Stories

After cleaning out all furniture the Sisters didn’t need or want, some of this furniture was sold. Des Morris has two tables what came out of the dinning room. 

Once the building was pulled apart and any good wood sold or given away the fire brigade which Des was a member had a controlled fire about 6.00am, before the traffic was on the road. It had been well advertised and neighbours alerted that it would be happening so they could have the fire hoses over the road attached to the fire hydrants just in case they were needed. Which they were as the heat was reflected off the back of the Church which they had to keep wet, steam coming off as they did so. 

It was subsequently burnt to a pile of rubble with a great number of people watching, even the Limited Express passing through Pukekohe stopped over the road so everyone could watch the vast fire. The Sisters ere very settled in a house in Carlton Road which was owned by Des. It had been altered to suit the Sisters, who enjoyed their stay as the neighbours made them very welcome. They found it difficult to pack up once again to shift to their new convent in 1917.

Des also spoke of being at the school, St Joseph’s in 1944 on. He was in the football teams – Sister Ignatius being one of the two teachers. He went bare footed to school from his parent’s home in Queen St. He was only in one of the rooms. He can remember having to drink the daily milk. There was only grass around the school building and the top field was very rough and hadn’t been flattened out. When he was on the Council he helped sell off the sections around the school and the convent grounds.