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  Totara Estate - Ned's Abode  

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Uploaded: 02/16/17 12:08 AM GMT
Totara Estate - Ned's Abode
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Part of Ned's Room in the Mens Quarters at Totara Estate
"Ned The Shiner" was an Irish Swagman well known in the area.
His real name was Edmond Slattery. He was born in County Clare and first went to Australia with his family. He came to New Zealand in 1873 and despite being well educated he preferred life on the road. He timed many of his visits to Totara to coincide with the Caledonian Society's Sports Day held on New Years Day and always demonstrated his proficiency in the Irish Jig which was on the program along with piping and athletics. He was known as a benevolent joker, with a liking for whisky. He was considered an honest man and liked by all he came in contact with.
He dressed as well as he could and was a striking figure over 6 feet tall. He must have had a great constitution because in spite of his hard life on the road in the lower part of the South Island he died aged 87 in 1927.

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::biffobear
02/16/17 12:58 AM GMT
i bet he had a Billabong too..Good Image...R.
1∈ [?]
I wish I was a Glow Worm, a Glow Worm's never glum, 'cause how can you be grumpy, when the sun shines out your bum?
::tigger3
02/16/17 2:38 PM GMT
Good inside capture, I like the stone walls, and overall feel of this one. tigs=^..^=
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Nature in all her glory is my uplift on life and so is my love of photography. sandi ♪ ♫
::Ramad
02/16/17 3:44 PM GMT
An interesting reminder not only of Ned but also of how they lived those days.
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Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors.
.GomekFlorida
02/16/17 7:03 PM GMT
A great part of Kiwi history!
1∈ [?]
Long before the white man and long before the wheel, when the dark green forests were too silent to be real. Lightfoot 1967
::corngrowth
02/17/17 11:57 AM GMT
Very interesting image and narrative, Lyn.
'Swagmen' however was an unknown phenomenon to me. So I've searched and found on the net that they were homeless people called this way by Australian and New Zealand people, because they carried a swag around with them, which was a rolled up sleeping mat and waterproof blanket.

Thanks for a very good addition to this series!
2∈ [?]
Try to change what you can't accept, but accept what you can't change. Please CLICK HERE to see my journal! Feel free to save my images or to add them to your favorites.

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