BOOK TO STAY AT PAPAROA

 

In 1938 Frank Weeks married his sweetheart, Hazel Lillian Adams and built her a house, which he named PAPAROA. Mr and Mrs Frank Weeks had a loving home which they raised 2 children of their own and a foster son.

 

The house was named after the ship that brought Frank and his family to Australia from England in December 1912. The passenger list for this voyage shows a Mr D Weeks aged 41, Mrs P Weeks aged 26, Master D Weeks aged 6, Master E Weeks aged 4, Master J Weeks aged 3 and Mr F Weeks aged 1.

 

PAPAROA the ship was built by WM Deny & Bros located in Dumbarton, Scotland in 1899. It was 6563 gross tons, length 430ft and beam 54ft, it had one funnel, two masts and the maximum speed was 13 knots. The Ship could accommode 34 passengers in first, 45 in second and 400 emigrant class passengers. She sailed on her maiden voyage on November 91899 departing London for Capetown, Auckland and Wellington. PAPAROA was operated by the New Zealand Shipping Company. Relegated to secondary services in 1909, she remained in company service as a meat carrier during the Great War, and because of war losses, was refitted and rejoined the main passenger service in 1921. On 17th Mar.1926, while outward bound, a fire broke out while the vessel was near St.Helena in the South Atlantic. Radio distress calls brought the P&O Line steamer Barrabool which took off the passengers. Attempts to extinguish the fire with the aid of a party from the cruiser HMS Birmingham failed, and the ship was eventually scuttled.

 

PAPAROA the house, undertook a renovation sometime in the 60's - 70’s which included upgrading the bathroom, building in the back room, laundry and outside toilet, new light fittings, modernising the kitchen, and cement rendering the outside of the house replacing the weatherboards. A new roof was put on in 1989.

 

The house remained in the Weeks family with Franks grand-daughter Elysia purchasing the house after her grandfathers death. Elysia and her husband Daniel Spry further renovated the house by adding to the bathroom, discovering and then sanding back the floorboards, carpeting the lounge / dinning and tiling the bathroom and back section of the house.

 

The floorboards are made of a hardwood called Rimu, which is a native New Zealand timber. The wood is normally used for furniture and specialised materials including furniture and guitars, although for a while was popular as flooring. The floorboards in PAPAROA are select timbers and of the highest quality.

 

The Rimu tree is a conifer belonging to a group of forest trees, and is widely represented in highland forests in countries on the west side of the Pacific. Rimu grows to heights of about 100 ft and occasionally 150 ft, and the trunk is usually about 3 ft, but can be as much as 6–7 ft, in diameter. It is also known as New Zealand Red Timber. Charcoal made from Rimu was sometimes mixed with grease by the Maori in the last century to rub into tattoo incisions, thus making indelible markings.

 

In 2005 the house was sold to Paul and Leanne Tabbit with it immediately being rented by Rachel Kinscher who went onto purchase the house in May 2006. Rachel has undergone the renovation of the kitchen which involved completley gutting it and removing the rear chimney and fireplaces in the kitchen and lounge. A complete functional and modern kitchen was then fitted. She has also replaced all of the light fittings with the original chandeliers. In all future renovations Rachel will endeavour to retain the character of the house and respect the care, love and devotion that has gone into the building and maintenance of PAPAROA.

 

To view the original specifications of the house please click here

 
 
  Site Map