Happy memories of Cannons Creek
Residents recall the early days
Cannons Creek is today the heart of Porirua’s vibrant Pacific Island community. But it didn’t start that way. Initially the suburb was known for farming. Four families were important in the suburb’s early years: the Sievers, Mexteds, Mahers and Windleys.
The families ran sheep and dairy herds until the land was needed for housing in the 1930s.
However, the main growth of housing really began during the 1950s post- war boom.
Some street names in Cannons Creek come from the established families such as the Mungavins. Others were named after colonial ships from the early years of New Zealand, including Warspite.
The name Cannons Creek comes from the stream that flows through the area from Cannons Head.
Kapi-Mana News asked readers what they could remember about Cannons Creek’s early days.
Shar Muncey recalled living in Warspite Ave when the houses opposite were still being built.
‘‘Cannons Creek was our main hangout,’’ she wrote on our Facebook page.
‘‘You could leave your doors unlocked and windows open with no worries. It was a great place to live back then. A young city with so much going for it. So much has changed.’’
Muncey said she went to Windley School then Cannons Creek School, and one of her first jobs was at Mackenzies in Porirua.
Jan Nicol said her parents, Maurie and Lorraine Fox, moved to Sievers Grove in 1958, when the road finished at the top of the hill.
‘‘Dad was a milkman and his run moved up through Porirua as each new area opened. He also worked for Bill Ashford at the grocer’s in Corinna St before opening a small toy shop,’’ Nicol said.
‘‘I have happy memories of growing up in early Porirua. Windley School, St John’s in the old library, Brownies at the Scout Hall in Gear Tce, softball and walking home after working school holidays at Grants Bookshop in the town centre.’’
Paul Kidd lived in Mungavin Ave in about 1956, when his house was the last in Porirua East and the rest of the area was still farm land.
Michael Duncan lived in Mungavin Ave in 1959.
‘‘We went mushrooming where the shopping centre in Cannons Creek is and watched as the diggers and earthmovers created the artificial lake which was to be a swimming hole,’’ Duncan said.
‘‘Our family were foundation pupils at Holy Family School and our parents, along with many other Catholic parents in the district, helped the construction company build the school, church and convent.’’
Lisa Redden said her parents lived in Champion St before moving to Titahi Bay in 1965.
‘‘My dad was trying to remember parts of this photo. He said you can see the school my sister went to.’’