#52Stories, Week 39, Grandfathers Part Two

My maternal grandfather Albert (Bert) Victor Fuller was born in Christchurch in 1906. He was the 3^rd child of the family and the 2^nd 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.