Mum scooped up horse droppings for her roses

The names of most of the streets in our city and its suburbs are pointers to the past - to the founding fathers, the early settlers and those who came later to make their mark on Wanganui. In this series, we look back in time to the origins of some of our street names and catch up with some of the folk who live in the street today. Our source for historical information is the book Streets of Wanganui by well-known Wanganui historian the late Athol Kirk. Three little maids from Jellicoe St have plenty to tell about life on their patch in a bygone era, when the pace was far slower.
The trio - Lola Wagstaff (nee Coombes), Enid Waters (nee Kendall) and Norma Cawley (nee McCarthy) - were all born and raised in the Wanganui East street, where they forged a lifelong friendship.
Lola and husband Ken Wagstaff still live in the street, while Enid and Keith Waters and Norma Cawley have since moved.
But recently the three girls reunited to reminisce about the street.
"Both Norma and Enid were born in the houses they grew up in, while I was born in a maternity ward but grew up in the street," Lola recalled. All three vividly remember the council road maintenance man with his tools of the trade - a horse and cart, shovel and big straw broom.
They also remember Enid's mum rushing out to scoop up the horse droppings to feed her roses.
"My dad Bill was a very sporty type and built a double tennis court at the back of our house.
"It was the focal point for us all at weekends.
"Neighbours would come and play a match or two and mum would have tea parties there," Lola said.
"Back in those days life was different. It was a time not long after the Great Depression and our parents' generation tended to marry, settle down and raise a family - funnily enough, in that order - and they tended to live in the same house for a lifetime," she said.
The river end of Jellicoe St had been part of the Harkness Estate, or farm, and when it was subdivided Lola's dad had first choice of sections.
"He bought this one because it was on the brow of the hill and had a flat area for the driveway," Lola said.
According to Athol Kirk's book Streets of Wanganui, it was previously called Mackay St after former Wanganui Mayor Charles Mackay. In a patriotic gesture after World War I, many street names were altered and Mackay St was renamed Jellicoe after Lord Jellicoe, Admiral of the Fleet and Governor General of New Zealand between 1920 and 1924.
All three knew the story, especially Enid.
"My mum, Con Hallam, was Charles Mackay's secretary at his legal business," Enid said.
Norma said the nearby banks of the Whanganui River were their playground.
"We used to fish, go eeling and swim in the river," Norma said.
Keith Waters, however, has other memories of the riverbank, when he was courting his future young bride Enid.
"We walked home from the movies in town one Saturday night and stopped off on the riverbank for a little smooching.
"It was a moonlit night and quite bright, but the street light made it even brighter," Keith said.
With one stone he took aim and took the street light out.
If you would like your street to feature in this series, give the Chronicle News Desk a call on 06 349 0728 or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz. Please include your contact details.