Harold Liveing "Harry" FENN [33]

  General Notes:

Harry was with no certainty said to be born in the Wardrobe Court of the Old Palace Richmond in the room Elizabeth I died in, however his birth certificate records their address in the nearby 1 Portland Tce Richmond as does the family bible, which was the family residence at that time.
His father practiced medicine at Wardrobe Court and his sister Evelyn was born there.
The Wardrobe Court was a Grace and Favour premises leased by the Crown to the Julius and Fenn families. The Julius family lived there, and their medical practice, of which Edward Fenn was a partner, was there also.
Harry's birth may have been there as his mother Katherine was most likely attended upon by her father Dr Frederick Julius, and her mother Ellen was closeby.

Sponsors at Harolds baptism were: Ernest Harrold Fenn, Arthur Onslow Julius, Frances Harriet Torlesse.

Harry was 9 when his mother Katherine died and would, as was the custom then, have been at boarding school. Katherine's sister Aunt Polly (Mary Caroline Julius) was a surrogate mother to the family until her untimely death in 1890. They also had as children a succession of Nannies some appeared loving and supportive (see letter from Nannie Goat below). Harry was educated at Malvern House Dover and Haileybury College 1891.3 - 1894.3. He then attended Kings College London for a term, before training as a mechanical & electrical engineer with Davey Paxman (now GEC) of Colchester ESS, then Christy Brothers and Middleton of Chelmsford one of the pioneers of electrification in the early 20th.C.
He was responsible for the installation of steam turbine driven electrical generating plants, and reticulation of the electricity. He told a story of having his hand in the cylinder of a steam engine when someone stood on the flywheel, squashing his hand to about half an inch thick, it recovered without lasting harm. About this time he took up photography as a hobby.

Haileybury Register 1891.3
Fenn, Harold Liveing, b. 28 Mar 77, s. of E. L. Fenn, M.D. Colchester, C91.3-94.3. D. in ChCh N Zealand, 6 Jan. 69.

Harry spent some time at the end of his English schooling at schools near Montreux, Switzerland it is thought this may also have been undertaken for health reasons.

In mid 1895 Harry had a climbing accident on the "Roche de Naye" in Swiss Alps, this is described in a letter from his father to his brother Van.
Harry's brush with death 12 May 1895.
Have you heard of Harry's near escape on the mountain? As I do not think you have I will quote his words:
"I and some other chaps began to go up the Rocke de Naye, all went well until we got up about 5000 feet then we had to go up steep slopes covered with frozen snow the snow was very hard and it was also freezing hard, well we ascended by dint of hard work cutting our way up them, after we had gone up about 100 yards (I forgot to tell you these slopes were covered with huge rocks) we walked along the top of the slope under a huge set of rocks, after a bit we had to get round one, three of the boys got round and then I came, I got half way when just as I was bringing my right foot round to another step my left foot and the step gave way, immediately I began to go down these tremendous slopes at a terrific pace, I crashed through between two trees and then down I went getting faster and faster if it was possible. I pressed my alpine stock head hard down on the snow it made no difference except to keep my head from going down head foremost, well at last I crashed on to a rock and rolled over 6 feet to the ground on the other side and would you believe it I was none the worse for it except very much bruised cut and shaken. I went down quite 80 feet it was steeper than the slope in front of the drawing-room window"
He says if he had fallen a little further he would have been dashed to pieces over the precipice.
Thank God for preserving him I say
Edward L Fenn

The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Admissions between 1730 and 1950
Harold Liveing Fenn, Grey Friars Colchester Essex, Engineer, Date admitted to Freedom 18/04/1902, Admitted in Right of Servtude, Date admitted to the Livery 14/04/1911

Harry, was admitted as a Liveryman to the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers, a City of London Guild dating back to the 12th century. Apart from the protection of their trade and support of their members, the Guild has supplied (bees) wax candles to St Paul's Cathedral since 1371. He was introduced to the Guild by his half grandfather Charles J. Todd who was known as "Father of the City Corporation" (City of London). Charles was member for Queenhithe ward for 50 yrs from 1857
When Harry died in 1969 he was the longest serving Liveryman in the Guild.

A sufferer from asthma, for his health's sake he emigrated to N.Z. leaving Tilbury London Thurs 22 Mar 1906 on the R M S Tongariro. He was seen off by his father and brothers Charlie, Cyril and Edgar. His asthma did not abate in New Zealand, but from the day of his marriage in 1939, he did not suffer another attack.

Harry worked as a farming cadet with his Cousin Ella's husband Arthur Elworthy at "Holme Station" (see Elworthy [595]). Then in 1910 Harry purchased "Grange Hill" Maungati, South Canterbury for £10,000. A 5000 acre grazing run in the Hunter Hills, he made a reasonable living over the years in spite of selling fat lambs for 6d each, and wool for 4d a pound during the depression.

NZ Gazette 1917 pg 1943
Men called up under the Military Service Act 1916 for Service in NZEF.
* 31805 Fenn Harold Liveing Sheep Farmer Grange Hill Cave. (* = previously volunteered.)
Harry was not called up, age health and being a farmer probably accounted for this

Using his considerable knowledge and practical and mechanical skills he installed electricity at Grange Hill and at other properties in the district.

Harry visited England in 1921, to see his brother Cyril who died while he was in England, travelling on the S.S. Orvieto. Returning on the S.S. Rimutaka sailing from Southampton 2 Dec 1921 via Panama. He visited England again in 1938 where he met his wife to be on the ship RMS Tainui "home" to England, he returned on RMS Arawa.

Land Transfer Act Notice.
Evidence having been furnished of the loss of the outstanding duplicate of lease of small grazing run, Register book Volume 322, folio 147, for Rural Sections 36222 and 36223, situate in blocks VII, VIII, XI and XII, Nimrod Survey District, whereof Harold Liveing Fenn, of Cave, Farmer, is the registered lessee, and application having been made to me for the issue of a provisional lease in lieu of the said outstanding duplicate I hereby give notice that it is my intention to issue such provisional lease at the expiry of 14 days from the date of the Gazette containing this notice.
Dated at the land Registry Office, Christchurch, this 18th day of October, 1938
A.L.B. Ross, District Land Registrar
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE October 20 1938 No. 77 Pg 2266

Harry a bachelor in Maungati for 35 years was much respected in the community. An accomplished magician, he enjoyed entertaining the children of the district, and at his own cost installed and maintained a telephone service in the area. He played the piano a little! Grange Hill was popular for picnic and shooting parties hunting pig and wallaby. Harry was a gentle and loving father who was always slightly in awe of a life that brought him into farming which he "loved", and then a loving wife and family at age 62.

MAUNGATI RESIDENT HONOURED
A social and dance was held in the Maungati School on November 3 for the purpose of making a presentation to Mr H. L. Fenn, to welcome his wife, and to extend the good wishes of the district to the newly-married couple.
Practically every household in the district was represented at the gathering, as were the households of the surrounding districts.
The size of the gathering and its representative character were eloquent testimony of the general esteem and affection that Mr Fenn has won in his long residence at Grange Hill. Speeches expressing that esteem were made by Messrs A. Cookson and D. Dent, and Mr Bird, as the oldest resident and the one first associated with Mr Fenn when he came to Grange Hill, presented Mr and Mrs Fenn with a silver tea set on behalf of the residents.
Mr Fenn, returning thanks on behalf of himself and his wife, deferred to the present and the numbers present as just another visible example of the friendship and goodwill on the part of all which he had enjoyed throughout his residence in the district, and which he keenly appreciated. Miss N. Neale played for the dancing and Mrs Dent, Mr W. Smith and Mr W. Forman contributed extras.

Extracts from The Silver Tussock.
By Allister Evans.
Mr H. L. Fenn: H. L. Fenn was born in Richmond, Surrey, England. But more than this he was born in the historic Palace of Richmond which was Queen Elizabeth I's favourite residence, and where she died. By chance he was born in the same room.
H. L. Fenn was educated in a Preparatory School in Dover, Hailbury College, and in Switzerland. He came to New Zealand in May 1906. Actually he had trained in England as an electrical engineer, but due to poor health came out to New Zealand, hoping to find suitable work. After a few weeks in Christchurch with his uncle, Bishop Julius, he went as a cadet to his cousin by marriage, A. S. Elworthy of Holme Station, where he worked for four years. Then in 1910 he took possession of Grange Hill from M. Ormsby, and there he remained till 1944. In October 1939, he married Marjorie Barker.
While at Maungati he was instrumental for having party lines installed in the telephone system, linking up the settlers to the central bureau. At his own cost he maintained the line till he left the district. He took an interest in religious matters and was a member of the Anglican Church Committee. For several years the Timaunga School Picnic was held at Grange Hill, and was looked upon as the event of the year.
Life on a sheep station frequently meant very long hours. In order to commence mustering in time, it was necessary to be up long before daylight, have breakfast, prepare the horses and dogs, and be out on to the hills in the semi-darkness. The neighbouring runholders all helped one another during the several musters of the year. They also co-operated for the marking and docking of the lambs, for the weaning and dipping, and whenever help was required. During his many years of hard work and toil on Grange Hill, Fenn experienced all the joys and sorrows of farming. In 1932 was a record low price for wool - four pence (i.e. (three cents) per pound, which brought with it a slump in the prices of sheep as well. There were floods and droughts in the same year. But over the years, he saw the run being developed very much to his satisfaction.
He made many warm and lasting friendships in the local community, the remembrance of which will always remain with him. In 1944 Mr and Mrs Fenn and the family left Maungati to reside in Gleniti, where the children attended school and later travelled daily to the Timaru High School for their secondary education. The Gleniti property was taken over by their son Edward after his marriage in November 1964. Early in 1965, Mr and Mrs Fenn went to live in Christchurch.

A Memory of Pat (Phil) McManus, a neighbour.
I remember my father sending my brother and me on our horses up to the Hunters Hills to ask Harold Fenn when it would be suitable for us to bring our sheep to his run to have them dipped. This was in 1917. As we approached the house we met a lad and asked for Mr Fenn. "He's not here" was the retort. "Well then Mrs Fenn, Well I dint recon we don't keep her here" said the lad in a very broad Scottish dialect. We then learnt that Harold Fenn was a bachelor. I forget about the dipping, but I guess the sheep were dipped at Fenns until my father built his own dip.

Ref: The Silver Tussock (Pareora river basin/ Timaru) by Allister Evans 1975 A history of Holme Station, Craigmore, Maungati, Cannington, Craigmore Downs, Motukaika, Upper Pareora and Alpine from the 1860s onwards. 235pp b&w photos and maps.

Harry retired in 1945 unable due to his osteoarthritis, to get off his horse at the end of a day of mustering. It was wartime and he could not hire labour to help him. Lucky in love but not so with money, he sold out in 1945 for £7500 under wartime Labour Govt price controls losing £2500 on what he paid in 1910 for the run. (The purchaser sold in the early 1950's wool boom for a reported £250,000)

The family moved to Gleniti a rural suburb of Timaru NZ where Harry enjoyed pottering in a large garden and doing "things" in his shed. In 1964 he and Margot moved to an apartment in Cambridge Court Christchurch (destroyed in the 2010 earthquake) to enable Margot's treatment for multiple myloma.

Deaths.
Fenn Harold Liveing. On January 6, 1969, at Christchurch, loved husband of Margery Helen Ruth Fenn, and loved father of Edward and Katharine, in his 92nd year. No flowers by request, but donations to Nurse Maude Association. The funeral will leave St Mary's Anglican Church Merivale, Tomorrow (Wednesday), after a service commencing at 3:45 PM, for the Canterbury Crematorium Chapel, Bromley. G Barrell and Sons Ltd.
Ref: Christchurch Press.

  Research Notes:

Haileybury College, a Public School, is the successor to the East India Coy College it is located at Hertford Heath near Hertford. It was a liberal and humanitarian institution primarily for the education of prospective employees of the Honourable East India Company. The curriculum included oriental languages, its buildings are topped by a fine dome designed by William Wilkins.

Harry has not been found in the 1891 England Census?

The pictures of Harry taken at Craigmore Maungati NZ are from the Craigmore visitors book of the time in the possession of Sir Peter Elworthy 1999.

Peter wrote after that visit:
3 Dec 1999
Dear Edward
It was a delight meeting you again after so long, and your visiting Craigmore - The house where your father was so much at home.
Warmest
Peter

Maungati (was Timaunga)
The Government acquired for settlement a block of land twenty miles west of Timaru which had been named Timaunga by the owner, who intended the name to mean 'cabbage tree hill.' For this meaning the form is incorrect; it should have been Maungati. When later a post office was to be opened in the locality, Johnnes Carl Anderson was approached by the Department and asked if the form was correct. He said No ; the place was a hill so it was not grammatically correct as a Maori word, and the Post Office changed it to Maungati and that name has been used for the school and the district generally, although the post office closed after only a few years of service.
Ref: Olwyn <http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlscant/teachers1913.htm>

  Medical Notes:

Harry suffered for more than 30 years without complaint from Arthritic pain in his hips and knees. Also a chronic asthmatic, remarkably he was not to suffer another attack from the day he married.

  Other Records

1. Harry in his youth, c 1880's. Harry's Birthplace The Old Palace Richmond & School Haileybury College.

2. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, 1 Portland Tce The Green Richmond SRY. Harold is recorded as a son aged 4 born Richmond.

3. Harry's Letters, Dated 6 Mar 1887 and 19 Feb 1889.
Malvern House
March 6, 1887
Dear Dolly
Thank you very much for the nice long letter you sent me I hope you enjoyed going to the Wax Works There is a very nasty bloodhound here and it has four pretty big young ones, we were going out for a walk and we met all five and the largest of them the father came up to me and looked up into my face with its great big blood eyes and it nearly knocked me over and there is a nother great Colley dog it bit a boy's head
I often went into Dover and there are lots of men of war There are such a lot of soldiers here and come in every Saturday and they drill I am very happy here I am the youngest boy in the school the oldest boy is eighteen I hope Auntie Isabella is quite well I am in a great hurry because I have got to go down and say me scripture I have racked my brain to think of some more to say.
Goodbye from your loving cousin.
Harold Liveing (Fenn)
PS Excuse is writing
Letter a written on four sides of a plain sheet.

Malvern House
River
February 19th 1889
Dear Vandy
I wish you many happy returns of your birthday I would send you a present only as I am not allowed to go into Dover I cannot but I must give you one when I come home I am sending you a few foreign stamps I am afraid this will not get to you at breakfast time as there is no post The smudge I made was because a boy pushed my hand and I smudged it.
We are having very nice weather here are you I hope you're birdie and my bully are all right. There is a man here walking for a lot of money I don't know how much he is walking for Please give the emperor a lot of kisses from me. That term is going very quickly how many stamps have you do you know could you tell me next time Aunt Pollie writes and tell me what present you get.
I have know more to say
Give my love Naney Goat and all from your loving brother
Harry
Written on 3 of 4 sides of a small piece of notepaper headed with the family IMMOBILIS crest, and some squiggles from Harry.

4. Harry L Fenn: His Confessions to Dolly Cotes [486], Cir 1891.
HARRY'S CONFESSIONS C1891
MY FAVOURITE VIRTUE: Courage.
MY IDEA OF HAPPINESS: Having a jolly holiday.
MY IDEA OF MISERY. Writing in this book.
MY FAVOURITE OCCUPATION: Fishing, boating, bathing.
MY FAVOURITE COLOUR: Red & blue.
MY FAVOURITE FLOWER: Rose & Jessamine
MY FAVOURITE POETS: Tennyson
MY FAVOURITE PROSE AUTHORS: Rider, Haggard, Julius Horne.
MY FAVOURITE PAINTER: Landseer.
MY FAVOURITE FOOD: Chicken & mutton.
MY FAVOURITE NAMES: Ethel, Ada, Bertha, Charlie.
MY PET AVERSION: Hot treacle tart.
MY FAVOURITE MOTTO: Death & Glory.

