From: Lexie
To: Jan
Subject: 15 Rose Street
HI
I was intrigued to read your website – I grew up in 15 Rose street and lived next door to Bob Donghi and Miss (Nan) Bibby. I also have fond memories of James, Nan’s father.
It is a long time since I have been back but I still have family around that keep me up to date with some of the people I went to school with.
I am in Queensland now – so good to see a site on such a great little town – I remember Bob Donghi’s house burning down-although did not live next door then.
I had a wonderful childhood in Waipawa and Miss Bibby played a big part in my life – she was a great lady.
Thank you
Lexie Cook ( MacGregor)
From: Jan
To: Lexie
Subject: 15 Rose Street
Hi Lexie,
I keep getting constantly amazed by people emailing me who have had some connection with Waipawa – either in their own past or their ancestors… It just makes the world seem like its somehow all inter-connected. And that perhaps we all have some part to play in this tapestry of life.
I remember Mrs MacGregor from number 15, because often when we used to come up to Waipawa as kids and visit Aunty Nan she might be next door… or sometimes Mrs MacGregor was over at No. 11 having a cup of tea or something.
One thing I do remember about Mrs MacGregor and Nan was that they were both pretty serious scrabble players and that I wouldn’t think of playing them in a million years unless I wanted to be soundly beaten.
Since we’ve lived here the neighbours have come and gone at no15. We were quite relieved when the first neighbours moved on as they had a little cannabis plot just over the fence… and pretty loud parties – which wasn’t good when I had 3 preschoolers I was trying to get to sleep.
***********************
In fact one funny story about when we came to Waipawa and our first neighbours at No 15 was
Well
I was just learning about gardening
and Aunty Nan had kept a fairly impressive garden right up until she died. Some say that her eyesight was getting such that they did wonder whether she could see whether they were weeds or plants she was pulling out when she was weeding the garden- but anyway when I started, there were heaps of old fashioned plants in the garden I wasn’t familiar with.
Over time gorgeous peonies appeared and lily of the valley and other pretty flowers. But as I said before – at the time I had no clue what a lot of these plants were.
So I developed this motto.
If in doubt, let it sprout,
and if it looks like a weed,
then pull it out.
So this little seedling popped its head up, and I had no idea what it was so I let it grow
. It grew REALLY well and when it was as tall as me I walked past it one day and looked at its delicate finger-like leaves and suddenly clicked what it was. A very healthy pot plant.
I pulled it out immediately and threw it on top of a trailer load of weeds which were waiting to go to the dump.
About a week later I thought OK Murray isn’t going to take that trailer to the dump – so I’ll have to. I struggled to get the trailer on the car and went down the hill to the dump – where a nice man (who saw I couldn’t back a trailer to save my life) offered to back the trailer and empty it for me. He did make some comment about the weed on top of the load and we had a little giggle about it and then I drove home.
As I drove up the hill I noticed heaps of police cars parked outside No15
and then Police with dogs suddenly raided the place and found the plot of cannabis right over the fence from where my stray weed was growing.
I was relieved that the plant I found was well and truly gone as some people have told me that ignorance is no excuse
And It sort of answered my question as to how it got there – as I can not imagine Aunty Nan growing it!
**************************
Unfortunately the house seems to always be rented to someone and so it doesn’t receive the loving care it should… which is a pity because it should be looked after to preserve a little of Waipawa’s history – being a house even older than ours, and with an infamous past – (but then you probably know about Professor Moore, don’t you?)
I have been thinking recently that maybe I should write a little bit about Prof Moore anyway – because all these little stories (even if they were fairly scandalous at the time) add a little colour to our history.
Anyway lovely to get your email
Keep well
Jan Gosling
From: Lexie
To: Jan
Subject: 15 Rose Street
HI Jan
No. I don’t know about Professor Moore. What is the story?
Mrs MacGregor was my Mum and you are so right about the scrabble – when Mum moved she missed Miss Bibby.
One story I would like to tell you – one night my Mum and your Aunty Nan were playing scrabble and they used to walk out to the front together to make sure each was ok – Anyway on this night they saw Mums car going down the road so they gave chase on foot – I don’t know what really happened but the car must have stopped and the young guy who had stolen it took off on foot. The policeman at the time really told them off for chasing the person as he said they could have been attacked- I think Miss Bibby was over 90
How old was she when she died?
