Q&A

WITH Alan La Roche

Howick Historian, and lifelong Howick resident, Alan La Roche is a member of the planning committee for Howick’s 175th Commemorations, the founder of Howick Historical Village, author and a fount of local historical knowledge. Eastlife asked him about the upcoming commemorations and his view on the past, the present and the future of the district.

Were you born in Howick, or did you come here as a child or older?

I was born in the family home in Paparoa Road before World War II, delivered by Dr Lange, former PM David Lange’s father from Otahuhu.

What was it like growing up in the Howick of 70 years ago; do you have a favourite memory?

Growing up in Howick was wonderful. We had a five-acre block with good native bush, large vegetable garden and orchard where a few sheep grazed. Like many locals we had a much-loved house-cow called “Cleopatra”. I had a pet calf each year; my favourite was Penny-Royal. My brother and I walked more than two miles to school each day. I worked as a builder’s labourer in school holidays which included digging the foundations for Pakuranga College.

Was there ever a time when you didn’t live locally and if so where and why?

my life, only leaving while studying dentistry at Otago University and also two years in London for post-graduate work. I had a dental practice in Pakuranga for almost 30 years.

When did you become fascinated with local history or, for that matter history, in general; did it start as a hobby?

My mother collected books on New Zealand history and sparked my imagination. Also, I often visited inspirational Miss Nixon in Uxbridge Road’s Garden of Memories, which fuelled my interest. When I returned from London a friend asked me to save Howick’s Shamrock Cottage. A benefactor paid the £4000 pounds to buy it. I advertised for help and regular Saturday working bees started with Historical Society members and Howick RSA volunteers pitching in. The society moved the Anglican Parsonage to Howick Historical Village in 1977.

Were you involved in Howick’s 150th jubilee and what will this year’s events entail?

As Director of Howick Historical Village, I was on the committee organising the 150th Anniversary of the landing of Fencible family immigrants in 1847. I remember carrying Fencible ladies ashore at Cockle Bay. This year’s events will not have a full re-enactment but a parade from the beach to Picton Street is proposed. More information will be on our website as it evolves, www.howick175.co.nz

You have been involved with the Howick Historical Village from the early days how did that come about?

Elsie Bell had bequeathed Bell House to the Historical Society in 1974, and then when the historical Anglican parsonage, where Vicesimus Lush wrote his magnificent journal of life in early Howick, was going to be demolished, I made an appointment to see Lloyd Elsmore, then Mayor of Manukau City. He offered me five acres for a historical village next to Bell House. At the time, I was taking tours of Howick and Pakuranga, so because I knew owners of local historical homes, I wrote 20 letters to some about the proposed village and most gave permission for us to move their cottages there.

How long did it take to find and actually have the first houses in place and what fundraising was involved towards set up?

It was Manukau City Councillors who bought what is now Lloyd Elsmore Park for future reserves. The Historical Society was the first group to ask for part of the reserve. When Lloyd Elsmore gave us the use of five acres, he wisely stated “on condition I did not ask Council for funding”. The Historical Village site is leased from Auckland City. However, we had years of fundraising and cake stalls every Friday in Picton Street leading up to the first buildings being moved there in 1977. At the time, we had more than 900 Society members.

How different is the village today from when it opened?

Howick Historical Village was almost tree-less in 1977 but we saved flower plants and trees from

OWAIROA < HOWICK

A compilation of stories documenting the history of Howick and districts from Howick Historian Alan La Roche, mbe, celebrating the region’s 175th anniversary

Alan La Roche Owairoa to Howick is a compilation of stories documenting the history and districts from Howick Historian, Alan La Roche. Available to purchase from Times Media, Poppies Books Howick, Paper Plus Howick and the Howick Historical Village.

old cottages and homesteads. When the village eventually opened in March 1980 before a packed crowd, we had 20 buildings to view. It took 20 years to obtain, move and restore all the buildings you see there today. Since then, the trees have matured, with early settler flower and vegetable gardens complementing cottages and, today, more than 30 buildings from the early settler period have been conserved and presented within a “living-history ethos”.

Have you been involved in the restoration of other properties around Howick?

I have restored many old Howick buildings including Hawthornden cottage. The Historical Society restored Shamrock Cottage with Howick RSA help and then All Saints Church with the Howick Lions Club replacing rotted boards and repainting the exterior.

Howick 2022 has evolved from an outlying suburb with Fencible foundations to a bustling, multicultural community; has it been good for Howick?

Howick used to be a small rural village with a good concrete road and a bus service. It was a dormitory suburb of Auckland but as populations increased with more diverse cultures and ethnicities, retail and diverse industries have mushroomed with remarkable ease and compatibility.

Despite now being part of metropolitan Auckland, Howick still regards itself as a ‘village’; has it retained its village atmosphere or has this changed?

Howick-Owairoa contains a multitude of organisations including service groups, churches, youth groups and sports all thriving with the help of a weekly local newspaper and Saturday market.

These have perpetuated the village community started by the former Town Board and Borough Council whose philosophy was “looking after your neighbour”. Unfortunately, closure of Howick War Memorial Information Centre eroded the community but there is still a feeling of village charm at its heart.

You have written a variety of historical material including the comprehensive book, Grey’s Folly is this still available?

Greys Folly books will be available for several years. The early settlers thought of Howick as the governor’s folly and wanted to abandon the settlement. It was too far from Auckland, no wharf and a swamp track through Pakuranga. How different that was to the present day.

What do you value most about Howick’s past, what do you admire about the present day Howick and what do you see in Howick’s future?

I started interviewing Howick’s older residents in the 1960s and have hundreds of interviews. Everyone tells a different story of growing up in Howick. It gave me invaluable material for several books. Howick by the sea is still beautiful and peaceful, with outstanding views, safe swimming or boating, plenty of reserves, walking tracks, and abundant birdlife. It has an excellent future.

If you could be Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage for a day what would be the first thing you would do?

I would like to recognise all those who fought or took part in New Zealand’s civil wars, both Maori and European. The Third Earl Grey, after whom Howick was named, demanded Governor Grey take all Maori land not under cultivation and sell it to new settlers. Church leaders and senior town folks objected without any satisfactory results. Maybe we should rename “Howick” as “Owairoa” its original name?

If you could ask any three people to dinner (living or dead) who would they be and why?

I would love to have dinner with: • My mother Muriel La Roche, who died when I was 13 years old. • Father Antoine Garin, the first

Catholic priest in Howick, and a community leader. • Tara Te Irirangi, Maori leader who was at Howick beach to welcome the first Fencibles.