5. Harry's Letters, Dated 27 Mar 1891 and 17 May 1891.
March 27th
c1891
Dear Harry
I am sending you a little prayer book which I hope you will like. I wish you dear many happy returns of your birthday I hope you will spend a happy day, the Emperor Baa wants to know how you will get your hamper, he thinks you ought to come home. I tell him you will very soon come home. I am teaching him to read, he knows all his letters, I tell him if he is good I will give him a prize at Easter, he has just asked if Harry to read this letter, he sends you lots of love and six kisses. Bully is all right he tries to sing I think he will soon. We shall be so pleased to see you again. I am sure you will be pleased with the mail coach. I hope we shall have nice weather in the holidays so as to have nice long walks with it.
With much love to you dear Harry
From
Nanny Goat

Malvern House
River
Dover
May 17th /91
Dear Dolly
Thank you very much for your lovely long letter I got it this morning at breakfast I was very sorry to have miss you but I thought you would be at the station when I got there. I've found a Robins next in an old tin just thrown into the hedge I am going to bring it home with the nest inside when the young birds have gone it looks so lovely. I should have liked to see that chap in the water with the boat upside down. There is going to be a grand fete here tomorrow just the house so we shall have the merry go rounds. I am going to get a full-sized adder and get it stuffed or if I cant do that put it in a bottle of gin so as to keep a nice. I am glad little Asper Welle Welle One is all right I will try and get you some stamps if I can. I am getting on with my net lovely. I have been into Dover twice this week, walked in and come by the train it was lovely. I hope we have a half holiday tomorrow we ought to we had one last year. Give my love to Aunt Isabella Pie Nanny and all from your loving cousin
Harold L. Fenn
Written on four sides of plain notepaper with a pen and ink sketch of Harry striking an adder under a tree, Harry's signature has a large flourish.

6. Census: England, 5 Apr 1891, Malvern House River Dover KEN. Harold is recorded as Henry a pupil aged 14 born Richmond SRY.
Richard Hammond is recorded as the Headmaster, there were 19 pupils

7. Harry's Letters, Dated 19 July 1891 and 4 Nov 1894.
Malvern House
River
Dover
July 19th /91
Dear Dolly
I have not written to you for a long while I am so sorry but the Sundays were so hot, today is not very hot. We break up on the 31st I wish I could come home on the 30th or when Heidleberg breaks up. We had a lovely game of cricket on Saturday but we had to go up to the house because it was raining it was a pity I made 18 rounds. We had a tremendous thunderstorm on past Wednesday week the hail stones were as big as large marbles. I am dreading the examinations I do hate them I hope little Asper is all right I can swim a long way in salt water we go to the baths every Monday and Friday. Mr Hammond is always telling me he wants me to say, I want to stay in some ways and I want to go in others. Fritzies Hammond says that he is coming to our house in the holidays, when do your holidays begin. All the hay is cut and we had awful fun siding the wagons when they were full, it is all gone now, and the field looks very dull and bare. We have had heaps of tennis this time. Give my love to Aunt Isabella and purra Pie Nanny Tip Baa and everybody from your loving cousin
Hawai
PS How nice it will be living in the same house with you
Written on four sides of a small piece of notepaper.

Haileybury College
Herts
Nov 4th /94
Dear Icey
Thanks awfully for that letter of yours it was a lovely one. I am afraid I could not write to you in a French lesson although I loathe it. I will make some parts of the sledge in the carpenter's shop, I cant put it together here it would be such an awkward thing to take home. I am afraid I have not written to Cyril yet. I am afraid I have not got my house badge yet but I have hopes for it, I have not knocked out any teeth as yet this term. Was it Icey!!! you burnt in the gas how lovely if it was. We break up on the 20th, no more school for me. Yesterday Charlie came down and we gave him tea in the study and we watched the match, our school XV is jolly good this year, you know Cheese the brother of the one at Temple Grove is in this study he is in the school XV We will have a concert next holidays, I hope we have plenty of snow, do you remember our tobogganing last year (the second syllable tit tit) Jumbo is flourishing he has not asked me to tea yet beastly insolence of him. I really have no more to say
From your loving brother
Harold Liveing Fenn
Written on four sides of a small note sheet with a sketch on the back by Harry of an arm with a note "all its grandeur" another arm with a large muscle is scratched out. This letter is written to his brother Van, Icey was the boy's name for Vans withered left hand.

8. Harry's Letters, Dated 19 Feb 1895 and 16 Feb 1896.
Maison Falquier
Veytaux
Switzerland
Feb 19th /95
Dear Van
I am awfully sorry this letter won't get to you on your birthday, but I forgot the days, and I was reading the paper which has just come which is the one for the 18th I thought today was the 18th. I wish you many happy returns of your birthday. It is not half bad out here although it is not very nice being such a long way far away from home. I am sending you a picture out of an advertisement, it will give you a little idea of what this end of the lake is like. We are having very cold weather out here but nothing like as cold as it is in England. I will now try and explain the favourite pastime out here namely luging, well, you go up one of the roads which go up the mountain which is very slippery and when you have got up as high as you like, you sit down on your luge which is like a toboggan only higher and my lighter built, and then you start, and you go a tremendous pace guiding yourself with your feet or with two pieces of wood. I had a dreadful journey out here, I did not get here till late on Tuesday, travelling all Sunday, it was fearful. I have to wear blue glasses to keep the glare of the sun and snow off. I am learning the piano I am getting on fairly well with it, it is funny to go everywhere and hear them gabbling French, or Italian. It is rather awful, sometimes I go into a shop and say Avez vous des and then I have not the faintest idea of the French for what I want so I say it in English with a beaut French pronunciation sometimes, or make gestures. It is Icey all right, these things hanging down are supposed to be icicles (sketch of a finger and a thermometer) and the thermometer as you see below zero. We have had about a foot and a half of snow while I have been here. I hope we have no more. I have got a catty and I catty all the birds I see I have not got one yet; but I hope to soon, the birds consists principally of jays and magpies. I saw some Eagles the other day flying around the tops of the mountains. I have only skated once since I have been here I like luging better. There are 11 boys here they are all very jolly chaps. We do plenty of work here, we begin at 9 and go on without a break till half past 12 and then I go home to dinner (I suppose you know I don't live at Mr Musson's house but Mr Lewises which is about three quarters of a mile away), then we begin work again at 4.30 and go on till seven then I come home and have supper and do an hour work after. For summer we do work from 2 till 4.30 as it is too hot to . . . . .
Written on four sides of a sheet which has an embossed letter head of a lion and cross in a shield under which is "SUB CRUCE CANDIDA", the remainder of the letter has been lost.

Clos de Grand Champ
Villneure
Feb 16th -
My Dear Van
I wish you many happy returns of the day, and hope you will have many of them. The winter this year has been quite a phenomenal one, we haven't had a drop of rain or any snow since the 29th of December, we have had some very good skating up the Rhone valley. Yesterday I went for a long walk in some mountains in the valley, in consequence of the little snow on the mountains you can go up to 6000 feet or more, but where there is not much sun, there is plenty of snow. Just fancy poor P(?)iddle having measles how very sad, I hope they won't be a bad attack. I have been paying a call or two on a dentist here, it is rather awkward to jaw French when he has his two hands down your throat but I got on all right. I am going to have one out soon. I suppose you enjoyed the rest of your holidays very much, going to the theatre's etc. There was a fire just near here this morning and all the people in Villneure turned out and formed two long lines down to the lake and passed water up in every conceivable thing that could hold it even in stools "er - tit!! - tit!!", for fire engines are few and far between here. I have been doing a lot of luging at the beginning of the year it was very good then, but it has all finished now, worse luck. Old Mrs Potts has been getting in furious rages with everyone "God only knows why" er-tit!! tit!!, she has got two cats and it is rather curious but the cats don't seem to like us, funny isn't it.
How is (a sketch of a thermometer and some fingers, the transcriber takes this to be a reference to Icey) I suppose there is a great demand for it now the weather is so hot. I have been playing tennis a good deal lately, I shall play a good deal next week I hope. I heard from Gerald the other day I had no idea at poor Adria had been so ill, I hope she will soon be better. Montreux is very full now and the balls and theatricals have just come to an end now. We have got two new chaps here this time Knight-Bruce the chap I'd brought out with me, he's an awful shit I think and Pott is the name of the other he is almost as bad, it is rather awkward having a chap called Pott here. I have been doing so little lately that I have no more to say, hoping you will have a happy birthday.
I remain your loving brother.
Harold L Fenn
PS I suppose you will give your fags a holiday on your birthday n'est ce pas
Written on four sides of a piece of heavy note paper, overwritten slightly on the front.

9. Harry's Letters, Dated 18 Feb 1897 and 19 Feb 1904.
Grey Friars
Colchester
Feb 18th 1897
My dear Van
I wish you many happy returns of the day. "As Colchester is such a bad place for presents, I will keep mine until the holidays!!!!" I like my life at Paxmans very much my daily routine is this I get up at about five or ten to six, begin work at half past, leave off at 8.20 come home for breakfast (during the said breakfast Edgar reads the billiards to me), begin again at 9 go on till 1 p.m. and then from 2 till 5:30 p.m., so I have a good long day of it. I have got a nice bicycle. Lately I have purchased a cyclometer and gear case. Since the beginning of last week up until now I have been 71^1/2 miles. When you come home I will take you round the works and show you the molten iron, furnaces etc. Bo and Chick are still both flourishing. I remain in haste your loving brother
Harold L. Fenn PW
PS My latest title is PW (Paxmans workman)
Written on four sides of a small notepaper with a Grey Friars letter head

59 Devonshire Rd
Greenwich S4
February 19th 1904
My dear Van
Very many happy returns of this eventful day the 20th of February, my dear brother I am afraid our correspondence lately between us, can hardly be called heavy, what say you. As you perceive by the above address I am still in the land, famous for its time. Lately I have been inflicting my, I trust, welcome presence on our various relations etc in the neighbourhood, namely that the Todds, Routh's, Julius's, Cotes. I am going down to the Todd's tomorrow for a weekend; and the following Saturday I honour Uncle Arthur again with my company. I enjoyed the billiards last time I was there immensely, we were at it till 11:45 p.m. I saw a few weeks ago that Colonel Conor was appointed Governor of the Isle of Wight prison, (Parkhurst I believe it was) so I suppose the family will be retiring from Chelmsford; just my blooming luck; you will have an all your own way now with the five Miss Conor's. I am at present walking about with a bread pudding hanging to my fingers as I have managed to poison my hand. I expect you have been having some splendid sea's lately during these high gales, we have been having the river into the new engine room's during these very high tides. I went and saw the "Orchid" at the Gaiety last Saturday it was very good indeed. I expect you have forgotten what the inside of a theatre looks like out in the Wild West of Cornwall. I wrote and congratulated father on his find; I expect it bucked him up tremendously (the autograph I mean), wild horses wont drag him away from them now. I had a very quiet Christmas; and was very disappointed not to get any rabbiting; but the poor Church's have had rather a job to keep the wolf from the door, during Harry C's long illness, so they sold all their rabbiting ferrets etc. Mrs Gardener looked as well as ever have you written to her since Christmas as she asked me your address, and I forgot to give it her. I shall be down here for a few weeks still, I am in no hurry to get away; although I object to 5:15 in the morning but still I have a lump it Now my dear brother, I must bid you farewell, once more wishing you every luck and happiness for your birthday and the future
From your affectionate brother
Harold L. Fenn
Written on four sides of plain notepaper, partly overwritten on the front.

10. Harry Living at Grey Frairs Colchester, Abt 1900.
Harry at Grey Frairs Colchester, images of a generating plant, he was responsible for the installation.

11. Fenn Family: Ye Christmasse Pill, To The King of Pugs, Confessions, Abt 1900.
"Ye Christmasse Pill"
An Art Nouveau card illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley (see picture file).
For more than 50 years the Fenn brothers circulated this Christmas Card between each of them in sequence annually, its history is recorded below.

Colchester Christmas 1899? - Still going strong

An Essex child, I came to light.
At Colchester one Christmas bright.
Born but one season's joy to give,
I little thought;
To such an hoary age to live.

The Christmas seasons come and go,
In years of joy and years of woe.
And though I'm worn and scarred and old,
I still survive;
Nay more, I'm worth my weight in gold

And thus encouraged, still l cling.
To life, and trust some joy to bring.
So please accept now, if you will
My Reader dear;
A greeting from Ye Christmasse Pill.
1916

Ye Christmasse Pill
The History of My Life.
Having attained my 30th birthday, it has seemed good to me that I write a history of my life and the strange experiences which I have undergone, for it may well be, that the matter in which I came into this world, my miraculous escape from a painful death and my subsequent wanderings be, in truth, forgotten, unless set down on paper for the benefit of the generations to come.
My earliest recollections are of a shop in the High Street at Colchester, which indeed remains to this very day. With many other Christmas cards I lay there, frequently handled, but always passed over in contempt until on Christmas Eve 1899 I was purchased with other cards by two young men and carried off. My heart thrilled with triumph, at last I had been noticed, but my joy was too premature for later in the day I was brought out with the others and greeted with shouts of mockery and derision. "We could not possibly send this ugly card to anyone" was said and forthwith I was cast on the fire. Even now, although full thirty years have elapsed, I can feel the cruel flames licking my sides and searing my body, I gave myself up for lost but my dreadful fate appeared to touch the heart of the younger of the two brothers who had brought me and noticing that I was not wholly consumed he plucked me out of the flames. For a while I lay trembling but I was carefully preserved and a year later I was sent to the elder brother. To my great relief instead of mockery and hatred, he greeted me with joy and affection, in truth the ugly duckling had grown into a swan, and ever since then, every Christmas time I have visited one or other of the four brothers who now compose the family. I have crossed the ocean many times to far-off New Zealand, I have travelled all over England, whether it be that the North, South, East, or West and every home that I have come to, my advent has been hailed with joy and gladness. It is my dearest wish that I may continue on my joint journeys and that with my four faithful friends, not one missing, I may celebrate my jubilee.
1929.
When Van Fenn retired in 1951 to live with his brother Harry in New Zealand they were the surviving brothers, and the journeys stopped.
The transcription of this history was done in 2007, Ye Christmasse Pill, has now twice celebrated its jubilee, and has been retired to an archive.
Aubrey Beardsley was one of the most controversial artists of the Art Nouveau movement this card would have been very avant garde in 1899.
Van wrote the above history and the transcriber suspects that it was he who saved Christmasse Pill.

To the King of Pugs
Though is the best little dog of his day?
The quickest the wisest of the brightest I say,
Who sneezes and cries like a good little man,
And does all that you tell him as well as he can.
WHY! PICKLES!
Who shuts to the door with a bang bang bang?
And rings the bell for Elizabeth Ann,
Who cries when you're ill and laughs when you're pleased,
And, Oh! never bites when even he's teased.
WHY! PICKLES!
Who hates the white cat with unutterable scorn?
Who calls on mother and granny each more on?
Who loves the best place on the hearth rug soft?
Who jumps on your lap every day so oft?
WHY! PICKLES!
His cousins can't hold a candle to him,
Although they are pretty and both very slim,
But they've not got his brains, nor his curly tail,
Vote for "Tiptree" and "Pat" his love will not fail,
For his nature it is to be noble and true,
And he loves all his kin, and you, And me to.
The transcriber thinks that this doggerel was written by Harry, Pickles was of course the family dog.

12. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, Wentworth Hse The Green Richmond SRY. Harold was a visitor at the Todd home Wentworth House, he is recorded as aged 24 single, employed as an Electrical App Engineer, born Richmond.

13. Harry's "Home" Trips, 1906-1921.
Emigrating to NZ
MR H L FENN, Age 29, Birth year 1877, Marital status S, Occupation ENGINEER, Departure year 1906, Departure day 22, Departure month 3, Departure port LONDON, Destination portWELLINGTON, Ship name TONGARIRO, Ship master's A SUTCLIFFE, Shipping line THE NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED
Mr H L Fenn: Male Age: 29 Birth Date: abt 1877 Departure Date: 22 Mar 1906 Port of Departure: London, England Destination Port: Wellington, New Zealand Ship Name: Tongariro Master: J A Sutcliffe

Visiting his dying brother Cyril in England
Mr H L Fenn Birth Date: abt 1877 Age: 44 Port of Departure: Brisbane, Australia Arrival Date: 4 Jun 1921 Port of Arrival: London, England Ports of Voyage: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Colombo, Suez, Plymouth. Ship Name: Orvieto Shipping line: Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd Official Number: 129628

Mr H L Fenn passenger on the NZSCoy SS Rimutaka departed Southampton 2 Dec 1921 to Wellington and Lyttleton NZ via Panama. Capt F.A. Hemming.

