Menu
Mary Hepzibah McIntyre with Grandson - Brian McIntyre at Bright St, Cobden.1942.
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionNow there is a good looking kid.
Being me Brian McIntyre with his darling Grandmother Mary Hepzibah McIntyre at Bright St Cobden Greymouth with Nimmo's store across the road back in 1942Date of Photo1942Map[1] Contributor Brian McIntyre
Being me Brian McIntyre with his darling Grandmother Mary Hepzibah McIntyre at Bright St Cobden Greymouth with Nimmo's store across the road back in 1942Date of Photo1942Map[1] Contributor Brian McIntyre
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)Cobden PersonMary Hepzibah McIntyreBrian McIntyreEventMary Hepzibah McIntyre with Grandson Brian McIntyre at Bright St, Cobden.1942.
Category Information
Category TagFamily
From Facebook
Date Created6th April 2021CommentsHelen Joan Forrest
Two great people xoxo
Graham Ngatuere
And Brian has done a lot for his people and Country.....
Gillian Jones
Awesome photo to have of you and Nana Mc
Brian McIntyre
Thanks Heather Newby
Lynn Turnbull
Wonderful family pictures .... what a wee cutie you were Brian McIntyre
Brian McIntyre
Lynn Turnbull what do you mean were Lynn. I probably had a pot guts then too
Brian McIntyre
And on my Nana's 90th birthday. 53 weeks later she was gone.
Lynn Turnbull
Brian McIntyre you so lucky you had her ... i only knew one grandparent and she passed when i was 10
Brian McIntyre
Lynn Turnbull yes many had not met. I never knew any Granddads
Christine Farrell
Hi Brian
Yvonne Jean
great photos
Thelma Coutts
And there is a very attractive woman. They used to pose so nicely back then.
· Reply · 23h
Danelle McIntyre
All the McIntyre's are good looking folk lol .. but then again I'm slightly biased
Don McIntyre
Danelle McIntyre you are so right we are all looking good
Deborah Taylor
She's beautiful
Dennis Gibbs
I can see where your good looks come from.
Brian McIntyre
Dennis Gibbs I'm glad I'm not as beautiful as she was
Dennis Gibbs
Brian McIntyre She was!
Neil Gibbs
Beautiful woman
Del Godfrey
Wow Brian McIntyre what wonderful phot9s to have and evident many happy times! You obviously started as you were meant to go!
Trish Rennie
Hard to believe that the world was at war then and a lot of our men away fighting for the freedoms we enjoy today....This is such a beautiful picture depicting a normal loving family scene of this time...so precious
Brian McIntyre
NANA McINTYRE
A lady who had a big influence on me, was my Dad’s Mother, who at the time of my birth, was living at 132 Bright St Cobden, across the river from the township of Greymouth.[ Nana McI as she was affectionately known was born 28-3-1889 in Mortlake Victoria Australia.] But it was after she shifted, to 167 Tainui St in Greymouth that I really got to know her. Nana Mc was widowed in 1937. Her husband [my Grandfather] died from the injuries sustained while working on the Greymouth wharf. Cut timber being loaded onto a ship , slipped from a sling [that’s ropes holding a bundle together] injuring him, I’m unsure if anyone else was injured. However John Malcolm McIntyre died of his injuries in the Greymouth Public Hospital 22-12-1937 aged 59. From around the age of 7 or 8 I would spend the weekends with my beloved Nana, at 167 Tainui St. Yes, Friday after school I would go home and get changed out of my school uniform, just as Mum had insisted I do every day after school, “as they cost so much.” Then it was off to my Nana’s to stay for the weekend. Nana lived about one mile [1-6km], from my home in Puketahi St, and for a little guy, that was a long way from home. Nana’s youngest, of her eight children was John William, who was 9 years older than me, and was at this time living at home with his mother. I never saw much of Johnny, as I called him, when I stayed at Nana’s, as he was a teenager, and always out on the town. And this was before Rock and Roll was invented. At the rear of the house, was to a child, the most enormous nectarine tree. Boards and other pieces of timber, were holding up the branches, which were loaded with big juicy fruit. Under the tree was a flower garden which Nana loved. She would be given the flower seeds, which were past their used by date, by George Ogilve who had the grocer/dairy shop directly across the road from her home. She would open all the packets into a big