My
maternal grandfather Albert (Bert) Victor Fuller was born in Christchurch in
1906. He was the 3rd child of the family and the 2nd son.
They
lived in Middleton Road (which was called Bowen Road originally) in the
Wharenui Settlement (Upper Riccarton). Their land went from Middleton Rd toward
McDowells Road (which is now Wharenui Road) and included the land which is now
Colligan Street. It had originally belonged to his mother’s elder brother, but had
bequeathed to her before she married. Her family were market gardeners, and
many of the other residents of Middleton Road where in the business too. I’m
not sure exactly what they grew (fruit I think) – but I KNOW there were a lot
of raspberry canes. Along the road, heading back toward Riccarton Road, lived
Aunts and Uncles from both sides of his family.
The
little cottage they lived in, and I remember visiting is still there – a little
changed, and swallowed up by in-fill housing all around it – if you know where
to look.
His father
worked with the Railways and was based at Middleton Station, just at the end of
the road and down a bit. Blenheim Road wasn’t there then, just a dusty track to
the saleyards.
At Sumner about 1908/9 - he is the littlest one in white
The
family attended St Peter’s at Church Corner, although Bert and his elder sister
Edie were both married at St Barnabas in Fendalton.
I will
need to do some more research to be sure, but I would guess that he most likely
went to Wharenui School which had opened in 1907 on Matipo Street. After
Primary School he attended the Technical High School (or College – his reference,
which Mum has, from the principal includes both names on it !) in Barbadoes
Street for two years from January 1920 – December 1921. After this, aged about
15 he began his 5 year apprenticeship in fitting and turning with P & D
Duncan on St Asaph Street.
After
completing his apprenticeship he worked for a year or so with P & D Duncan
before embarking on a career with State Hydro starting at Lake Coleridge and
continuing at many of the construction sites around the country until his
retirement when at Whakamaru in the Waikato.
Some
things I know – he enjoyed a game of Canasta and an involved code of secret
signals between partners was encouraged. He didn’t enjoy Elvis being played
again and again on the radiogram so much. He played saxophone and xylophone and
played in a band. He also like bagpipes – and Nana didn’t. Maybe there is some
Scot connection hidden way back in that branch of the tree ?
He
could make a sixpence disappear by rubbing it on his trouser leg ! Once when
babysitting me while Nana was out at a meeting, she came home to find us
playing cricket in the hallway – oops.
I
remember enjoying tinkering with tools with him in the garage, and lounging in
the shade on deck chairs.
He was
Grandad as opposed to Poppa, but I always called him GonGon…which was
apparently Gone- Gone, as they would come to visit and then go home. Gone. It makes
perfect sense.
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