14. Harry's Employment Testimonials, 1906 England.
Testimonials to Harry's work in England:
Harold L. Fenn Esq.
Alston Court
Nayland
nr Colchester

Golden Valley Paper Mills
Bitton
Nr Bristol
March 13, 1906
Dear Mr Fenn
I gather that this letter will be all you will require, and serve your purpose quite as well as a merely formal testimonial. I think I mentioned to you when you completed Messrs Christy's work here than I considered the work very thoroughly done. I might also add that, I consider the way that you and your colleague stuck at the work through thick and through thin, and in all temperatures was praiseworthy, and that if ever I had a large contract to place again for a £2000 job like that extending over a period of 12 months or more, there is no one I should more like to employ, than men of like character and cheerfulness such as you both proved yourselves to be.
Should you desire a letter of recommendation, to any person or firm, when you reach your destination, I shall be happy to send one.
Bon voyage
Yours sincerely Golden Valley Paper Mills
Charles King Smith. Prop
Hand written on one sheet of company letterhead, with envelope bearing the company name and franked Colchester 7 am Mar 14 06

Memorandum
From Fielding and Johnson
Anker Mill
Nuneaton
March 16 /06
Dear Mr Fenn
Enclosed please find the testimonial you wrote for and both my father and myself wish you a very successful career and good luck with your new berth.
Yours truly
A. E. Baker

Fielding and Johnson
Anker Mills
Nuneaton
March 16, 1906
We have great pleasure in giving this testimonial of the abilities of Mr Harold L. Fenn who has done electrical work for us on several occasions, which was always very satisfactory and thoroughly reliable and we alway found him very obliging during his stay here.
W. A. Baker
Manager
Hand written on two sheets, the second having an elaborate letterhead showing pictures of Fielding and Johnson's three (woollen) mills in Leicester and Nuneaton. Contained in an envelope, defaced by the removal of the stamp, but bearing on the back a postmark "Colchester 9:30 am MR17 06" and an embossed mark by Fielding and Johnson containing the image of a sheep. A short history of this company is to be found on the Internet - www.nnwfhs.org.uk/publications/journals/I2.pdf

Christy Brothers and Middleton
Electrical Engineers
Chelmsford
April 2, 1906
Reference 21/L.F.C.

H. L. Fenn
Bishops Court
Christchurch
New Zealand
Dear Sir
We have pleasure in stating herewith that you have been in our employee for a period of about 3^1/2 years, during which time you have been engaged on all classes of electrical work, including some large power transmission installations, the carrying out of which you have had charge of, and also been for some considerable time in our drawing office designing machinery for electrical plants.
We have always found you take a great interest in your work, and been able to retain the knowledge gained therein.
We feel sure that you will be successful in any work of a similar nature that you may take elsewhere.
We remain
yours faithfully,
Christy Brothers and Middleton
Typed letter on company letterhead, from Leonard F. Christy identified from the letterhead. The letterhead also identifies the company as contractors to the War office, Home Office etc.

15. Harry's Letters: En Route to NZ, Dated 10 Mar 1906 and 24 Jul 1906.
Alike to those we love, and those we hate,
We say no more at parting at life's gate,
To him who passes out beyond earth's sight,
We cry - as to the wanderer for a night
Good-bye!
We have no dearer word for our hearts friend
To him who journey's to the worlds far end,
And sears our soul with grief, thus we say
As unto him who steps but o'er the way
Good-bye!
Hand written on two sides notepaper unaddressed and unsigned it is clearly written to Harry - the handwriting is very close to Nanny Goat's his Nanny.

Rev E Vanderzee Fenn
Rock
St Minver
Wadebridge
Cornwall
England

R.M.S. Tongariro
The Atlantic
Nr Cape Town
10/4/06
My dear Van
Just a line to tell you how I am getting on. We expect to arrive at Cape Town on Saturday next, we ought to arrive Friday at what with bad coal and high seas against us, we are a bit late. I spent a very enjoyable six hours ashore at Tenerriffe; having the pleasure of seeing Alphonso VIII of Spain about four times that morning, each time we gave him some good hearty English cheers, he waved his hand to us and smiled and the Queen Mother threw us a kiss. It was very warm that day, the town was all beautifully decorated and all the people had their best gala dress on. We went and saw the bull ring; I understand the King has expressed his wish that they should discontinue bull fighting there, I expect Princess Ena is bringing him up to scratch. We came board again about 3.0 p.m. laden with fruit etc and we haven't seen a thing since except two boats that passed us in the tropics. When we crossed the line Neptune came aboard, and we had the usual ceremony. I expected I should have to go through it so clad myself suitably for the occasion they pounced on me and bought me up before him and then "shaved" me ? and back I went into a large tank of water where I was well ducked. We are holding some support yesterday I am in for the final of the potato race, run off today. There are very few musicians on board, so we can't get any good music. The man who plays the organ at the morning service refuses to play twice on a Sunday, so I play in the evening. I managed to get through the chants all right. I am writing to all the brothers I shall have quite a bundle at Cape T. Seen heaps of porpose's and flying fish etc.
Best love to yourself from your
Harold L Fenn
Written on a patent notepaper with sealing flaps, addressed with a one penny stamp Frank Pier head Cape Town. Some pencil notes by Van on the back.

Edgar J Fenn Esq
Alston Court
Nayland
near Colchester
England
Via Frisco.
Had a long letter from Van last night, am writing to him tomorrow. So sorry I did not write to you for your 21st birthday it slipped my memory. You will be glad to hear carrots and turnips have gone up in price while mangles and swedes are not so steady!! I beg your pardon. Audrey is to be married in September. TeTe HLF
On the front of the card - what price Brentwood incline now. It takes three trains to shove each up here. This is in the North Island. What price the train!!
Postcard of train ascending the Rimutaka Incline NZ postmarked 24 Jul 1906.

16. Harry's Letters, Nov 1906.
Rev E Vanderzee Fenn
Rock
St Minver
Cornwall
England

C/o A S Elworthy
Pareora
Timaru
1906
My dear Van
I am writing to Rock to wish you a very happy Christmas and New Year. It seems funny to me, here am I sitting down the first week in Nov to send you all Christmas greetings when we just beginning our summer.
I don't know whether father has sent round any of my letters to any of you. My occupation for the last seven weeks has been riding round paddocks looking after the sheep and lambs, it has been an exceptionally good year up to the present for lambing and the young crops. The agricultural year is of course from June to June here I regret to say I have only been to church twice since I have been here, but now the evenings and drawing out I must make an effort one of these Sundays, (when I get one to myself). I wish I had brought out my old bike; the price of bikes out here is something awful, a L10.10.0 machine out here costing 25L. I shall have to get one soon; but I am looking out for a bargain. Up to the present I like the life and work very much; of course I get fits of homesickness and doubts as to whether I shall ever do any good at this game but I must'nt give way to them. Mr and Mrs Arthur (the chief and his wife) have left worst luck; so I have to have all my meals in the cookshop now; I am very sorry as it was very nice for me before. Shearing begins next week. I expect my job will be branding ie I had to count out the sheep as they are finished, so many to each man, and then brand them according to their age and clear them out of the way ready for another lot. There are 25 shearer's so I shall have to bustle round start work at 5.30 and go on till it is dark. I am sending you one of my photos which I trust you will be pleased with. Timaru doesn't boast of a really first class photo. We had a bad thunderstorm here at last Tuesday reminds me of (Alice through L G), the thunder seems much louder out here, due no doubt to the mountains all round us. Hoping you will not mind the short scrawl, as I have a lot to get off by this mail, and not much time to do it either.
From your affect brother
Harold L. Fenn
Written on four sides of the line notepaper that date 1906 is entered in pencil. Envelope carries a one penny NZ stamp Timaru franked 10 November, the back is franked Dunedin NZ November 12-06 3 a.m.

Note picture of Harry's first accommodation at Holme Station the whare (hut) to put him in his place!

17. Harold the Farmer, 1910-1945. Harry the farmer and his farm Grange Hill

18. The Holme Station Fire, 21 Jun 1910.
C/o A S Elworthy
Holme Station
Timaru
June 28th 1910
My dear Van
I think this past week is one I am not likely to forget for the rest of my life. Ella and the Boss left for Sydney on the 19th and I was to sleep in the house until they came back; as there was only the governess, the four children and half a dozen female servants. We all retired per usual Monday night; when about two o'clock I was woken up by the terrible cry of the "house is on fire" Tearing out a bed and down stairs to the back of the house I found the servants hall and wash house in flames; we fought against them for a short while but it was no good; and then I realised that the whole of the beautiful Homestead was doomed. The first thing was to see that everyone was safe and then summon help from the station (half a mile away) on their arrival we started to save everything that was movable downstairs; by the time we were driven out of the house by the flames we had saved practically everything in the front rooms downstairs. It was a very sad sight watching the destruction of the beautiful house; my eyes were suspiciously moist as I thought of the many happy days spent in it; alas all over now. The flames sweeping up from the back of the house burnt the stairs through so that the upstairs rooms were quickly cut off. The kids and the governess lost practically everything and I lost the few things I had up there including, worst luck, both my two pairs of eyeglasses. I sent in a claim for £8 but it was no good, as my policy only holds good as long as I am in this house. It was very sad for Ella and the Boss on stepping off their boat at Sydney to find this cable awaiting them. The kids were all so awfully good, owing to Miss Ford keeping so cool and quiet; it was a mercy she never lost her head. It was very merciful that the cook woke up then, and not a quarter of an hour later, for I am afraid there would have been lives lost. I am afraid it has shaken my nerves up considerably; the first two or three nights after, I sprang out of my bed two or three times dreaming the place was on fire; however that is over now. I am sending you a copy of a Timaru paper (not the leading one) The report is absurd and theatrical like in many ways, and I should think it is evident that the "Hero" was the man interviewed you might send it round to Charlie Cyril and Edgar. I am sending Aunt Ada and Mater one. Well, old chap, how are you getting on; about time you came out here I think. I expect you have had news of me from Aunt Ada before this. It was grand to have had her out here. Fare thee well, Van my boy
From your ever
affect brother
Harold L. Fenn
Written on four sides of a notepaper.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 144, 21 June 1910, Page 8
HOMESTEAD DESTROYED.
A FORTY-ROOMED RESIDENCE. FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY.
TIMARU, This Day.
The homestead at Holme station, Pareora, Mr. A. S. Elworthy's residence, was destroyed by fire about 2 o'clock this morning The house contained about 40 rooms, and very little furniture was saved. The fire originated in the kitchen, and is supposed to have been caused by a defective chimney. The flames had a strong hold when discovered, and spread so rapidly that the children had to bo taken out in their night clothes. The building was insured for £3700, and the contents for £2060 in the Alliance office.
Ref Papers Past

Timaru Post
Wednesday June 22 1910.
The Fire At Home Station
The Fight with the Flames
Unrehearsed Deeds of Daring
A Descriptive Account
" Never again!" these were the solemn words of an old servant, who stood beside the ruins of the magnificent structure known as the Holme Station homestead, that has been the home of Mr Arthur S. Elworthy for many years, and the home of his father before him. "Forty six years come next month" said the old servant reflectively, " and they'll never see it again".
The old fellow's conversation was so extremely melancholy that the "Post" representative hastened to change the topic to one of a more agreeable nature. It was only on Thursday last, it appears, that Mr and Mrs Arthur Elworthy took their departure for Australia, leaving behind them the fairly large retinue of domestic servants and farm assistants, and their four children Edward, aged eight years; Rachel, aged seven years; Bettie, aged five years, and Johnny, aged three years - in charge of the governess, Miss Ford. Mr P A Elworthy, of Gordon's Valley, returned last Saturday from a visit to Australia, while Mr Herbert Elworthy is at present touring the South Sea Islands. It was Mr and Mrs Arthur Elworthy's intention to have gone on an extensive motor car tour in Australia, but the fates were not kind to them, and immediately on Mr Elworthy stepping off the boat at Sydney he was handed the following startling communication: " Homestead totally destroyed by fire this morning".
The consternation of the recipient may be better imagined than described, and was intimated in a brief cable home "Returning by next boat"
Viewed yesterday, the huge mass of burning and smoking debris revealed merely the fact that a fire had taken place. There was little to indicate that a magnificent old building, teeming with historical associations for one of the oldest families in South Canterbury, and containing some £3000 worth of the finest furniture and curios to be found anywhere in the Dominion, was represented in those smouldering ashes. Yet such was the fact. The fine old home was estimated to be worth between £4000 and £5000 and was insured for £3700 while of the furniture was valued at something like £3000 and was insured for £2500. In a home of this description, however, as, in fact, in all homes more or less, there are articles of furniture whose commercial value for insurance purposes is but the merest trifle of the value that the owner places upon them. But curios, collected from all parts of the globe are infinite trouble and no little expense, were valued because of the associations that surrounded them, and the story of travel and adventure that each little article recall; their commercial value was not a consideration, in as much as the owner was not prepared to sell them.

Features of the House
The house which was built of fine old seasoned timber, and plastered throughout, contained 26 rooms, in addition to a liberal provision of larders, cupboards, etc. The rear portion of the dwelling was erected by the late Mr Edward Elworthy in the year 1864, but it has had several additions made to it from time to time. The latest addition was the northern wing, containing a handsomely furnished billiard room. Among the 26 rooms were, of course numerous bedrooms; also two nurseries (one downstairs and the other upstairs), a school room, a sewing room, a morning room, a drawing room, dining room, dressing rooms, etc. Every apartment was furnished in a thoroughly complete and up-to-date manner, and contained every convenience that a modern gentleman could desire. The whole dwelling was lit by electricity, supplied from a special powerhouse situated about 30 yards to the west of the dwelling. In the rear portion of the structure were situated the kitchen, the scullery, the servants sitting room, and to the south of these rooms divided by a passage, were the cellar and the dairy. It was somewhere in this portion of the building, probably in the servants sitting room, that the fire originated. Credence is lent to this deduction by the fact that the fire was first noticed in this quarter, and it was certainly the most thoroughly burnt out section of the whole dwelling. The servants declare that they left a low burning fire in a perfectly safe condition, but it is a well-known fact that it is in these low burning, apparently safe fires that little coal gas explosions sometimes take place, with the result that burning cinders are thrown into the room, and disaster follows. There would seem to be still plenty of reason, in this modern era, for the use of the old-fashioned safetyguard, that was supposed to perform the double duty of barring the outward progress of exploded cinders, and of swelling the dividends of the insurance companies.
The Holme Station, it should be mentioned, is a magnificent estate of about 5000 acres of first class land. The homestead faced to the east, and from the front one could obtain an un-interrupted view of the beautiful country that stretches in one great plain as far as the eye can reach. To the northwest, towers Mount Horrible; to the west the chain of hills, some distance behind which lies at the Timaru Borough's Pareora water dam. The homestead is well protected by tall plantations, while in the immediate vicinity of the destroyed dwelling are beautifully laid out grounds, containing flower beds, rose avenues, and beautiful English and colonial trees. To the west and with its branches resting over the roof of the dwelling was an aged walnut tree which, to the homestead hands at least, has now a melancholy historical interest. Its huge blackened stem and charred branches speak eloquently of the part it played in the sorry conflagration.
At 11 o'clock on Monday evening the maids and the governess retired to bed; the children had long since been wrapped in the arms of slumber. The homestead male hands, with the curious propensity of the sex, have not yet acquired the habit of early retirement. At 1:00 o'clock a.m. one of these hands sauntered across the yard for a final breath of fresh air before retiring. The night was an extremely beautiful one. Though moon shone with unwonted brilliance, and the gentleman in question confesses to the belief that the old homestead never looked half so charming as it did that morning. At the hour mentioned he is quite satisfied that there was not a suggestion of the coming fate of the old home. Everything looked perfectly peaceful, and the servant's sitting room, shaded as it was by the dairy, was quite dark, and there was not the faintest illumination of any description that could serve to arouse his suspicions. In short, he is quite positive that at 1:10 a.m. the house had not caught fire, and at that hour he retired to bed perfectly easy in mind.

