In the Steps of Jack Leigh

Chapter 2: St Mary's Bay

page 4

Across the road, picking up the theme of solid brick

and dating from 1894 is the Bishop's Palace, from whose grounds, several more notices inform us, dogs and trespassers are barred.

I am curious about a couple of carved and painted poles standing in the ground. The motifs are unmistakeably Maori but the form is not familiar to me at all outside of American Indian totem poles.

We round the corner into St Francis De Sales St and the house styles immediately become more varied, with not many of the originals remaining. The house on the corner is a classic period piece.

Next door the style changes dramatically

and again within a metre or two

Further up, some classic designer privacy, and I immediately wonder how it stays free from graffiti; then I realise that I have seen practically none in the entire neighbourhood.

I recall that when Leigh was writing, graffiti served quite different ends. A Ponsonby shop wall was for ages the home of a classic piece of anti-Muldoonery:

"Littler
than Hitler,
and not quite
as bright"

And yet another style, elements of which pop up elsewhere along the walk.

I wonder what used to be here on this site.

(I live in a solid, relocated California bungalow, of kauri, rimu and matai, that used to be in Remuera, near to Sacred Heart College. It was chainsawed in two and trailered away to a builder's yard for a year or so to make way for a couple of developer units. I'm not sure whether I'm one of the good guys, for preserving the house, or one of the bad guys for indirectly abetting the resulting innovation.)

I'd have to admit that not everything that's pulled down or trailered away is worthy of or even capable of preservation. (Nor is everything that replaces it.) Still, I wonder what used to be here....

On the opposite side of the street a small garden is bursting with growth. I much prefer it to the faceless grey across the road.

Up ahead is number 58 St Mary's Rd with its wonderful turret. It looks as if it's been knocked around a little. Once, according to Leigh, number 58 was occupied by a former Auckland mayor, Sir James Parr. Once, also according to Leigh, it boasted a Romeo and Juliet style balcony over the front door.

When I return a couple of days later to complete some photography, I notice a scaffolding truck parked outside and an hour later when I return, repairs look to be under weigh.

Another fine example of lace.