Waikaka Siding School

Record Group

Identifier: A0358

Staff Only

Dates

Majority of material found within 1906 - 1926

Waikaka Siding School

Waikaka Siding School began in 1906 using the buildings shifted from Chatton Road School which had been closed five years earlier. The school was situated approximately one kilometre north of Waikaka Siding and had its first pupil enrol in February 1906. The school gained its other name, McNab School, when the Waikaka Branch Railway was built some years later.

The school thrived alongside the railway, however by 1950, it was considered more practical for the pupils to travel by bus to schools in East Gore and the Gore areas.

After the school closed, the building was again shifted, first to Otara and later to Morton Mains.

- Notes by E.M. Easton -

See Bibliography for References

Extent

1 bag(s) (Box 1)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Bibliography

“The Knapdale Run, It's Land and It's People”, Edited by Elizabeth Kerse.
Ref: LC 993.97 KNA

Schools mentioned: Pinnacle, Chatton Road, McNab, East Chatton, Knapdale, Otama and North Chatton. Knapdale children also attended Waikaka, Maitland, Waikaka Valley and East Gore Schools.
This book was compiled by residents and former residents of the district. It contains information of interest to local and family historians plus those interested in mining. Inside both front and back covers are double-page maps showing the boundaries of the original run, block numbers and the individual family farms created by the land sales of the 1870s.
The editor, Elizabeth Kerse, lived on 'Bushy Park' farm bordering Knapdale land. Educated at Gore High School, she completed an M.A. with Honours in History at University of Otago.
At the back of the book there are five appendices: 1. Land Titles with Block Numbers, Maps of each Survey District, Names of owners in date order for each Block, 2. Postal Services, listed by district - Post Masters and Mistresses, Telephonists, Early and Rural Mail Contractors, 3. Schools with families and teachers listed by school, 4. Presbyterian Ministers, from 1883, YFC and CGC Office Bearers plus those for Federation of YFC, 5. Index. It is very helpful for locating families and individuals, especially since bold font has been used to indicate those whose photographs have been included.
Chapter 11 is all about the district at war including information about Territorials (1937), Patriotic Committees, Home Defence and Rolls of Honour, Boer War 1899-1901, WWI 1914-18 (by district), WWII Waikaka.
Other topics covered include agriculture, mining, community and sport, building a plane and establishing an aerodrome.