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Jellicoe Park

Saturday, 23 September 2006 was an open day during Auckland Heritage Week at Jellicoe Park, hosted by the Onehunga Historical Society, which occupies and manages the two historic timber buildings photographed below.

The photographs above show, to the left, Laishley House, moved on to the site from its original location on the corner of Princes and Selwyn Streets. It was built for occupation by the first Congregational Church Minister and donated to the people of Onehunga by Mr Amos Ben. The house appears to date from about 1860.

The photograph to the right shows Journeys End, a typical twin Fencible cottage of which other examples can be found at Howick Historic Village. The building is a re-construction, based on those built for Fencibles, who arrived in Onehunga in 1847. It had been opened as a private museum in 1959 and was moved to the park in the early 1970's from Normans Hill Road.

Although this is not a large park, it has been developed to incorporate a number of items of historic interest.

A Google search of "Jellicoe Park Reserve" brings up a September 1988 Management Plan within the Auckland City website. Although the management plan itself dates back to the pre-amalgamation days of the Borough of Onehunga, there is important and quite detailed information on most aspects of the Reserve within this website.

Volcano site?
A matter which appears not to have been covered fully, is that the reserve comprises a low knoll, elevated above surrounding land. It would be interesting to see if there has ever been a study of the sub-strata, which a spokesperson for the Historical Society suggests may be volcanic rock. This was one of the sites of a suspected volcano indicating by Searle in his book, The Geology of Auckland 1964.

The two photographs above and the one below all feature the Blockhouse, designed by Colonel R Mould, Royal Engineers and completed in 1860 by W J Redwood, Contractor, with the assistance of labour from the Fencibles.

Items noted above include the Arch of Remembrance, built when Jellicoe Park was officially opened by Earl Jellicoe, the then Governor of New Zealand, in May 1923.

The John Park Memorial Fountain was erected in 1953 in recognition of services to the community of this past Mayor of Onehunga over a period of 10 years.

Other items shown above include (left) a cast iron horse trough and (right), a memorial fountain erected by Mr and Mrs R Buchanan in memory of "Uncle" Daniel Neilson, who died 21 August 1922. Perhaps Neilson Street in lower Onehunga was named after this gentleman.

There are lots of other matters of interest within the park, for example flowers in one of the gardens were planted in the memory of the many Onehunga women, whose efforts at home and in volunteer groups, particularly during the depression and war years, helped to inspire and strengthen the community. Two concrete spheres have been taken from the entrance to Gloucester Park (Geddes Basin) and re-sited within Jellicoe Park on 1 June 1935.

There are many magnificent trees within the park and most have plaques, although few of these can now be clearly read. Rubbings, however should be successful in decipherment.

A grave is situated just to the east of the Fencible cottage, but the headstone cannot be readily deciphered.

A grove of three Kauri trees is a memorial to the late Prime Minister, Norman Kirk, just east of the Memorial Fountain.


Photograph taken by M L Graham 27 September 2006