bowl, mix all the seed together, and then scatter them around under the tree, and in the front garden, which although it went the full width of the section, was only a metre deep, between the front fence and the veranda. She really enjoyed her flower mixture, which was the equivalent of today’s cottage gardens. I would chop kindling wood for her, for the open fire in the little sitting room, which was in the middle of the house, and never saw any sun. In the kitchen was a gas stove, and the smell of coal gas which was very strong. The little square kitchen table, had the plastic table cloth, which was in every home. On winter evenings, I would light the fire for her in the sitting room, where we enjoyed many memorable conversations. I clearly remember showing her how to light the fire, like one of the Brothers had shown his class at school. “Nana you lay some sticks on the crumpled paper, then you lay some more at right angles to the first layer, then lay another layer like the first layer, then another layer like the second layer, then you light the paper from the back first. That old lady, who was properly only 61 or 62 years old, was really taken back. “Tell that teacher of yours, I was lighting fires before he was born.” Many a lovely evening, we sat on a little box seat, either side of the fire place, with a wooden frame across the front of the hearth, linking the two box seats together. One for kindling, the other for newspaper.
COAL FLOWERS
In my bedroom, which fronted onto the street, Nana grew coal flowers. Coal flowers are a very fine delicate, powdery growth [looks vaguely similar to sea coral] but are just so delicate; it would blow away in a breeze. Nana had coals in a glass bowl, sitting on a chrome tray. Some Prussian blue from the chemists, was sprinkled onto the coal, and it caused a reaction after some time. The growth on the coal just kept on growing and spreading, over the edge of the bowl, down its sides and then onto the chrome tray, and just kept on spreading. How she stopped it taking over the whole house I don’t know. She coloured the crystals as they are called, by pouring small amounts of different coloured inks onto separate areas, which then spread through the crystals. Very pretty ,but extremely toxic and I have never seen another one since Tainui St.
Saturday and Sunday mornings I was treated to breakfast in bed. Nescafe coffee and milk, in a can had just come on the market, and Nana made me coffee and toast, spoiling me rotten, and I loved it. Sunday afternoons I would leave Nana’s after a big hug and a kiss and head home to Puketahi St. In later years, the house at 167 Tainui St and the houses either side of it, were demolished to make way for a car sales yard and then much later again a BP service station.
The recipe for coal flowers is as follows, One tablespoon of Prussian blue [chemist] 3 table spoons of household ammonia, 2 table spoons of common salt, 1 table spoon of red ink, 3 table spoons of cold water. Mix in a bowl or jar and pour over 5 or 6 pieces of coal, about the size of a small orange, which have been put into a glass or china bowl. Put the bowl and contents in a warm place to start the growth. To keep the plant alive, add one table spoon of water and one tea spoon of salt, mixed together every second day. Pour it gently down the side of the bowl. Colours may be varied by using violet or blue inks.
Brian McIntyre
Julie Howe
Marion Robina Hogarth
Brian McIntyre beautiful memories xxx
Heather Newby
Brian McIntyre what lovely recollections! I especially like the one about the nectarine tree and the seeds.
Josephine Wesley
Beautiful memories you have of your lovely Nana...precious
Ray Chandler
Just the best Brian
Brian McIntyre
Ray Chandler Id love to have a chat with her again. Im sure she watches over me
Cheryl Pinn
wow she was beautiful!
Michael James Keating
Great story Brian, really enjoyed reading it . my grandarents lived further up the road in Heathy st.Every Sunday we would vist, wether you wanted too or not
Maree Lawlor
Omg as soon as I saw this I knew I was looking at Mary Howe Resemblance is uncanny
Marion Robina Hogarth
We used to have coal flowers too, my Mum would start them in a dish, absolutely fascinating and so very pretty.
Donna Grace Harrison Fata
Marion Robina Hogarth I recall those
Fiona Harrison
Great story. Thank you for sharing.
