30 September to 4 October 2013

Erdman bach

The Erdman family was associated with Piha for around 50 years, but the association came to an end with the death of Paula Erdman in 1995.

The Erdmans originally came from Budapest, Hungary, and were one of a very few Hungarian families to arrive in New Zealand before the Second World War - the large influx of Hungarians refugees arriving in the 1950s following the Hungarian Revolution.

Raymond (or Rajmond) Erdman was a dental technician, his wife was Christina or Tineke, and there were two daughters, Paula and Ilonka. Ilonka was born 3 December 1920 and Paula 12 October 1922.

The exact date of the family’s arrival in this country is not clear but the parents were naturalised in the mid-1930s. Their arrival could have been as early as the late 1920s as an R Erdman was fined for riding his bike on the footpath in Auckland in March 1927.

Raymond was a dental technician in New Zealand, and he also bred and showed pedigree Angora rabbits, as did the children. He was also a skilled chess player who competed for his club over many years.

The family lived at 43 Taylor Road, Mangere.

Erdman bach centre top

Some time around the mid-1940s, Raymond bought some land at Piha from Ivy Phillipson and built a bach in what the family called Blowhole Road, the little road that turns off to the left just before the lookout at Piha. The bach had a long view down to Piha beach.

Around 1960, Raymond and Christina retired to Piha, where Raymond was involved in the Bowling Club of which he became treasurer. Christina was very dedicated to the Piha Library which was started in a shed that stood by the entrance to the Domain.

Tineke Erdman

Raymond died in about 1970 and Christina lived on at Piha, developing a garden around the small cottage. She died in 1979, aged 88 years.

Paula never married and made a career as a typist, her last job before retirement being with the Waterfront Commission. Devoted all her life to animals and the outdoors, she was when young a keen horsewoman and dressage trainer of show horses. She retired to the family house at Piha.

Like her father, she became involved with the Bowling Club and was described as “petite, gentle, sweet natured and generous” and “held in great affection at the Piha Bowling Club”. She also had many friends in the handcraft section of the Piha Ladies Leisure Club and was a valued member of the Neighbourhood Watch.

Paula was found dead in her garden, where she had passed away while gardening, on 4 December 1995. The Piha Bowling Club in their club whites formed a guard of honour for her funeral. Paula was 73 when she died.

Christina or Tineke Erdman at Piha Library

7 pm Tuesday 25 June 2013

At the Gallery

Vote on Co-location

Speakers Green MPs Meteria Turei, Gareth Hughes

Surfing champ Mischa Davis

Bowling Club 1 pm

The Government has recently announced plans to allow deep sea drilling off the West Coast of Auckland, so we’re ramping up the next phase of our campaign.

Just imagine an oil spill washing up on our iconic West Coast beaches like Piha. If we had a leak from a deep sea oil rig, the damage to our environment, economy and reputation would be catastrophic.

On Sunday we launch a new campaign to protect our beaches from deep sea drilling and we’d love for you to be involved.

When: Sunday 19 May, 1:00pm Where: Piha Bowling Club, 15 Seaview Road, Piha (Click for map)

Special guests include the current New Zealand Surfing champion Mischa Davis and Kiwi rowing legend Rob Hamill.

All are welcome! Please share through your networks.

Come along, or reply to this message to reserve a place for you and your friends.

It would also help us if you could let us know you can’t make it.

We will not stand by and let the Government take this risk with our beaches, and we know you won’t either.

I hope to see you on Sunday,

Metiria Turei Green Party Co-leader

www.greens.org.nz/stopdeepseadrilling

2-4 pm

Barnett Hall, Piha

Organised by the Waitakere Ranges Local Board

To talk through how the Unitary Plan affects Piha and surrounding areas

Find out about Significant Ecological Areas, Outstanding Natural Landscapes, how the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area is contained in the Unitary Plan

• Widening and sealing the driveway from the entrance to just before the heritage macrocarpa trees, retaining three speed humps
• Widening the entrance to Auckland Transport standards, improving access and safety for buses and coaches
• Re-grading the existing  gravel parking area at the end of the driveway
• Installation of three additional picnic benches
• Installation/relocation of litter bin
• Reviewing/rationalisation of existing signage.

All works near the macrocarpa trees will be conducted under the supervision of an approved arborist to ensure no damage is caused to these heritage trees or their roots.

These works will be carried out before the end of June 2013.

For the notice from Parks see here Piha Domain – driveway update – Stakeholder 6.5.13

Bruce and John Millar at the foundry

There’s a Piha link to the venerable foundry of Millar Paterson Ltd that was written up by Peter Calder in the Herald on 1 May.

The foundry, situated by Victoria Park, was founded in 1903 by the grandfather of Bruce and John Millar, so this year celebrates 110 years in business in Auckland.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10880716

The Piha link is that the Millar family for years had a bach at Piha, and have supplied plaques for commemorative events in the village.

An example is the plaque placed on the clubhouse of the Piha Tennis Club when it had its 50 years anniversary in 1996. As Millar family members had long belonged to the club, Millar Paterson donated the fine plaque to mark that event.

Bob Harvey, then mayor unveils the plaque, 1996