Our Rebus mini-speaker this month was David Woodhams, who is our incoming Newsletter Editor, giving us a brief glimpse into some of the main events of his life. David was a mechanical engineer for the NZ Dairy Research Institute. While there he had a research fellowship which gave him four years in Wisconsin working on spray drying of milk.
Instant whole milk powder was developed at the NZDI when David was head of the milk powder and drying section at NZDI. He was in the United States in the 1960’s and during the 1968 election which had some reflections on the current US elections.
Our main speaker was Helen Thomas of Greytown, speaking about the wonderful book she has written called “May Your Shadow Never Grow Less” on the life and times of her forbears Henry and Jane Holland. The wording of the title came from a telegram sent by Henry to his wife on her birthday. Henry went on to become Mayor of Christchurch and a Member of Parliament. The book is also a fascinating insight into the social history of early Canterbury, its farming, local body politics and the important issues faced by the new migrants.
Henry (who was always known as Harry) and Jane (Eastwood) both came to Canterbury as young children in the early 1860s. Harry’s parents Robert and Anne Holland and their 6 children, from East Riding of Yorkshire, sailed from London on the “Lancashire Witch” together with the Shipley and Hight families. The book also includes a detailed account of life on the ship coming over which Helen was able to base on diaries found in the National Library, written during their voyage out, so these experiences are very personal.
Helen’s talk was entertaining as well as informative – she donned different hats (literally!) to denote different characters she was portraying. She spent approximately 12 years researching and writing the book with tremendous help and encouragement from her partner Wendy Crane, who was research assistant and sounding board and several other roles! During this process Helen met up with many descendants of Henry and Jane whom she had not previously met. The most wellknown of Henry and Jane’s descendants was Sid Holland, who was Prime Minister of New Zealand in the 1950s.
I haven’t yet finished the book but I can’t wait to get back to it – it is such an insight into not only the families involved, but life in New Zealand in the early years.
Anyone who would like more information on our Rebus Club and our various interest groups are very welcome to contact Margaret Griffiths on 306-8102.