Was you Mum Kath and was you Dad a Minister and do you live in Miss Bibby’s old house?
So sorry about our place.
What ever happened to the old rocking horse that was in the playroom!!!
Thank you for replying
regards Lexie Cook
From: Jan
To: Lexie
Subject: 15 Rose Street
Hi Lexie,
They were two gutsy ladies – your mum and Aunty Nan -by the sound of things – chasing after car. I’m not sure I would do that!
Aunty Nan lived until she was 95, and died in 1990, which is when me and my family bought the house. It’s fantastic living here with all the memories not only of my experiences here, but hearing from others who used to come here and visit Aunty Nan… and having a few family get-togethers here too.
Nan was my grandad’s sister and to us she was like a third grandmother. We always stopped in at no 11 on our way out to the beach house at Kairakau. We’d pick lemons of the massive lemon tree outside the kitchen door, raid the plum trees and then make ourselves scarce while the adults talked, by going into the back of the house to the ‘playroom’ as Mum calls it, (or ‘school room’ as we call it- as it was originally built for Grandad, Nan and their brothers to have their school lessons in) and play with the tin soldiers – with a cannon that really fired tiny little cannonballs. It was so much fun.
The rocking horse used to be in the Playroom – so I’ve been told by Mum and her sisters. But when I was small it lived out at Grandad’s farm out of Ongaonga and we used to play on it with a huge painting of Early Waipawa as a back-drop.
The painting had a few horses grazing on the hills and the river meandering by and it was easy to let your imagination take you back to that time and pretend you were riding over the hills and looking down at the tiny little town which was Waipawa.
The Painting is now at the CHB District Council offices and it always seems weird being there when I’m used to it somewhere else.
But the rocking horse has moved again too. It shifted from Grandad’s house “Glen Appin” to Uncle Ted’s house just up the road from grandad’s farm house.
It would be lovely for ir to find its way back home here – as often people ask me what happened to it – But I don’t think it ever will. It was/is the most beautiful rocking horse I’ve come across (and has very special attachments)
Yes. My mum is Kath, and Dad was an Anglican Vicar. They moved to Waipawa when Dad retired and live at No 9. You probably remember the old house on the otherside of Nan’s that used to be there – but it burnt down (I’m not sure of the dates) and in the late 80’s Mum and Dad built a new house on the site.
I’m really surprised you don’t know about Professor Moore as you lived in his house – and he is one of Waipawa’s infamous characters in our past.
I learnt quite a lot about him when I worked down at the museum a few years back, because they were making a TV documentary about him. I typed a little bit about him up for the display I made at the Museum…
But instead of making this email hugely long telling you about him I’ll type it out again and send it maybe after the weekend. – I’ve probably typed enough for just now.
It’s been fun bringing back happy memories
: )
Jan
From: Jan
To: Lexie
Subject: 15 Rose Street/ Prof Moore (part 1)
Hi Lexie,
Sorry it’s taken me a little while to get back to you but life’s been a bit hectic and I’ve been a little busy.
I promised to tell you a little about Professor Moore – and thinking about it now I think it was probably a good thing you didn’t know anything about him when you were growing up or you might have had nightmares I know I probably would have in your shoes.
Anyway there is no evidence of anything nasty happening in your house – just rumour, and sometimes rumour can be much bigger than the actual event.(and I think Professor Moore’s illegal activities happened at his store in High Street where he had his surgery- not at his home)
I’ve read and written up quite a lot about Professor Moore – But decided that if I sent it all at once it might be a bit overwhelming for you. So I’m going to split it into smaller bits and send it that way. So here’s part one .
I know Grandad told me when he was growing up that Prof Moore was a little old man with a beard who lived next door, who used to like to keep to himself and liked his privacy. There were all sorts of stories going around the town about Professor Moore and him killing babies (being an abortionist), and his relationship with his housekeeper but Grandad’s mother told them to stay away from him and not to listen to stories.