The Outbreak
There is something unusually tragic about a country fire. There is no fire alarm to give, no fire brigade to call, and, as a rule, no fire appliances with which to quell the outbreak. A country fire is almost invariably a devastation, which the owner and friends are compelled to watch in exasperating impotence. The hand of the clock had just past the hour of two o'clock when Mrs Popham, who occupies the position of cook at the Homestead, was awakened by a slight crackling noise. Womanlike, she did not wait to argue as to whether she was dreaming, but was alert on the instant. One moment of complete wakefulness was sufficient to satisfy her that the house was on fire, and she immediately sounded the alarm. Rushing to the maids and governess's quarters she called to them to get out of the house, and after awakening Mr Fenn (the cadet), she rushed to the men's quarters. With an alacrity born of the moment, Mr Pearce (the under gardener), Mr Jones (the dairy man), and Mr Philip (the chauffeur, and son of the manager), leapt from their respective bunks and rushed to the scene of the outbreak. It was immediately apparent, however, that any attempt to save the Homestead was hopeless. Huge flames and clouds of smoke were curling up from the servant's sitting room and the scullery, and already the flames were eating their way to the northern wing and the centre of the house. A call on the telephone showed it to be out of working order, and, without waiting to debate the point, the chauffeur made haste to the station where the farmhands reside, in search of assistance. The dairy man, and Mr Fenn set to work on the only possible hope before them, that of saving some of the more valuable furniture. The six maids, the governess, and the four children, clothed only in the night robes, had by this time found their way on to the lawn, and there, barefooted, and exposed to the bitter frost and the bedewed ground, they stood shivering and debating the best course to pursue. After a short consultation, as the front of the house was free from flames and smoke, it was decided to place the children in one of the rooms there out of the cold. Not a whimper was heard from the little mites, and during their progress out of the smoking rooms, on the lawn, and into the front of the house, and out again to safety, they behaved like true little New Zealanders. The under gardener here revealed a commendable spirit of chivalry and courage. The appearance of the shivering maids on the lawn on was too much for him, and, although the rooms were ablaze, he determined to enter the servant's bedrooms and secure some of the missing garments. Decision and action were the work of a moment, and the pulses of the bystanders were quickened by the sight of Mr Pearce disappearing head first through the window. A couple of minutes later he emerged blackened but triumphant the proud possessor of a huge bundle of feminine garments. The maid's thanks were brief and their robing operations under the shade of the fir trees of almost as brief duration. To the front of the house Mr Fenn, the dairy man and the under gardener then directed their attention, and were in the midst of a hurried salvage operations, with the assistance of the electric light which had been turned on, when the station hands arrived in breathless haste. Then the salvage work, nobly assisted by the women, began in earnest. The handsome grand piano of inconvenient bulk, was dragged through the broad windows and safely deposited on the law. Then followed several valuable pictures, and other miscellaneous articles off value. In the midst of the operations the electric light gave out, the wire having been burned through, and the salvagers were left in semidarkness. Still salvage work went on, and valuable crockery ware, ornaments, and further pictures were removed from the front rooms. In his hurry the under gardener had the misfortune to put his head through one of the pictures, and was much relieved yesterday afternoon on receiving the assurance that the picture had not greatly depreciated in value. His comrades aver that his appearance through the window, with the tangled framework about his shoulders and a handsome painted face surrounding his own smoke begrimed, though not by any means unhandsome countenance, was most interesting. Almost the last article to be saved was the famed picture table the property of Mr Bond, whose wife had charge of the homestead at the time of the fire. This unique piece of work, made of innumerable small panels of wood, and picked out in the resemblance of the Saviour, is valued at 500 guineas, and the under gardener was also the hero of its salvation. Hearing that it was missing, he entered the burning building, and after considerable suffocating rummaging among upturned furniture, he triumphantly brought out the valuable article uninjured. At this stage Mr P A Elworthy, of Gordon's Valley Station some 3 miles distant, arrived with the force of men, and they, along with the Holme Station hands, rendered invaluable assistance. Shortly after 3 o'clock however, the tremendous heat thrown out by the burning building, compelled the discontinuing of the salvaging operations, and all hands stood by to watch the final stages of the destruction of the magnificent old home. And, overlooking the destruction involved, it was a truly superb spectacle. The night was one of perfect calm, and to this fact is due the entire lack of injury to the powerhouse and other scattered buildings. The flames shot straight upwards, and, curiously enough, the greater volume of direct flame came through the several tall chimneys. At about four o'clock of the upper storey gave way and fell with a loud crash onto the foundations. With the illumination afforded by the moon and flames, the surrounding half mile of country was lit up almost as bright as by daylight, and it would have been possible to have picked up a pin anywhere within 200 yards of the homestead. The number of watchers greatly increased as the morning advanced, traps, loaded with would-be helpers, arriving from all directions. Some excitement was created by the rapid explosion of cartridges within the house, and finally by a loud explosion in the cellar. Not before seven o'clock did the flames abate much in fury, by which time the old house was a mere mass of burning debris. The manager of the station (Mr Philip) was promptly on the scene, but, like the other watchers, was unable to do anything to check the disaster.

The Ruins
A number of visitors from Timaru and surrounding districts motored or drove out and inspected the ruins yesterday afternoon. The debris continued to smoulder throughout the entire day, and today (Wednesday) was still smoking. The salvaged effects were all removed to places of safety yesterday. It is almost impossible to distinguish any article of furniture in the ruins. The destruction has been most complete. Five tall chimneys are the sole standing relics of the homestead. A pot of lard on the kitchen range, the misshapen framework of one of the maids bicycles, a broken bath, and old "luck" horseshoe nailed in a prominent position on one of the chimney stacks, and innumerable scarred the books are the sole distinguishable remnants.
The servant maids lost practically all their effects. Two of them lost bicycles, and one £7 in cash, while all lost more than they could afford. The shrunken shrubs about the house bear silent testimony to the heat of the flames.
Yesterday afternoon a curious relic was unearthed amongst the embers by a visitor in the form of a pretty Dolton Ware cup, quite uninjured.
Ref: Hocken Library Dunedin 2008

19. Harry's Letters, Dated 28 June 1910 and 20 Sept 1910, Timaru.
C/o A S Elworthy
Holme Station
Timaru
June 28th 1910
My dear Van
I think this past week is one I am not likely to forget for the rest of my life. Ella and the Boss left for Sydney on the 19th and I was to sleep in the house until they came back; as there was only the governess, the four children and half a dozen female servants. We all retired per usual Monday night; when about two o'clock I was woken up by the terrible cry of the "house is on fire" Tearing out a bed and down stairs to the back of the house I found the servants hall and wash house in flames; we fought against them for a short while but it was no good; and then I realised that the whole of the beautiful Homestead was doomed. The first thing was to see that everyone was safe and then summon help from the station (half a mile away) on their arrival we started to save everything that was movable downstairs; by the time we were driven out of the house by the flames we had saved practically everything in the front rooms downstairs. It was a very sad sight watching the destruction of the beautiful house; my eyes were suspiciously moist as I thought of the many happy days spent in it; alas all over now. The flames sweeping up from the back of the house burnt the stairs through so that the upstairs rooms were quickly cut off. The kids and the governess lost practically everything and I lost the few things I had up there including, worst luck, both my two pairs of eyeglasses. I sent in a claim for 8L but it was no good, as my policy only holds good as long as I am in this house. It was very sad for Ella and the Boss on stepping off their boat at Sydney to find this cable awaiting them. The kids were all so awfully good, owing to Miss Ford keeping so cool and quiet; it was a mercy she never lost her head. It was very merciful that the cook woke up then, and not a quarter of an hour later, for I am afraid there would have been lives lost. I am afraid it has shaken my nerves up considerably; the first two or three nights after, I sprang out of my bed two or three times dreaming the place was on fire; however that is over now. I am sending you a copy of a Timaru paper (not the leading one) The report is absurd and theatrical like in many ways, and I should think it is evident that the "Hero" was the man interviewed you might send it round to Charlie Cyril and Edgar. I am sending Aunt Ada and Mater one. Well, old chap, how are you getting on; about time you came out here I think. I expect you have had news of me from Aunt Ada before this. It was grand to have had her out here. Fare thee well, Van my boy
From your ever
affect brother
Harold L. Fenn
Written on four sides of a notepaper.

Grange Hill
Cave
Nr Timaru
20 Sept 10
My dear Van
I really forget whether I have written to you, since I became a landed proprietor. The future which was always rather a gloomy outlook before; is now all change. I have a home to work up; and perchance I might one day take to myself a wifee. It is a pretty little homestead nine rooms in it and a nice verandah facing the sun. The gardens both kitchen and flower are well stocked and looked after. I have got a very good man with me. He has been on a place fifteen years. He does all my cooking, washing etc. This place is about 12^1/2 miles back inland from Holme Station, so I am about 25 miles from Timaru. There are about 4100 acres nominal, as a matter of fact there is over 5500; of course a lot of it is very rough and steep. The highest parts of my country run up higher than the highest mountain in Great Britain 4540 ft is my limit. As regards the stock I have about 2400 sheep 20 head cattle, two horses, etc. If the price of wool and lambs keep up I ought to make 400L per annum clear. I shan't do that this year because I shall have a lot of extra expenses with regards to the transfer of the place. You know I cabled home to Mater to see if she could advance me L1500; and with my own I could then raise the required L3000 pounds I had to show. I am now borrowing all the money I want off A S Elworthy, and playing him 5%. So now "my boy" when you visit your poor brother; he can give you a bed in his own house, instead of getting shelter for you in someone else's. I feelEdgar very lonely at times, but will get used to that soon. My lambing is just starting I hope I shall get a good return of youngsters. I hope you are keeping fit, as "your humble" is. I am glad to say that Uncle C and Aunt Alice and all the New Zealand relations are in the best of health. My nearest neighbours are only about three miles away but I like my own fireside best, so I don't expect I shall go out much except Sundays. Before I left the Station; all the hands got up a farewell dance; and in the middle presented me with a very handsome English saddle and bridle; very nice of them all I thought. I responded with a few (very few) suitable words. I have furnished one room in my mansion; in which I live and have my being. Now my brother "au revoir" from your affect brother
Harold L. Fenn
Written on four sides of a notepaper.

20. Harry at Craigmore Sth Canterbury, 1920's. Harry at the Elworthy farm Craigmore & with some of his Elworthy cousins at Grange Hill.

21. Harry's 1938 Trip "Home": To Visit His Family, 1920's.
Harold Fenn Birth Date: abt 1877 Age: 61 Port of Departure: Wellington, New Zealand Arrival Date: 14 May 1938 Port of Arrival: Southampton, England Ship Name: Tainui Search Ship Database: Shipping line: Shaw, Savill and Albion Company Ltd Official Number: 124507

Name: Mr H Fenn: Male Age: 61 Birth Date: abt 1877 Departure Date: 30 Sep 1938 Port of Departure: Southampton, England Destination Port: Wellington, New Zealand Ship Name: Arawa, Shipping line: Shaw Savill and Albion Company Limited Official Number: 140148 Master: T V Roberts

The four living Fenn brothers in 1938 - Edgar, Charlie, Harry & Van.

