Edith's  Memories

I was born on 19 10 1933 the 8th child of a family of ten. I was 4 years old my mother died of gastric flu.

We stayed with Dad until about June when my grandmother wanted to put put my sister Joan and I into the Leslie Presbyterian orphanage in Meadowbank in Auckland.

Joan took us into the bush and hid with us until the the boat left she did this on several occasions eventually they sent the boat away and joan thought that they had left and went home but they were waiting for her so we went to the orphanage and my younger brother Colin joined us there when he was 2 years old. I stayed there for 8 years until I was 12 .

While in the orphanage we had to eat everything put in front of us even the weevils (of which there were many) in our porridge. In those days the vegetables were done by the children the evening before (we had a hot lunch the next day)the vegetables were left on one shelf under sink while the vegetable scraps were left on the shelf below. When I was 10 years old I broke my collarbone playing leap frog the girl i was jumping over put her head up and i fell heavily this meant I had to be fed my meals imagine my horror when I crunched on a black stink beetle that had obviously found its way into the cleaned vegetables or had never been found in the first place. I spat it out only to have it forced back into my mouth until I had swallowed it. I still have an huge dislike of silver beet. We had to eat every thing on our plates if we didnt we got what we hadnt eaten at the next meal, and the next,until it dried up on our plates.

When i was about 8 years old I was constantly getting my dresses torn as punishment for this I was made to wear a sack to school as a dress for 6 months they then made me 3 dresses navy blue with white collars, which i never got torn or ripped as they were mine so i took more pride in them as no one else was allowed to wear them.

My brother Colin used to wet the bed so he had to sleep in a bath with a tennis ball sewn into the back of his pajama top. is it any wonder that he developed stuttering

We had to have a bowel motion every morning after breakfast if we didnt we would get dosed with castor oil. Our bowel motions were observed every day, if it was discovered that we were menstruating you then got moved into a cubicle of your own. You were given pads made out of wincette material with a belt and a couple of safety pins these pads were numbered, we washed the blood out of them ourselves them sent them to the laundry and because the were numbered we always got our own back.

If we were caught talking in bed at night we had to stand out in the cold passage in the dark in our night gowns for about 2 hours or else we were locked in the broom cupboard under the stairs in the dark where all the childrens suitcases were stored.

If we got more than 3 words or sums wrong at school we got the strap then when we got home we got strapped again for getting it at school.

If our shoes were getting mended or were lost we had to walk to school bare footed down a cinder and clinker track (they used to empty all the ashes from the boilers on to the track) this made our feet very sore

There were some good times in the orphanage, at least once a year all the orphanages in Auckland and Hamilton would go to the Auckland Zoo for the day. At Christmas we had dinner at the Whenuapai air force base, some years I missed out as I would get bus sick, we always had a good Christmas with many donated toys.

In the summer time we went swimming in the Oraki basin which was just down the hill from the orphanage.

My sister Joan met her husband Gordon at the orphanage he was the gardener.

On some of her days off my sister Doris would come to the orphanage and take us out on the ferry, you could stay on the ferry all day as long as you did not get off it, we would take a packed lunch and had a great time

When i was 12 years and Colin aged 8 years were put on a train in Auckland and told to get off at Otiria, a whole days trip, for two children that had never been out on their own before.

On the train we met another passenger who at Whangerei wanted to get off the train for refreshments, when we told him they were not getting off the train he asked them to look after his guitar while he went for refreshments, which they did when he came back he had refreshments for us as well.

He asked us where they were from and they told him. He told them that he knew a Henry Taylor who lived at Wai Cook's and took us to him, this was our brother we stayed with him for the night and he took us down the river the next day to our father.

Father had no idea that we were arriving as the Lesly home had not notified any one to say that they were unable to stay there any longer as our grandmother who was paying for our keep had died.

