Christmas holiday at Purau

December 1934

Page 1 of photograph album. Christmas holiday scenes from various spots in Lyttelton Harbour. [Top left] Bill, John and Eddie having a picnic at Purau. Caption: Bill, John & I Purau. [Top centre] Boats moored at Purau. Caption: Sunbeam, Purau Xmas 1934. [Top right] Sailboat, Sea Queen moored at Lyttelton. Caption: Sea Queen Lyttelton. [Bottom left] Bill, John and Eddie sitting on a rock at Wreck Bay. Caption: Bill, John & I Wreck Bay. [Bottom left] View across Purau, with a boat mast in the foreground.

Contributors note: "The photographs in the album were taken by my father, Edward (Eddie) Walsh. He was one of ten children. His father, George Senior, died due to workplace poisoning when Eddie was 16, and to compensate the family for their loss, my father was offered a position at George's place of work, Bunting and Co. The family was very religious, and during World War II, was a conscientious objector. He was imprisoned at the detention camp at Balmoral, in the Hurunui. As he was very mechanically minded, my father worked on the forestry blocks fixing the trucks, which meant he had some freedom from the detention camp. At the time of his imprisonment, he was married, with a son. My mother had relocated to the area and was helping a family with six children under five – a set of triplets, twins and a singleton. Before moving to the Hurunui, she and her son lived with her mother-in-law in Vogel Street. Having a husband as a conscientious object was very difficult for her when meeting other women whose husbands were fighting in the war."

Creator: Eddie Walsh

Contributor: Walsh Family

Source: Entry in the 2025 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt.

Reference ID: CCL-PH25-2002

Uploaded by: CCL Photo Hunt

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