Iron Bridge, Lyell, Buller Gorge - and Biddy's hut .1902.

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DescriptionThe iron bridge at Lyell, Buller gorge. While this hand-coloured postcard photograph is not dated, I note even the discarded timber debris on the river bank looks exactly the same as in the 1904 photograph by James Ring available on the West Coast Recollect website at (click on the external link below)
This is one of about 300 postcards within a bound collection compiled by Helen McGregor of Black's Point with franked postal dates mostly spanning 1902 through 1920 when Helen was between 7 and 25 years old.

Second pic courtesy Theresa Gibson: in this photo you can see a hut up on the bank which may have been Biddys.Date of Photo1902-20Map^[1]External LinkIron BridgeContributorKeith Funnell

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Location (city or town)LyellLandmark (Place)Iron Bridge, Lyell, Buller Gorge

Category Information

Category TagBridge

From Facebook

Date Created2nd February 2020CommentsJohn Lester Collected good fossils from that exposure
Theresa Gibson I wonder if the hut up on the corner is Biddys. Other photos show a hut on the bank to the left of the wayside house which may have been hers.
Keith Funnell The other photos from slightly different angles don't show too many other buildings close by, so does seem pretty likely don't you think?
Theresa Gibson Keith Funnell in this photo you can see a hut up on the bank which may have been Biddys.
Manage
Keith Funnell Theresa Gibson ... and this one from West Coast Recollect website from yet another angle illustrates the limited number of other huts in the immediate vicinity. Interesting how even your photo has some of the timber on the river bank under the bridge. Anyone know what that was about, or were all these photos taken about 1904?
Theresa Gibson Keith Funnell scaffolding.
Betty Chapman Great pic Our family farm just the other side of iron bridge.
Betty Chapman - van Vugt
Deb Ramage I just learnt about Biddy from the Corner, buried in Reefton. She was only 4 ft and smoked a pipe.
Betty Tindale Biddy end.d her days goldmine .y lots photos shantytown 5foot nothing always. Smoked a pipe .

Deb Ramage I have only just heard of her, she was a remarkable lady for her time and conditions.
John Rosanowski Little Biddy spent her last years in Reefton and was buried in the local cemetery. Was one of the first to receive Seddon's Old Age Pension. Became well-known through a chapter in "Waratah's" (W H Hindmarsh) Tales of the Golden West. Also was the subject of a poem by the Bard of the Inangahua, Hugh Smith.

Colleen Yee
Didn't realize that Biddy lived down by the bridge, always imagined her nearer the Lyell township.

Anthea Keenan
Hard work into building roads & bridges

John Lester
There were good fossils in that cutting

Dorothy Wills
Thank you for sharing this!

Bert Chandler
Is the same bridge handling the loads of today, looks the same.?

Roger O'Regan
Bert Chandler
I believe so. One of the Great bridges built in early NZ. I believe much was prefab by a foundry in Christchurch, but may stand corrected.

Bert Chandler
Roger O'Regan they knew how to build things to last.

Allan Archer
Roger O'Regan , Think I read somewhere? that it was cast at the Birchfield Foundry, north of Westport ?

Roger O'Regan
You could well be right. I would love old NZ construction masterpieces like this have a public sign acknowledging the history. Who designed, who prefabbed it, who erected it, and how was it transported. All very important when we look at the disastrous projects being attempted today.

Kevin Oregan
You could walk D8's over in 68. Built tough.

Murray Thomas
You can still find the old road on true left leading down to river beach. I think the new road covered old hut site

Graham Piner
I believe a scotch man designed it all riverted
Reply1h
Brian Steele
Me and Mo spent a week up there tightening all the nuts on the rivets when I worked at F.H.it was a big fall to the water level below us

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Iron Bridge, Lyell, Buller Gorge - and Biddy's hut .1902.

Editing is temporarily disabled