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The House of Mrs Hambleton Greymouth/Back land Bruerton and Drake
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PhotographerBrian McIntyreDate of PhotoBetween 1st January 2016 and 31st December 2015Map[1] Contributor Brian McIntyre
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Location (city or town)Greymouth
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CommentsGavin Whitcombe i lived in that area in the 70s and 80s,,, seems like a lifetime ago now, which it was if i think about it...
Brian McIntyre To me Gavin Whitcombe that was only yesterday. Where has my life time gone?
Gavin Whitcombe isnt it incredible the changes that we have lived through from the likes of horse and cart to the space shuttles and every other electronic toy made in the last decade or 2 that we never had when we were growing up....Brian McIntyre you could probably write a book or three with your past knowledge i bet..
Brian McIntyre I have written my life story after having had bowel cancer 21 years ago and there is a lot written of the Puketahi St people and happenings
Kerrie Jenkins-Henry Yes Wayne Leckie. Tas is my Dad. We lived up there from '61 to '73 when we moved over to Christchurch. We had the best chidhood up there!
Wayne Leckie hi Kerrie Jenkins-Henry i new your dad well he used to deal at high st butchery when he had his deli van real great guy.
Kerrie Jenkins-Henry Hi Wayne Leckie. Thanks so much for your lovely memory of Dad. I would so love to be able to share it with him. Although he's in good health, he has advanced Alzheimers. He doesn't know us any more, but is still the same friendly, kind, good-natured chap he's always been. He'll be 85 end of July.
Wayne Leckie Oh Kerrie Jenkins-Henry I am so sorry to here that when you see Tas next shake his hand for me please.
Kerrie Jenkins-Henry Thank you so much Wayne Leckie. I'm living in Sydney, but will get my Mum to do so today. Cheers!
Brenda Brown Drakes Lane in top picture Bruertons lived there..
Christine Farrell I remember Alexandra St. We were in Marsden Rd then I think Dad may have had the shop then
Brian McIntyre And Chick Purton and his family too Brenda Barry Brown Chick was right into repairing valve radios as they all were in those days Jimmy Purton was right into boxing
Brenda Brown The house on the right as you drive in Brian ,was Sopers he was the Register at the Court House.Can only remember Purtons living in Franklin St.Paul was Councillor for a while.
Brian McIntyre Purtons were half way up Drakes Lane on the left and i THINK old Mr Drake was opposite them with Bruertons at the top of the lane. Brenda Barry Brown. Yes Paul was another older son
Neil Martin Paul ,Jimmy, June and Anne. Annie was their mum
Brian McIntyre You know them as well as I do Neil Martin were you living in the area too
Neil Martin next door to them in Franklin st we lived in the house on the corner of High and Franklin the one that has one wall right on the footpath
Brian McIntyre When I was a kid the Purton house was very old and from memory was badly flooded in the early 50s so was probably condemned
Laurie Anisy Hi Guys. Yes that was a good neighbourhood us guys around the corner in Tainui St knew all those people. Great people great times.
Kathy Marshall Bessie Bruerton's maiden name was Drake I think and it was her father, s house opposite where the Purtons lived.
Heather Newby is that Mrs Hambleton .. the teacher at grey High school?
Maxx N Mark Blackburne My grandparents lived at 90 Alexander Street. My Aunt n Uncle lived up on 25 Freyberg Terrace. My Nanna had everything growing in an amazing garden she tended to on the hill below the terrace. As kids I spent hours playing amongst the fruit trees and chook pens. Played the wombles! Haha Suzette Hay :-)
Suzette Hay We used to have such a great time when you came to your Nanna's, she was such a lovely lady Maxx N Mark Blackburne
Don Hutton Kathy Marshall Yes Mrs Bruerton was Bessie Drake. Rode around on one of those old step-through ladies' bikes. I think she played the organ at the Presbyterian Church in Tainui St, now gone and replaced by a petrol station. The Bruertons were contemporaries at GTHS with me and my siblings. John was same year as me.
Brenda Brown Was John Parliaments National Candidate for Westland Don.
