Symonds St at the Karangahape Rd corner, circa 1880s. (NZ Herald Archives)
Symonds St at the Karangahape Rd corner, circa 1880s. (NZ Herald Archives)
Tamaki farmer and horseman Robert Douglas is our New Zealander of the year for saving the lives of three children in a runaway carriage careering down Symonds St.
The children - May, Rebecca and Ethel Wollams - had set out that morning in a four-wheel buggy for a picnic atSt Heliers. They were accompanied by their mother, two of her friends and their sister Nellie.
But coming down Mt Eden Rd the horse accelerated and Mrs Pullan, who was driving, lost control. She was pitched out of the buggy as they went round a bend, taking the reins with her.
Without the reins there was no chance of regaining control and Mrs Wollams, her friend Miss Hansen and daughter Nellie jumped off, leaving May, Rebecca and Ethel to go on a wild and potentially deadly ride down Symonds St. The big fear was that the horse would veer down Wellesley at speed and almost certainly tip the buggy, with fatal consequences.
Thankfully, Robert Douglas saved the day. "The runaway had the start of him by 300 yards," reported the Herald, "but being well mounted, he rode in pursuit, and on overtaking it, raced alongside till he got an opportunity of stooping in the saddle and clutching the reins.
"He headed the horse past Wellesley St, towards the Choral Hall, but he was only able to pull up the horse gradually in a distance of 300 yards, as he had to guard against the danger of being dragged out of his saddle.
"The whole thing was done with cool courage and judgment."
Tragically, Miss Hansen died from head injuries she suffered when jumping out of the buggy but it would have been much worse without Douglas' intervention.
