Hello there.
I have been sent a high resolution scanned copy, of what I am told looks like a NZ photo [opossum sleeved power poles] clipping, from a glossy magazine, which the recipient, in Scotland, saw fit to laminate, and save. The recipient died in 1998, and the laminate is now in the procession of his only daughter, living in Holland. She would like to know of its location. She knows little of her Father's NZ heritage, or of his older brother who was a NZ airman, who did not return from WWII. I have been able to supply copies of a few items of WWII correspondence between her uncle, and my Mother, before he was KIA.
The copy has been sent to me because the recipient was born in the suburb of Melville, Hamilton New Zealand, and went to the same school as my mother. His parents were Irish immigrants who emigrated there in the 1920’s and who, in retirement, lived at Green Bay, Auckland NZ.
Being familiar with their Melville home, and having visited their retirement home at Green Bay, I can confirm that the home in the photo is not of their family home, as both were on residential sections.
Yet on the reverse of the laminate, someone has written “Home – Long Acre.” But it may be that of a Uni colleague.
In 1958 following obtaining a degree at Auckland university, he emigrated first to work in an English University, and then most of his professional life was spent working in universities in Scotland.
While the steep valley land behind the home in the picture, is not unlike farm land that can be found within a half hours drive from Hamilton, I can find no home references to “Long Acre" or "longacre” in our Papers Past Archives, in the Waikato province, during the period he was living in NZ.
While several hundred PP hits can be found, nearly all in some way referenced the NZ term “longacre” referring to grass roadside verges. The two exceptions were a few to Longacre Valley, Wanganui. And to an establishment in London UK, called LONGACRE.
So my question is, does this photo look familiar to any reader of this post.
Alan.
PS I have not used surnames, as I do not have permission to go public with them. The posting here I have instigated.
