A real stalwart of the Waipu community

A respect for age has been ignited amongst the people of Waipu whose men - in a delightedly Scottish way - saved the museum a fair few dollars by moving the historic Masonic Hall themselves, with Peter Couper as their project manager.

Waipuian Peter Couper is a local. Born in Waipu with English and Scottish heritage, he isn't of Nova Scotian descendent - but that has not stopped him from being an invaluable member of the community - including a member of the board of the Waipu Museum for 13 years.

"I retired last year because it's important to introduce younger people on to the board," Peter said. "I was granted the status of an advisory trustee."

Hence, as an advisor to the museum and a practical man, who had farmed for his entire adult life (except a couple of years as a teacher), he was just the person to be asked about moving the old Masonic Hall from the RSA to the property behind the Waipu Presbyterian Church. His son Ken had become the new chairman of the board, had lots of confidence in his father and may have thought he needed a new project.

"In my ignorance, I said I thought it could be done," Peter said. "Then I thought perhaps I better take it on, having stuck my neck out. I became project manager of a team of men with an average age of 75. More than 20 people helped at different times ... some in their 50s and a couple over 80."

A lot of the work was heavier lifting than Peter expected and clearing out the gear stored there was a feat. Nevillel Rueve's carpentering experience ensured the sledge was correctly made. Twenty-metre logs were cut from Ken's farm. They were fresh and heavy and sat on 6 X 6 beams. The building, built in 1875, had to be lifted on to the sledge and moved under live electrical wires. A bullock team had moved it in 1923 but this time Ken roped in talented bulldozer driver Nelson Parker, house mover Ken Chambers and digger driver Paul Jenkins, all of whom provided their work and gear at very reasonable rates, if not for free.

"On the whole, it was quite fun," Peter said. "There were times that were worrying but we were very pleased there were no accidents, except for Piper Fraser Sim slipping over and grazing his knee."

Teamwork has been a big part of Peter's life in Waipu, and one of his favourite teams is his family. He met his wife Patricia when they both taught at Waipu District High School in 1961. She was from Whangamumu and the couple has farmed in Waipu ever since, except for a nine month farm exchange in Wiltshire, south west England.

"We were away for a year in 1966, a real bonding time for the family. We had a month in London, a month in Scotland and a month with a Euro ticket before the nine months in Wiltshire. Our children went to school there. Shelley would have been 12, Ken 9 and Simon 5. I read the English newspapers, Pat helped with the hunting horses and then we had lunch at a pub."

The trip extended the family's thinking, though the farming was so different there wasn't really a lot they could adapt. Peter was a director of the Northland Dairy Company's predecessor for many years and chairman for three. He sat on the Whangarei County Council and was involved in the formation of Saorsa Retirement Village and the Waipu Sewerage Scheme. He has been on school and church committees.

Peter's creative side has been expressed through singing with the National Male Choir for a decade, travelling and bonding with that tuneful team of men and their wives. He now sings with the Waipu Men's Choir.

He became the man behind the woman while Pat completed a Bachelors of Applied Arts at NorthTec and then used 70 of her illustrations to create and publish The Waipu Settlers - An Illustrated Story. Her book is available at the museum.

Peter has given up tennis, still plays a bit of golf and has had one game of croquet.

With two sons farming in Waipu, five grandchildren here and one more on the way, the Coupers find having daughter Shelley, who works in publishing in London, a good reason to get away, but not for too long. Peter feels privileged to have been born and had his life in Waipu, and Waipu has been privileged to have his help.

"I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be," Peter said. "Waipu is a most unusual community - in a very good way."