Grandad told me that he could remember as a boy seeing this old man hammering nails into the tops of fence posts and then taking the heads off to make them into nasty sharp spikes and he felt this was to discourage people from prying where they weren’t wanted.
When we moved into No 11 Rose Street in 1990 my brother surveyed the boundaries of our section and found that there were cut-off nails and razor blades embedded in the fence posts and rails of No 15 – although I’m not sure if they were a relic from Professor Moore’s time or whether it was from the druggies who lived there when we arrived. – you could probably tell me if they were there in your time ?
15 Rose Street – photo taken from over back fence
(photo courtesy of CHB Settlers Museum)
But what was there in your time, as it was in his, was the railing fence around the back of the house with rather nasty looking spikes on it – presumably also to discourage prying people from feeling too welcome. The fence is still there today although I have not jumped over our back fence to take a photo of it looking into my neighbour’s backyard as they mightn’t appreciate it too much.(and I’m not a stalker).- I can say the garden is nothing like that now though – just mostly lawn. But you might be able to place the fence and the archway and the back of the house from your memories of growing up in the house.
I think this will probably do for part one. I’ll send a bit more tomorrow.
: – ) Jan
From: Lexie
To: Jan
Subject: 15 Rose Street/ Prof Moore (part 1)
Hi Jan-
You know I can not recall ever hearing of Professor Moore – but Mum would not talk about him if he were an abortionist.
The photo of the house is amazing and thank you so much for sending it and replying to my letter. When we lived there that fence was still there but there was a lot of ivy and hedge around it as well and the gate didn’t open properly and we didn’t use it much
Was Professor Moore a Dr or just a quack? – and if so how come the professor title?
I can not remember there ever being nails or razor blades in the fence. The fence between 11 and 15 was corrugated iron as was the front fence and there was a garage we used to walk through from the footpath. There was an old shed and wood shed along the side parallel with the house and all the rest was a corrugated iron fence.
On the other side next to Bob Donghi was also corrugated iron.
Dad had the back yard in veges – the photo is just amazing – its a long time since I lived there – left in 1960 but I can still visualize our back yard and it was nothing like in the photo of Professor Moore’s time there.
We hope to come to NZ next year as I still have a brother in Havelock North. I am so looking forward to visiting Waipawa.
Your Grandad Ted Bibby from Onga Onga -and he James’s son, and Miss Bibby’s brother. Miss Bibby played such a big part in my childhood.
My Mum was very fond of Kath who would be your Mother – I was a bit of a rebellious daughter – looking back I feel sorry for my Mother as I did give her a hard time.
I’m looking forward to the next installment
Regards
Lexie
From: Jan
To: Lexie
Subject: 15 Rose Street/ Prof Moore (part2)
Hi Again Lexie,
Yes the garden at the back of No 15 is totally different now and if I were to take a photo it would show lots of ivy and periwinkle and nearly every other weed known to mankind growing over the rather ornate back fence and archway.- a bit sad really
There is still a tall corrugated iron fence between no 11 and no15 The same iron as probably in your time – but new posts and rails as the fence blew down in a big gale and the posts were rotten all the way through. So the nails and razor blades have gone. And so has the woodshed and garage which fell over with the fence.
The tall iron fence at the front of the house was there when we first shifted in here, but has gone now – as is the brick retaining wall – which began to lean out so far into the little narrow street of ours that the council declared it a hazard and it had to be bulldozed down. It has been replaced with a timber fence and the gate way has jumped over to the Donghi’s section side.
But essentially the house is the same as probably when you lived there.
Before Aunty Nan died the owner replied it and re-roofed it and had replaced most of the rotten weatherboards – BUT then he was arrested for fraud. Apparently a lot of the improvements on the house that had been done by him were done because he had been collecting several Social Welfare Benefits under different names. He went to jail and that’s when the place started to be rented out . It did sell a couple of times but the owners tends to just use it as a rental property.
________________
Anyway – on to the story of Professor Thomas Frederick Moore
Professor T. F. Moore
(photo courtesy of CHB Settlers Museum)
Professor Moore is thought to have come to Waipawa from Victoria, Australia, where he had been a steam engineer. (I’m not sure how he obtained the title ‘Professor’ – probably it was a title he bestowed upon himself to make his medicines sound more like they were made by someone who knew what they were doing- and it certainly sounds more impressive on his ads)
He lived at 15 Rose Street with his housekeeper Mrs Mary Mills and her grand daughter.