Mary Hopkins
From the age of two (1960- 1979)till I was in my early 20s I lived at 139 bright street Cobden
\
Mary Hopkins
Great photo to have Brian
Brian McIntyre
Mary Hopkins . My Nana unfortunately married Albert Richardson in later life. 1958 from memory and lived next door to Hopkins' at 9 Turamaha St Greymouth
Two great people xoxo
Graham Ngatuere
And Brian has done a lot for his people and Country.....
Gillian Jones
Awesome photo to have of you and Nana Mc
Brian McIntyre
Thanks Heather Newby
Lynn Turnbull
Wonderful family pictures .... what a wee cutie you were Brian McIntyre
Brian McIntyre
Lynn Turnbull what do you mean were Lynn. I probably had a pot guts then too
Brian McIntyre
And on my Nana's 90th birthday. 53 weeks later she was gone.
Lynn Turnbull
Brian McIntyre you so lucky you had her ... i only knew one grandparent and she passed when i was 10
Brian McIntyre
Lynn Turnbull yes many had not met. I never knew any Granddads
Christine Farrell
Hi Brian
Yvonne Jean
great photos
Thelma Coutts
And there is a very attractive woman. They used to pose so nicely back then.
· Reply · 23h
Danelle McIntyre
All the McIntyre's are good looking folk lol .. but then again I'm slightly biased
Don McIntyre
Danelle McIntyre you are so right we are all looking good
Deborah Taylor
She's beautiful
Dennis Gibbs
I can see where your good looks come from.
Brian McIntyre
Dennis Gibbs I'm glad I'm not as beautiful as she was
Dennis Gibbs
Brian McIntyre She was!
Neil Gibbs
Beautiful woman
Del Godfrey
Wow Brian McIntyre what wonderful phot9s to have and evident many happy times! You obviously started as you were meant to go!
Trish Rennie
Hard to believe that the world was at war then and a lot of our men away fighting for the freedoms we enjoy today....This is such a beautiful picture depicting a normal loving family scene of this time...so precious
Brian McIntyre
NANA McINTYRE
A lady who had a big influence on me, was my Dad’s Mother, who at the time of my birth, was living at 132 Bright St Cobden, across the river from the township of Greymouth.[ Nana McI as she was affectionately known was born 28-3-1889 in Mortlake Victoria Australia.] But it was after she shifted, to 167 Tainui St in Greymouth that I really got to know her. Nana Mc was widowed in 1937. Her husband [my Grandfather] died from the injuries sustained while working on the Greymouth wharf. Cut timber being loaded onto a ship , slipped from a sling [that’s ropes holding a bundle together] injuring him, I’m unsure if anyone else was injured. However John Malcolm McIntyre died of his injuries in the Greymouth Public Hospital 22-12-1937 aged 59. From around the age of 7 or 8 I would spend the weekends with my beloved Nana, at 167 Tainui St. Yes, Friday after school I would go home and get changed out of my school uniform, just as Mum had insisted I do every day after school, “as they cost so much.” Then it was off to my Nana’s to stay for the weekend. Nana lived about one mile [1-6km], from my home in Puketahi St, and for a little guy, that was a long way from home. Nana’s youngest, of her eight children was John William, who was 9 years older than me, and was at this time living at home with his mother. I never saw much of Johnny, as I called him, when I stayed at Nana’s, as he was a teenager, and always out on the town. And this was before Rock and Roll was invented. At the rear of the house, was to a child, the most enormous nectarine tree. Boards and other pieces of timber, were holding up the branches, which were loaded with big juicy fruit. Under the tree was a flower garden which Nana loved. She would be given the flower seeds, which were past their used by date, by George Ogilve who had the grocer/dairy shop directly across the road from her home. She would open all the packets into a big bowl, mix all the seed together, and then scatter them around under the tree, and in the front garden, which although it went the full width of the section, was only a metre deep, between the front fence and the veranda. She really enjoyed her flower mixture, which was the equivalent of today’s cottage gardens. I would chop kindling wood for her, for the open fire in the little sitting room, which was in the middle of the house, and never saw any sun. In the kitchen was a gas stove, and the smell of coal gas which was very strong. The little square kitchen table, had the plastic table cloth, which was in every home. On winter evenings, I would light the fire for her in the sitting room, where we enjoyed many memorable conversations. I clearly remember showing her how to light the fire, like one of the Brothers had shown his class at school. “Nana you lay some sticks on the crumpled paper, then you lay some more at right angles to the first layer, then lay another layer like the first layer, then another layer like the second layer, then you light the paper from the back first. That old lady, who was properly only 61 or 62 years old, was really taken back. “Tell that teacher of yours, I was lighting fires before he was born.” Many a lovely evening, we sat on a little box seat, either side of the fire place, with a wooden frame across the front of the hearth, linking the two box seats together. One for kindling, the other for newspaper.
