Written on pieces of paper with blue ballpoint pen: “Jack Cotter, Gladstone Rd. school bus. ” and “This photo presented by Mrs Eunita Trotter, married to William Trotter. The photo shows the 1st Levin school bus that travelled along Gladstone Rd. as far as the Pipe Bridge. There was a gate on the road there, but the Trass boys walked from much further up the road, probably where Poultons farm now is.
Mr & Mrs Jack Cotter (mother nee Mary Russel) came to Levin in 1902. They first lived in Queen St. West, opposite Te Kowhai (house burn’t down few years ago). They then moved to Gladstone Rd. opposite where Jack Honore now lives. Mrs Trotter thinks some people called Burns had an orchard on the land previously. The Cotter family had 8 children. Mrs Trotter now the only one left in Levin. When bus first started Mrs Trotter thinks in 1927, one of the teachers to travel on the bus was Miss Dyer, she is now Mrs Tui Adkin, married to Clifford Adkin, living at Queen St. East.”
Also from Mrs Trotter: “Mr & Mrs G.K. Wilson lived at Te Kowhai in the early 1900’s. When they moved they then lived in Arapaepae Rd. in the house recently owned by Mr & Mrs T. Ecclesfield. It has very large Rhododenron trees and opposite.”
First Levin School ‘Bus’, c.1927 – a covered wagonette pulled by two horses. The rear wheels of the wagonette are larger than the front wheels. A number of adults and children appear to be riding both inside and outside the bus.
1 Sepia tone print
? Jack Cotter driver, Gladstone Road.
Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”
