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Historical Association revisits The Grange - 30 years on
December 2nd
[by Coralie Smith]
What better way could the Motueka and District Historical Association celebrate 30 years since its formation than a picnic lunch in the spacious grounds of a local historical house that was built for a leading settler family 160 years ago.
Hidden away down a long driveway at 276 Whakarewa Street, The Grange is nestled amongst trees two of which were planted by the original owners the Greenwood family, and surrounded by kiwifruit orchards and hop gardens. The odd aeroplane buzzes over from the local aerodrome but otherwise it is very peaceful.
Martin Whittaker is the present owner and he and his late wife Jan raised their family of five children here. Martin is on his own most of the time now although the children and grandchildren visit often and he has just taken the first steps to share his house with others by listing it as a holiday accommodation.
Many of the Association members didn't even know the house existed, although it is on the Historic Places Trust listings, so this was a real treat to not only hear about the history of the house but to be able to walk through the rooms that John Danforth Greenwood and his wife Sarah spent their retirement years in living for a time with their son Frederick Daw Greenwood and his wife Clara Maria and their children.
The first building on the farm was a farm workers cottage. It consisted of a kitchen and living room downstairs with very steep stairs going up to the two bedrooms above. This was added on to later when the Greenwoods decided to live on the farm. A quite separate house was built in front of the cottage but with connecting passage to the bigger and better quality rooms. Many of the features of the original buildings are plain to see.
Although the Whittakers have installed modern bathroom and kitchen facilities they blend in well with the old fireplaces, the low beams, the stairways and with no exterior structural changes at all. Some intriguing details are the brick lined well, the wooden peg holding the sash window and the exposed fireplace in the lounge (see photos below).
The Grange has only had three owners in its 160 year history. The Greenwoods, the Wratts and the Whittakers. All three owners raised families there. The Greenwoods and Wratts farmed the land. The Whittakers worked at other occupations but shared the passion of the previous owners that The Grange must be preserved.
The Wratt family is as well known as the Greenwoods, having been at The Grange since 1891. They were also very community minded people serving on school committees, the A & P Association, local councils and the hospital board. Edgar Wratt and his wife Laura planted a kauri tree when their son Stuart was born and although Stuart built a new house in front of The Grange when he married Shirley, it was he who decided the Whittakers were suitable owners for the historic house.
Martin Whittaker has accumulated quite a lot of material over the years on the history of The Grange and its occupants. We added to that store with material from our own archives to show our appreciation of how well he has preserved and continues to maintain for the benefit of all of us a part of our local history. Martin is interested in hearing from other local groups that might like to share The Grange and its grounds for a visit or an event. It is time this hidden gem came out into the open.
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