Chapter XXIII.
Home Again!

We left Tom Hay travelling in quest of pure-bred animals with which to improve their New Zealand stock, so now "revenons a nos mouton" The summer of 1870 passed quickly and pleasantly away, for the business in hand only served to give a zest to the traveller, who, true to his nature, could not enjoy idle wanderings. By the end of his eight months' stay he had managed to invest a small fortune for Hay Brothers and Mr. Boag, of Fendalton, who had instructed him to buy for him a pure-bred shorthorn cow, some prize sheep, and two Clydesdale horses. These are well-known to the initiated, as the illustrious ancestors of Mr. Boag's pure-bred stock. He also bought for Hay Brothers five shorthorn cattle (pure bred), three Border Leicester sheep, three Berkshire pigs, and two Scotch collie dogs. The pigs were the first Berkshires introduced into New Zealand, and they and their progeny took first prizes at the Canterbury Shows for several years thereafter.

Unfortunately Hay Brothers' best cow and sheep died on the voyage out from the effects of hot weather. It was an arduous undertaking to ship stock on such a voyage in the sailing ships of those days. Luckily for Tom he had very efficient help from his cousin, Robert Steel Hay (second son of Mr. Hay, of Midbuiston), who, though at page 257this time but a youth, was in every way capable of assisting in the care of the animals. He had made up his mind on seeing his cousin, Tom, to go to New Zealand with him, and it was a good thing for both he did so; he was at the age to profit by all the experience and practice of such work that he could get, while Tom needed his help on the ship.

Mr. R. S. Hay—known familiarly as Steel Hay or Bob Steel as a distinction from Bob Hay—is so well-known amongst our young people as to need no introduction, having been an inmate of Annandale home for years after his arrival in New Zealand in 1871—long before there were any Hays or Guthries of the third generation in New Zealand at all! He went about the year 1876 to North Island, and became manager for Hon. W. C. Buchanan at Wairarapa, Tu Purupurup Station, remaining there five or six years. After a trip Home (when he accompanied a party of his cousins, Dr. and Mrs. T. O. Guthrie, Hannah and Edwin Hay), he returned to New Zealand and subsequently settled down at the East Heads of Akaroa, where he remained until 1896. He then married Miss* Simpson, late of Dunedin, after which he returned to Pigeon Bay. He and his wife have now settled down in their pleasant home up the Pigeon Bay Valley, having leased Mrs. Budua's property, and are acquisitions to our community, both taking a keen interest in church as well as secular-matters in the district, where they are now well-known and much respected.

Tom's business being finished, and his stock in readiness for embarkation, he had only a few remaining days to pay his farewell visits, one of the last of these being to Mrs. Ronaldson, the only one of these Home friends he could call a friend of his youth. When he first saw her, his voice suggested New Zealand, but she failed to recognise in the page 258bronzed and bearded man the boyish friend of long ago, who shared the fun with "Scotch Kate." Whether she greeted him as she did another New Zealand friend (and admirer!) by giving him a sounding kiss on each cheek, we cannot affirm with certainty, but we do know her welcome was a hearty one. She was then looking forward to corning to New Zealand soon with all her family. This she did, but her life thereafter was a short one, as we know.

We can picture the bustling scene at St. Catherine's docks, where the good ship "Crusader" lay ready to receive passengers and cargo. Tom and Bob Steel had a busy time getting their precious animals all comfortably housed in their deck quarters. Carpenters had been for days at work getting pens and houses ready, under Tom's supervision. They sailed from London on the 17th December, 1870, their last look, two days later, on the chalk cliffs of Dover, was a very dismal one, grey skies, fog, and sleet, almost hiding the shrouded outline of the English coast from their view. A splendid run down the English Channel and they were out to sea. For their own use they had a comfortable deck cabin near the animals' quarters, and a steward to attend to them, as they preferred having their meals in their own cabin, for obvious reasons. Fred Gardiner (cousin of the Guthrie's), then quite a young lad, was going out to New Zealand with them in quest of health. (He remained some years in New Zealand, benefiting much by the change of climate. He is now one of the firm of James Gardiner and Co., shipbrokers, Glasgow.) Fred spent a great deal of his time with the "cattle passengers," as Tom and Bob Steel were called on board, and with them enjoyed the freedom and privacy of the roomy deck cabin they had for their own use.

There was plenty of grumbling on the part of the saloon passengers at the near neighbourhood of the animals, and but little sympathy shown for the poor creatures in their cramped quarters, when mal-de-mer brought their sufferings to a climax. It amused our "cattle men" not a little, to note how completely this tune was changed when, a few weeks after they sailed, one of the cows obligingly furnished the saloon table with a plentiful supply of milk her calf having died. After this happened the "cattle passengers"' found themselves the objects of special favour: but this circumstance affected them but little. Their time and attention were fully occupied, day and night, with their charges; they kept constant watch during the whole voyage, one relieving the other for sleep, and, but for their unremitting care, the loss of stock would probably have been greater.

The voyage was an uneventful one, save for an accident to Tom which narrowly escaped proving fatal. One dark night, when the ship was rolling in a heavy sea, in seeing to the comfort of the animals, he had occasion to get on top of one of the deck-houses; a lurch of the vessel pitched him violently down on the deck, and there he lay stunned for some time. On recovering consciousness he found himself lying in a pool of blood, suffering severe pain in his face and head. He was found to have broken his nose, and otherwise cut and bruised his face badly; but was thankful to have escaped, even with these injuries, the marvel being that he had not gone overboard. It may be well understood our voyagers were not sorry to reach the end of their journey; their work and responsibility gave them but little rest, day or night.

