Family History 1.130

Gaze History: NSG Memoir

Late 40s

During these years Noel was a regular listener to BBC comedy radio programmes such as Itma and Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh, and regularly read the NZ Listener. 

Also in 1947 the family celebrated the eightieth birthdays of Julia and Fred in July. They were still in their home, looked after by Doris, although Julia was increasingly kept in her bed by illness. 

When Lloyd Crawford married and moved into the manse provided by the church, his room became vacant.  One of Noel’s relatives, his cousin, Alice Grover, a widow, who had been looking after another cousin, Nancy Pearce, and her daughter Rhoda, was in search of a home while she adjusted to the death of one of her charges and the loss of the other to a nursing home.  So Noel and Mary offered her the use of the vacant room, and the lounge as her living room. Alice was also able to look after the children while Noel and Mary were away on holiday or business.  This was a happy arrangement for everyone, as Alice was a gentle, pleasant lady with a warm smile and a kind heart.

Alice’s niece, Dorothy Phillips, writes:

 

 

Memories of a second cousin, Noel Gaze

 

Noel was a very hospitable man, treating visitors with loving care and thoughtfulness and always having an open home and a warm welcome.  The times we visited we were made to feel at home and part of the family.

 

He had a sense of humour (real Gaze) that appealed to me.  On one visit, at breakfast he suggested that we each fold our paper serviettes and name them so we could use them for each meal all the time we were there.

 

As a family we were indebted to him for his kind offer of the family holiday home at Browns Bay where we were able to enjoy the comfort and view for over a week in the idyllic surroundings of the seaside.

 

 

Later still the spare room was used to accommodate Mrs Lily Olsen for another spell, while she adjusted to the death of her husband.  She too was a good friend and neighbour for all the family, and her son Frank and his wife Mavis continued the friendship.

Noel’s business was picking up all the time; the boom in land and other business enterprises after the war provided plenty of work for lawyers and before long Noel would be thinking about hiring some staff in addition to the secretary, Miss Chapman, he had employed for some years. In 1946 he took on Graham Bond, one of the young people from the Church, who was studying law at the University, as law clerk.

One of his best groups of clients was the developing Four Square Grocers chain. New grocery stores were springing up everywhere and the Barker family, who were involved in the Master Grocers Association and in Foodstuffs, sent many of their new store owners to their own solicitor for help with the incorporation processes.