From Ediths memories "when i left the orphanage I stayed with Dad for about 3 months then the child welfare took us to Mr and Mrs Smart at Towai. I stayed with them for 3 months until I was sent to live with my Auntie Hazel Cates at Kaikohe. Where I attended Northland College in it's first year our classrooms were old army huts and you had to walk along planks between the huts over the mud, I stayed for about 3 months then the welfare sent me to Christchurch training centre for 3 years.

I was nearly 17 when I left and went to live with my sister in Stratford, where i worked at Prestige Factory making underwear I was there for 1 year. Then I went to the Stratford Hospital as a cooks assistant, then I went to the Avon maternity hospital to work

while at there I had a coal skuttle thrown at me by a orderly, I asked him to do a task he threw the scuttle and said "I am not taking orders from a whipper snapper like you" He was charged and spent a month in jail he also lost his job

While there I met the Mosen girls Pearl and Eva, Pearl would be my life long friend

I stayed for about 2 years before going to work for Ian Batchelor at the at the Tangarakau train tunnel where I was a cook. We worked all the night and slept all day as it was a railway tunnel, they were relining the tunnel with concrete all I stayed for about a year

then went to the Chateau Tongarario where i stayed I worked in the servery making coffee and sandwiches. While there I was raped and my daughter Dianna was the result.

Dianna and I went by bus to Dads place then I got a job as a house keeper for old man Sankey and his son

Later we went back to Stratford when I first went there I went to Mum Mosens place I left Dianna in the car and went in and saw Mum Mosen and told her about Dianna she said well where is she , what are you doing leaving her in the taxi, I went and got Dianna from the car.

I met Norm at my sister Joans home he was wood cutting with Gordon Joans husband.

Information about the orphanage ORPHANS' OUTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23182, 31 October 1938, Page 14

ORPHANS' OUTING

VISIT MADE TO AVIARY About 100 orphan children from the Leslie Orphanage, Meadowbank, were the guests of the Auckland Bird Lovers' Club at an outing held at Mr. C. Gilbertson's aviary, Victoria Avenue, Mount Eden, on Saturday afternoon. Games were played in the garden and later the children took part in a "treasure-hunt." Afternoon tea- was served by ladies of the club. The children received an invitation from Mr. .J. Purtell to spend an afternoon at the Auckland Zoo later in the year. Arrangements have been made by the club to take out other orphans next month.

DAY IN THE SUN New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23306, 27 March 1939, Page 8

GATHERING AT TUI GLEK THE ANNUAL "SUNSHINE DAY" About 300 orphans from city and suburban orphanages were taken for the annual "Sunshine Day" outing provided by the Auckland Motor Trade Association on Saturday afternoon at Tui Glen. The team leaders and the orphanages for which they were responsible were:-Mr. G. W. Spragg, Dingwall Presbyterian Orphanage, Papatoetoe; Mr. F. B. Cadman, Baptist Orphanage, Manurewa; Mr. P. J. Williams, Leslie Presbyterian Orphanage, Meadowbank; Mr. H. H. Shaw, "Wesley Orphanage, Mount Albert; Mr. A. Egberts, Presbyterian Orphanage, Mount Smart Road; Mr. M. P. Donnelly, Methodist Orphanage, Buckland Road. Tui Glen was made available for the day by Mr. C. F. Brookes.

FIREWORKS' DISPLAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 262, 6 November 1939, Page 10

FIREWORKS' DISPLAY.

ORPHANS ENTERTAINED

Neville Carlsen's Revue Company visited the Leslie Presbyterian Orphanage, Meadowbank, on Saturday night, and entertained the children with a concert and a two hours' display of fireworks. At the conclusion the children assembled and, at the instigation of the matron, a vote of thanks was moved by one of the senior girls.