Kathy Marshall No Heather - Miss Hambleton worked in the office at Dispatch Foundry which was run by her brother Pat Hambleton.
Barbie Turner 37 alexander street has an amazing garden, bell birds,tui,,magnolia tree. grape vines kowhai tress .so old..the house was built inthe 1920's....i heard the troubridge family lived in that house and there is a room in regent theater named after the family? that mrs troubridge created this amazing garden. who were they in our community? i heard he had a tragic death? such a beautiful place and garden that i have been priveliged to enjoy each day with children and colleauges.
Elizabeth Betty Woods
A number of years back, 1970s, before I left the Greymouth High School, I worked for Mrs Elizabeth (Bessie) Bruerton during my teenage years. I grew up in Murray Street, just round the corner from her home.
My brother worked for her first, this was before he started a building apprenticeship with John Doocey.
One day she rang to see if Alex could call round to move half a ton of coal that had been delivered near her back door.
I told her Alex was now working, but I could do that!
She replied, "no you can't do that," and I replied, "yes I can."
That was the start of a three year working relationship and a life time friendship. She lived until she was 100.
When I started working for Mrs Bruerton she was in her 70's, and I was 15.
My tasks involved cleaning the silver, black leading the coal range, polishing the rimu floors, gardening, and prior to school holidays getting the original homestead at the front end of the drive-way ready for her kids, and grandkids to come and stay during the school holidays. There was an old cane wheel chair in the front room, I believe this belonged to her mother.
Our tea breaks involved cups of tea served in Royal Doulton bone china cups, the design, Albert Old Country Roses. We ate gems, freshly baked in cast iron gem irons, straight out of the coal range.
We chatted about everything, her father was an engineer, and he built the Greymouth Post Office, demolished in recent years. She was a music teacher, and she often expressed she wished she knew how to sew. I was pretty good at sewing and expressed how I wished I could have learned to play the piano…so you can see we were great mates. For birthdays and Xmas she gifted me 'Albert Old Country Roses, Royal Doulton bone china, which I still have.
One of her son's, Dave worked at the Dobson mine, including working with my own father, Barney Woods. One day she brought out this photo and gave it to me, miners at the Dobson Coal mine, early 1960s, my father, centre front. The Doocey's lived in the house in the top left hand corner of the image, I used to babysit their kids there...Larry Trowbridge lived in the corner house, a beautiful home, to the left, beside the lane, and they had a lovely garden, I do remember that... The Scott's lived on the other side second house over to the right, front of road (Ronnie Scott's), and I recall Mrs Bruerton's property was quite largish, running onto the back of Threadneedle Street...
May be an image of 2 people
Laurie Anisy
Joe Bruertons wife was a Drake and they lived there.Family all raised there.
Brian McIntyre
Drakes Lane. A Mr Drake lived halfway down on the right
Edited
Laura Mills Detlaff
Author
Admin
So who had the house at the very back Brian?
Eleanor Morel
Brian McIntyre The Purtons also lived down there on the left. The Sopers lived in the first house on the right. It was a new house and I can’t remember what was there before.
Sandra Arnott
True eh!
Mandy O'Sullivan
37 Alexander Street was bought by Larry Trowbridge and his wife Viv in 1974. Larry was a well known sportsman and PE teacher before he ventured overseas to South Africa and that’s where he met his NZ born wife Viv. On their return to NZ they purchased this house which was in bad repair and they set about refurbishing it. Viv was a nurse and Larry was a reporter at the Grey Star. During this time Larry led the purchasing of the Regent Theatre and established a Trust hence the Trowbridge Room was named in his honour. Viv loved the garden which was established and in 1978 their son Guy was born and Laura was born in 1980. In December 1980 he was diagnosed with bowel cancer and passed away in February 1981 after seeking alternative treatment in Mexico. Viv moved back to the North Island in 1983 and lives in Waipukarau. Larry represented WC in rugby, basketball and cricket. He was 38 years old when he passed away.
Chris Munn
Hi Betty. Was she Br Bruerton’s mum? The Social Studies teacher ?
