Family group early 1920s. Frank, T.B.Arthur, Barbara,
Nancy, Julia, Ethelwyn.

The Arthur family home was a small farm where they had 3 cows,
ducks and hens and a pet sheep, which occasionally escaped
through the hedge and chased people down the road. On Sunday
mornings Nancy woke to the sound of racehorses being exercised
on Takapuna Beach and a herd of cows would sometimes be driven
down Clifton Rd to the beach, trampling lawns and flower beds as
they went if the residents didn’t shut their gates in time. The
houses and streets were lit by gas and Nancy remembered the
lamp lighter coming at dusk to turn on the street-lights.
The pet sheep belonged to Barbara and was eventually eaten.
She steadfastly refused to eat a single bite of it.

Barbara with her sheep.

Nancy also remembered being terrified of the tar-boiler which was used to repair the roads.

She would cross the road to give it a wide berth. Another fear was going upstairs in the dark and having to go right into the middle of the square upstairs hall to light the gaslight. She would try and persuade Barb to go up with her and she, exercising the power of the younger sister, would refuse.