Having spent time with Trevor Vernon, gleaning information about his dad, Bob (otherwise known as R.T Vernon, and writer of books about Raglan and its surrounds), I was keen to follow up on his invitation to visit his farm in Te Mata and to hear more about the life and times of the Vernon family.
And so it was that we set out on a sunny morning, in Trevor’s large 4-wheel drive, with his faithful hound, Ned, balancing on my lap (he was not going to miss out on any rural adventures!). Having spent more than 70 years in the Te Mata district, Trevor’s love for the land and its people was palpable. Although he now only owns 17 hectares of his original 170 hectare farm, he is proud to show off what remains and to talk of the extensive tree planting project he initiated and paid for, as his effort to care for the environment. Our first stop was amongst a stand of manuka which were hosting swarms of very happy bees. Then he introduced me to his small flock of self-shedding sheep living contentedly on a shaded top paddock. Trevor tipped out some special sheep pellets, explaining that this not the norm for a real farmer! The sheep weren’t complaining.
Onwards and upwards. We bounced to the top of Magic Mountain and surveyed all of the old farm, with stunning 360 degree views of mountains, hills and sea and plenty of emerald paddocks. After opening a few gates, we rocked and rolled downwards in the trusty vehicle – quite an adventure for this townie!
And then a visit to the old Vernon homestead in Houchens Road. This beautiful Arts and Crafts house was designed by the well-known Auckland architect, Sholto Smith, who was commissioned by Trevor’s mother, Francis. Smith designed the house to face the mountain and catch the all-day sun. It retains the beautiful leaded glass windows and wooden paneling. Bob added a concrete swimming pool for the enjoyment of his 5 children and many neighbours. Although Trevor later filled it in when his sons grew up, the present owner, Tony Sly, has restored it to its former glory and it is once again the site of many family and friend gatherings. We were fortunate to meet up with Tony as he picked a large bunch of dahlias in his prolific garden. He shows such pride in being the custodian of this beautiful home and is pleased to be able to maintain it whilst preserving its many special features.
It was touching wandering through a part of the garden where Trevor pointed out huge chestnut and pohutukawa trees, amongst others, that he actually remembers being planted when he was a boy. He also showed me where his dad’s butcher shop had been – now just a rundown shed and a garage.
Down in the village of Te Mata, Trevor pointed out the domain that was gifted to the community by his grandfather, William, in 1930, and another relation added a bricked entry and a gate to this area. It was used for sports such as cricket, rugby, polocrosse and horse sports. We headed over to a sycamore tree where the dairy factory stood before his time. Something that does continue to flourish is a family of fat and happy eels in a nearby creek, cared for by one of the farmers that bought part of Trevor’s farm.
That was a Friday well-spent, absorbing Trevor’s love of the land and of the house and community he grew up in. History came alive. Once back at Trevor’s place, enjoying a well-earned cup of tea, he brought out a collection of his mum, Francis’, daily diaries (which he has donated to our museum). With just a few comments on each page – with talk of weather and washing and other practical things, of many visitors and the comings and goings of her large brood, a picture was painted of a contented and full rural life lived amidst a warm and caring community.
Trevor is so fortunate to have been part of this for all those years, and he definitely appreciates this!
Note: As mentioned in the previous article, the index for the R.T. Vernon book, “Raglan” is available and included in each book. If you already have the book, collect your free copy of the index at the Ihub.
