Of John and Lavinia Mettam’s 12 children, six were born in Swanson. John’s father and brothers helped build a house on a 41 acre block (which Tram Valley Road and the railway now cut through). The land was issued to John Tunnard Mettam in September 1886, for an annual rent of 12 3s Od, under the Village Settlement Scheme. John Read more...
‘Honest Willie Swanson’ tried his hand at many things and perhaps his proudest achievement, although now largely forgotten, was his contribution to writing the revolutionary Education Act of 1877. In the name of that far-sighted Act of Parliament, New Zealand led the world with education that was “free, secular and compulsory”. It even paved the way for women and Maori Read more...
The Knox Memorial Park is named after the Knox family who ran a general store on the opposite corner for over 50 years. Robert Knox had brought the business from James Patterson Sinclair who had set it up in about 1886. In January 1889 James Sinclair added a bakery and confectionary. The district’s bread was previously brought by train from Read more...
Mr Church ran a dinkum store, which was also known as Church’s Cash Store. There is reference to this store in the Women’s Institute minutes of 16 October 1930 when the following supplies were noted for the Mad Hatters Ball: Leg of mutton, Calverts; Tomatoes & Lettuce, Mrs Winters; 1lb of tea, Miss Guy; large loaves/4lbs butter, Corey & Thompson; Read more...