TWO BOOKS THAT REMINDED ME OF GROWING UP IN GISBORNE.

FROM POVERTY BAY TO BROADWAY
The Story of Tom Heeney
Lydia Monin – Hodder Moa - $39.99

In my adult life I have rarely came across anyone who had ever heard of Tom Heeney (1898-1984) but as a lad growing up in Gisborne my Dad often spoke of him with reverence and he was well known and highly regarded in that small coastal city. He was perhaps Gisborne’s best known son but away from there he had long been forgotten.

That will all be changed now I suspect with the publication of this well written and extensively researched book by journalist/author Lydia Monin and were my Dad still alive I know he would consume this book with much interest and comment.

“In July 1928, Heeney entered the ring at New York’s Yankee Stadium, in front of 46,000 spectators wearing a traditional Maori cloak. Guaranteed $100,000, he was about to fight reigning world champion, Gene Tunney. In Tom’s hometown of Gisborne, crowds cheered him on in what was described as ‘the most ambitious radio station hook up on history.’ Life would never be the same again.”

A great read well complimented by an extensive bibliography and index.

THE GREAT NEW ZEALAND PIECART
Lindsay Neill, Claudia Bell & Ted Bryant.
Hodder Moa - $29.99

Every Friday night after the 8 o’clock movies or the dance at the Anglican or Catholic Church Hall I would head for the piecart on the corner of Bright Street and Childers Road and order a “pea, pie and pud” from the owner Mr.Clarke. Occasionally if I was feeling rich I would add “with an egg on top.” It was I guess my first experience of eating out.
So although I was disappointed to find that the Gisborne piecart was not featured in this fun book being published on 8 August I was still fascinated to read what a major feature piecarts were, and in some places still are, in many towns and cities throughout New Zealand.

Four pics from the huge selection of photos featured in the book follow, the first two show the Bethells Beach piecart, now and then, and below that the Wellington piecart today, and The White Lady in the 1950's:

Other piecarts featured include those from Kawakawa, Hahei, Hamilton, Tokoroa, New Plymouth, Wellington, Motueka, Greymouth, Christchurch, Ashburton, Jackson Bay, Oamaru, Alexandra, Dunedin and Gore. Entertaining.