He started his business at the Medical Hall in High Street in 1870, firstly as a photographer, and then later into a wholesale chemist, and also sidelined into Dentistry. (I’m not sure whether I’d let a steam engineer pull out my teeth – but he often advertised that he could extract teeth without pain! I find that VERY hard to believe.)
Professor Moore’s Medical Hall (building with twisty verandah posts)
The surgery was upstairs and the shop downstairs.
He became well known for some of his own remedies especially for his Syrup of Red Gum which for the treatment of coughs and whooping cough
He also became known for illicit abortions – although this was only a rumour, and nothing was proven until in 1902 a young woman who arrived in Waipawa off the Napier train, went to his shop in High Street and then in ‘suspicious circumstances’ died.
Here is the first of a few Newspaper reports of what happened (And thanks to Rosheen from CHB Settlers Museum who gave me the whole Waipawa Mail transcript of Moore’s trial – I will not use all of them as there are pages and pages of them – but I have taken out bits to give you a feeling of what the drama unfolding to the people of Waipawa was like.)
________________________________________
Sudden death body identified
Inquest
Waipawa Mail, November 1st 1902
Mary Ann Mills stated that a person came into Mr Moore’s shop after 11 o’clock that morning. She was a perfect stranger to her. The person was the one now dead. She was in the shop when the person called. Deceased asked if she could lay down for a few moments for she felt very unwell. Witness replied she had no place suitable. Deceased replied that she would soon recover if she could lay down. Witness said that she could go upstairs and lay down for a little time and showed her the room upstairs. Deceased did not get any medicine or anything else at the shop. She left the deceased as she was a stranger. Mr Moore went upstairs and cried out, Oh, she’s foaming at the mouth, and she ran upstairs. She loosened deceased clothing and bathed her head with toilet vinegar. She remained with the deceased while Mr Moore ran for the doctor. Deceased was black all over and did not speak. Dr Ross then came. He said he thought the deceased was in a fit. He said the deceased was dying. It was only three quarters of an hour between the time the deceased arrived and the time she died.
T.F. Moore stated that he was a chemist. He did not know the deceased, nor had he seen her. He could not say where he was when she came into his shop. Mrs Mills told him that there was someone ill upstairs and asked him to see her. He saw the deceased was in a fit and was frothing at the mouth. He called Mrs Mills. Mrs Mills said deceased was quite black and told him to run for the doctor. He did not give the deceased anything
Doctor John Ross, Medical Practitioner, stated that Mr Moore called at his house on Thursday morning and asked him to go quickly to his shop as a woman had fainted. He went at once. The woman was lying on her back on the couch, her clothes were open. Her face was livid, the tongue projecting between her teeth. She was quite dead. On examining her he told Moore to fetch the police.
After examining deceased he noticed that the time was half past twelve o’clock. He could not say positively how long the deceased had been dead. She was quite warm and might have been dead for half an hour.
That afternoon by direction of the Coroner, he made a post mortem examination of the deceased
.
The evidence showed that death resulted from asphyxia. There was no evidence of disease to point where it had originated. The appearance of the deceased clothing accorded with the description of what Mrs Mills had been doing. Mrs Mills took the proper steps under the circumstances
The symptoms were suggestive of convulsions. Convulsions in pregnancy were more liable to occur from intense excitement than at other times, although any intense excitement could induce epilepsy at any time.
There are no post mortem evidences of epilepsy except those of suffocation.
________________________
Well that’s the end of part 2 – it’s probably plenty for now. (I hope its not too much )
What do you think from the evidence at the inquest?
Was Prof Moore responsible for the death? Or not?
