A spot of fishing and a cuppa... early 1900's style

Meet my latest acquisition...I saw it and had to have it...yes the bidding was tense but I snaffled it for $4. It's turned into an interesting exercise just researching the name of the person it was sent to let alone for the wonderful few seconds frozen in time it represents.

The handwriting at the bottom edge states

"Can you recognise anyone in this group"

I just adore the posing in this. The man far right with waders and fishing rod; the girl centre front with her kettle and the boy sitting, far right, with the fry pan in front of him. The ladies look dressed up quite finely [note the hat hanging from the top of the tent] and so do the man and boy in the back row. Even the younger children look dressed in what was probably their best clothes.

The Maori boy standing centre left with the camp stool in front of him looks almost dressed for cricket.

Another two lads wear their finery. The fellow on the left - a tie pin and the fellow on the right his fob chain.

One little girl appears to have shoes with hobnails on the soles.

And who is the tent manufacturer?

The ubiquitous tea chest of the time, partially hidden behind the legs of the young Maori lad. This one appears to have the letters QBEC in a diamond and extoling the fact the tea was purest choice from Ceylon. However I could be wrong.

It would be really lovely to know who the people were and where this was taken.

The card is addressed to:

Mr H Harre,

School Teacher,

Taihape,

N.Z.

and the communication beside address:

"Recd [received] postcards

to-night am

sending "decent"

ones in a day or

two

Yrs

in [illegible]

This dates the postcard to probably post 1910 as Horace passed the various teachers examinations held in January 1910 in the Wanganui Education District and was listed as Taihape. [1] He was born 2 December 1890[3]

In June 1911, he was appointed as teacher at Waiata. [10]

Horace Romano HARRE, schoolteacher enlisted in WW1 and embarked on board the Maunganui on 9 May 1918. Next of kin noted as his father John HARRE, head teacher, Raurimu.[2]

In September of 1917, H R Harre, acting head teacher, Glen Oroua - tendered his resignation. [7]

The Auckland Star issue dated 12 September 1925 announced that on August 18 H R HARRE of Apiti had wed at St Andrew's Church, Epsom to Miss Susy JACK of Mount Eden and that their present address was at Apiti.[13]

Horace Romano HARRE, retired school teacher of Mairangi Bay died 1972. [4]

Horace had a brother Garnett Colquhoun HARRE who was also a school teacher.[5] Garnett taught at Pohonui until 1914 and thence on to Carnarvon[6] as sole teacher. [8] He was thought of highly. [9] Another brother, William Knight HARRE [11] saw action in WW1 and was wounded early on in the war. He returned home on board the Maheno, arriving in Auckland about 30 December 1915.[12]

Horace, Garnett aka Garnet and William's parents were John and Frances Emily [nee BAKER] HARRE. They married c1884 [14] and also had other issue - Hannah Lily HARRE b c 1887; Frances Annie HARRE b c1893. Frances died c 1895 aged 30. [15] There is a John HARRE who died aged 82 c1938 which would fit the age of her husband.[16]

A nice tie in is Horace and Susy's son also named Horace Romano Harré [shown below in 2011], born 18 December 1927 in Apiti, known widely as Rom Harré, a distinguished British philosopher and psychologist. His Facebook entry states He is currently Director of the LSE's Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science. Rom kindly replied to my email confirming it must have been his father.