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York family history in Wairarapa and Motueka

(May 25th 2013)
Report by Coralie Smith

Kevin York has already written the book about his family and presented it to the Motueka and District Historical Association for selling. Called "From Horsepower to Horsepower" it sums up the results of Kevin's research into William Francis York and his descendants and the business William established in Greenwood Street in 1906.

Kevin expanded on this research relating how he sorted out his family from the various other Yorks who settled in the same Wairarapa district but are no relation. Similarly with the Nelson York family- same christian names, no relation.

Of most interest to us was how the York brothers built up a coach building business, then when motor power came along switched successfully to the motor trade and its many aspects although it was the next generation who owned and managed the businesses most of us remember- Pioneer Motors and Stantons Garage.

Kevin concentrated his talk on two of the family who died young. His grandfather Rupert York was the mayor of Motueka from 1 having become a councillor in 1928. He died in 1938 at the A & P Show aged just 50 years old. In the short time he was in office he advanced Motueka's fortunes pushing for the aerodrome still on its present site. He was the main man in about a dozen local organisations as well as running a business - he almost certainly burnt himself out.

Kevin's great-aunt Valmai York was only 22 years old when she died in 1936. An interesting point Kevin made about her funeral was that photographs were taken and these now give us many historical points of interest including the shops in the background as her funeral procession leaves the former Methodist Church in High Street, to the dress of the people attending and a poignant moment when the boy scouts form a guard of honour and one of them salutes with the wrong hand.

Kevin's father Des York lives in Waikanae and at 95 years of age is a good source when anyone wants to know who lived where, what building was there, who did so and so marry and his memory for cars and who owned them and what repairs he did on them is exceptional.

Kevin's book is available from the Historical Association or the Motueka Museum.


 
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