Beale Cottage

While there isn't much happening to update you about at the moment, I'm still checking out other house-museums for inspiration. ☺️

The Katherine Mansfield House & Garden (her birthplace) beautifully showcases what the family home on Tinakori Rd, may have looked like during the years she lived there (1888-1903).

It also includes an exhibition on a specific area of interest (in this case, music 🎻) & a room dedicated to sharing an extended timeline of her life.

Beale Cottage is getting a little bit of work done, with a 'plan' to re-open to the public in 2022. I'll keep you posted on developments & calls-to-action.

Lovely to receive this post from Annabel Cotton today - it starts to paint a picture of the people who have lived here since 1872.

"This cottage was the home of my great aunt, Maisie Forrest. The Forrest family owned the house for many decades. Council news reports suggest they bought the property in 1920 but I think it might have been earlier than that on the basis I've always understood Grandpa Forrest (George Forrest) was involved in building St Paul’s Catholic Church in Ngaruawahia and used to ride out there every day on his bicycle from Cheshunt Cottage. That church opened in 1913. The Forrests named the house Cheshunt (not Chestnut) Cottage after the village that the family left in Hertfordshire to move to New Zealand. Also I've always understood the family moved from Cheshunt to Hamilton and that house when the five children were small and their mother died on the journey to New Zealand. Maisie bequested the house to Hamilton City. Maisie died in 1988, not 1992. Maisie was adored by my brothers and me. She was a wonderful great aunt. Long time Hamiltonians may remember Maisie as a librarian at Hamilton Library when it was located on Alexandra St on what is now CentrePlace. I'd love to be involved in planning for the future of the house and was delighted to find this FB page. I'm certainly available for doing a tidy up in the garden. I live at Rotokauri so am local. My late mother, Pauline Cotton, provided the Council with a considerable history of the house as well as lists of plants and probably plans of the garden layout. Maisie and Grandpa Forrest grew vegetables and flowers that they sold from the back porch. The vegetable garden was where there are now apartments at 13 Beale St"

Photo from Hamilton City Libraries online collection
https://heritage.hamiltonlibraries.co.nz/objects/20177/m-forrest-last-day-at-the-library

What Bevan said... 👇👇

"Beale Cottage is a historic reserve and the lawns and gardens are not being well maintained by HCC. The site is becoming overgrown and unsightly which is disappointing considering the significance of this property".

Instead of shaking his head and walking away, he gave that feedback to the Hamilton City Council through Antenno. If you don't have Antenno, you can give general feedback on lack of maintenance at Beale Cottage using the link below.

Thanks Bevan!

https://www.hamilton.govt.nz/our-services/do-it-online/general-feedback/Pages/default.aspx

Firth Tower Museum Matamata is a collaborative effort between Matamata-Piako District Council (the site) and the Matamata historical society (the exhibits & displays).

Throughout the reserve there are original and relocated buildings to share their chosen stories of the estate and district.

It's an impressive collection so if you're in the area in the weekend check it out.