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Memories of Dunsandel in the 1950s
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TitleMemories of Dunsandel in the 1950s
DescriptionThe Dunsandel township and district was a self- contained community. The population of 350 in the 1950’s could join a multitude of organisations: sporting, cultural, educational, religious, scouts, guides, cubs, brownies, Young Farmers. Everyone knew everyone else - people felt included.
Dorothy Scott (Akela) and husband, Terry, (Baloo) formed a cub pack. Our 7 aside rugby team won an inaugural tournament. Unfortunately, no photos exist.
School bus owner/ driver, Frank Bishop, as Scout Master, then formed a scout troop. Allan Happer was our troop leader. Four scouts came from Brookside.
In 1953, Frank Bishop took 12 of us in his bus around the south of the South Island. We camped in manuka at Frankton. There were no houses anywhere.
When camped beside the Clutha river, Brian Walker caught a silver belly eel. No one dared refuse a share. Allan Happer detected Epsom salts in a bag of sugar and a problem many of us suffered from, went away.
The tepid baths at Moana, Invercargill sure beat the 17 degrees of the Dunsandel baths. We enjoyed staying at Wainakarua in the Otago Scout Headquarters. It was a wonderful trip,
In 1954 our Scout troup joined 6000 scouts in the Motukarara race course at the Pan Pacific Scout Jamboree.
In the 1950’s a small fire party tendered threatening fires. In the 1960’s a new team of volunteers was formed. We assisted in the building of the present fire station, and became a trained crew, initially under Ian McLean as Chief Fire Officer, then Allan Bodger. In 1971 we were containing a house fire with our main fire engine, drawing water from the swimming pool. Burnham was in the early stages of forming a brigade. Our chief heard they were coming to help so we pulled out to let them complete the damping down They backed into the pool. Their branchman headed off around the pool to the fire but unfortunately he failed to see the raised brick plinth and tripped headlong into the middle of the pool. We had to rescue him in order to retrieve the nozzle.
In 1939 the Dunsandel Young Farmers Club went into recess during WW 2. A wave of 18 and 19-year-olds left secondary school by 1960 and the club reformed with Doug Sheat (from the original club) Senior Advisory Officer, Wal Scott was chairman. Projects included: calling on every house in the district annually collecting for a charity; financial support to the Dunsandel School Library; landscaping the triangle in front of the renovated town hall. Many hare drives and spotlighting nights financed the project from the sale of over 600 hares exported to Germany.
Rugby was strong. In 1953 a 7-aside team won the Ellesmere under-7 stone tournament. The 1965 team was runner up in the Ellesmere senior competition. In 1967 they won the Senior B competition. The club 7 aside Senior team also won an annual tournament.
The Selwyn River was a great playground. Sandy Brown showed us how to swim in a current. Greendale golf course was a short horse ride over the river.
We rescued stranded fish from drying up water holes. Robin Johnston and I ‘sailed’ a tin bath from Giggs crossing to the Main Road Bridge, then walked home.
Robin Watson
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date4 August 2022SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDunsandel
DescriptionThe Dunsandel township and district was a self- contained community. The population of 350 in the 1950’s could join a multitude of organisations: sporting, cultural, educational, religious, scouts, guides, cubs, brownies, Young Farmers. Everyone knew everyone else - people felt included. Dorothy Scott (Akela) and husband, Terry, (Baloo) formed a cub pack. Our 7 aside rugby team won an inaugural tournament. Unfortunately, no photos exist.
School bus owner/ driver, Frank Bishop, as Scout Master, then formed a scout troop. Allan Happer was our troop leader. Four scouts came from Brookside.
In 1953, Frank Bishop took 12 of us in his bus around the south of the South Island. We camped in manuka at Frankton. There were no houses anywhere.
When camped beside the Clutha river, Brian Walker caught a silver belly eel. No one dared refuse a share. Allan Happer detected Epsom salts in a bag of sugar and a problem many of us suffered from, went away.
The tepid baths at Moana, Invercargill sure beat the 17 degrees of the Dunsandel baths. We enjoyed staying at Wainakarua in the Otago Scout Headquarters. It was a wonderful trip,
In 1954 our Scout troup joined 6000 scouts in the Motukarara race course at the Pan Pacific Scout Jamboree.
In the 1950’s a small fire party tendered threatening fires. In the 1960’s a new team of volunteers was formed. We assisted in the building of the present fire station, and became a trained crew, initially under Ian McLean as Chief Fire Officer, then Allan Bodger. In 1971 we were containing a house fire with our main fire engine, drawing water from the swimming pool. Burnham was in the early stages of forming a brigade. Our chief heard they were coming to help so we pulled out to let them complete the damping down They backed into the pool. Their branchman headed off around the pool to the fire but unfortunately he failed to see the raised brick plinth and tripped headlong into the middle of the pool. We had to rescue him in order to retrieve the nozzle.
In 1939 the Dunsandel Young Farmers Club went into recess during WW 2. A wave of 18 and 19-year-olds left secondary school by 1960 and the club reformed with Doug Sheat (from the original club) Senior Advisory Officer, Wal Scott was chairman. Projects included: calling on every house in the district annually collecting for a charity; financial support to the Dunsandel School Library; landscaping the triangle in front of the renovated town hall. Many hare drives and spotlighting nights financed the project from the sale of over 600 hares exported to Germany.
Rugby was strong. In 1953 a 7-aside team won the Ellesmere under-7 stone tournament. The 1965 team was runner up in the Ellesmere senior competition. In 1967 they won the Senior B competition. The club 7 aside Senior team also won an annual tournament.
The Selwyn River was a great playground. Sandy Brown showed us how to swim in a current. Greendale golf course was a short horse ride over the river.
We rescued stranded fish from drying up water holes. Robin Johnston and I ‘sailed’ a tin bath from Giggs crossing to the Main Road Bridge, then walked home.
Robin Watson
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date4 August 2022SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDunsandelConnections
CollectionHistory of DunsandelOrganisationDunsandel Historic Society
OrganisationDunsandel Historic SocietyAttribution
Researched ByRobin WatsonWritten ByRobin Watson
Written ByRobin WatsonClick on the image to add
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Memories of Dunsandel in the 1950s (4 August 2022). Selwyn Stories, accessed 26/07/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5235