COAL FLOWERS
In my bedroom, which fronted onto the street, Nana grew coal flowers. Coal flowers are a very fine delicate, powdery growth [looks vaguely similar to sea coral] but are just so delicate; it would blow away in a breeze. Nana had coals in a glass bowl, sitting on a chrome tray. Some Prussian blue from the chemists, was sprinkled onto the coal, and it caused a reaction after some time. The growth on the coal just kept on growing and spreading, over the edge of the bowl, down its sides and then onto the chrome tray, and just kept on spreading. How she stopped it taking over the whole house I don’t know. She coloured the crystals as they are called, by pouring small amounts of different coloured inks onto separate areas, which then spread through the crystals. Very pretty ,but extremely toxic and I have never seen another one since Tainui St.
Saturday and Sunday mornings I was treated to breakfast in bed. Nescafe coffee and milk, in a can had just come on the market, and Nana made me coffee and toast, spoiling me rotten, and I loved it. Sunday afternoons I would leave Nana’s after a big hug and a kiss and head home to Puketahi St. In later years, the house at 167 Tainui St and the houses either side of it, were demolished to make way for a car sales yard and then much later again a BP service station.
The recipe for coal flowers is as follows, One tablespoon of Prussian blue [chemist] 3 table spoons of household ammonia, 2 table spoons of common salt, 1 table spoon of red ink, 3 table spoons of cold water. Mix in a bowl or jar and pour over 5 or 6 pieces of coal, about the size of a small orange, which have been put into a glass or china bowl. Put the bowl and contents in a warm place to start the growth. To keep the plant alive, add one table spoon of water and one tea spoon of salt, mixed together every second day. Pour it gently down the side of the bowl. Colours may be varied by using violet or blue inks.
Brian McIntyre
Julie Howe
Marion Robina Hogarth
Brian McIntyre beautiful memories xxx
Heather Newby
Brian McIntyre what lovely recollections! I especially like the one about the nectarine tree and the seeds.
Josephine Wesley
Beautiful memories you have of your lovely Nana...precious
Ray Chandler
Just the best Brian
Brian McIntyre
Ray Chandler Id love to have a chat with her again. Im sure she watches over me
Cheryl Pinn
wow she was beautiful!
Michael James Keating
Great story Brian, really enjoyed reading it . my grandarents lived further up the road in Heathy st.Every Sunday we would vist, wether you wanted too or not
Maree Lawlor
Omg as soon as I saw this I knew I was looking at Mary Howe Resemblance is uncanny
Marion Robina Hogarth
We used to have coal flowers too, my Mum would start them in a dish, absolutely fascinating and so very pretty.
Donna Grace Harrison Fata
Marion Robina Hogarth I recall those
Fiona Harrison
Great story. Thank you for sharing.
Mary Hopkins
From the age of two (1960- 1979)till I was in my early 20s I lived at 139 bright street Cobden
\
Mary Hopkins
Great photo to have Brian
Brian McIntyre
Mary Hopkins . My Nana unfortunately married Albert Richardson in later life. 1958 from memory and lived next door to Hopkins' at 9 Turamaha St Greymouth
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel EditClick on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (18th Nov 2022). Mary Hepzibah McIntyre with Grandson - Brian McIntyre at Bright St, Cobden.1942.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 21st Mar 2026 10:17, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29214