22. Harry's Diary 1938: Covering his trip to England Part 2, 5 Apr 1938 to 13 Oct 1938. Sunday.
Usual sort of day at a vicarage. Nice evening so we walked across the fields to Plumpton where Van was holding service, quite a good congregation, quaint little church with high pews all through it, first I had seen.
Monday.
Left by car to catch train at ? changed at Blisworth and caught train for Castlethorpe where old Edgar was awaiting me. Went to his digs, then we went on to my digs at Mrs Cook's, Mrs C charming young thing, and things looked very comfortable except the sanitary arrangements.
Tuesday.
Called on the Whiteny's were asked for tea and stayed till 6:30, I liked him she was a bit of a snob although a nobody.
Wednesday.
Left for Northampton where we met Van, and then on to the cricket ground to see Northants versus Sussex the former knocked up 350 runs on an easy wicket took our lunch with us and got some tea on the grounds and stayed till 6 PM, bit achy about the bottom from the hard seats before long.
"Thursday Mr Cayer, Edgar and Van left in his car for Stratford etc wasn't very thrilled with Stratford but loved Kimbolton Castle, but on to Leamington where we had tea needless to say it started to rain while there and then on home to".
This entry struck out as it related to the previous Thursday.
Thursday.
Went round with Whiteny and saw them busy haymaking etc, weather quite hot, and in afternoon we went to Mr Geary he wanted to walk my legs off round his place I went a good way and looked at his sheep etc and then bucked when he wanted to take me away up a hill to look at his corn, back to the house for afternoon tea and then on to the vicarage for evening meal. Had a pleasant musical evening the vicar's wife played beautifully and he sang well for his age, also his nephew who had a good tenor voice, Edgar did his share, and I was the only dud. Mrs ? Ran us back to Castlethorpe.
Friday.
The post man took us part of the way in his car and then we walked on to Hanslope Park to have tea with the squire; didn't enjoy it much as he was very reserved and hard to get on with, listened to the test cricket; and then the chauffuer ran us home.
Saturday.
Left after lunch for Hanslope where the annual Hospital Fete was being held, usual sort of thing, comic cricket match, sideshows etc back in the bus at 5:45.
Sunday went to church and Holy Communion at Castlethorpe, very few there, read the lessons and again in the evening when the attendance was better although Edgar said it was the poorest they had had for some time, after supper Edgar and I went for a walk and sat down in the fields near the railway and yarned.
Monday.
Went for a walk on my own to the water softening works down the line (Picture: http://www.industrial-archaeology.org.uk/pics/ian161.pdf) and sat down for an hour and watched the express taking up the water etc, beautiful day. Had tea with the Cook's and then went in to the Whiteney's to bid them farewell, sat and watched some quite good tennis for some time and then on in the evening I went up with Clark into the signal box and watched the process of railway control, most interesting about ninety-eight trains go through during the night till 6 AM.
Tuesday.
Met Van in Northampton at 10:30 did some shopping and had lunch and then to the pictures, a most excellent programme, and got home about 6:30, quiet evening.
Wednesday.
Left by the 8:40 for Wolverton where E had come with me and then I caught the express for Euston took my bags to ? and went into the city for a short time had lunch and caught the 1:00 express for Okehampton, arriving in pouring rain were Margaret and Janet (Bendyshe) were there to meet me, and then on up here the rain clearing off pretty soon. After dinner Margaret and I went into Okehampton (5 miles) to the pictures and met the other girls; rotten picture if ever there was one.
Thursday.
Fine and very close and hot picked sweet peas and larph? in the morning and had a walk through the woods and Margaret and I took a run round the district in afternoon. Glorious country this, and a beautiful view from the house looking out over the valley with Exbourne and Okehampton lying before us and out to the heights of Dartmoor 25 miles away, Yes Tor 2100 feet, the highest point being very notable. Bendysh gave us a private movy (sic) show in the evening.
Friday.
Quiet morning and went over to General ? for tennis in afternoon, quite a good set or two and then on home.
Saturday.
Went over to Woods in Okehampton ? a beautiful house; widow and two daughters, very close and hot
Sunday 31 July
Nothing much doing today went over to some place or other and watched the young fry playing tennis, met some interesting people.
Monday.
Were leaving after lunch for fete, but bad thunderstorm and heavy rain started so couldn't go. J.B. (John Bendyshe) took me over after tea to the Lays, rather alarming the prospect of staying here till Wednesday.
Tuesday.
Jogged round with Mr Lay in the pony cart, and enjoyed the trip through the lovely lanes. Took a car in afternoon and went to Bilston and then on up over the moors to B (Black) Tor and back to the car, very hot at times.
Wednesday.
Left by 9:25 for London Mr L driving me down to the station; a grand run up, but the heat in London was very trying 82 degrees and very moist at that caught the 4:57 for Colchester and arrived here for dinner. Found a letter from Margo awaiting me, she seems to be having a grand time.
Thursday.
Went to Colchester in morning and tried to hire a car for a fortnight but no luck as everything gone; bit of a nuisance, as depending on buses is a nuisance. Marked out tennis court in evening very hot and sultry.
Friday.
Charlie came over here Adria and I went to Colchester and met Nancy in High Street and I came back at once and caught Charlie before I left for GB (Great Bentley) here I can get a car.
Saturday.
Went into Colchester and arranged about getting car on Monday went to fete in afternoon but heavy thunderstorm and rain spoilt the whole show.
Sunday.
Rained on and off all day.
Monday.
Went into Colchester and picked up the car and went out gingerly to G Bentley had a snack with Charlie and then back to Colchester to meet Van who arrived about 4:30. Drove him back to Nayland in time for tea. Grand little car.
Tuesday left at 11:45 and took our lunch and had a picnic lunch on G Bentley common lovely hot day, went on to Clacton and sat on the pier for an hour and then went to hear my favourites the Pitrolarys? Ladies band good show. After tea set sail for home, quite at home with the little bus now.
Wednesday.
Left at 11:30 with lunch and took a tour of Suffolk had a good look round Bury St Edmunds, and then on to a wood where we had lunch; took to the road again journeyed on through heavy rain at times to Ipswich went over the Christchurch Museum had tea and home via Dedham Flatford etc very jolly day.
Thursday.
Set sail for Friston and much admired it, so clean and nice and beautiful bathing, went on to Walton what a contrast, shoddily shabby the place and everything connected with it. Back home to G Bentley for tea and supper met the vicar of Bentley who stayed solidly for 3 hours home about 9.
Friday.
Rained pretty hard all morning and on and off in the afternoon too cold to use the car, Charlie arrived in time for tea but of course tennis was out of the question.
Saturday.
Last day with the car so decided on another day at Clacton to hear the famous band. Adria stayed at home with Mater and Van and I and nurse set sail for Clacton, had lunch on the way side in rustic surroundings and then spent a pleasant few hours at Clacton and then on home to give up the bus at 6:00 a great little car and so economical on petrol cost.
Sunday.
Early service and went for a walk with nurse and Van to Stoke in afternoon Nayland church in evening.
Monday.
Quite missed the car today Van and I and Adria went into Colchester and saw a film. Went round to Froggatt's in evening and had some good bridge with Crane? and Mr and Mrs Froggatt.
Tuesday.
Charlie Ella and Nancy arrived after dinner and we played tennis all the afternoon pretty hot made arrangements for our trip abroad.
Wednesday.
Nothing much happened today went into Colchester in the morning re-clothes etc.
Thursday.
Van and I went up to London he got rooms in his hotel and I after doing some business in the city went down to Bayswater and got a room in the hotel almost opposite the White Hill? then I met Van at Victoria and we had lunch and then went to the zoo very hot the day, we then came up to town had a feed and went
Bottom of the page ripped off.
Saturday ?
Left by train for Carisbrook Castle (Isle of Wight) took our lunch with us and as the day was gloriously fine, we had a very jolly day. After exploring the Castle and the old Norman church we lay in some hay in the moat and snoozed till time to leave wonderful day.
Sunday.
Decided to go to Alum Bay so took train to Freshwater changing Sandown and walking down to the seafront before our train left unfortunately weather changed and spoilt the afternoon, so back to our pub.
Monday.
Left for London arriving next day, had feed at Corner House, and then spent an hour or two in St James Park, looked in at St Margaret's Westminster and then had a devil of a rush to catch my train had to take a taxi from Charing Cross and only just got it.
Tuesday. 23 Aug
Missed my Margo something awful; left for Colchester and met Charlie and Ella and Nancy and we had lunch together and caught a blue bus for London at 3:15 got to King's Cross at 6:15 and there by taxi to Cannon Street, where we booked our luggage through to Interlaken and started on our trip to Switzerland at 8:05 p.m. got on the steamer at 10:45 and had a very clear? trip over to Ostend the night being very mild big crowd on the steamer.
Wednesday.
Took our seats in the Basel express, very poor seats for an important trip like this, hard wooden seats and no cushions consequently no sleep for me all night except a fitful doze for a few minutes at a time reached Basel at 1:45 two hours to wait and then caught the train for Interlaken, arrived there at 7:30, weary and worn and after dinner very ready for bed, very beautiful the country we have been through.
Thursday.
Very comfortable hotel had a look around in the morning and in afternoon walked up to a hotel up through pine forests 5000 feet up above the lake. Got adrift from Charlie and Ella and they got back very late.
Friday.
Took trained up the Lauterbrunnen and then by rack railway up to Wenger, a beautiful trip through marvellous scenery. From Wenger we walked up to the Wengeralp 6100 feet up, but the clouds coming down spoilt the view, great pity, back to hotel. After dinner we went to the Kinosaal and listened to the band, saw the best firework display I have ever seen, damping a bit in the evening.
Saturday.
Went for a stroll in morning and then took the steamer to Giessbach where there are some wonderful falls much impressed, had tea at the hotel by the falls, owing to the spray everything very damp and moist. Started to rain as we came down to catch the steamer rained all evening.
Sunday 28 Aug.
Went to the English church in the morning and had a real nice service. In the afternoon Nancy and I went to the open air theatre and saw William Tell a splendid performance and the weather was kind to us and the sun shone during the play however it started to rain later on and rained all the evening.
Monday 29 Aug.
Last day, so took trained to Grindelwald and then we walked to the upper Grindelwald glacier, and had some glorious views of the mountains as the clouds lifted. Went up into the ice cave and then walked back, had tea at Grindelwald and so on home, where it started to rain as usual in the evening. However it hadn't spoilt a very good day
Tuesday, 30 Aug.
Left did 9:00 for Montreux and travelled through typically beautiful Swiss valleys and so to my old haunts of forty years ago passed through the long tunnel Les Arantes? and so to Montrose in thick fog. Cleared up a little bit and as it looked to be clearing up we started to walk to Chillon but the rain started in earnest and after much taking shelter we got back to the hotel not very wet staying at the Hotel de Joh Mont very comfortable.
Wednesday 31.
Just wandered round Landus shopping.
Thursday.
Visited my old haunts Veytaux not changed a bit except the approach to it visited the castle and Nancy and I went all over it.
Friday 2.
Walked up to Les Avants and back quite a good walk had lunch on the way
Saturday 3.
Took the steamer and made a Grande Tour de Lac via Lausanne Evian Bursinel? beautiful day and enjoyed the trip especially the French side of the lake.
Sunday 4.
Went to church at Clarens in the morning and in the afternoon we walked to Vevey and back by boat to Montrose weather very cloudy on the mountains.
Monday 5.
Took train up Rhone Valley to Villars sur Ollon but on arriving there found the clouds very low and weather very threatening and cold so we started to walk back to Aigle took our time and had our lunch on the way and eventually got to Aigle about 4:00. Had some tea and then caught train back to Montreux and bed
Tuesday 6.
Caught the train for Basel changed carriages at the Lausanne and got onto our beastly third class ones and then to Basel. Had an hour and a quarter to wait there and then got on board the Ostend special. Had very little sleep that night as seats beastly hard and uncomfortable after a good crossing arrived at Folkestone at 1 then on to London and getting there about 3:30 and there after a shave and wash to Bayswater to see my dear Margo.
Thursday 8.
Ran down and saw the relations at Richmond and back to the hotel for dinner
Friday.
Went down to G by bus and just poked about
Saturday.
Went out to Hampstead and enjoyed the wonderful views of the heath.
Sunday.
We went to church this morning I enjoyed the service sat in the old Castle grounds and enjoyed the lovely morning and the flowers. For the afternoon went out to Crompton the potteries sort of museum to Watts R A saw his mausoleum and much admired the old Chapel at C where Gywne was vicar once had some afternoon tea and walked back to the main road is when had to wait for one hour for the bus back
Monday 12.
Came down to Nayland and heard that poor Mater had had a bad heart attack on the Saturday and very nearly died Dolly is staying here
Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14
Nothing special doing these days just poked about and took it easy.
Thursday.
Went to Colchester in afternoon and looked up the Jacquelines? had tea with them and then we went to a football match which I enjoyed afterwards we played billiards had supper and then he bought me back home enjoyable day.
Friday 16.
Nothing doing today.
Saturday 17
Went to Colchester and to the football at 3:15 and then on home.
Sunday 18.
Church in morning Nurse and I walked up to Stoke and back by the fields in afternoon more church at night.
Monday 19.
Left in good time and went over and spent the day with Charlie, who has had a nasty heart attack a day or two ago, the poor old chap looked fit and well but was in bed back in evening and spent evening at Froggatt's playing bridge I was 2/3.
Tuesday 20.
Nothing special today.
Wednesday 21.
Left the London route to Castlethorpe couldn't catch the train I wanted so went down by later one getting their about 4:15 Van and Edgar on the platform to meet me, both looking very well. Returned to Edgar's digs and spent a pleasant evening I returned to my old digs with Mrs Cook at 10:30.
Thursday 22.
Left after lunch for Northampton where we went to a cinema "The Hurricane" had tea and then Van left us at the station while Edgar and I came on to Castlethorpe While Edgar was taking service and choir practice I looked up the Whiting's and went out with him and few others partridge shooting quite a lot of birds about and I got six.
Friday 23.
Got to London at 10:15 met Margo and spent day together Tps a
Saturday 24.
I went to Felixstowe today, after good look around the museum park.
Sunday 25.
Went to Felixstowe and sat on the beach despite the slight rain, and were as happy as sand boys. Back to Felixstowe and then we went to the parish church for Evensong beautiful service and so back.
Monday 26.
Took Margo to Nayland and spent a memorable day, also the time is getting only to short, and we shall have to part soon, dreadful to contemplate. Margo enjoyed the old house, and I took her back to Colchester in a taxi in the morning sad parting.
Tuesday 27.
Just moped about sad and sore of heart for only two more days in England.
Wednesday 28.
Left to spend the day with Charlie and Ella with Adria. Everyone very anxious over war news, may be another world war, dreadful to think of everyone getting gas masks and trenches being dug even at home saw Mrs Howard and said goodbye to them. Packing and sitting with mater in evening. Telegram from Mr ?
Thursday 29.
The last day has arrived and what with Margo clearing out and not be able to spend the last evening together things were very bleak and dismal. Arrived at LS (Liverpool St Station) and the darling was there to meet me and joy of joys she was not going away for a day or two. Went down to Golders Green and said goodby to Mrs F's sister and then on to Aunt Alison and back to Margo where we spent a sad evening together for the last time.
Friday 30.
Margo saw me off at Waterloo and we kept our peckers up wonderfully, although feeling otherwise, reached Southampton and went on board expecting to find Dolly on board no luck, and later she arrived on the wharf but they wouldn't allow her on nor would they allow me off so all very disappointing sailed at 1:00 for NZ in spirits better left unsaid, that aft and evening hell upon earth.
Saturday,
October 1
Miserable wretched day knew nobody and just moped about missing my M too much for words to describe.
Sunday
October. 2
Got a place in second sitting thank goodness but poor lot of table companions sunrise at 10:48? made a few approaches today but oh so lonely without my M. Managed to get up a four and bridge this evening quite bucked me up.
Monday to Thurs 5.
Nothing new on board but the same old round but the thrill has gone out of everything since leaving M I suppose I shall get over it in time had bridge most evenings pictures Thursday evening sat with Mr Campbell and Russ.
Friday Saturday and Sunday.
Weather getting fearful hot and the sea day after day like glass most unusual for the Atlantic heat in the cabins is awful and not much sleep even with the fan going all the time just lay stripped on the bunk and sweated.
Monday Tuesday 10.
Heat getting worse, as very moist 92 degrees on board official reading yesterday. Hurt my big toe playing deck tennis a nuisance as I want to play off tournament games. Get to Willemstad Curacao in early hours of tomorrow.
Wednesday 11.
Arrived at Willemstad at 1:30 AM we all had an early breakfast and then J and Russ and Miss N Cauly and few others got a car and drove to town six & half miles away drove round the town and then left the car and did some shopping and back to the car at 10:15 and so on back to the boat being about 11:00 didn't think much of Willemstad and the country all round it.
Friday.
Arrived off the canal at 2:00 pm but never got started till 3:30 and so went through half of it in the dark bad luck for those who had had never seen it we completed about 10:45 and we were in quarantine for a suspected case of yellow fever, a girl who had got on at Willemstad we were not allowed ashore till 11:30 after our temp had been taken too late to go ashore so turned in and got an early start.
End of diary.

23. Harry's Diary 1938 Part 1: On board Tainui with Margot Barker, 5 Apr 1938 to 13 Oct 1938. Diary of Harold L Fenn 1938
Transcribed by his son Edward in 2014.
Note this diary has been transcribed using error ridden voice recognition technology.