After the excitement which attended the arrival of the travellers and the landing of their stock in excellent health and condition, the life at Annandale resumed its even page 260tenor. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald had left Pigeon Bay about three years before this date—1871—and Mary and Edwin were under their care at the school in Oamaru. The following year - 1872-Marion and Mary went to be Girls' High School, Dunedin, then under the management of Mrs. Burn, who had been formerly principal of a ladies' college at (Geelong. Mrs. Hum was appointed Lady Principal of the Otago (Girls' High School in 1870, and held that position until 1881, when (amidst general regret) she resigned on account of failing health.

The elders of the family had each his and her allotted work to do and responsibility to share, as we have before mentioned. The dairy work was in itself a heavy charge. When in 1871 the dairying was given up, Mrs. Hay and her daughters, we need hardly say, found themselves immensely relieved. Though as a rule fortunate in obtaining good servants, sometimes they had to do without for perhaps months, waiting the arrival of an emigrant ship. When one did arrive it was necessary for one of the family to be on the wharf in Lyttelton ready to board her- immediately, so as to secure a suitable maid, if such were to be had; they were so quickly picked up.

"When we consider that in those days the family sewing meant the making as well as mending of most of the garments worn by all the family, we need not wonder how their days were spent. Mrs. Hay in the old days had of necessity to acquire the art of tailoring, and initiated her daughters into this work. Hannah soon became an adept, and to that department was added shirt-making; while Agnes took charge more especially of the dress-making and other sewing, in addition to being father and mother's amanuensis in the Home correspondence. When one considers how much there was to do in the house, the amount of sewing they got through in a day is surprising.

There was not the same feeling of isolation as formerly, now that they had a regular steamer to the hay. Visitors came more frequently, and our young people were all good riders; so the distant Peninsula friends were no longer beyond reach. Many were the merry riding parties of those days—after an early tea on summer evenings.

The house was now found to he rather contracted for the almost grown-up family when all were at home, as would soon he the ease-the school-days, even of the youngest were so quickly passing away. Soon after Tom's arrival in March, 1871, Hay brothers decided to build a new house, and they set to work upon it themselves, with the help of Mr. Firmston, a master builder and carpenter, who had settled in the Bay, and had frequently worked for them. He was an excellent workman, and under his guidance they managed well. All the timber for this new house was grown, sawn and seasoned in the Bay, cut out of "Virgin forest," They began operations by turning the front part of the old house bodily round, to form the kitchen premises. This they effected by raising it up off the piles with levers, placing well-greased "skids," i.e. long strong poles, 15 inches in diameter* under the house, and using a "capstan' to turn it round. It was easily and speedily accomplished, the foundation being all ready; and the house, when safely deposited on its resting place, instead of facing northwards, was now placed to face eastwards, looking down towards the road. The new house was built with the frontage looking north and seawards; and the natural beauty of its situation was equalled by few homesteads. Nestling as it did at the foot of high hills, shaded by its fine old avenue of pear and walnut trees, with an almost perfect sea and mountain view, this dear old home has many glad as well as sad memories entwined around it. While they were building the new page 262

Annandale 1876 – Front Part Built 1871

page 263house, the family lived in the cottage near (the same in which Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald had lived), and there they were some time located. It took a considerable time to build the house, so much besides had to be done, and it was next to impossible, at that time, to secure good work men to come to the country. It was while they were living in this cottage that the first marriage in the family took place, viz., that of Agnes to Mr. Pilliet, M.P.C., and at that time Resident Magistrate of Akaroa. This event happened in December, 1872, and the removal of Agnes' bright presence left the home circle rather forlorn and empty, until the return of the younger members of the family compensated to some extent for her absence. Hay Brothers worked harder than ever, and employed more labour these and following years. Much of the land was still in bush then, but they let no chance escape of adding to their cleared acreage; this entailed constant clearing, burning, fencing, sowing, and in some paddocks ploughing.

After the first marriage, and in view of the probability of others following sooner or later, Hay Brothers had the property surveyed and valued, so that there would be no difficulty in allotting each his or her share. The brothers then bought out their sisters, and paid off one or two at once, so that for some time they felt more than ever burdened. Willie was at this time working with the others at home, but soon afterwards he became one of the New Zealand Land Co's managing overseers, his duties taking him all over South Canterbury and Otago. He rode long distances, sometimes 1000 miles per month (a little over 30 miles a day), and even more when extra busy. For some years the family saw but little of him; his duties would not admit of many holidays, and his visits home were of rare cocurence. Soon after Agnes' marriage he became engaged to Miss Agnes Stout, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stout page 264of Lyttelton, old friends of the family before named. Agnes Stout was ever a favourite of Mrs. Hay's, and deservedly so.

It was about this time that Agnes and Mary Stout lost their only brother James, just when they seemed most to need him. He died of typhoid fever at the age of twenty-one, and his death was a great grief and loss to his sisters. Mrs. Stout had died some years previously, and now the two girls were left alone to care for their father, who was partially paralised. Agnes, who was an excellent teacher, continued her work in Lyttelton for many years after her brother's death, and was the mainstay of the home, while Mary managed the domestic department, which included the nursing of her invalid father. Both did their duty in a noble, unselfish spirit, and gained the respect and affection of many trusty friends. These two girls were from their youth almost like sisters of the Hay family, and it was but a fitting sequel to the long established friendship, that they should become so in reality. They became duplicate aunties, Agnes and Mary, when, in after years, they were married to Willie and Robert Hay respectively. It is rather a remarkable coincidence that there should be such conservatism—or economy—in regard to names in our family circle, three names sufficing for six aunties (Hannah being also duplicated), and on the brothers' side, Tom and James represent two sets of uncles to some of our young people!