Bay Harbour: October 11, 2023

Bay Harbour News Wednesday October 11 2023
Charitable Trust
DRIVER EDUCATION
20
TREASURES FROM THE PAST
Radio tower the end of signalmen
Six men outside
signal station, Little
Port Cooper.
Te Ūaka The
Lyttelton Museum
ref.7956.1
https://www.
teuaka.org.nz/onlinecollection/1128122
• From page 19
In 1908, a jetty and boatshed
with winch were constructed
on the western side of the bay
to facilitate freight movement
and the comings and goings of
residents. A second signal station
was constructed in 1937;
only its foundations remain as
it was destroyed by fire in 1967.
Connections to Little Port
Cooper continue in Lyttelton
today – local Sue Fitzgerald,
is, to our knowledge, the last
child born in the bay.
Her birth in 1948 was
attended by her grandmother
Elsie Fosbender, and Hilda
Williams, registered nurse
and wife of signalman Peter
Williams.
Sue’s father, Leslie Fosbender
(Fos to all who knew him) was
one of the last signalmen to
ride his horse up the narrow
pack track to the signal station
to keep watch.
Life was still challenging
in the isolated bay in the
late 1940s – a launch from
Lyttelton would bring essential
supplies, but the families needed
to be fairly self-sufficient.
Gardens, fruit trees, cows and
chickens were tended, cooking
was done on coal ranges, butter
was churned and lighting
came from kerosene lamps.
Sue’s older sister Elizabeth
stayed in Lyttelton during the
week to attend school, travelling
to and from the bay by
launch – and on two occasions
spent unplanned nights on
Ōtamahua Quail Island and
Rīpapa Island, sheltering from
inclement weather.
All of the signalmen and
their families left the bay in
1949 when a distinctive new
black and white 16m tall radio
signal tower was built on Gladstone
Quay in Lyttelton.
The bay houses were removed
in the same year, leaving just
the sturdy schoolhouse and the
original stone signal station to
stand sentinel to nigh on a 100
years of signalling history.
Sue went on to spend her
primary school years in Lyttelton,
attended high school
in Christchurch, and raised
her family in Lyttelton with
husband John.
For many years they ran
the popular Deluxe Cafe (now
Coffee Culture) and J Voyce
and Co Ltd, ship provedores.
Sue has continued involvement
in the latter business
with her son Lewis, since
John’s passing in 2017. Her
volunteer work with Lyttelton
Community House has won
her respect and affection from
many. Our thanks to Sue and
also to Margaret Ricketts, for
her original interview.
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