North Shore Heritage Thematic Review Report ... - Auckland Council

Theme 4: Work
4.1 Farming
The first economic activity in Devonport was farming. Cattle and grazing permits were issued by the
Flagstaff Highway Board on wasteland such as Mt Victoria. By the early 1900s small farms were located to
the north along Bayswater Avenue, some supplying milk to the Takapuna Dairy Company in Victoria
Road.
In addition to the pastoral use of land, small market gardens growing vegetables for local consumption
were established, including some on the lower slopes of Mount Victoria. Later other market gardens were
established at Bayswater.
The Alison family established strawberry gardens on King Edward Parade (Beach Road). A visit to the
Alison strawberry garden for strawberry teas was a favourite Sunday outing for locals and city visitors who
came on the ferry – also owned by the Alison family.
The residential subdivisions of the late 1920s and 1930s took over many of the small farms, and by the 1950s
there was no horticulture or agriculture remaining in the borough.
Places that represent this theme include:
197-199 Victoria Road, corner Victoria Road and Mozeley Ave, former Takapuna Dairy Company
2 Calliope Road, former Devonport Dairy/Auckland Milk Co Ltd
4.2 Industry
Devonport was once a hive of boatbuilding activity but there is little industry in Devonport today and
what remains is concentrated in Wynyard and Fleet Streets. Here, there is a panel beater, manufacturers of
coffee and chocolate, a glasscutter, a home decorator and one lone remaining boat builder.
There is no heavy industry in Devonport apart from that carried out by the Navy, which has two „yards‟ in
Devonport, the North Yard at Patuone Place/Jim Titchener Drive and the South Yard at Queen‟s
Parade/Calliope Road.
Some large scale manufacturing still existed in Devonport until the early 1970s, for example BE Haywood
& Co, which was the largest specialist babywear and childswear manufacturer in the southern
hemisphere. 41 It was located at 30 King Edward Parade in the former Duder Bros. store, which is now the
Art of this World and Duder reception rooms.
Places that represent this theme include:
20 Wynyard Street, Chiasso Coffee Co
319 Queens Parade, Calliope Dry dock and Pumphouse
Industry/warehousing in the North Yard of the Naval Base.
4.2.1 Quarrying
The scoria cones of Mt Cambria (Takararo) and Duder‟s Hill were quarried for roading for Devonport.
These proved a money-earner for the Flagstaff Highway Board, which also sold this essential material to
other Highway Boards on the North Shore.
Places that represent this theme include:
Pa, Tokaroro Volcanic Hill, Mount Cambria, Vauxhall Road.
Mount Cambria Reserve, Devonport Museum.
41 North Shore Times Advertiser, 13 April 1972, p.15
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