I’ll Email more tomorrow
Jan
From: Jan
To: Lexie
Subject: 15 Rose Street/ Prof Moore (part3)
Well, just reading the inquest there doesn’t seem to be much evidence to blame Professor Moore for this young woman’s death… But then we hadn’t heard the word around town – or the people who had seen Lottie alive and seemingly well. She had got off the train from Napier and walked up the main street and been into a few shops. In one shop she bought some gloves and a small purse, and in another she asked about a public telephone – all the people who saw her did not think she looked unwell at all – and yet that was what Professor Moore and Mrs Mills were claiming.
And everyone guessed the reason why Lottie made her trip to Waipawa – the gossip was wild and then….
A Waipawa sensation
Arrest of T.F. Moore and Mary Ann Mills
Moore Charged with Murder
Waipawa Mail, Thursday November 13th 1902
The sudden death of Miss Lottie Ancell, which took place in the shop of TF Moore, On 30th, last month, created a profound impression in Waipawa.
Our readers will remember that Miss Ancell, who had been employed as a clerk in the Clarendon Hotel, Napier, arrived in Waipawa by express train, and according to the evidence given at the inquest, called into Moore’s shop and complaining of feeling unwell, asked to be allowed to rest for a short time. Mrs Mills showed her upstairs, where she lay down on a sofa and Mrs Mills returned to the shop to serve some customers. When she had done this she asked Moore, who had been outside, to go up and see if the girl was better. On seeing her, he said the girl was in a fit and was frothing at the mouth, and called Mrs Mills then ran for Dr Ross. On the doctor’s arrivals, Miss Ancell was dead.
The Medical evidence showed that the deceased had been pregnant 4 or 5 months. The Jury returned a verdict that the deceased had died from natural causes, to wit, asphyxia caused by convulsions.
The fact that Miss Ancell was a perfect stranger in Waipawa and that she died under what were regarded as ‘suspicious circumstances’, caused a great deal of comment in the town, for there was little doubt of the object of her visit here.
The police have had their suspicions aroused and quietly followed up a clue they obtained.
Yesterday morning Inspector McDonnell and Detective Marsack arrived on the scene and arrested Moore on a charge of Murdering Miss Ancell.
Later in the day, Mary Ann Mills was arrested on a charge of aiding and abetting Moore. Both were taken to Napier by the afternoon express and they were brought before the Magistrate at Napier, today, and a remand asked for. Yesterday afternoon Moore’s shop was searched by the police and it is said a good deal of incriminating evidence was obtained, the nature of which we are not at liberty to disclose.
____________________________________
The Waipawa sensation
Today’s evidence – case adjourned
Waipawa Mail, November29th, 1902 (excerpt)
Resuming this morning, Dr Ross said that had the uterus of the deceased. been extended, as he found it, before she left Napier, she would probably have died in Napier instead of at Waipawa. She would not have been able to travel. It might have been possible for the deceased to have caused such dilation herself, but he would not then have expected to find her in the position she was and the instrument would have been lying beside her. Witness found no such apparatus in the room.
From all the circumstances and from his examination of the body there was nothing to lead to the conclusion that deceased could have caused her own death. Death was caused by Titanic convulsion, resulting from anaemia of the brain, which had been caused by embolism of the lungs. He did not wish to retract anything he had said at the inquest.
After giving that evidence he had made further examination of portion of uterus, which he had retained at post mortal, and the result of that examination was the conclusion that the injuries had been made shortly before death. From that he formed the opinion that the uterus had been interfered with in the way he had mentioned.
_____________________________________
The Waipawa sensation
Moore and Mills before the Court
Waipawa Mail, Tuesday February 10th, 1903 (excerpt)
In the course of his charge to the Grand Jury, his Honour Mr Justice Edwards, said the evidence to be adduced by the prosecution in this case would show that Moore had been engaged in procuring abortion on a young woman, and that the housekeeper had been assisting him, not possibly in the actual operation, but in matters of detail connected with it. It was not necessary that the woman should have assisted in the actual operation.
To procure a abortion, as the jury would know was a very serious offence, and the law was that when any person committed any unlawful act through which another person, even though there was no interest or desire on the part of the first person to cause death, that the person was guilty of murder.
____________________________
So the judge wanted BOTH Professor Moore and Mrs Mills to be found guilty of murder…
What will happen?
Part 3 ends…
I’ll send you more tomorrow.
