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1908

"On a trip to England in 1908. C.H. Izard, of Wellington, purchased the property from the absentee owners - two maiden ladies - and leased it to Mr Scott, who ran a pig-farm. Mr Jillet, of Titahi Bay, succeeded him, and then Mssrs Dymocks Ltd, purchased the property for stock, Mr Pender, senior, being a caretaker."

Book - Carman Arthur H, 1982 (reprint) Tawa Flat and the Old Porirua Road,1840-1955 p71

Dymocks Ltd use the land for holding stock. Two families live in The Halfway House. One is John Pender who worked with stock, looked after horses and changed horses for the coaches and the other family were the Slater's, who operated a business in Johnsonville.

Oral history local resident Ron Pender

The Pender's lived downstairs and the Slater's lived upstairs.

Oral history, per Ron Pender's mother, 10 Oct 2013 

c WWI

At the end of WWI Jock and Charles Fisher from Scotland, nephews of Mrs PC Watt move into The Halfway House.

Oral history from local resident Gwen Silvester nee Rowell

"Mr P C Watt was the next owner, and settled his two nephews, Jock and Charles Fisher, on the farm. The Crown purchased about half the area in 1917..."

Book - Carman Arthur H, 1982 (reprint) Tawa Flat and the Old Porirua Road,1840-1955 p71

 

1927-1937

Land adjacent to the house used as a Railway Camp for 300 men working on the new railway and tunnel.

Oral history from local residents, past residents and from Gwen Silvester nee Rowell and Murray Henderson.

 "Preparations to begin construction in earnest started in July 1927 with construction sites being prepared, and and accommodation in the form of the main camps for workers at Glenside and Khandallah being established."

Meyer, R.J. The Tawa Flat Deviation. The New Zealand Railway Observor, Vol 42:2, p. 48.

 

1928

Mrs PC Watt wins a competition to rename The Halfway. A Post Office is to be opened for the Railway Camp and it is felt The Halfway will be confused with Halfway Bush near Dunedin. Her winning entry is Glenside as the locality is reminiscent of a Scottish glen. Glenside Post Office opens on 23 July 1928.

Wises Guide

 

1936

Railways move on to construct the Homer Tunnel.

Fisher boys develop Glenside Golf Course on the land. Nine hole golf course designed and constructed by Mr R C Butters, the Miramar Club professional. Mr P C Watt is the prime mover in the venture. 

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 53, 31 August 1936, Page 4

The front rooms of The Halfway House are the Clubhouse meeting rooms and the Glenside Tennis Club share the facilities.

Oral history from local residents, and Gwen Silvester nee Rowell

 

WWII

Land adjacent to Halfway House used for NZ Army Camp. (This is the land now known as Glenside Reserve).

Oral history from local residents Murray Henderson and Elizabeth Blackmore

 

19 March 1948

Mr P A Milne, Sanitary Inspector for Makara County Council, responds to Downer's request to erect a new workers camp in Glenside.

"The pollution would be no greater than when it was used as a camp for the Army."

Legal description: Lot 1 DP 13040. Note: Correspondence relates to proposed camp (1947), plumbing and drainage for proposed camp (1948); 2,000 gallon underground tank (1956).

Wellington City Council Archives online