William Golder - Mountain Home
William & Mary Golder lived in at least three homes after they arrived in Wellington, New Zealand. After clearing the bush William built his first home "Sylvan Cottage" out of logs. However, a great flood swept across the valley, isolating the family and leaving them without food. He therefore rebuilt the house but this time on high piles but one day, when cutting down a adjacent tree, it fell on an unexpected angle and totally destroyed the house.
His next house he built was called "Petoni", however, a tense situation developed between some settlers and a group of hostile Maoris. William & his family, along with other families, took refuge at Fort Richmond which was a stockaded blockhouse on the east bank of the Hutt River near the bridge. Because of the touchy situation in this period in the valley he decided it was unwise to live in an isolated area.
At some stage later he later built "Mountain Home" where he had his printing press.
In August 2007 I was approached by Sandra Grieg from the Normandale Residents Assn who told me that they are about to celebrate the NRA's 50th reunion of the date 1957 when the rural became part of the city council. The President of the NRA was wanting to put up a sign showing where William Golder the poet lived in the 1800s in Normandale. They knew that the name was Mountain Home but did not know exactly the position.
We had always thought that it was up Hill Road, near Kelson, but I have now discovered that this is not correct.
My research at the Land Information Office, in Wellington, has uncovered the following :
Mountain Home was on Belmont Road ( now Normandale Road ) and close to the intersection with Cottle Drive.
I have been up there and can understand why he called it Mountain Home with its outlook over the Hutt City. I discovered that he owned three plots of land
Lot 301 – Index 15 / 201
Ref: 5396 George Hart sold 44 acres to William Golder 14 July 1865 for 22 pounds ten shillings ( Book 11 / 340 )
Ref: 34406 Conveyance 22 Dec 1868 – William Golder tenants in common with James, Charles and John Golder for the
sum of thirty pounds all living there ( Book 54 / 951 )
Ref: 61502 Crown Grant 16 Dec 1876 to William Golder ( Book 13 / 500 ) – It was known at the time that people lived
on the land for some time before it was legally registered
Ref: 61503 Conveyance – 7 August 1877 Golder to Sir William Fitzherbert ( Book 106 / 70 )
Ref: 31359 Mortgage 1 Feb 1878 ( Book 54 / 236 )
Ref: 31359 Further change 22 July 1878 ( Book 54 / 238 )
Ref: 61504 Conveyance – 29 Dec 1890 Fitzherbert to Fitzherbert ( Book 106 / 70 )
Ref: 61505 Conveyance – 11 Sept 1891
Ref: 61506 Mortgage – 12 Feb 1891
Ref: 85515 Receipt – 1 April 1903 ( Book 143 / 88 )
Ref: 86106 Conveyance – 1 July 1903 ( Book 144 / 399 ) Fitzherbert to the KING
Excepts from diaries
James diary – 2 July 1877. That we had sold the 44 acres for 260 pounds to Sir William Fitzherbert
( this was for 301 as the DEED confirms )
Johns diary – 7th August 1877. In town signed the conveyance of the Mountain Home Farm to Sir William Fitzherbert
for the sum of 260 pounds ( this was for 301 as the DEED confirms – John stated it was 60 acres but it was 44 acres )
James diary – Aug 1877. Went to town with John to sign the deed of sale of the Mountain Home land
( this was for 301 as the DEED confirms )
About the same time he was also trying to sell Lot 426 – 67 acres with various notes in his diary as there were people interested, including neighbours,
but he did not sell it at this time.
This is a photo of the sketch plan of the land that Sir William purchased and includes Lot 301
Lot 426 – Index 15 / 326
Johns diary – 15 Dec 1888. Copy of Evening Post advertisement for the sale of this property
Land Information Office, Wellington
Ref: 27342 Letter of Administration 19 June 1877 ( Book 2 / 152 )
– James Golder to be executor of William Golders affairs ( Supreme Court order after William had died )
Ref: 61126 Conveyance – 18th June 1891 ( Book 103 / 538 )
67 and a quarter acres – James Golder of Auckland ( William’s son ) sold to Peter Speedy for 100 pounds
Ref: 61127 Mortgage ( Book 103 / 540 ) P Speedy borrowed off James Golder
Ref: 79191 Receipt 8 Aug 1900 – Book 127 / 542
Ref: 79192 8 Aug 1900 – Crown Grant – Book 14 / 147
Application number 1944 25 March 1861 to 8 May 1891 William Golder, Hutt, Farmer
Ref: 79319 23 Aug 1900 – Mortgage with AMP for Peter Speedy 1250 pounds
Ref: 85656 3 March 1902 Contract
Ref: 86219 Reconveyance 22 July 1903 Book 143 / 565
Repayment of mortgage to AMP
Ref: 86641 Conveyance 28 August 1903 book 147 / 170 Peter Speedy sold to Hutt District Council 425 & 426
Ref: 141020 Probate 27 March 1924 Book 259 / 606
Peter Speedy died 9 Jan 1924 – Owned many sections 51, 425, 426, 314, 35, 36, 57, 58, 68, 70, 153
Ref: 85656 & 86641 surrender the rights contained in the contract 15 Sept 1995 @ 3.18pm
P Speedy with mayor of Lower Hutt
Lot 306 – Index 15 / 206
Crown Grant 2135 of 79 acres to William Golder, River Hutt, Farmer on the 5 December 1862
Ref: 3826 Conveyance 12 Mar 1863 William Golder to Nisbett ( sale of land to Nisbett )