Family History 3.09

Goodwin story

 

Julia's Marriage

 

In Auckland the Goodwin family joined the Baptist Tabernacle, which was only a few steps from their home in Newton Gully, where the motorway now runs.

 

One of Julia's clearest memories about her time as a young woman was of the eruption of Mt Tarawera about three years after their arrival from England. She said she was doing the ironing for the family at the time. All of a sudden there was an earthquake, and the opposite wall of the room visibly moved nearer to her, and then back again. In the evening the eruption was still continuing and the family, along with most of the rest of the town, walked to Mt Eden and climbed to the summit and could see the glow in the southern sky.

 

In 1893, on Auckland Anniversary Day Julia and Fred Gaze were married.

 

About 1894, they built their home at 75 Bellevue Road, on the edge of the developing suburban area of Mt Eden. (In the thirties it was extensively remodelled, and then remained unchanged for the rest of the twentieth century.)

 

Then in 1897 their first child, Doris Kathleen, was born.

 

 

 

 

Doris proved an intelligent girl, winning several prizes while attending Auckland Grammar School, which in her day provided education for girls as well as boys.

 

She was especially quick at mathematics; for many years she was an efficient Treasurer for the Baptist Women's Missionary Union.

 

Julia was also a long-standing committee member for the BWMU, and for many years was a member of the managing committee of the Manurewa Children's Home, which was operated by the Baptist Churches.

 

In 1902, the next child, Noel, was born. (See the NSG Memoir, already serialised in earlier posts.)

 

In 1910, Julia's husband, Fred, left the John Court company's employment, and set up his own business. He started a shop at the Grafton end of Karangahape Road, selling wool products. He developed a workshop with the shop, and installed knitting machines, where staff made underwear and swimsuits, along with jerseys, balaclavas and scarves and other woollen goods.

 

Julia worked with him, and later as they grew up so did the children. Doris especially assisted her parents for a large part of her life, including taking over a large part of the housekeeping.

 

For many years Julia and Fred walked from Bellevue Road to the shop each morning, walked home for dinner at midday, back to work after their meal, and then home at the end of the day. They rarely used trams, although the route ran from right past the shop to the bottom of Bellevue Road 100 metres from their home.

 

As we have learned from the letters posted earlier, Julia was a keen gardener, and developed a fruitful garden at Bellevue Road, including both indoor and outdoor ferneries. Fred and the children helped her in this activity.

 

The Gazes had regular contact with Julia's sister's family, the Crocombes. Noel and Frank Crocombe became close friends. The whole family was devastated when Frank died of influenza in his early twenties.

 

They suffered another tragedy when Kitty's grandson Lance was lost in action flying a Kittyhawk over the Pacific Islands. He was never found.

 

Julia lived to 84 years of age. She was cared for by Doris, and Noel and Mary in her final illness, which kept her at home and often in bed for several years. I used to sit with her one evening a week to allow Doris to go out to her Bible Class when I was in Year 12 at Auckland Grammar. Her favourite radio programme was Gracie Fields singing her best-loved numbers.