Tuesday 7 June 2016

School gates



These gates stood outside Grey Main Primary School, 
Greymouth, New Zealand. (My old primary school).
They are a memorial to the men who served in the
 two world wars who had attended the school.
Even after the school was demolished they stood proudly 
outside the school grounds of what was a training institution
 of some sort until they disappeared one night in rather mysterious circumstances (in 2010, I believe). It transpired that some men had decided they were serving no good purpose and took it on themselves to dispose of them. Of course when the community discovered them missing the following morning there was a huge hue and cry and they were later recovered from the bush where they had been unceremoniously dumped. They were duly rescued and reinstated in the community, not at the original school site but at the main entrance to Dixon Park, a lovely childrens playground and gathering place for the community. There was some damage done but, as luck would have it, not a lot. I have to say I love to see them where they are now, standing proud once more.

joining Tom for Tuesday's Treasures

15 comments:

  1. Great gates and a luck, that you have still a place of mwemories
    (my primary school is a private villa again and the middle school - build only 1970-74 - was destroyed a few years ago)
    Have a nice time

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  2. I can't imagine that people tried to destroy these. Thankful they were recovered and enjoyed again.

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  3. And here I thought that the destruction of past happened only here, I sorry to be wrong. Honoring the past is important. Thanks Diana for stopping by and sharing this week, I hope that you hurry back.

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  4. It is a must to enlarge the photo for seeing all the details of this nice gate at the new place.

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  5. what a great story! Thank you.

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  6. beautiful gates and i enjoyed the story!

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  7. Philistines! Those are very noble looking, proud gates and I'm so glad they were restored and set up again at this new site!

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  8. I m glad they were recovered. Why must people be so determined to have their own little say. They belong there.

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  9. Beautiful gates and a great story!

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  10. I can imagine the anger of the community when those beautiful gates were stolen. Why on earth would any idiot do such a horrible thing? So glad they were safely recovered and what better place for the memorials to stand guard than at a playground.

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  11. I casn't believe someone would steal those beautiful gates then just dump them out the bush. I would've at least sold or used them myself (if I was criminally minded of course) but to just dump them is totally senseless. No wonder the community was outraged. The stone gate pillars are beautiful too.

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    1. I believe the pillars went as well Tony, so it had to be quite an operation to achieve it - someone was well prepared.

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  12. Wow, I can't believe they decided to get rid of the gates! I'm glad they were recovered and moved to the park. Thanks for sharing the history behind them.

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St Kilda Beach

Dunedin, Otago.