On board R M S Tainui
Tuesday, April 5, 1938
Left Wellington at 8:30 am on my long trip to England, but very slow for first three hours, some of the fireman too drunk to do their job bit of a swell all afternoon which upset some of them as we crossed the 180 degree latitude last night.
Another Tuesday 5
I won the first sweepstake of the voyage on the days run. Rain squalls on and off all day, but sea very calm, but a good many passengers feeling queer all the same.
Wednesday 6
Won the sweep on the boats run yesterday. Beautiful day but windy in afternoon usual daily routine plenty of albatrosses following us to day.
Thursday 7
Another nice day till clouds came up after lunch. Shifting all the coal from the foredeck, consequently dust flying everywhere. Bridge in evening
Friday 8
Miserable wet weather canvases up round the ship nothing much doing of interest, ship pitching a bit this afternoon
Sunday 9
Had service in the aft dining saloon in the morning, a song service at 8:30 in evening when the Padre exceeded the time limit badly.
Monday 10 to Wednesday 12
We had the usual, on board ship, Eat Slept played the usual deck games, and bridge most evenings, weather has been calm all the time, expect to reach Pitcairn early tomorrow. Quite good partners on Tuesday evening.
Thursday 13
Up at 5:45, when the boat's whistle roused us, as we approached the island. Bit of a swell running and we kept a fair way out. Three big boats loaded with Islanders came aboard, and after trading a few odds and ends, we left after a stay of two hours.
Good Friday 14
Passed a big tropical island yesterday apparently uninhabited except for thousands of birds that nest there in the season. Service at 10:30 and sung service at 8:30. Spent all morning looking for reading glasses, and eventually found out my cabin mate (Chambers) had put them in his pocket thinking they were his.
Saturday 15
The games competitions started today, I got beaten in both I played today, the deck quoits singles and doubles. The deck was very slippery and a big swell, made accurate throwing as far as I was concerned out of the question. Concert dancing, in evening but I played bridge.
No days shown.
Nothing much doing each day until we arrived at Balboa. We had arranged to have a car waiting for us to make the round trip our party consisted of Miss Wade, Paterson, Warren,?, Tur & bub (sic) and myself. Didn't think much of Panama went out to the golf club and had tea then on to the old ruins, stopping at a miserable collection of animals on the way, back by the sea to the old Cathedral with the gold altar all very tawdry, and then Mrs Livingston wanted to go back to the boat to change, so we hung about the streets till she returned. Then we went to the Balboa Tier Gardens and spent the rest of the evening and back to the boat.
Left at 5:30 for the canal beautiful day, and the canal very interesting we went through without a halt in about five & half hours and then set off for Jamaica, which we reached in a day and a half
Jamaica
Had the day of my life here in this beautiful island. Leaving the boat about twelve we went into Kingston and had a feed, and then we hired a car to take us up in the mountains to Newcastle, a wonderful drive. When we got to Newcastle we decided to do the round trip down the other side and round back to Kingston. It was a drive I shall never forget, the tropical scenery was wonderful, and got back to Kingston about 7:30 where we had a feed, we then saw a bit of the evening life and back to the launch which left at 10:00 for Port Royal where the boat had gone to coal. Bed was out of the question, so Doreen and I sat together until 4:30am when we retired, as they had started the donkey engine near us. It was a great day with two nice sorts Margo and Doreen myself and Joe and old Chalmers, who was a good sport. We left at 8:30 for our run across the Atlantic, and nothing much happened on the way. Pictures, dances, race meetings passed the time in the crossing with Bridge etc we eventually got in sight of the lighthouse of the Scilly Isles at 9:00 on Friday night, the Bishop (Rock) lighthouse, an hour later we saw the light of the Lands End and then to bunk at 12:00 after a hilarious evening.
Saturday 14 May 1938
Nasty drizzling morning next day, a great pity as we could hardly see the coast as we steamed up the Channel. Arrived off the Needles about 1 o'clock and eventually reached Southampton about 4 where a letter from Charlie and a welcome telegram from Dolly awaited me: I was glad to hear Charlie had not left Sheen although he had sold the house. Tender farewells to everyone and then on to the boat train
Pages missing.
aged a lot, but still full of fun, and really wonderful for her age although she says her old brain is one which she can't remember things, but I couldn't see anything wrong and we had a good talk. Back to Sheen for a feed at 7:45
Monday
I went up to the city and did my business, booking a berth on the Arawa for September 30th I had lunch at an ABC and then had a look around St Pauls, incidentally breaking Charlie's walking stick, a great pity, and then back to Sheen Played billiards in the evening.
Tuesday.
Great reunion lunch party today, Adria, Van, Edgar, Charlie and I met together for the first time since we had grown up, after lunch we decided to go to Hampton Court, but the car jibbed and we just went round the park, backed by Kew, where we shoved Adria onto the evening train! and then back, changed and Charlie, Nancy and I went over to Hampstead to have dinner with Mrs Shuttleworth, back about midnight
Wednesday.
Called on Mrs Nell Rhodes in morning, and then in afternoon Nancy and two very pretty girl friends of hers Charlie and I took our tea and spent a very pleasant afternoon in Kew Gardens in the evening, a Mr and Mrs Wilson came in and we had some Bridge, and I had the pleasure of collecting the money.
Thursday.
Left about 10:30 for Golders Green went into the City first and then got the tube at the Bank arriving at the house at 10 to 1 Mrs Fisher's sister was a very different person to my nice Miss F, but she was very charming and hospitable and gave me a very warm welcome. We had a sumptuous lunch washed down with sparkling Burgundy and then I left for Richmond to call at the Todd's. Got there at four and found they had just started tea Grace and Adria had altered a lot but not Mabel, with the exception of being a good bit shorter. Stayed there for an hour and a quarter, and then spent an hour and a half with the old Aunt, and thoroughly enjoyed my chat.
Friday.
Left about 12:00 for a day in town, had lunch in Hammersmith Broadway and then passed to Mme Tussauds where we (Nancy Fenn) spent the afternoon had some tea there and then faced the Chamber of Horrors and then had a great feed at the Corner House Oxford Street. Took the bus then to the Sadler's Wells Theatre, where we saw the Magic Flute by Mozart, his last piece he wrote before his death. The music was beautiful and the staging and lighting a revelation to me and arrived home about 12:00. I bought Nancy a nice wristlet watch for her birthday.
Saturday.
Had lunch in town and then Nancy and I went to the Royal Tournament at Olympia. Enjoyed every moment of it. Charlie gave a dinner party that night. The Vicar and his charming bride of three months, Lottie Alston and Mrs ? her friend and us three. Played billiards afterwards.
Sunday.
Charlie and I set sail about 10:45 for Nayland. Had a blowout at Finchley and got a new inner tube, and fixed nuts on the post wheel which was only holding by three out of the six bolts and then on to Great Bentley to the new house which I wasn't much enamored with, and that he wants to change to it from his nice comfortable home at Sheen beats me, but they tell me it is the ladies who run the show.
Left for Nayland, and got here about 5:30. I was prepared for a shock on seeing Mater, but she was even worse than I expected, being practically helpless and can hardly talk I can't understand a word she says, poor dear, it is very sad to see her in this state, as she was such a wonderfully active woman when I last saw her.
Monday.
A nice day, but very cold for the time of year. Marked out the tennis court today and had a game in the evening, with two gardeners I had brought my old racket home, as nothing here are any good Charlie left at 10:30
Tuesday.
Went for a row yesterday in the boat, pity there isn't more water as it is a nice boat. Went to Colchester after dinner and renewed acquaintance with the old place, very little altered. A fire broke out in the Midland bank premises, but bar a bit of smoke and plenty of water nothing to see. Called on the Howards saw the two sons, and had a yarn with Mrs Jacklin, and am going to call on her next week. Bought some netting for the court and so home. Chess with Adria in evening.
Wednesday.
Working on tennis court most of day putting in posts etc.
Thursday.
Putting up netting etc and making gate
Friday.
Went to Colchester and went to the pictures (4 Fathers) Joan and Diana Cliff and Brenda Russall (sic) came in and spent the evening charming girls.
Saturday.
Went to London and then on out to Sam at Denham (Airbase) . Had a great afternoon at the Air Pagent and luckily the weather cleared and it was a grand afternoon till about 5:30 when it started to rain again, got back to London at 11:00
Sunday.
Margot and Doreen and Uncle Bill and myself left for Epping Forest by bus had a great lunch and then wandered through the forest for a time and back eventually to the city and supper at the Corner House and back to Bayswater, where we spent a glorious evening till 11:45!
Monday.
Met the girls had lunch in the city then we went to Mme Tussauds had an excellent dinner there and back home
Tuesday.
Weather cold and showery so we decided to go to the Museum of Science and Inventions after going to the Scala for a mat(inee) which was full, so we booked seats for the evening and went on to the Museum where the girls left us later on and went back to dress and Bill and I went back to his digs for a wash and brush up and then had a feed in town and then out to the theatre where the girls met us. The play Mikado was good in the dressing line, but badly staged on a small stage. Saw the girls home and then on home ourselves.
Wednesday.
1 June 1938
Looked up Uncle B who I found in bed with a rotten cold; took him some aspirins, and then to Kensington had morning tea with Dr M and Mrs M and I left for Windsor Castle went out by Blue Bus and spent a glorious day together, sat by the river for a bit, and then walked to Staines where we picked up a bus to the city. Had dinner at the Oxford Corner house, and so on reluctantly home after a wonderful day with M (argot)
Thursday.
Found Uncle B much better went into city had a feed after leaving my bag at L Street then and put in time went to the Tower missed my little pal badly caught 4:57 for Colchester and arrived at home. Wrote to M.
Friday.
Wrote to Van, Ella, Dolly, and Aunt Ada in answer to their letters had a brisk walk to Wiston to see ? Went poodle faking to Col Sykes next door not much in my line. Chess with Adria after reading to Mater in the evening.
Saturday.
Went into the church and gave helpful? advice to Diane and Joan Cliff while they decorated the pulpit, did some archery in the afternoon.
Sunday.
Went to church in morning and before I went up into the Belfry and watched them ringing the bells. Adria and I went up to the cemetery in evening and then strolled back through the crooked lanes. My thought as we sat on the style in a beautiful evening naturally drifted back to last Sunday, a very happy day.
Monday.
Nothing special this morning had a run up the river in late afternoon, after visiting the Nayland sports in the afternoon and trying my hand at the sideshows.
Tuesday.
Barbara Goodwin picked Adria and I up at 10:30, and we went for a grand run with the Countryman? Society to various beautiful churches a Mr Munro Cautley a great authority on these churches, talked to us about them, and very interesting it was too. Wrote to Mr J Fisher. The new nurse arrived today hope she will be good.
Wednesday.
Went up to the vicarage in afternoon and played tennis the Cliff girls very good indeed, and few others there are also very good, but I enjoyed myself.
Thursday.
Edgar arrived last night, nothing much today. Went to see C ?
Friday.
Went into Colchester by 1:30 bus to see tailors and met Charlie and Ella and Nancy and we all went to the pictures, a splendid programme. Life of Emile Zola and supporting film was excellent Charlie drove us back to Nayland, where we found Dolly and Q awaiting us.
Sunday.
Went to early church and loafed about in morning played croquet etc in afternoon wrote to Margot Church in evening.
Monday.
A and I went to Colchester after lunch, saw Queen Mary arriving, came out for dinner played bridge in evening beautiful day.
Tuesday.
Had another trip round the country in afternoon including Flatford, Dedham etc, very interesting as a perfect day Bridge in evening.
Wednesday.
Went up to vicarage and played tennis in afternoon.
Friday.
Colchester all afternoon went to cinema and I saw excellent film life of Emile Zola wrote to Boss played bridge at Foggart's in evening.
Saturday 18 June.
Went up to London and got to Blackheath in evening. Found a man who put me on to a good private hotel. At 7:30 I went up to Stonefield and there I met Margo we took the tram up to the top of the Heath and sat and yarned.
Tuesday 19.
Sat about in the morning and did nothing, talking with my fellow lodgers After dinner bus down to Richmond and saw the Todd's and told them I would not come to lunch the next day, had tea with them and left for B about 6:00 was late getting there and Margot and I just took a stroll and sat and talked.
Monday 20.
A wonderful day Margot and I left about 11:00 with the idea of going to B Beeches, but got into the wrong bus, and we got out at Hammersmith, and then decided to go to Virginia Water instead perfect day and we had lunch at the Wheat Sheaf and then spent a glorious afternoon till 4:30 when we returned to London supposed to meet Doreen and Bill at a place for supper, but they did not turn up, thank goodness, so just walked slowly through the city to Charing Cross and so home, a red letter day.
Tuesday
June 21 1938
Left at 11:00 for London, went round and saw D and told her I would pick her up at 1:00 and we would go out to Wimbledon, had a good afternoon very hot it was, but we had splendid seats in the Centre Court and saw some great tennis. Had to leave in the middle of a doubles match, as I was meeting Margot at 8:30 was late as usual about 10 to 9 when I got them, so did not lose much time together.
Wednesday.
Did some shopping in London and in evening Margot and I went in to Greenwich Park, very pretty it was, and then walked miles back (sic) but we took a bus back.
Thursday.
Left for Rottingdean via Brighton, got a bit muddled about the station first I went to Cannon Street and then I had to go back to London Bridge and got to Brighton about 2:00 where Charlie and Nancy were there to meet me we drove back to Rottingdean about 5 miles and a very charming little bungalow.
Friday 24.
Nancy and I went down to the Lido where Nancy had a swim, too cold for me to venture, so read the paper till 1:00 when we returned to "Tantos".
Saturday 25.
Went into Brighton and went to a splendid revue on the ice called "Ice Time", the skating was thrilling and marvellous had tea in town and so on home.
Sunday 26.
Blowing hard today and; very late breakfasting nearly 10 before we sat down, after dinner, we took some afternoon tea with us and went up the road towards Peacehaven then turned of on to the moors and camped had some tea, left the car, and walked on to Earlscombe (Telscombe ) a tiny old world village off the beaten track. Gracie Fields has a nice house there but the church in the old Norman kind organ was fearfully out of tune and then walked back to the car and so on home.
Monday.
Wind still blowing strong and too cold for any Lido work. Had lunch in town and then on to the West Pier where there was a splendid band all girls; but they could play had some tea and then walked along the promenade to Rottingdean.
Tuesday 28.
Wind stronger than ever Charlie & I set sail for Lewes where we met Joan?, who was staying at St Leonard's. How strong? the wind was terrific at times upon the doors In afternoon we all went into Brighton, and listened to the ladies band again, and thoroughly enjoyed it, back for tea and then C, J and G left for Lewes again
Wednesday 29.
Left about 12:00 for Brighton, a great sea running, the waves breaking right over the promenade. Went to the pictures in afternoon, Lonie Henry in a skating thing not much good and the other was a thriller by Edgar Wallace and was pretty good Supper at Lyons and then on home.
Thursday 30.
Charlie and I left in the yellow peril at 11:45 for London, it stuck us up in the busiest spot in Brighton, opposite the East Pier, we pushed with help into a neighboring garage and eventually started again. All was well until we got to? about 20 miles from London when she played up again, this time we had to push her (luckily it was mostly downhill) to a nearby petrol station. When we eventually got going again, reaching London about 4:00. Charlie got his new car, and was all at sea with the gears and accelerator at first, but I left him at a bowser near Thackers?, and came on down to the station, and so on to the W H hotel, where dear old Margot and D were there.
Friday 1.
July 1938
Making arrangements for our trip tomorrow, getting tickets etc etc and so to bed
Saturday 2 July
Left at 7:30 for Victoria and got our seats in the boat train everything splendidly arranged for us, no bother no fuss; had a very calm crossing, and took our reserved seats in the Paris boat train. Arrived at Paris about 4:00. Special bus to meet us to take us to our hotel, had a rest; then after dinner, we had a round of the night clubs of Paris as put on for tourists; first time I had ever seen stark naked girls on the stage, and wasn't very edified by the spectacle. Home to the hotel about 2:45 and so to bed (Harold was with Margot Barker)
Sunday.
Left at 11:00 for Versailles we went to Mal Maison first the home of the Napoleons, most interesting and then on a sumptuous lunch at Versailles, and afterwards through the wonderful palace and gardens, we were lucky to see the fountains playing before we left; and so home after a good day.
Monday 4.
Went to various places on a morning tour round the city, unfortunately it was pouring with rain, so we could not get out and look at things much; but we had a good guide who showed us everything as we pulled up at various places, luckily the afternoon was fine, and we took a second tour around Paris seeing the Pantheon, Notre Dame and other places of interest had a stroll before dinner and early to bed.
Tuesday 5.
Took taxi to Eiffel Tower and went to the top of it, pretty cold up on top, back to the hotel for lunch, and then we walked to the Louvre, where a charming French lassie acted as our guide for two hours, when we had to leave for the hotel and the station. A bit rough coming over but too short a passage to worry anyone very much, although quite a few were ill. Arrived in London on the tick of 11:00 and back to our pub.
Wednesday 6.
Didn't do much today except loaf around in the city by myself, in the afternoon lunch with the girls. Girls bought a car on moving.
Thursday 7.
Went to Richmond and had lunch with dear old aunt and stayed there til (sic) quarter to four and then on to tea with the Bateman's only Jesse and Ida there and then back to London. Putrid evening
Friday.
Saw the girls off for their motor tour, and sore of heart I left them, or rather her. Caught the 12:15 from Marylebone for Helmdon via Brackley, and dear old Van was there to meet me with a car, and so I have arrived at Lois Weedon at last, had a yarn with the locals on the village green in evening and then to bed.
Saturday.
Went to Northampton today to the pictures in the afternoon and then on home.
Sunday.
Church in morning, very few there, nasty cold drizzly day awful weather I call it for English summer. In the afternoon after tea we strolled across the fields as the weather had taken up to his little church at Plumpton, quaint affair with high pews and no pulpit quite a good congregation.
Monday.
Rode a bike for the first time for over thirty years to see a local vicar had tea with them and then on home, heavy rain shower came on, and we had to take shelter in a friendly barn. Quite stiff and bit achy after, evidently no good for arthritis hips.
Tuesday.
Left about 10:15 and walked to where we caught the train for Northampton changing at Blisworth. Went to lunch at the Rands, and very pleasant they were, three other females in the place I was introduced to. Had some tea in Northampton did some shopping and back home again.
Wednesday 13.
Went over the Mayor Doynes place in morning and looked at his pedigree cattle had lunch, and Van went to a Ruridecanal Conference and went on to Northhampton where I spent the afternoon with Edgar, went to the pictures and saw E off, and then on home. Wrote to Jack F (Ford)
Thursday.
Wrote to Ethel Cargill today Cayuer (Cayer?) picked us up at two and we went to Stratford-upon-Avon via Banbury wasn't very thrilled at the place; we then went on through Warwick, on to Kimbolton where I enjoyed exploring the old Castle; then on to Leamington where we had tea, raining as usual, and then on back to Lois Weedon Cayuer drives his little car too fast for my liking when only out sightseeing the country.
Friday.
Whether as usual cold and showery doesn't promise to well for the Sunday School Treat, however they all turned up at 4:00 and as the weather was unsettled all had a feed indoors and then they played games on the lawn until the rain started again and drove them all home.
Saturday.
Nothing special today except the feeling a bit down in the dumps.
cont.

24. Harry's Diary 1939: Life as a Sheep Farmer, 7 May 1939-28 Oct 1939.
Diary of Harold L Fenn 1939
Transcribed by his son Edward, who has filled out abbreviated names and places etc in italics where he can - 2014.
Note this diary has been transcribed using error ridden voice recognition technology.
The diary is in worn condition with missing pages.

