
rebuilt, a new bonnet had to be made as the original was long gone, the
petrol tank had holes and the truck after much hard work, was
eventually brought back to it's former glory given a paint coat as
close to the original blue as possible and was reunited with it's
owner making a wonderful 90th birthday surprise present for a
delighted Alf.
Alf continued to take a keen interest in farming politics having been a member and branch president of the former Farmer's Union and a member of the Federated Farmers. In 1992 Alf and Tilly
celebrated their 65th (Sapphire) wedding anniversary.
Alf stayed on the home
farm then after Tilly's death on 31 July 1995, he lived with his
daughter Ava for several years before moving to Ngahuru Rest
Home. His failing eyesight meant in his last few years he could no
longer read and his hearing was poor, however he continued to keep up
with the news and current affairs, retaining his keen interest in dairy
farming matters, enjoyed watching Rugby on the TV and a game of cards
and table bowls at the Ngahuru Rest Home. He celebrated his 100th
birthday with a special gathering of family and friends at a
luncheon in the Southern Rugby Clubrooms driven there in style in his
vintage Bedford truck and his 101st and 102nd birthday were held at the
rest home.
Alf died on 13th
July 2003 and he and Tilly are buried at the Manaia Lawn
Cemetery.
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photos |