Members Stories

Settling in Birkdale

Having been born and brought up in the far North, I didn’t come to the Shore until I married in 1950.

We looked all over Auckland for a section, and when we saw a lovely piece of land in Birkdale we decided that was for us. We had to sell our pride and joy, a 1929 Austin 7, and the £150 we got for it, was just the price of our ¼ acre section. However that meant going back to our old motorbike for transport. Every weekend we would strap our tools to the side and come over on the vehicular ferry to our piece of land where we were building a bach. On many a cold night on the return trip we were grateful to be able to leave our bike up top and go down into the engine room for warmth. After living in the bach for 4 years while my husband built our house on weekends, the great day came when we were able to move in – not to a finished house , but finished enough with the basics so we could sell the bach and get a bit more money. After 46 years I guess I am now a "Birkdale identity."

Muriel Wood 1996