Shirley Grew up with Community Support After Father Died In
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Vol. 36, No. 41 - October 22, 2020 52 Ingestre Street, Whanganui - ‘NZ’s Most Beautiful City’. Phone 345 3666 or 345 3655, email [email protected] Shirley grew up with community support after father died in war signed up and was sent to [ them, cooking meals and BY DOUG DAVIDSON Egypt, North Africa and only available one was a ƽ Eighty-four-year-old Shirley Bristol was brought up - house behind the shops. Later, when her mother “It was a shambles,” says got a small inheritance, she in Waverley but attended Whanganui Girls’ College, ing as a tank driver in the Battle of Casino in early Shirley “complete with a joined a tour group led by as a private boarder Monday to Friday. She recalls 1944. Soon after when rusty roof.” local travel agent, Trevor catching the “stock train home on a Friday evening they stopped to have a rest, This is when the local Healy and his wife Betty, from Aramoho station in the early 1950s. Bill got hit. community of Waverley on a POW tour in 1969, “They had a carriage The trip made me feel sick He was expected to live stepped in. “Mum’s broth- which included a taxi ride for people but the train but I had to hang on until I [- er-in-law, Uncle Albert to Caserta. stopped at every station, got back to Aramoho.” [ Larsen, was the president The house, in Waverley, and there were a good When Shirley was only at Caserta in Southern Ita- of the local RSA and mem- was set on a 1/3 acre sec- number of them, to un- four, back in 1940 and liv- ly. The allies headquarters bers went door to door to tion, typical for Waverley, load stock and take on ing with family in a farm- and a hospital was based at raise funds to provide a so Shirley’s Mum had it more. The trip took me er’s cottage near Waverley, ‘The Pink Palace’ (it was house for the family. The sub-divided, the house three hours to get home.” her father, Bill, decided to the main residence for the Waverley community had sold and a two-bedroom Fortunately, she was volunteer for service in Kings of Naples and has cake stalls and dances. The unit built for herself. She able to catch the rail car WW2. “It was one way,” 1200 rooms) in Caserta. end result was “a freehold stayed on that site right on Sunday night back he hoped, “to be able to get Shirley says, “about 50 house on the corner of through until she went to to Whanganui. It took his own farm when he re- Kiwis are buried there.” Gloag and Smith Streets.” Kowhanui Rest Home. only an hour “but it was turned,” explains Shirley. Shirley’s mother was Understandably, Shirley Shirley went to Girls’ crowded. I had to hold So despite everyone tell- about to give birth to looks back and describes College because, “Mum on to the straps that came ing him not to, because he Shirley’s youngest sister the Waverley community was adamant I was going down from the ceiling. had four daughters, Bill but, thanks to the local tel- as “very nice and caring.” to get a secondary school ephone operator, word of Still life was not easy. education. Mum was the her husband’s death was Shirley’s mum relied on youngest of six with four kept from her, until Leonie the war pension, looking brothers and had to leave was born. Bill died 2 or 3 after children and taking in school at 13 to look after Shirley Bristol days after hearing of Leo- boarders. She remembers her mother and brothers. animal numbers before be- when he bought a farm nie’s birth. one boarder in particular. She did not want that to ing able to buy a farm up when he was aged nearly [- He was a teacher at the happen to me.” the Paraparas near Kaka- 90.” The family trust ternative accommodation local school. The porch Shirley married Bruce tahi and then later in Blue- owns this farm and one and stayed for a time with ƽ Bristol in 1961 and with skin Road. on the opposite side of the her mother’s sister who bedroom. When her mum Bruce’s brother Don, they Shirley adds, “A long highway just before going [ ƽ - farmed in the Tayforth time later Bruce featured down into Goat Valley on her own. They needed to down, Peter supervised area, slowly building up on national television the way north. RIVER CITY PRESS, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020 - 1 Check out what’s in this week’s RCP Pakaitore sign of the times - [7""" " +]ƾ # O [ < M ƽ " - - - _ 'P [ [R + 7 " # [ #= " J[ - "Q #" 8- :; <;;= > "" Doug Davidson, email: journalist@ ? @ #- ƽ rivercitypress.co.nz J" Q J" Z :|Q - " @ # ] 0 "" M J" Y @ #- :|Q Z [ J" " \ ]- |<Q # @ O# "" @ J^Q ]"- ] " - 0 @ + !"