All Significant

– Original tracks reached Swanson in 1881 – Renewed station in 1916, and in 1974 – Current station (overbridge) is of 2013 when rail line was double tracked

In the early decades of the century Swanson residents had to travel to Avondale or to Henderson to see a doctor. From about 1948, Dr Tom Childs of Henderson was the principal doctor for the district. He visited the village for a couple of afternoons every week, seeing patients in the hall (where the RSA is now). In 1956, Dr Ritchie Gilmour, a partner in an established Henderson practice, set up a satellite surgery at Swanson and it was agreed that Dr Childs would stop coming to Swanson. Dr Gilmour rented a garage on the Irving’s property on Swanson Road, Read more [...]

In November 1977 Margaret Saunders set up her first pharmacy business in the village on a site opposite the Ponderosa. At that time Swanson was still very much a rural community with no local doctor. After a long fight with the then Waitemata County Council, Margaret moved the pharmacy to its present location at 708 Swanson Road. It had to be built as a house with provision for a shop in the front rooms and it had to be well back from the road. She stuck to her vision of creating a genuinely village-like atmosphere in both design and presentation, Read more [...]

The first building on this site comprised a dwelling, store, post and telephone bureau. It was erected by Arney Robertson in early 1911 but sold to Charles Foley in July that year. Post-Office records show the store being taken over by Mr Sugden in 1915. Ted Guy worked as a delivery boy for a short time, driving a horse and cart for the grocery firm of Sugdens. One of the stops on his delivery route was the home and camp of Don Buck. From 1919 until October 1921 there were three postmasters when Mrs Margaret Corey became postmistress and telephonist. Read more [...]

– First school in Swanson was on other side, where pharmacy is now    

In 1932, the viscious effects of the Great Depression were being felt and the need to provide welfare in those grim times was a powerful motive to form a Returned Services Association in the west. In the past a man or family needing a few shillings in hard times had to travel to the RSA in Auckland and in many cases the cost of travel was almost as much as the grant. The new association was based around the New Lynn, Henderson and Titirangi “units” as they were called in those days. In 1933 units were formed at Swanson, Waitakere-Taupaki Read more [...]