Jenny Marshall
What wonderful memories Betty. Real oral history
Brian McIntyre To me Gavin Whitcombe that was only yesterday. Where has my life time gone?
Gavin Whitcombe isnt it incredible the changes that we have lived through from the likes of horse and cart to the space shuttles and every other electronic toy made in the last decade or 2 that we never had when we were growing up....Brian McIntyre you could probably write a book or three with your past knowledge i bet..
Brian McIntyre I have written my life story after having had bowel cancer 21 years ago and there is a lot written of the Puketahi St people and happenings
Kerrie Jenkins-Henry Yes Wayne Leckie. Tas is my Dad. We lived up there from '61 to '73 when we moved over to Christchurch. We had the best chidhood up there!
Wayne Leckie hi Kerrie Jenkins-Henry i new your dad well he used to deal at high st butchery when he had his deli van real great guy.
Kerrie Jenkins-Henry Hi Wayne Leckie. Thanks so much for your lovely memory of Dad. I would so love to be able to share it with him. Although he's in good health, he has advanced Alzheimers. He doesn't know us any more, but is still the same friendly, kind, good-natured chap he's always been. He'll be 85 end of July.
Wayne Leckie Oh Kerrie Jenkins-Henry I am so sorry to here that when you see Tas next shake his hand for me please.
Kerrie Jenkins-Henry Thank you so much Wayne Leckie. I'm living in Sydney, but will get my Mum to do so today. Cheers!
Brenda Brown Drakes Lane in top picture Bruertons lived there..
Christine Farrell I remember Alexandra St. We were in Marsden Rd then I think Dad may have had the shop then
Brian McIntyre And Chick Purton and his family too Brenda Barry Brown Chick was right into repairing valve radios as they all were in those days Jimmy Purton was right into boxing
Brenda Brown The house on the right as you drive in Brian ,was Sopers he was the Register at the Court House.Can only remember Purtons living in Franklin St.Paul was Councillor for a while.
Brian McIntyre Purtons were half way up Drakes Lane on the left and i THINK old Mr Drake was opposite them with Bruertons at the top of the lane. Brenda Barry Brown. Yes Paul was another older son
Neil Martin Paul ,Jimmy, June and Anne. Annie was their mum
Brian McIntyre You know them as well as I do Neil Martin were you living in the area too
Neil Martin next door to them in Franklin st we lived in the house on the corner of High and Franklin the one that has one wall right on the footpath
Brian McIntyre When I was a kid the Purton house was very old and from memory was badly flooded in the early 50s so was probably condemned
Laurie Anisy Hi Guys. Yes that was a good neighbourhood us guys around the corner in Tainui St knew all those people. Great people great times.
Kathy Marshall Bessie Bruerton's maiden name was Drake I think and it was her father, s house opposite where the Purtons lived.
Heather Newby is that Mrs Hambleton .. the teacher at grey High school?
Maxx N Mark Blackburne My grandparents lived at 90 Alexander Street. My Aunt n Uncle lived up on 25 Freyberg Terrace. My Nanna had everything growing in an amazing garden she tended to on the hill below the terrace. As kids I spent hours playing amongst the fruit trees and chook pens. Played the wombles! Haha Suzette Hay :-)
Suzette Hay We used to have such a great time when you came to your Nanna's, she was such a lovely lady Maxx N Mark Blackburne
Don Hutton Kathy Marshall Yes Mrs Bruerton was Bessie Drake. Rode around on one of those old step-through ladies' bikes. I think she played the organ at the Presbyterian Church in Tainui St, now gone and replaced by a petrol station. The Bruertons were contemporaries at GTHS with me and my siblings. John was same year as me.
Brenda Brown Was John Parliaments National Candidate for Westland Don.
Kathy Marshall No Heather - Miss Hambleton worked in the office at Dispatch Foundry which was run by her brother Pat Hambleton.
