Newsletter 47 - August 2019

Clan Ayson New Zealand Society
August 2019 Newsletter 47

Greetings to you all.
Since our last newsletter we have held a very successful family reunion in Gore, our website and family tree has generated enormous interest and participation, and our new Facebook group has now attracted 61 members who can share family news instantly. The more we can be electronic then the better our communications can be overall. Thank you to our local area Secretaries who are seeking out email addresses to reduce postage costs. We have found many envelopes are returned when people have moved location or passed away. If we can access you online rather than mailout please let us know.
Some of our family have been travelling to Scotland and Jeannie Ayson, daughter of our late Chief Peter Ayson, has just returned and recounts special aspects of her Scotland visit.

30 HOURS IN GLENSHEE

“The weather isn’t usually like this” we were told, when we spent an interesting weekend in Glenshee in late June. The sunshine brought out the hikers on the trails, and the speeding motorcyclists on the Glenshee -Braemar highway. The Spittal has been a place of refuge since at least 961AD but for us, Emma, George and me, it was a quiet family pilgrimage destination.

The plan had been to stay in Glenshee and walk the old Cateran trails. These paths had been used by the cattle thieves from the 13-17th centuries as they slipped into Glenshee and neighbouring glens from the north and west to steal cattle and horses. One of the last raids in the Glenshee area involved 500 thieves, and over 2700 head of cattle. The local clansmen ambushed the raiding party winning the day but losing 400 men.
The Cateran tracks were easily accessible on foot from Dalmunzie Castle Hotel, a ramshackle place with a great chef, tired rooms but enough charm to entice a visitor back. This castle in its present form was built as a private home for Sir Archibald Birkmyre, who had received a Baronetcy for services in WW1.

The Dalmunzie estates were established in 1510 when land was granted to John Fergusson of Dunfallandy. I couldn’t help dwelling on the fact that in 1768, 40 families paid rent on the Dalmunzie and Invereddrie lands but by 1880 there were only 2 tenants and 5 families left. I have read that many of the houses were burnt down in what is known as the “Sutherland” fashion and walking through the area where the houses had been, it was clear any sign of that once traditional highland community was completely erased. I wondered how the Ayson and Lamond families were affected when the laird turned on his own people.
We had the very good fortune to meet Jean Lindsay, a local farmer who has met and corresponded with Aysons through the years. We enjoyed a lunch with her in nearby Kirkmichael, and she was able to point out places of interest and talk farming. We saw both the Ayson and Lamond houses from the road, and Jean was able to tell us the Ayson house had been let and that the current tenant wasn’t particularly approachable.
Running short on time we decided to walk from the hotel and up the glen to a high ridge which gave us a commanding view back down the glen and the opportunity to peer over into the next. Stone walls stretched across the valley and as far as one could see up the mountain slope on the far side. I hoped our family weren’t the ones lugging all those stones around.
It was soggy under foot with long tussocky grasses, mosses and large black slugs. Highland cattle and a large deer herd grazed on the slopes. According to Jean there had been a rapid increase in wild deer in the area and from a distance we were unsure whether the herd was farmed or wild, it didn’t really matter as we kept well out of the way.

Jean also met us at the Glenshee church, showing us inside and pointing out the standing stone known as the Parliament Stone on a small hillock behind the church. It is believed the King of Scotland would hold council there when he was on hunting trips in the then Royal Forests. In the walled graveyard, we saw Lamond graves and the Ayson plaque along with others that have been put up since the Ayson one.

Our 30 hours in Glenshee passed to quickly, always a sign of a good trip. Next time I would like to go back in winter, stay again at the Dalmunzie, and walk further along those trails.

From Our Regions.

Wellington

Congratulations to Alan and Daphne Ayson who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a luncheon in Waikanae with their family and many friends. Alan is 1.13.6, the last surviving grandson of Lake and Alice Ayson and the son of Francis (Frank) Catlins Ayson and Alice Chalcraft.

The Wairarapa Archives recently told the story of prohibition in Masterton and the pubs going dry in 1908. The beautiful Empire Hotel featured is one that lost its license. You will note the shop on the right “The Masterton Fresh Fish Market” was owned by WD Ayson. William Douglas was the first born of Lake and Alice Ayson and took over as curator of the trout hatchery when Lake was establishing the marine fishery at Portobello. William served as Ayson Clan Secretary and his compiling of the Ayson history book “Looking Back” in time for the first 1953 reunion (100 years since the arrival of Peter and Douglas) is very much appreciated by today’s families who now have access online.
A new Big Save Furniture store is currently being built on the site where these buildings stood.

