Jacksons of Olrig Station, The

The Jackson’s of Olrig Station Settlement

It gives me great pleasure to be at this luncheon today to celebrate the settlement of the Olrig Station blocks 100 years ago.

In 1906 my Grandfather Frederick Arthur Jackson and Family from Jackson‘s on the Otira Gorge, West Coast, moved north on the advice of Richard John Seddon who told him that a block of land in Hawke‘s Bay was going to be broken up for settlement. Taking a good horse wagon team with him Fred was lucky enough to draw a “Marble” for one of those blocks in the Olrig settlement in 1907. All that was on the farm was an old iron shed originally the cook house of “Olrig” and an implement shed.

Using his team of horses, Fred broke in the land, clearing manuka stumps, ploughing up the land for new pasture; he also carried freight for the neighbours. His neighbour next door…William Robert Andrew Elliott was also doing the same, and there was great rivalry between the two when ploughing, as neither wanted to be the first to finish for the day. There was much sharing of equipment between the Elliott’s and the Jackson’s. I remember hearing about the old horse drawn grass seed spreader going from property to property.

All the timber for Fred’s new home was carted from the Kereru Mill. Fred camped in a tent while the home was being built; the family lived in Hastings. He named the Farm “Cragieburn”. His wife Lillias and family, Jessie, Fred, Lily, Jeanie and Harry (my Father), moved back to Mangatahi when the Home was built in 1909.

Fred died in 1927 at the early age of 56. Lillias moved back to Hastings where she remained till her death at the age of 81.

On the sudden death of his Father, Harry returned to “Cragieburn” from Porangahau where he had been working. He married Jean Orr two years later. My sister Judith was born just days after the 1931 Earthquake. I arrived four years later! The old Olrig shed that had been used for years as a woolshed fell down in 1944 and a new one was built. After I left school I worked on the farm with my Parents.

Harry and Jean retired to Havelock North in the early 1960’s and I took over the property.

In 1958 I married Jill Klingender; we raised a family Paul, Graeme and Pip and spent 36 happy years at “Cragieburn” many improvements were done, a bridge built over the Mangatahi Stream opened up the access to the main part of the property, fences were replaced, subdivision of the farm continued and new pasture was sown.

Paul and Graeme both worked on the farm with me, till they moved to follow their own interests.

In 1992 we sold “Cragieburn” and moved to Havelock North, Jill died a few years later.

Fred, Harry and I owned “Cragieburn” for 85 years in succession before I retired.

Bob…your family out-lasted us!

One Hundred years – Congratulations.

My thanks to Bob, Joyce, David and their families for arranging this occasion giving us an opportunity to reminisce about the 100 years since our ancestor’s “marbles” proved lucky in 1907.

G. Campbell Jackson
100 years to 2007