Barbie Turner 37 alexander street has an amazing garden, bell birds,tui,,magnolia tree. grape vines kowhai tress .so old..the house was built inthe 1920's....i heard the troubridge family lived in that house and there is a room in regent theater named after the family? that mrs troubridge created this amazing garden. who were they in our community? i heard he had a tragic death? such a beautiful place and garden that i have been priveliged to enjoy each day with children and colleauges.
Elizabeth Betty Woods
A number of years back, 1970s, before I left the Greymouth High School, I worked for Mrs Elizabeth (Bessie) Bruerton during my teenage years. I grew up in Murray Street, just round the corner from her home.
My brother worked for her first, this was before he started a building apprenticeship with John Doocey.
One day she rang to see if Alex could call round to move half a ton of coal that had been delivered near her back door.
I told her Alex was now working, but I could do that!
She replied, "no you can't do that," and I replied, "yes I can."
That was the start of a three year working relationship and a life time friendship. She lived until she was 100.
When I started working for Mrs Bruerton she was in her 70's, and I was 15.
My tasks involved cleaning the silver, black leading the coal range, polishing the rimu floors, gardening, and prior to school holidays getting the original homestead at the front end of the drive-way ready for her kids, and grandkids to come and stay during the school holidays. There was an old cane wheel chair in the front room, I believe this belonged to her mother.
Our tea breaks involved cups of tea served in Royal Doulton bone china cups, the design, Albert Old Country Roses. We ate gems, freshly baked in cast iron gem irons, straight out of the coal range.
We chatted about everything, her father was an engineer, and he built the Greymouth Post Office, demolished in recent years. She was a music teacher, and she often expressed she wished she knew how to sew. I was pretty good at sewing and expressed how I wished I could have learned to play the piano…so you can see we were great mates. For birthdays and Xmas she gifted me 'Albert Old Country Roses, Royal Doulton bone china, which I still have.
One of her son's, Dave worked at the Dobson mine, including working with my own father, Barney Woods. One day she brought out this photo and gave it to me, miners at the Dobson Coal mine, early 1960s, my father, centre front. The Doocey's lived in the house in the top left hand corner of the image, I used to babysit their kids there...Larry Trowbridge lived in the corner house, a beautiful home, to the left, beside the lane, and they had a lovely garden, I do remember that... The Scott's lived on the other side second house over to the right, front of road (Ronnie Scott's), and I recall Mrs Bruerton's property was quite largish, running onto the back of Threadneedle Street...
May be an image of 2 people
Laurie Anisy
Joe Bruertons wife was a Drake and they lived there.Family all raised there.
Brian McIntyre
Drakes Lane. A Mr Drake lived halfway down on the right
Edited
Laura Mills Detlaff
Author
Admin
So who had the house at the very back Brian?
Eleanor Morel
Brian McIntyre The Purtons also lived down there on the left. The Sopers lived in the first house on the right. It was a new house and I can’t remember what was there before.
Sandra Arnott
True eh!
Mandy O'Sullivan
37 Alexander Street was bought by Larry Trowbridge and his wife Viv in 1974. Larry was a well known sportsman and PE teacher before he ventured overseas to South Africa and that’s where he met his NZ born wife Viv. On their return to NZ they purchased this house which was in bad repair and they set about refurbishing it. Viv was a nurse and Larry was a reporter at the Grey Star. During this time Larry led the purchasing of the Regent Theatre and established a Trust hence the Trowbridge Room was named in his honour. Viv loved the garden which was established and in 1978 their son Guy was born and Laura was born in 1980. In December 1980 he was diagnosed with bowel cancer and passed away in February 1981 after seeking alternative treatment in Mexico. Viv moved back to the North Island in 1983 and lives in Waipukarau. Larry represented WC in rugby, basketball and cricket. He was 38 years old when he passed away.
Chris Munn
Hi Betty. Was she Br Bruerton’s mum? The Social Studies teacher ?
Jenny Marshall
What wonderful memories Betty. Real oral history
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West Coast New Zealand History (12th Apr 2025). The House of Mrs Hambleton Greymouth/Back land Bruerton and Drake. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 3rd May 2026 06:43, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/16269