Jan
From: Jan
To: Lexie
Subject: 15 Rose Street/ Prof Moore (part4)
Hi Lexie,
The trial begins but here is where it starts to get interesting.
Remember the story both Moore and Mills told – its about to change – and the doctor too is telling a little bit more than he did at the original inquest
..
The Waipawa sensation
Moore and Mills on their trial.
Waipawa Mail, Thursday February 12th, 1903 (excerpt)
Dr Ross deposed as follows – He was summoned by Moore on October 30th. He found a woman lying on a couch upstairs. Mrs Mills was in the room. He described the condition in which he found the dead body. He read full notes taken by him as the result of post mortem examination. The catheta produced, found by Detective Marsack on Moore’s premises might have caused the abrasion he noticed on the part of the body he described. The separation of certain parts named by him must have been caused by some force, such as the injection of a fluid. Failing fluid, air was the only thing, which he knew could produce such a result. This was not known for purposes of medical practice but it was mentioned in books. He concluded from subsequent examination of the body that the abrasions he had seen had been caused before death.
Had the instruments been used by Lottie Ancell prior to leaving Napier on her journey to Waipawa, she could not have done so without profuse hemorrhage (sic) being produced. Witness did not think it possible that a woman could use instruments for the purpose of forcing air into her system without leaving evidence of such instruments about her. At the inquest he stated that death had resulted from asphyxia, but it was only after making a microscopical examination that he had discerned the cause for it. He now gave as the cause of death air embolism, which was due to air getting into the veins through laceration.
Further Medical Evidence:
Dr Bernanu deposed that if death was due to air embolism it must have been caused but a few minutes before death. It would not have been possible for Lottie Ancell to treat herself in Napier and then take a journey to Waipawa.
__________________________
The Waipawa sensation
The Trial of Moore and Mills
Detective Marsack’s evidence
Waipawa Mail, Saturday February 14th, 1903 (excerpt)
Detective Marsack stated that on October 31st he proceeded to Waipawa to investigate the causes of the sudden death of Lottie Ancell. On the following morning he went into Moore’s shop, where he saw the accused. He took Moore’s statements which was mostly in answer to questions. This statement was read to the jury by the Registrar. It was to the effect that Moore had said that he was out. On his return he was told by Mrs Mills that a young lady had gone upstairs as she did not feel well. Moore went up and found the young lady breathing heavily. He called out for Mrs Mills, and she told him to go for the doctor. He did so and Doctor Ross sent him for the police. He had given the girl no drug or anything else.
Later when the witness said to Mrs Mills We have just arrested Moore on a charge of having caused death of a young girl who died here. She became very excited and said Oh please don’t arrest me, I had nothing to do with it. It’s him that used to do that, not me. I only saw the girl when she first went upstairs, until Moore called me up.
_________________________
Mrs Mill’s statement
(excerpt)
I Mary Ann Mills, have been living with Moore for about 26 years. I know that he used to operate on young women for abortion, but I don’t think he has for two or three years. I want to tell the whole truth about the matter.
On October 30th I did not see Lottie Ancell come into the shop at all. I heard Mr Moore upstairs in the little room. I was in the shop and kitchen; back and forth, all the morning. I could hear Moore moving about upstairs. Doody Ferguson was in the shop and kitchen with me. At about 12 noon I was in the kitchen with Doody Fergusson. Moore came to the door and beckoned me with his finger. I went out of the kitchen to him. He said the young woman upstairs is foaming at the mouth. I said, What woman? He said, The person up there. I ran upstairs and he came with me. As soon as I got to the room I saw a girl lying on the couch. I think she was still alive. I could see her tongue moving. She was lying partly on her back and partly on her left side. Her legs were apart and her clothes were up so far that I could see her private parts. I turned to Moore and said, Now what have you been doing to her? He said Nothing, I have done nothing. I said to him, Go and fetch the doctor quick and he went down and soon after Dr Ross came. I noticed that the girl’s stays were loosened and her clothes disarranged. I was called as witness at the inquest. Before going there Mr Moore urged me to say that he had not seen the girl. I told the inquest what was not true. I have on two or three occasions warned Mr Moore about taking women for operations. I know he used to do it. I have not seen him. About three years ago I read the case of Dr Orpen’s case in Auckland. I then warned Moore and he promised me faithfully that he would not do it anymore. I am telling this entirely of my own free will, as an honest woman. I don’t know why I should suffer for what Moore does. I must have been mad to screen him. I pulled the girl’s clothes straight before the doctor came.
