James Glenny (Hamish) WILSON [2632]

  General Notes:

Hamish (Christened James Glenny, but called Hamish to obviate his mother using his real name, through a dislike of her father-in-law, after whom he was named!) was raised in a farming family of some wealth. Educated at home and then at boarding schools in New Zealand and Morven England, he served as a pilot with the RNZAF in the Pacific during WW II.
Hamish successfully farmed at Ngaio-iti, in the Rangitikei, for 40 years. The farm was developed into a park like property with excellent stock and animal husbandry. Horses and in particular polo were his favourite pastimes. An excellent horseman, he gained prominence in captaining the first New Zealand polo team to visit England with their own horses, in 1956.
At the age of 60 he retired from farming and moved to Taupo, where he pursued his interests in forestry, golf and polo, as president of the NZ Polo Association. He also wrote a book on the subject.
The Hamish Wilson Cup is played for annually as one of the major polo competitions in New Zealand.
He was widely respected and well loved by his children and grandchildren.
Ref: James Wilson

James Wilson remembers his family home 2017
Visitors to Ngaioiti would park their car in the courtyard to the south of the house and make their entry into a porch. They would be welcomed through a glass panelled front door, into a small hallway. The Hall was a T junction; to the right was a long, dim passageway with doors opening into bedrooms, bathrooms, dressing rooms and a boot room. To the left was the access to the kitchen and straight ahead, the entrance to the sitting room, the heart of the house.
Here, wood polish and flowers emanated an aroma that filled the room. The furniture, antique and substantial included a large refectory table festooned with the latest of magazines, including London News, and Punch and a beautifully arranged vase of flowers. In one corner was Di's secretive and tidy desk, from where endless letters and cards emanated.
In an opposing corner was Hame's imposing desk covered in papers and stacked with filing boxes, from which all the farm and family business was managed in careful longhand. The south wall was dominated by a substantial fireplace, which put out some heat and much smoke. A huge window, approximately 3 metres long by 2 metres high, set in its own architectural picture frame, looked out over the front lawn, a haha (instead of a fence impeding the view), rolling green pastures, across the wide Rangitikei River, and then up and over the Hunterville hills to the crowning centrepiece of Mount Ruapehu on the skyline. This spectacular view to the north never ceased to draw comment; the vista being so large, that no painting or photograph ever documented it adequately.
Substantial double doors opened graciously into the dining room. A large dresser, from which food was served, dominated the 2 metre diameter round "Chapman Taylor" rimu table , at which most meals were taken. The view was framed by double glass doors opening on to the adjoining, open-fronted, sun-porch.
The garden, established at the same time as the house, included groves of oak and other English trees, surrounding a tennis court, all set to the west of the house. Within the front lawn was planted a copper beach tree, the result of crossing a silver beach with copper birch. This tree grew graciously from a small sapling to a tall tree providing shade for all ages and later support for swings and tree climbing.

  Other Records

1. Hamish & Di Wilson's marriage, 1940, Gordons Valley Timaru NZ.

James married Alice Diana "Di or Ga" ELWORTHY [941] [MRIN: 864], daughter of Percy Ashton ELWORTHY [544] and Bertha Victoria JULIUS [542], on 6 Feb 1940 in Gordons Valley Timaru N.Z. (Alice Diana "Di or Ga" ELWORTHY [941] was born on 28 Nov 1919 in Gordons Valley Timaru N.Z. and died on 7 Nov 2008 in Taupo NZ.)