Friends of The Rotunda is a new organisation chaired by Di Buchan. 1.9.3. Di is the author of the book “Sun, Sea and Sustenance” about the Otaki Health camp. This book records many stories and memories gathered from some of those children who benefitted with improved health during their stay there. The rotunda is now the last remaining original structure of New Zealand’s first permanent children’s health camp. It is of outstanding national significance. If anyone would like to become a member and to help with this project you can subscribe through the website https://www.otakirotunda.org.nz/

Another photo from the Masterton archives shows Graeme Ayson(1.13.4) rebuilding a DH82 Tigermoth over a period of nine months.
Graeme, a professional photographer, took up flying as some of his photographic jobs required hiring a pilot and plane, so with his own vehicle he was able to fly and photograph at the same time. His two daughters, Claire and Lindy, enjoyed doing aerobatics with him and remember their mother sewing the linen wings together on her Singer machine. She also made his fantastic leather and wool lined flying jacket. Eventually the plane had to be sold and it was a sad day when the last flight took place over Masterton. It is still thought to be in service as a trainer in Canada as unfortunately no one in NZ wanted to buy it at the time of sale.

Congratulations to Dr Claire Hills who was surprised to find the school hall now bears her name.

The whole school, with friends and family, celebrated her retirement after 52 years teaching, and teaching at Chanel since it was founded in 1978. Claire has taught drama, history, French and English to year 13 pupils. She’s been a dean, a form teacher, a principal’s nominee, head of English and a careers adviser.
She and another teacher initiated and led the building of a new wharenui for the college.
“If you want to teach science you figure out you need a science lab, if you want to teach cooking you figure you need ovens. If you’re teaching a language like Maori where the information and culture go hand in hand, you need a space for it.”

She completed the PhD in 2013. Here she was able to carry out her study on school closures and mergers.
Claire is the great grand daughter of Lake and Alice Ayson, and daughter of Graeme and Grace Ayson,
She is back at school most days assisting with their archive collection, teaching when needed and preparing for the 25th anniversary of the opening of the wharenui.

Auckland Branch

From Caroline English, Auckland Branch Secretary.

On Sunday 21st July the Clan Ayson Auckland Branch gathered for lunch. The Estuary Arts Centre in Orewa, was chosen as it is about halfway between Kerikeri and Pukekohe, the area the Auckland branch spans.
Our National Secretary Lindy Daniell graciously agreed to come up from Masterton. Lindy addressed the group and explained details of the Ayson Website and also Clan Ayson Facebook. Clan Chief Hugh was unable to attend but sent his apologies and a message which was relayed to the gathering.
There were several generations of Ayson descendants present. One branch 1.4.5 (descendants of Ann Watt (Ayson) was well represented. Anne was the great grandmother of Dawn Roff who had come up especially from Arrowtown. Dawn is the mother of Tamai who is the Aunt of Kelly, who is the mother of Rachel and Emily and all five were present. We had a quiz of ten questions covering mostly Aysons either deceased or alive. They were not all easy questions. Some of the teams were not able to name the boat that Peter and Douglas came out in in 1853. However, many were able to name the prolific writer and environmentalist alive today – Neville Peat and the expert artist of natural scenes – Murray Ayson.

Left to Right Back row: Tamai Roff, Sally Young, Rae Sandford, Fraser Ayson, David English, Vicki Ayson, Douglas Young, Caroline English, Margaret Tremaine, Dawn Roff, Scott Tremaine, Derek Bearda,Marion Lock, Larraine Ennen.
Seated: Philip Melrose, Grace Walker, Rachel Smit, Grace Young, Kelly Sullivan, Sarah English with Georgia Jones and Lindy Daniell
In front on floor: Riley Jones, Hannah Rose Walker and Emily Smit
Larraine Ennen has posted some good photos of the gathering on Facebook. It was a very happy occasion and it was agreed that we should try and have another Auckland Branch gathering in the summer.

