Stories of Early Auckland

Ladies of Alberton

ALBERTON - SOPHIE KERR-TAYLOR - Alberton was built in 1863 to be the home of Alan Taylor and his wife Martha Meredith from Shropshire. Sadly Martha died aged 25 as did their two children. Two years later Allan married NZ born 17 year old Sophie Davis who bore him 10 children, of which four of the six girls lived to adulthood. Three daughters lived at Alberton with their mother until the death of the last living daughter Muriel Hyacinth Kerr Taylor in 1972 and this is their story. Alberton was gifted to Heritage N Z PouhereTaonga  in 1972. The house is open to the public from Wednesdays to Sundays 10.30 .to 4 pm www.visitheritage.co.nz/visit/auckland/alberton [http://www.visitheritage.co.nz/visit/auckland/alberton]

Ladies of Ewelme

EWELME COTTAGE -  BLANCHE LUSH - Not very long ago I sat under a tree on the lawn outside Ewelme Cottage in Parnell Auckland and wondered what the thoughts of Blanche Lush were when she came to this house more than 150 years ago. What did she leave behind in England, and how do she adapt to NZ? Was it what she had expected? Here you hear about her early years and in her own words from her journals and letters, her thoughts about the various parts of the country she lived in with her family from her arrival in 1850. Blanche lived short periods at Ewelme until it became her permanent home in 1882 until her death in1912. Ewelme Cottage is operated by Heritage N.Z Pouhere Taonga. It is open to the public on Sundays 10.30 .to 4 pm www.visitheritage.co.nz/visit/auckland/ewelme-cottage [http://www.visitheritage.co.nz/visit/auckland/ewelme-cottage]