I have just completed, with son Rob’s help, a basic plan for the weekend of 1st April.
How to get there:The Allanton Cemetery is 10 minutes away from Mosgiel, heading South. The turning off the main Road HW1, is at the corner where there is a large display of farm machinery. From there it is only a couple of hundred metres to the cemetery. It is on the left up a steep but fully sealed drive leading to an extensive new sealed carpark, at the top of the small hill. The cemetery has just recently been reopened and refurbished so this is a good opportunity to make this monument to our common ancestor.
Timing:As many folk are coming up from the South on the day, it is planned to stage the small formal part of the day at 1.30 pm at the cemetery. This leaves plenty of time for an “After-match function”!At the cemetery we will have a very short dedication – led by Dugald Garrett, and unveiling of the monument, ending with a few words from family historian Joy Samson.
After-Match Function:We have booked the Function Room at the Taieri Motel/Hotel complex on Gordon Road – on the left as you go into the town of Mosgiel – easily located! And only 10 minutes from Allanton. We have this to ourselves from 2 pm till 5 pm and we can order our drinks, light food, tea and coffee from the friendly staff. I have told Mike, in charge, that I will get back to him with the likely number, so do please indicate if you will be joining us for this family backslapping session.
Accommodation:Many, if not most, may wish to stay over. We don’t recommend Taieri Motels [attached to the hotel] but we have pencilled in a booking at Regency Motels – also on Gordon Road just a few blocks along. If you wish to take up a booking, please ring the motels Management as soon as possible with your group’s requirements. The back-up motels are the Bella Vista, if the Regency is fully booked by the time you get onto it. You may wish to arrive the night before – Friday 31st – or possibly stay over till the Monday and do some more exploring of the old haunts. Please make your own arrangements in this regard.To assist our overseas arrivals, we have made bookings for, Robert, Maria, Liz & Ward for Friday night – through to Saturday night, 1 x 2bd unit. Because of varying flight arrival times,. Barbara & Nick& Dugald and Philip are booked for Saturday-Sunday nights - 2 x 1 bd unitsThere are 18 units. Please phone 0800 162 162 to make your own booking and mention clearly that you are part of the Garrett Reunion.
Birthday Bash TooRobert Lovell Garrett is seventy on 1st April! We plan a celebration dinner at a local restaurant in Mosgiel – so handy! We have booked the licensed Weavers’ Retreat on Factory Road – for 7 pm. Again we’d need to know if you are going to join us, to be fair to the chef- who is a very nice man. I suggest we all go for a set menu of very tasty fare which he is willing to put on for $32 for 3 courses. A cake will be cut.
Other Activities:Whilst you are in the area, you might like to take a look at some of the associated sites and interesting places around the region:
- Taieri Gorge train trip – stop at the Reefs Station [Barewood] and get time for a look around before rejoining the train on the homeward trip [$63.00]
- Tour the Albatross Colony etc at Taiaroa Heads, Otago Peninsula [$28-00]
- Pop into the Early Settlers Museum by the Dunedin Railway Station and find our ancestors there?
- Tour Larnach Castle – [$20.00]
- Take a car trip round to Outram and Hindon – old stamping grounds
- Wet Day? Tour old mansion Olveston,[$14.50] go on Cadbury’s Factory tour [$15-00] or Speights Brewery Tour [ $15.00]
The above information is just a guide. You are expected to make your own arrangements for the most part.
*The dinner booking is quite important! We will need to confirm that number by the week before, to help out our chef.
You can reply by email or write – particularly if you are sending a monument cheque!
It has given us great pleasure to help organise this occasion.
Contact List so Far
Bert Garrett’s Lot:
Barbara Tzvetkoff
Nick Tzvetkoff
Greg Tzvetkoff
Dugald Fergus Garrett
Robert Lovell Garrett
Malcolm William Garrett
Patricia Susan Ross
John Malcolm Garrett
Robert [Rob] George Garrett
Marian Elizabeth Milne
Philip Louis Garrett
Elizabeth Mary Helms
Phillip William Garrett’s Lot:
Cynthia Gordon
Barbara Pasco & family members in Invercargill
Anne Marie Baird
Sylvia Garrett’s Lot
Alyse Holloway
Noeline Gill
Others – sorry to lump you together!
Colin & Ron Garrett
Juliet [Coker] Rose and her 2 sisters
Joy Samson
George Garrett [of Heriot]
Most of the above have spouses who may or may not attend, so you can see we will have quite a group.
So if you know of more contacts please feel free to pass on the info., but make sure they let us know they are coming.
Rob Garrett lives in Mosgiel and is happy to provide a local contact should it be needed. His phone number is:03 489 8889
I hope to have a press release ready in the next week, to help publicise our efforts and bring a few more names out of the “woodwork”. It will, I hope, be published in the ODT and the Taieri Star community paper.
Cheers
