Stafford Villa Kicks Off The North Shore Heritage Week

(September 2006) Stafford Villa, AUCKLAND.
Historic Stafford Villa, located in Birkenhead Point, is celebrating the start of The North Shore Heritage Week with a heritage afternoon tea.

The North Shore Heritage Week runs from Monday 30 October until Sunday 5th November. Afternoon teas will be held at Stafford Villa on 29 and 31 October and 2, 4 and 5 November at 3pm.

The British custom of afternoon tea was started by the Duchess of Bedford in the early 1800s, when she ordered a light meal to stave off her hunger pangs between lunch and dinner. This idea quickly caught on in Britain, to become a traditional time of day for people to meet and show off their best china.

An historic double bay villa, Stafford Villa was built at the turn of the century and has been a family home since 1903. Guests can learn more about the history of the house with a tour accompanied by a glass of old-fashioned sherry before enjoying a traditional afternoon tea in the garden, conservatory, dining room or drawing room. Local music students will play Victorian melodies and the menu will include delicious treats of sandwiches, savories, scones, cakes, tea and coffee.

Tickets cost $20 per person and are limited to 20 people so it is advisable to book early. Profits will be donated to the Birkenhead Historical Society Museum Fund.

Located at 2 Awanui Street, Birkenhead Point, Stafford Villa also operates as a luxury bed and breakfast and caters for special occasions including weddings and honeymoons.

Additional highlights during The North Shore Heritage Week:

• Heritage Bus Tours will be operating around the areas of Northcote, Birkenhead and Beach Haven.
  
  
• visitors can utilise one of the Heritage Tours 'Walking The Points' of Northcote and Birkenhead
  
  
• A visit to Birkenhead Museum The museum will be open Sunday 29th October as usual but will be open Saturday 4th November and Sunday 5th November from 1pm - 4pm.
  
  
• The Street Names Project. Send in your memories of the street you live in or onece lived in to the Birkenhead Historical Society or you could visit us at the Northcote Ware Memorial Hall 2pm 28th October and bring your stories then and have a chat at to what we intend to do with the information.