Dunedin Branch

City accountant recognised for 60 years' service
Otago Daily Times Friday, 17 May 2019. By John Lewis
Les Green celebrates 60 years as a chartered accountant in Dunedin at a lunch at the Dunedin Club
On Wednesday 15 May 2019 Les Green was slightly in the red this week. Not because he had cash-flow problems, but because the humble chartered accountant was a little embarrassed about being recognised for six decades' service to his profession.
The 81-year-old said the bottom line was he felt uneasy a big fuss was being made about him and he was being rewarded for something that others had helped him achieve.
"I'm here because of the partners and the staff I've worked with. It's a team effort. You can't do it by yourself."
He was the longest-serving member celebrated by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (Caanz) at the Otago Milestone Members Lunch at the Dunedin Club.
Mr Green said he joined the Dunedin accounting firm Knowles Kearney and Aitken after leaving King's High School in 1955.
At the same time, he studied commerce part-time at the University of Otago and later graduated with a bachelor of commerce degree.
In 1962, Harold Aitken set up his own public accountancy practice and Mr Green went with him to become the office manager.
"He was a top guy. By 1966, I was a partner in the firm and I was known as the `and Co' in H.P. Aitken & Co."
Over the years, the practice grew and merged with other firms to form Ernst & Young in 1989, where he became one of 130 partners.
But in 1996, the Dunedin office withdrew from Ernst & Young and has since practised as Harvie Green Wyatt - one of the city's largest accounting firms.
Mr Green said he was now officially retired as a partner but still did some consultancy work at the firm.
"I'm now a part-time employee."
For many years, Mr Green also lectured part-time at the University of Otago in trustee law and accounts.
He has served on Caanz's local public practice committee and on the national rural advisory committee.
Away from the ledgers, Mr Green has had a wide range of community interests, including long-term involvement in the St Kilda Brass Band, Rotary, the Presbyterian Church and Freemasons.
In 2002, he was awarded a Queen's Service Medal for services to the community.
Despite the minor embarrassment of this week's recognition by his peers, Mr Green said he was "very honoured" to receive the certificate for 60 years' service from Caanz.
In October 2017, the Presbyterian Support Otago Life Membership Award was presented to Les Green, acknowledging his outstanding contribution that had been made to the life and work of the organisation, over many years, and his contribution over 15 years as an advisor to the Board Finance Committee, with special interest in work to support bequests and endowment funds.
Les is the great grandchild of Elspeth Fraser Ayson the 9th child of Peter and Douglas Ayson and served for many years on the Clan Ayson Executive till last year.

South Canterbury

Alex Smith ( 3. 2. 1.) of Rakaia has topped the world on the shearing stage taking out the All Nations Senior Final held in Le Dorat, a town in central France. More than 320 competitors from 34 countries as far apart as Norway, Japan, Cook Islands and New Zealand have battled it out to win titles in wool handling, machine shearing, blade shearing and a traditional method using scissors. This was a big win for New Zealand and a proud moment for his family.
Alex is the son of former New Zealand World Championships representative Grant Smith. who has been a keen competitor for many years at the Masterton Golden Shears and around New Zealand.
Grant achieved a Solo Merino Ewe record by shearing 447 Merino ewes in a 9 hour day at Ben Omar Station on 1st September 1993, and the following year achieved a Two Stand Merino Wether Record by shearing 809 Merino Wethers in a 9 hour day at Ben Ohau Station on 12th October 1994. The same year he set a new world record in 1994 shearing 418 merino wethers at Ryton Station Lake Coleridge.

Grave Restoration

The Executive, led by Chief Hugh Francis, has been working on a discussion paper on the Maintenance of Our Pioneer Graves. Here are the recommendations that have been approved.

The Executive are to form a Graves Sub-Committee of at least four members. It is preferably these members would cover the areas of around the Warepa, Wyndham and Balclutha Area; and, including the North Island. Secretaries of the regions can be co-opted to assist.
The Executive are responsible for the inspection and ongoing maintenance of our First Generation pioneers graves at Warepa; Balclutha,Wyndham; notwithstanding that the Mabel Neame Trust caters for Warepa.
The Graves Sub-Committee will advise and assist financially using Clan funds (though not mandatory) for any requests by descendants of the Second Generation. Notwithstanding, each Family Branch of this Generation must take ownership of their own ancestor’s graves and so on down the line; for the inspection and ongoing maintenance; and, endeavour to raise finance through their own families. To show goodwill and intent the Family Branch will be expected to raise at least 50% of the money required before applying for a grant from the Clan funds. However, if exceptional circumstances prevail the 50% can be lessened or even waived – especially when there are no living descendants recognised by the Executive.
The Executive are responsible for doing their best to initiate a Grave Maintenance/Restoration Fund by raising money from donations on request including that during payment of subscriptions; and from other innovative ideas. This Fund is to be recorded on the Statement of Accounts with a reference to its origin.
The first generation are the four siblings who arrived in New Zealand from Scotland, Peter, Margaret, Alexander and James. Their children, of which there are 29, form the second generation. Hugh also has a copy of the register of all who are interred at Warepa Cemetery. If anyone has information about first or second-generation graves please contact Chief Hugh with your feedback and thoughts

Thank you to Mick Cullen (3.3.11) who prints and distributes our newsletters. It is much appreciated.