Sunday 7 May 1939
Went to Tony's (Elworthy?) today first time I had seen the house, very nice, had a look round the place also the proposed lime works site and back in evening.
Monday 8 May
Left at 9:30 for Timaru en route to Christchurch no luck trying to sell eggs today Left after lunch and went up quickly I got to Betty's (Gould) about 5:00. Had some afternoon tea at Rakaia. First time I have driven my car up to Christchurch.
Tuesday 9 May
Did some business in town and then went to Audrey's (Julius) for lunch, job to find his place; then I went on to Lyttleton to meet Slade as the ? berthed about 1:30 yarned on board for an hour or so. I then left and came on to Sumner and had dinner with John and Hester, then on home.
Wednesday 10 May
Got a puncture which delayed me so went straight out to the boat and picked up Slade at 10:45 and took him for a long drive on Summit Road and Hilltop and back, wonderful run along the Summit Pass the road only just finished dinner on board with Slade.
Thursday 11 May
Couldn't get hold of Broadhurst till twelve and then I drove him up to Cloudesley (Home of Churchill Julius) and back and then I set out for Timaru came down in good time two and a half hours, getting to Timaru at 4:00 and went into the Hay's (local Vicar) for evening meal and so on home, lights suddenly fused on way home much delay
Friday 12 May
Mustered in Lower Ford (Name for a big block on the station) three rams missing and one of Squires (Tommy Squire neighbour to the South) in there. Went on to party given by Mrs Squire. I went down to make a four amongst the elders.
Saturday 13 May
Mustered in Freehold missing rams there but two blue heads short. Ran wires out for the new fence.
Eglington & Harris had a smash on Sargents? Cutting no one seriously injured.
Sunday 14 May
Stayed at home for once; Tommy (Squire) bought a big crowd of shooters over. They got to pig and about ten Wallabies perfect day.
Monday 15 May
The weather is simply glorious day after day no frosts at night which I'm thankful for. On the fence all day running out the nine wires.
Tuesday 16 May
White washing and cleaning out fowl house all day, a dusty job. Took ride over for the mail*. Beautiful day. Looked over the eggs in the evening. Wrote to Edgar Van and Adria.
(* Harry's large mail box (approx 1m X 500mm X 500mm) was several miles away on Pareora Gorge Road near the Motukaika Memorial)
Wednesday 17 May
Took seven & half dozen eggs into Timaru, after much haggling I sold them for 1/5d the highest price I've ever got for them. Got my demand for the tax L101.15.0 a nasty blow coming as it does this year. Put in at Holme Station and had a feed and a good long yarn with Ella and ASE. (Ella & Arthur Elworthy)
Friday 19 May
I mustered down Top Ford (name of a block) and held them for two hours all rams there but unfortunately I did not count them as it proved later. Betty, Derek (Gould) and the boys came up for picnic lunch in the afternoon. A glorious warm day more like Mediterranean summer, than winter.
Saturday 20 May
Mustered in Lower Ford and found few ewes short wished I had counted the Top Ford went to Trotter's for evening meal and spent the evening playing bridge very enjoyable
Sunday21 May
Fishers (The Married Couple - John (Jack) helped on the farm his wife Ella cooked and kept house) left about 9:30 to spend the day at Waimate I did nothing all day milked cows in evening hard frost last night and freezing hard tonight again.
Monday 22 May
Put new dry battery onto wireless. Mustered down Heriot (name of a block) all sheep there and the rams. Drafting up sheep in afternoon and taking out posts to fence with Fisher & LF.
Tuesday 23 May
On fence with Fisher & LF most of day I went for mail and grubbed a bit of gorse.
Wednesday 24 May
Mustered in Freehold (name of a block) a few too many in it but not as many as I expected to find.
Friday 26 May
Took balance of my eggs into Timaru, 161 (sic) dozen all told, played bridge in the evening at the Club and enjoyed my game. Freezing very hard tonight
Saturday 27 May
Started cutting down some more pines at the back of the house as they are completely useless as shelter
Sunday 28 May
Quite a crowd turned up today first some fellows after pigs, then Isabella and some fellow hikers (4) came and left to walk to the top and on to Nimrod, then a family party came up to picnic and spend the day, After dinner Harrold J, Bernard and Betty arrived B took my gun and horse to try it. I gave them some afternoon tea and then they left had a real good time they said.
Monday 29 May
White frost last night, cutting down and splitting pines I started on the sledge in afternoon the cursed light engine all fut (sic*) and won't go at all sucking air somewhere, & two females? turned up after teatime and I bought 2lb box of tea off them.
(*a common expression of Harry's)
Friday 2 June
Mustered Upper and Lower Ford all the sheep seem to have turned up this time.
Sunday 4 June
Another perfect day Tommy and friends came up again after pigs and got about five I went over to Wilfred Howell (Mt Nimrod Station) and then drove on to look at some swedes and chow. Very good feed so got feed for the hoggets 4d a week (per head I think) lucky to get it. Went over to Verity's (Motukaika) for evening bridge.
Monday 5 June
I had a marvellous run round the Grange Hill after the ewe lambs and got them all in by 11:30 wonderful to relate? Tommy D and I crutched all afternoon till 4 I docked them all, ewe lambs looking very well T and D helped crutch bit evening.
Tuesday 6 June
Phil helped all day crutching till 330.
Wednesday 7 June.
Phil started on road with them 411 ewe hoggets & got to Blackmore..
Thursday 8 June
F and I left in good time and went to Wilfred Howell and picked up netting and then on to the turnips Fencing all day Perfect day for the job do hope they will do well on the chow and swedes at 4p a week
Friday 9 June
Blackler took sheep on from Cave, haven't seen him to hear how he got on. (The Blackler family of Totara Valley, Pleasant Point)
Sunday 11 June
Went down to have a feed with June and Harold (Elworthy of Craigmore); she had quite forgotten she had asked me to come about a fortnight ago; but they had only just started. As Tuck (dog) has been missing for three days went away at 5 to look for him. Heard he had been over at Squires all the time.
Tuesday 13 June
Very cold night last night deadly southerly blowing with sleet and snow, quite a lot on tops and well down this morning. Mustered in Lower Ford wind was very cold but it moderated and a nice afternoon. Took sledge back after a hectic drive over the back road skidding and slipping all over the shop.
Friday 16 June
Jack (Fisher) in bed all day so I did the chores etc, roasted the dog tucker which was getting pretty high.
Saturday 17 June
Don Millichamp came up with his tractor. Left for Timaru and then out to the Point to Point races perfect day quite mild and good races. Had a very nice evenings bridge with the Mullins Jack & Alison Mullins of Tycho) came out about 1/6d on the right side.
Sunday 18 June
Alison and I went to church in the morning choral Holy Communion and a lovely service. Very raw and cold. In the afternoon Tim (Timaru Rhodes,Hadlow Grange) and I went over to P.P. (Pleasant Point) to see the hoggets they are doing fine.
Monday 19 June
Shopping in Timaru and meant to come home before dark but got inveigled into making a four at bridge at the Club, of course I lost 17/6 today. Club bridge no good for me.
Tuesday 20 June
Hardest rain we have had for months all day Creek came down no snow on the high country. Badly needed so will do a lot of good, about one & three quarter inches fell.
Wednesday 21 June
Breathing not too good yesterday and today so didn't do anything very strenuous, till afternoon when we felled a big pine. Left for Timaru at 4:15 and went to Rachel (Sinclair-Thomson) for evening meal and then H (Hamilton Sinclair-Thomson) and I went to see (a film, name illegible) I enjoyed it, but not what the papers cracked it up to be.
Thursday 22 June
Left after Young Bros had overhauled my lights which were very bad and came round by the hoggets to see how they had fared in the wet found everything quite dry there no water in the creek and hoggets in grand fettle Spent the evening at Ben and Shona's (Howell), Nubby (Hugh? Knubley) was there and played auction bridge.
Friday 23 June
Cold miserable day rain on and off breathing no good so did very little coming back last night found the old dog tucker horse cast on the flat, so shot it this morning and carted it up to the gallows. Blasting pines all afternoon. (splitting timber with a blasting gun)
Saturday 24 June
Sawing all morning and put down battens in afternoon ready for crutchers. Went over to Verity's this evening for bridge tournament; four tables and we spent a very pleasant evening I won the prize for men.
Sunday 25 June
Went to church in afternoon then on to Ford's ( Lottie and sons John & Bob Ford, Foxdown) for the rest of the day. John up at Mount Harper afternoon doing a spot of work. Marvellous weather very mild day after day.
Monday 26 June
Jack (Fisher) told me Pye's going to Holme Station after doing Bakers so rang up B and found they were coming to me all right this evening. Had a tour around the Grange Hill, but didn't get many wethers in (65) and then mustered in freehold drafted and filled the shed Pye Bros arrived at eight.
Tuesday 27 June
Pye Bros crutched all day did 514, but one only started after dinner. Cross brought up 80 bags of chaff
Wednesday 28 June
Crutching all day weather very mild and warm they did 259 + 430 = 689 today
Thursday 29 June
Pye Bros finished today doing 1865 all told weather good and very mild.
Sunday 2 July
The Gillingham's had asked me over there for the day, so turned up about one and spent a pleasant day, met H and K and his wife
Tuesday 4 July
Trying to mend the wash house tank all day, and eventually managed to finish it; whether it will stand up to the pressure when full I don't know but only hope so. Went over to Ben Howell's (Matata Station) for evening meal and bridge.
Wednesday 5 July
I went to town for various things. Some fool hit me in Stafford Street and took my bumper bar off, lucky no worse. After tea in town went out to Rich's (Geoff Rich - The Rock, Cave) at the Cave for a bridge tournament in aid of Craighead (School) swimming baths funds, very cold night.
Thursday 6 July
Wretched day, first real winter day we have had, driving snow showers and cold all day. Needless to say didn't do much.
Friday 7 July
Margo sails for New Zealand
Fisher's in town all day, as weather improved although a cold wind blowing. Got Bully out of freehold and put him on flat with Poley, as I want to feed him up
Saturday 8 July
Work round the place deadly cold wind and sleet. Breathing not too good all day slight exertion and I am out of breath. Left for Charlie Verity's at 5:30 spent a very good evening at bridge.
Sunday 9 July
Didn't get up till all hours of the morning as weather still cold and miserable with snow showers. Stopped at home all day for a change as off to the Hay's tomorrow. Poley took the Bull.
Monday 10 July
Wonderful day, just like spring. Jack and I went over to the hoggets and put up another break with Blackler. Not a big job and finished at 12:15 home after going to Thompson to see about mangles.
Tuesday 11 July
I went down to Thompson and got a load of mangles nothing special doing today.
Wednesday 12 July
J and I went over to Tod's looking for cattle beast Alexander told us he had not seen it, so drove in Freehold mob, very wild impossible to yard, cut and marked two calves, then got in Lower Ford and after much trouble, shot a young steer right in the mud by the gate, big job keeping it clean as we dressed it.
Thursday 13 July
Went down for a load of mangles this morning and saw Mrs Dent (Doug & Margaret Dent) she is getting up a small play for funds for Sunday school, Jack got dog tucker horse of Dent.
Friday 14 July
Hard black frost last night. Cut up the steer and took some over to Tim (Rhodes) and Rachel (Sinclair-Thomson). Came out after tea lost six shillings at bridge as per usual, can't hold any cards. Wrote to Aunt Ada
Saturday 15 July
Had a good look around the Lower Ford, and burning and tidying up rubbish in the plantations. Fairly hard frost last night.
Sunday 16 July
Went church in morning called at Dent's re play to produce, and then to Holme Station where I had lunch and afternoon tea meeting Charlie Millers niece and nephew-in-law then went to Mills and spent a jolly evening, Mills and his sister Alexander and myself had some good bridge.
Tuesday 18 July
Had a job with the big pine leaning in towards the house got two horses on it and managed to pull it over and fell without doing any damage sawing it up all afternoon.
Wednesday 19 July
Blasting logs all morning.
Thursday 20 July
Hardest frost this year last night pulled pump to pieces and got going, old engine got badly the worse for wear and I doubt if it will see out the year.
Saturday 22 July
Went into the Hunt Club races cold day, saw the first three races, had a sumptuous lunch with Tim, and then Ted (Elworthy) and I slipped away to the football (Rugby) match Waitaki (Boys High School) V Timaru Boys High School splendid game draw eleven all. (This fixture has been played continuously since 1883)
Sunday 23 July
Arthur (Cargill of Waitawa), Hart and I went out to look at the hoggets and then we had a look at the Downlands scheme pipes etc (supplies water to rural Sth Canterbury), and so on back to the "ranch" for a slightly late dinner 1:30 had a look round the "ranch" after.
Monday 24 July
Picked Ted (Elworthy) up in town and brought him out for a few days.
Tuesday 25 July
Deadly wind blowing Ted's back bad so he kept out of it.
Wednesday 26 July
Damnable cold wind blowing. Here heaviest falls of snow ever recorded on Akaroa peninsular and Dunedin, both snowed in and cut off from every way by road and rail
Thursday 27 July
Ted's back still bad, did nothing but keep warm.
Friday 28 July
Ted and I left for Four Peaks in my car, after lunch went out to Hadlow (Grange) and picked up huge load of odds and ends and so on to Four Peaks.
Saturday 29 July
Went down to Orari for a load of wood delayed as had to get a new tire in Geraldine.
Monday 31 July
Started to build a garage for Ted, shovelling snow out of the way to put in the piles, damnably cold for the job. 6 to 8 inches of snow everywhere around here
Saturday 5 August
Garage building all day Ted and I went to hoggets and put up another break
Sunday 6 August
Went to Orari for wood and the best of intentions to go to church but time flew and getting late for church 11:45 on to home with load. Aunt Edie and Nan (Bond) out for lunch.
Monday 7 August
Finished doors for garage hung one of them but Ted can finish now.
Tuesday 8 August
Breathing very bad after a hectic night. Brought Denderah (Elworthy nee Rhodes) into Timaru to Hadlow to look after her Mother while the rest been in ChCh. I arrived out here at 4:15
Wednesday 9 August
Looking over wool
Monday 14 August
Don came up with his tractor and we sawed all day and didn't quite finish it (circular saw bench driven by tractor)
Tuesday 15 August
Finished wood this morning, better than knocking my old engine to pieces doing it.
Friday 18 August
Went to town came out in pouring rain never thought this would turn up for rehearsal so came on up here but rain not bad here so turned round and picked up Don and the two girls and went to Dent's.
Sunday 20 August
Farewell service at Maungati to Mr Hay a large congregation turned up, and the old chap preached a good farewell sermon to us; I am sorry myself he is leaving went round to the Fords for the evening.
Monday 21 August Black Monday
Poor old Rook ill today, hope not flu, and then after breakfast the faithful Fisher's gave me notice, a fearful blow for me. Boss (Arthur Elworthy) came up afternoon and it seems as if they will have to leave in a fortnight if they want the job at Holme Station curse Holme Station.
Tuesday 22 August
Got word last night that the hoggets would have to be shifted next Friday cursed nuisance, as no feed about here everything seems to be going wrong. Went over to hogget's to see what is what and found he had eaten out everything with his own sheep.
Friday 25 August
Ted and I journeyed all over the place looking for Guthrie at last found him and he said he wasn't looking for a married couple's job that's all I got for my trouble. Took Ted to Holme Station at eleven, had lunch with ? and brought back sixteen bags of chaff.
Saturday 26 August
Left for Timaru interviewed a couple, no good as the child was the difficulty re school. The other couple never turned up. Left by 4:25 train en route for Wellington.
Sunday 27 August
Good trip up in the Rangatira, a bit of a swell at first, but quite a normal trip arrived Wellington in pouring rain. Unfortunately Polly (Hansell nee Julius) came down to meet me, and I never got up but had breakfast on board, and she was good enough to come down again later for me.
Monday 28 August
Very nice service at Karori last evening intercessions for peace, Visited Gwen and Arnold (Stewart) for lunch and after I went to the town and poked about round there and back for tea.
Tuesday 29 August
Turned up at the wharf at 8:00 and met dear old Margot after eleven months absence, she was looking so well and as sweet as ever. Friend of hers drove Margot and I out to Lower Hutt where there was a family reunion. After lunch I left Margo to the family.
Wednesday 30 August
Rang Margo up and we met at 12:00 had lunch at Kirkaldy and Staines, sat in the lounge for a bit and Polly and Arthur (Hansell) came in and met Margo who they knew very well in Lower Hutt days. Margot and I went up to the Art Gallery and had a good talk and she said she would marry me etc etc Left by Rangitira at 7:45
Thursday 31 August
Beautiful night and calm trip had breakfast Christchurch Railway Station then spent an hour with the Com. Gen. Lands; he wasn't very encouraging. Came down by bus arrived Timaru 5:00 and stayed the night with old Tim (Rhodes)
Friday 1 September
Did some shopping & interviewed a couple but no good & then on home
Monday 4 September
Heard of a couple so went into town to see them, they were married on Saturday, and I liked the look of them and they were willing to come.
Friday 8 September
Went to town and got my petrol licence got 22 gallons a month not bad all I want. Bought some things at Mortons Sale Rooms a jolly good duchess for 25/- carpets easy chairs all cheap
Saturday 9 September
A sad day indeed
The Boss (Arthur Elworthy) came up for the Fisher's midday, and I was very downcast to see them go down the road, they have been such a splendid couple. My back very bad today which made things all the worse, altogether a black Saturday.
Sunday 10 September
On my lonesome for a week did not do anything today, except moon about as my back pretty bad.
Thursday 14 September
Got a good burn on sunny facing on Grange Hill made a clean sweep of it all.
Friday 15 September
Went to town and back in time for milking.
Saturday 16 September
Cleaning up the house ready for new couple but heard they would not be here till tomorrow.
Sunday 17 September
Large gathering at Mrs Stewart's and had a jolly evening. Mr Mrs Evans sister who had come up for the day to visit her, drowned herself in pond near house extra ordinary affair. New couple arrived about 5:30.
Monday 18 September
Do hope the couple will stay, I don't think they were very impressed with everything yesterday. On the blackberries, all day, I went up to Top Ford in afternoon despite my leg feeling pretty bad, and got a good fire going.
Tuesday 19 September
Good burn yesterday on Top Ford when I went up to look this morning black (back) burning in afternoon
Wednesday 20 September
Black burning (back) most of day I seem to have become completely crippled I can only limp about
Friday 22 September
Went to town, and after tea came out home beastly day cold and raining most of it awful weather for time of year.
Sunday 24 September
Couple went to town and after lunch I left for Mills via Blue Cliffs (Station) where I picked up my packsaddle. Alexander turned up at Mills and we played till 12:30
Monday 25 September
Bed at 2 am this morning, so, as the day was cold and wet took it out of the blankets this morning hoping a rest may do my hip good.
Tuesday 26 September
Leg very bad today, working in the bush felling on the steep sideling very bad for it, but the firewood has to be cut, Gordon (new man?) went over for the mail, and I cleaned out garage, ran engine etc
Friday 29 September
Wrote to Charlie and Grace, couple went to town, after dinner beastly drizzle on and off all day but nothing down the road.
Saturday 30 September
Gordon and I spent most of the day in the bush stripping out wood we had felled and splitting some, bust ring on maul and that ended our splitting went to the school for a rehearsal; all at sea with everything stayed for annual tennis meeting.
Sunday 1 October
I left after afternoon tea for Mrs S who kindly gave me a lift to the Mills where we spent the evening bridge disappointing and I played with two duds who only played auction
Monday 2 October
Looked in freehold, two dead making five in all so far one cast but got it okay. Got in old horse and killed it after dinner, as don't want to keep it hanging about all summer. G (Gordon) had a tour of U & L Ford blocks
Wednesday 11 October
Went to town and met Margo and bought her out to stay a few days at Craigmore came on up here in afternoon a beastly cold day for Margo's first acquaintance with Grange Hill. Had a terrible shock found someone has stolen my little nest egg of about 40 pounds out of my desk.
Thursday 12 October
Took Margo down last night to Craigmore and stayed the night and came on up by the next morning and started planning where to furnish up the house.
Saturday 14 October
Went to the races and introduced Margo to various people beastly cold wind blowing so Margot and I Rachel and Ella cleared off to the pictures much better from my point of view
Sunday 15 October
Margot and I went down to Holme Station for dinner, everyone charmed with the dear girl. After tea went to Tom's for supper and the evening and then on back to Craigmore.
Monday 16 October
Margot and I left Craigmore after breakfast for Timaru, when I got Timaru I had a very serious attack of fibrositis, I could not walk or speak while it lasted & very painful. Margot took me to see Dr Moir who prescribed for me and told me to have perfect rest for a few days.
Tuesday 17 October
Went over to Squires after afternoon tea found they had cut out and were starting here in the morning, curse Squires for not letting me know earlier. Back via Foxdown where I got Alexander to help to muster and rounded up a few for the shed, finished shedding in the dark and I was supposed not to do anything strenuous.
Wednesday 18 October
Shearing all day took Margo down to Craigmore in the morning as she leaves for home today.
Thursday 19 October
Shearing miserable weather for the job cold and wet
Friday 20 October
Shearing all day. ? back today Went down to the school with planks etc getting things ready for the evening
Saturday 21 October
Took things back to Craigmore. Drafted up hoggets in afternoon ready to take away in the morning. Our show last night great success big crowd despite the rotten evening.
Sunday 22 October
Party at Verities in my honour very enjoyable, went over there with Stewart
Monday 23 October
Left Grange Hill for Wellington took car up to Christchurch, but found all garages in Lyttleton closed so left it in Christchurch. Had evening meal with Alice (Davies nee Hansell) and Arthur (Davies) Full train but caught the express. Fearful crowd on board and I got a bunk in the dining saloon, mighty little sleep.
Tuesday 24 October
Arrived Wellington 7 am sharp had breakfast at railway station and caught bus out to the Hutt. Margot and I went in after lunch and shopped, and back for evening meal. Then Margot and I went over to Eastbourne for the evening, and so to bed ready for the momentous day tomorrow
Wednesday 25 October
My wedding day.
Arthur Hansel and Canon Davies officiated and then we adjourned to the Grand Hotel for light refreshments etc, just Margo's nearest friends and relatives and Polly only one speech. After they left we went back to the hotel and rested then out to Petone to see a dear old couple; they were very pleased to see us. Caught Rangitira in evening.
Thursday 26 October
Very calm run down. Had breakfast at Christchurch Railway Station, got the car and back to Lyttleton for our luggage nowhere to be found; had various officials on the run looking for it. Back to Christchurch did some shopping and back to hotel. Went to the Cathedral for play "The Zeal of thy House" Well done but couldn't hear anything.
Friday 27 October
Shopping all day looking at carpets etc had lunch with Betty (Gould nee Elworthy) decided on getting carpet made as no ready-made ones big enough. Went to the pictures in evening.
Saturday 28 October
Left hotel at nine loaded up to the plimsoll mark picked up parcels etc and left at 9:40 for Timaru arrived there at 12:00 just in time to get my suit fitted, looked in at the A&P show for an hour and a half and then on home with my Margo. Had to do all the chores as couple away back to earth with avengence