_________________________
The jury were locked up for a night – but were unable to agree – It was a hung jury.
I’m not sure why they could not find Moore guilty of murder
Things seemed to be stacking up against them.
Maybe it was because the Judge had directed they jury that both Moore and Mills were guilty of Murder – even if Mrs Mills hadn’t done the actual act
or maybe it was that they did not think it was murder as Prof Moore did not set out to murder Lottie – and her death was just something that happened as a result of an attempted abortion (and they don’t reason that aborting a baby might be thought of as murder??)
Whatever the reason the jury could not all agree
And so a New Trial was set.
From: Jan
To: Lexie
Subject: 15 Rose Street/ Prof Moore (part 5)
Hi Lexie,
I’d nearly finished the story for you and then I got busy with school stuff – as we have ERO (Education Review Office) coming to school next week to do the school inspection – so everybody at school is rushing around like mad things making sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed. I’m sure they don’t have anything to worry about – but I think every school in New Zealand gets a bit apprehensive when ERO’s coming.
Anyway Here’s the last little bit about Prof Moore – Looking back at all this stuff I’ve sent you I realize that it seems a lot – and perhaps I got a little carried away – but there’s pages and pages of court trial I missed out (I promise) And we don’t have too many infamous characters like Prof Moore . So maybe that explains it
Here is the last chapter
_____________________
The second trial was held almost immediately after the first had finished, and this time Moore was charged with Manslaughter and he was found guilty. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour. He was 69 years old at the time.
His son petitioned the courts for leniency due to his age and failing health and he was released early from jail in 1907 having served nearly four years of his sentence.
Moore never returned to Waipawa after he was released, but lived with his son in Pahiatua for the rest of his life.
Mrs Mills was found guilty of perjury which although the judge viewed it as a serious crime which tends to destroy the foundation of justice, he was more lenient on her. He took into consideration her age, the time she had already spent in jail (4 months), the probation officer’s assessment of her character, and her difficulty in testifying against someone (who although not legally) was like her husband, and he sentenced her to 12 months probation and a fine of £10.10s.
____________________________
Well that’s it Lexie – the whole story! (phew!)
When you do come to New Zealand again, and come back to Waipawa, make sure you go down to the Museum and look at the shop displays just as you come in the front door.
Up above the verandahs there is an old piece of weatherboarding with flakey paint which was originally Professor Moore sign on the side of his shop.
You see in the 1980’s all the shops on one side of the main road (the railway line side) were deemed to be tatty and beyond repair.
There was a new shopping centre built around the back of the other side of the main road (near Nellie Jull Park) and so all the scruffy shops were pulled down and turned into carparking space.
When they pulled off the cladding of one of the shops they were demolishing, they found the original weatherboards underneath with Prof Moore’s sign on it. Fortunately someone had the forethought of saving this piece of Waipawa’s history and it went into the Museum.
So there it stays TF Moore – Dentist, Chemist. Portrait Gallery is open daily and the bit I find the most amusing – Teeth extracted without pain – which I find very hard to believe! Don’t you?
Also when they pulled down that building they found teeth under the floorboards of the upstairs room – maybe they got there when subsequent owners relined walls or something – I don’t know.
And down in the basement they found some old glass bottles that were embossed with Prof Moore’s own brand
these bottles are also in the museum in the little dentist shop display (under Prof Moore’s sign) – which probably bottled some of his own remedies such as Syrup of Red Gum
Both bottles illustrated are make of aqua glass.
The larger bottle has a rubbing taken from the embossing on front panel.
Anyway that’s it for now.
Hope you didn’t find all this too overwhelming – from one innocent little question that you didn’t know who Prof Moore was and suddenly you’re swamped under with all this.
As you can see I get quite into all this history stuff and find it really interesting.
Now I’d better go and do something useful with the day
Hope you’re keeping well
Jan