NZ Electoral Roll

Name: Edith Amy Skedgwell
Electoral Year: 1957 District: Stratford Region or Province: Taranaki

NZ Electoral Roll

Name: Edith Amy Skedgwell Electoral Year: 1963 District: Stratford Region or Province: Taranaki

NZ Electoral Roll

Name: Edith Amy Skedgwell Electoral Year: 1969 District: Stratford Region or Province: Taranaki

NZ Electoral Roll

Name: Edith Amy Skedgwell Electoral Year: 1972 District: Stratford Region or Province: Taranaki

NZ Electoral Roll

Name: Edith Amy Skedgwell Electoral Year: 1972 District: Stratford Region or Province: Taranaki

NZ Electoral Roll

Name: Edith Amy Skedgwell Electoral Year: 1981 District: Waitotara Region or Province: Taranaki

Edith Died at her daughter Myras House in Hawera

New Plymouth Cremation records Surname: SKEDGWELL Forenames: Edith Gender: Last Address: Not Available Age at Death: 75 Years Date of Death: 18 Jan 2009 Category: Cremation Funeral Director: Hardings Funeral Services, Box 605, Hawera 4640 Date of Cremation: 22 Jan 2009 Type of Service: None Ashes Disposal: Funeral Director 27 Jan 2009

BEQUEST FOR AN ORPHANAGE TO BE ESTABLISHED IN AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9218, 22 November 1888, Page 5

BEQUEST FOR AN ORPHANAGE TO BE ESTABLISHED IN AUCKLAND.

Mr. James Leslie, of Parnell, who died the other day, has left the bulk of his property for an orphanage to be established in Auckland. The will is dated the 14th of September, 1888. After making provision for his wife, Jessie, who, however, died on the 18th of September, 1888, thus predeceasing the testator by a few weeks, the testator proceeded to dispose of his property as follows From and after my said wife's death, my I trust property, or the investments and pro- perty for the time being representing the same, or so much of my trust property as shall remain unadvanced to my said wife under the provisions herein contained (all winch is included in the term trust pro- i perty") shall be hold by my trustees and I executors upon trust: -In the first place for the purpose of keeping the graves of my wife and myself in good repair and in the next i place to establish, support, and maintain, or to aid in establishing, supporting, or main- j tabling, an orphanage, to be located in Auck- j land or its neighbourhood, for the care, maintenance, and education of orphans and destitute children. Children of all races and creeds shall be admissable to the orphanage. j As to the religious training of the children received into the orphanage, I wish it to be in accordance with the doctrine and discipline of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. My trustees may acquire land for build- ing purposes, and may build and may acquire buildings and property for the uses of the orphanage, and may pay the necessary monies out of my trust property, and may lease, sell, mortgage, or exchange any property, and may invest upon any investments herein mentioned, and shall apply the income and profits arising therefrom for the use and benefit of the orphanage. My trustees, either alone or jointly with any others whom they may choose from time to time to associate with them, shall have the control, direction, and management of the orphanage, and from time to time make and alter rules and regulations for admission into the orphanage, and for its conduct and management, and for all other matters necessary or proper to give effect to my will. My trustees may become incorporated under The Religious, Charitable, and Educational Trusts Board Act, 1854," or any similar Act, etc., etc. Mr. Leslie's property thus bequeathed for an orphanage is considered to be of the value of about £5000. His trustees and executors are the Rev. G. B. Monro (of St. Luke's, Remuera), Mr. Robert Nair Ryburn,

NB Norm and Edith were related in another way

Eliza Jessie was the sister of Elizabeth Rose Reid who married William Dameral Skedgwell

William Henry Thomas married Eliza Jessie Reid their son    --------- Arthur Gordon Thomas married Elsie Rose Wilmshurst their son  ------------------Gordon Charles William married Joan Taylor 

Eliza Jessies sister Elizabeth Rose Reid married William Dameral Skedgwell, their son

• BillionGraves, https://billiongraves.com/grave/Amy-Maude-Taylor-Fuller/23569823
• "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Death Registration of Edith Amy Skedgwell, Death certificate 2009/2355.
• Residence: Normanby, Taranaki, New Zealand