End of diary.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-visit/canterbury/mid-and-south-canterbury/hunter-hills/

25. Map of Grange Hill and environs: Maungati Sth Canty.

26. Harry & Margot Fenn, 1940-1945. Their marriage 25 Oct 1939 at Old St Pauls Wellington, at Craigmore, and with their new family

27. Harry in Timaru NZ, 1940's - 1960's. Harry with his children at Gleniti Timaru, with his brother Van, with his granddaughter Jane and daughter-in-law Joan 1967.

28. Harry Fenn: Birthday letter to his wife, Undated, Christchurch.
Flat 16
Christchurch.
My very precious old darling,
Many Happy returns of the day, may you have many many more of them, you dear old thing.
I have entrusted Kay to get some little gift for you, with my best love and wishes.
I just cannot write any more, as my eyesight is going fast.
Again all my love to you my darling.
Your old hub
Harold L Fenn.

29. Harry's Letters, Fond family letters 1947, 1950's.
Harry had an entertaining mind, at the time of the birth of his daughter Katherine (Aug 1945) he wrote this note to his son, most of it is lost. The first part is in "looking glass writing" see picture file.
. . . . . pen is running backward. . . . . I cant stop it most annoying I call it I expect it will get all right in a minute or so - there I am all right again now Mrs Banty's chicks are due tomorrow morning, I am afraid we . . . . . On the back is Harry's drawing of a buxom cow with the writing. Where's that "Boss of mine - 6 o'clock and not milked yet - I'm positively, busting".
Cosy Cot !!

Taiko
Wed Morn
(May 1947)
My own precious Mummy
With joy and delight I got sure to loving letters this morning - I retired to the verandah and basking in the glorious sun I perused them over and over again - bless you my darling; but I'm sure you are well content, when you know the joy they gave me - I am so glad to hear all the good news of the family, and I am so glad my darling one is having a quiet restful time - I am much relieved to hear the dip is covered; but I could hardly believe that Bob (Ford) would not take some precautions, to guard his own daughter's safety. Spent a quiet evening with R (Rachel) and Ham, the two youngsters had a picture party, so we three just listened to Mackagar(?) and Holland and talked till 10:15 when I left, incidentally we got on to Plunket, and R let out the fact that she hadn't given anything; that started me off, and I think I scored heavily on all my points - no heat about it just a quiet talk - Saw the storm coming up Monday evening, so flew for the bucket and up to Pollie? (Poly), to try and beat it - the cold wind soon came up, but I beat the rain, and was safe inside before it started. Jack Pots was a washout, too much statics. Am ringing you up in an hour or two's time I do hope I shall be able to hear you - I said 12:30 but I am making it later as I thought K might be "ish ish" as early as that - bless the little darling gave her a huge squeeze from her darling Daddy, and get her to give you a beautiful one from me - only one attack of indigestion; due to too many cakes and tea on Monday last, - I am fit as a flea with the exception of the usual trouble which is particularly stubborn this time I have finished the jar of molasses and I'm getting JE Fenn Esqit filled today, as Ham wants me to sign some papers the sooner the better - and more than delighted and relieved to hear E is behaving so well.
Au revour my loved one, I look at the family Gallery lovingly when ever I am in the bedroom - hope to hear that your raucous (deleted) - I beg your pardon dulcet tones in about three hours. Fare thee well, till we meet
Every your loving old
Dadsa(sic)
Written on two sheets of notepaper very illegibly, R and Ham mentioned are the Sinclair-Thompson family, "ish ish" is sleep.

Taiko R D
Timaru
Sunday the 31st 1947 3 p.m.
My darling old girl
I wonder what the "old Wiff" is doing at the moment, perhaps having a bit of ish ish - well after leaving you I deposited our son at "Kildonan" Margaret (Dent) hadn't arrived back and I forgot to tell Bev (Dent) of Mary's message however Mary (Ford) can ring Margaret herself. I passed Doug (Dent) at *Radon's as I journeyed home, arriving in due course at 5:45, and so eventually to bed where I found my darling's good night message awaiting me. An all electric breakfast next morn, made a mess of the poddgy left over for me it seemed to go into a lot of hard lumps, so I made some fresh. I turned the little "Banty" in with the rest she seemed to have gone off the cluck altogether - In the afternoon I went to the football match, and thoroughly enjoyed a good game Timaru or rather South Canty retaining the Hannon shield, beating the challengers Mid-Canty by 19 to 6 - I again rang Gladys third attempt and got her, they are living over at Cecil's, while their place is being redecorated etc, when she asked me if I wanted Bertie with great "presence of mind" I said "Oh no I was just ringing up to find out how Aunt Edie was". Cow milked, fowls fed, breakfast and all over by 9:30 this morning so went to Kirk, they had a new organist quite a young chap but "Oh boy could he play the organ" - the mountains skipped like lambs the thunder rolled etc etc and in the end he played a glorious voluntary, they all got up and made for the door as per usual but quite a lot came back and sat down and listened to it. Journeying home I called in at Rachels for half an hour and eventually it leaked out I was a "grass widower" so they promptly asked me down to evening dinner on Tuesday next with bridge after - a pleasing prospect my darling - Fleeing on from Rachels I came up to the Small's who had kindly invited me up There. Mrs S. frightened me with a platefuls she put in front of me however by removing half, I managed to leave nothing on my plate, she explained that Bill was a big eater and was helping me by his standard? So back to Cosy Cot where I am now writing to my darling - how are you dear one I hope you are having a nice lazy time and how is the darling K., my word how I miss you; I hope you are taking great care of my precious "daut", not over laying her or letting her get near that awful dip or the various creeks about. I thought the wind last night would blow in some of the windows in the front of a house it was "that"! strong however it died down before midnight. Well my beloved one I do hope you will take it easy and have a good spell. Dad's having a glorious time no le symphony note or a crazy concerto rent the air last night, I listened to the start of a new serial "The Corsican Bros" promises to be good. My best regards to Lottie (Ford) and a huge "queeze" and lots of kisses to my darling one and a dear wee K. - Time for a cuppa 4-5
You're ever loving old
Ha wa-too
PS Shall ring you up 12:30 next Wednesday on chance you will be at home, see my darling "filly" is handy
Written on two sheets of notepaper rather illegibly, Harry has just left Margot it seems with their old neighbours, the Ford's at Foxdown Maungati, probably to give Margot a rest, Harry presumably had to stay home to milk the cow. Edward (the compiler of this!) was left with the Dent family, also in Maungati, who were great friends and very much enjoyed having Edward to stay, over the years, as they had lost their only son in WW II. Edward also has many happy memories of staying with the Dent's and their three pretty daughters! *Mrs Radon operated the telephone exchange which Harry had installed in the district many years before.

1950
To the darling old whiff who has given me 11 years of happiness and loving care.
Bless you my own darling.
1951
Not having been in town lately I am giving to my darling wife, who has made the 12 years of our married life so supremely happy for me, this little bit of paper, with my fondest love, and may the rest of our life together be one of continued happiness and love my darling.
Your loving old
Ha-wa-too
The compiler is of the view that these two sweet little notes written by Harry were for wedding anniversaries. Fenn family finances were always such that presents were not necessarily the norm.

30. Harold Liveing Fenn: Will, 24 Aug 1956, Gleniti Timaru NZ.
Harold appoints Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd his trustees, devising his estate to their care.
His instructions are to pay all the income of the estate to his wife after payment of is debts.
At her demise the estate to be divided equally between his children who have attained the age of 25 years.

31. Harry Fenn: Letter to his son on occasion of his 21st birthday, 17 Sep 1961, Timaru.
Harry now aged 84 wrote to his son, travelling in the North Island, on the occasion of his 21st Birthday. He still worked in the garden in spite a very painfull hip and knee.
Hadlow 4 R.D.
Timaru.
Sunday.
My dear old boy,
My warmest congratulations and love for your 21st birthday and as you step across the threshold to start your life may be a long happy and prosperous one, dear old chap. You are naturally in our thoughts all the time now, and I'm sure you are enjoying every moment of it. Mum has had a letter or two from Eine, giving us some details of you and your departure from . . . . . I soon "pilled" my heart attack off that Tuesday, and was undressing in the bedroom when she arrived home, as it turned out you had plenty of time. I turned turtle in the drain (Moores fence) yesterday my cries for help brought Mate along in great haste. Seeing his old boss wallowing in the muddy water, he thought "good oh, here's a game", dived into the drain, and then all over me, in the way you know he can show his excitement. I was well mucked up when Mum came to my rescue and pulled me out. Going out to tea at Fred Smiths this afternoon, when Mum hopes to have a nice talk on stocks and shares! with Fred. No news here as usual, Sandy and Mate flourishing ditto Mum and K.; please note the order in which I put them! Some interesting looking parcels have arrived for you, something to do with television or radio? The stamps on the parcel were of some interest to Mum. Hope you can read this my hand is a very cold. Best of love to you my dear boy and every good wish for your future.
From your loving old Dad

32. Harold Liveing Fenn: Obituary, 1969.
Obituary.
HAROLD (Harry) LIVEING FENN 1877-1969.
It is with regret we must report the death, on Monday the 6th January inst, at St Georges Hospital Christchurch, of Harry Fenn, aged 92, late of Maungati, South Canterbury.
Harry Fenn was the second surviving son of five, of the late Dr Edward Fenn, of Alston Court, Nayland Suffolk, England and the late Catherine Pauline Julius.
He was born in the Wardrobe Court, Sheen Palace, Richmond Surrey England, in the room that Queen Elizabeth the first, died in.
The premises were occupied by his Grandfather Dr Julius with whom his father was in partnership. He was educated at Malvern House Dover, and Haileybury College 1891 - 1894, then Kings College London. Fenn then spent some time in Montreux, Switzerland for further education and his health, there he nearly killed himself climbing the Rochers de Naye in the Swiss Alps.
A highly practical man Harry Fenn joined Davey Paxman Engineering (now GEC) of Colchester Essex as a cadet electrical & mechanical engineer, then joined Christy Brothers and Middleton Electrical Engineers one of the pioneers in the commercial use of electricity. He was responsible for the installation of steam turbine driven electrical generating plants, and reticulation of the electricity in large industrial works.
Fenn was a Liveryman to the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers, a City of London Guild dating back to the 12th century. At his death he was the longest serving Liveryman in the Guild.
He suffered badly from asthma, so in 1906 he left Tilbury on the RMS Tongariro for NZ and a different climate. His first stop was his uncle Churchill Julius, Bishop of Christchurch, then to Pareora, South Canterbury to work for Mr Arthur Elworthy, his cousin's husband on his property Holme Station.
Elworthy was of the old school and put him out to live in the whare for a few months and eat with the large staff in the cookshop, to ensure he had no sense of entitlement. . He is said to have relished this time making some lifelong friendships..
The untimely death of his father in 1907 opened the opportunity of his own farm and in 1910 with a 10% mortgage from Elworthy he bought Grange Hill a 5500 acre grazing block in the Hunter Hills, Maungati, 17 miles from Timaru.
Grange Hill was a popular location for rural picnics and shooting, with deer, pig, duck, quail, and wallaby in abundance, Harry Fenn was a hospitable host. He exalted in the farming life, survived the great depression selling his lambs for 6d each, and wool for 4d a pound. However conservative Victorian attitudes on money left him a bachelor who believed he could not afford a wife.
In 1938 he returned to England to visit his family. On board the RMS Tainui was a Wellington nurse Miss Margot Barker; Harry Fenn was at that time aged 61 Margot Barker 30. By the end of the voyage a relationship had developed and they became engaged some months later in England.
Harry and Margot Fenn wed on the 25 Oct 1939 in the Cathedral Church Wellington, the marriage was fruitful and in September 1940 their son was born in Timaru followed by a daughter in August 1945. He would laugh when he told of another outcome from his marriage, his asthma had not abated in NZ but from the day of his marriage he never suffered another attack.
Harry Fenn is remembered in the Maungati District for his skill and knowledge in matters electrical, and, with the help of his neighbors, installing a telephone system in the valley which he maintained. He was a popular amateur magician, keen photographer and occasionally played the piano for the local dance.
Harry and Margot Fenn retired to Timaru in 1945, then later moved to Christchurch.
Harry Fenn was a gentle and loving man who was always slightly in awe of a life that brought him into farming which he "loved", and then a loving wife and family at age 62.
He outlived his brothers, Dr Charles Fenn died 1947, Rev Ernest Fenn died 1956, Commander Cyril Fenn RN died 1921, Rev Edgar Fenn died 1942, but is survived by his wife, and children, Edward Fenn of Suva Fiji, Catherine Fenn of Christchurch, and his half sister Adria Fenn of Cheltenham England.
E L Fenn
Produced for a NZSOG presentation 2013

Harry married Marjorie Helen Ruth "Margot" BARKER [40] [MRIN: 11], daughter of Thomas Lugg Mankey BARKER [634] and Alice Catherine "Lal" JOHNSON [635], on 25 Oct 1939 in Old St Paul Cathedral Church Wellington N.Z. (Marjorie Helen Ruth "Margot" BARKER [40] was born on 5 Jun 1907 in Wellington NZ, died on 27 Jun 1970 in Fairlie N.Z. and was buried in 1970 in Timaru N.Z..). The cause of her death was cancer (Multiple Myloma).