#$% "J":Q + 7 - _ 8 ] +] ' P _ @- "- Y Y"" @ # 8 "- ""J":|Q ^ <" - " " - _ 8@ # ? + - supplied Copyright: River City Press produces and/or publishes advertisements St Paul’s Putiki celebrates Category 1 historic places ranking strictly on the basis that River City Press is entitled to and [ R ] " owns the copyright in the advertisement so far as the copy- <z{: "- right relates to publication or reproduction for publication [ " in any newspaper, magazine or similar periodical or to broadcasting of the advertisement. <;|} " "- Q" R @ River City Press O - " [ 52 Ingestre St Phone @ - Phone 06 345 3666 J"QP 8 email: [email protected] < - proud to be locally owned & operated " - \ J\Q ] < "]- < O" ? ] - - # P ] " " Y @- # @ # \ ? @ [ @@ Free until you are 18. Make an appointment today 06 345 3222 Visit us at Victoria House 1a Rutland Street, Wanganui 2 - RIVER CITY PRESS, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020 Suzanne Aubert’s possible sainthood could make Whanganui and Jerusalem a pilgrim destination Suzanne Aubert, who [ 2. Majestic Square stylish Chavanne’s Hotel, night here when on busi- founded the Sisters relating to her, apart from area. St Mary’s Catho- described at the time as ness, caught up with news of Compassion – Nga this window. They are as lic Church, presbytery, second to none along this from home, spoken her Whaea O Puaroha – up follows: school and convent once coast, occupied the site native language and en- the Whanganui River at 1. The original railway stood here in the centre of now known as the Na- joyed the French cuisine. Jerusalem, from 1883 to station roughly between Victoria Avenue. Suzanne tional Bank site. Suzanne 4. During the Native 1899, has been recom- Ridgway Street and Ma- would have gone to Mass became friends of the Land Court Hearings, Su- mended for sainthood. ria Place at which the and received other Sacra- French owners Mr & Mrs zanne stayed with Ngati Sue Seconi from the 48-year-old arrived on 15 ments here. Charles Chavanne. She Hau in solidarity who Catholic Church reports June 1883. 3. The exclusive and would have stayed the had camped at Pakaitore/ on the progress of the Moutua. recommendation and 5. Hatrick’s Wharf. She possible implications for became friends with Al- Whanganui as a pilgrim High interest in proposed Durie exander Hatrick who had destination. a thriving paddle steamer Father Maurice Car- business. The Sisters had mody from Wellington is Hill land purchase free passage and use of the person or postulator his carrier pigeons. Once for the Cause of Vener- when Captain Kenny able Suzanne Aubert to opened a parcel at Jeru- be named a Saint. He has salem he found a baby recently received infor- inside with a label reading mation from the Vatican “For Mother Aubert, at Je- President of the Causes rusalem”. of Saints, that the medi- 6. Whanganui’s Hospi- [ tal. Suzanne tackled head cure attributed through on the medical superin- Suzanne Aubert her intercession, is now tendent removing from being examined. his care, against medical [ advice, orphan John Mc- step in the long and com- Mahon. Returning to plicated process for Su- Wellington he was nursed zanne Aubert to be can- to full health. onized New Zealand’s } YR Z [ [ near Upokongaro. Here [ M in the mid-winter of July necessary to be declared <{<zz|"@ a Saint - she will be be- leaders of the river met [ Suzanne and two Sisters Blessed Suzanne Aubert. 3 and 9 Blyth Street by the Durie Hill Tower of Joseph to take them to Suzanne’s work in Je- Jerusalem to revive the rusalem/Hiruharama, is Whanganui District status quo of no further The 9.30am meeting in Maori mission and school. well documented. She Council will hold an addi- land purchases. the Council Chamber at Suzanne was to act as used the microclimate tional meeting on Thurs- Council Senior Policy 101 Guyton Street is open nurse and interpreter. to not only grow a wide day, 22 October to consid- Analyst, Justin Walters, to the public and will be On 1 October 1926 Su- range of fruits but also to er and hear submissions says the large number of livestreamed via the coun- zanne Aubert died in Wel- develop medicines into on the proposed purchase submissions highlighted cil’s Facebook page. The lington. This wahine tino concentrate ready for of two sections near the the public interest in the council will also consider whakapono – a very holy manufacture. The fruits Durie Hill War Memorial proposed purchase. submissions on the Re- lady, as the River Maori included cherry, pear, ap- Tower. O " view of Psychoactive Sub- described her, was aged ples, chestnuts, walnuts, Public consultation public has been keen to stances: Local Approved 91.