Brian Holden: Lockwood home memories

It is with sadness I heard the news the co-founder of Lockwood Homes, Jo La Grouw Sr had died.

Still, thanks to a healthy lifestyle, at 98 he had a better innings than most. Rotorua can be proud to know that Lockwood houses originated right here in our city and can now be seen in many parts of the world.

After moving to Rotorua in the early 1950s, my parents were among the first to own a Lockwood and we kids thought it was really cool to live in a house with such an innovative method of construction.

I can remember my grandmother staying with us and commenting on the knot holes in the exposed wood, saying how nice it would look once the house was finished. Now here's a story that will make you chuckle.

Because of their radical "lock wood" method of construction The Lockwood company from what I understand, had to convince the lending institutions that their newly designed homes were a safe and sound investment.

In those days, the principal public lender was State Advances (Now Housing NZ).

In order for them to approve the homes, an inspection of existing Lockwoods was carried out, and for better or for worse; our family home at 116 Otonga Rd was on their list.

My parents were advised that on a certain day, the bigwigs from State Advances would visit us and look through our house.

Our family felt privileged to have such important people albeit only as fleeting guests in our humble but modern Lockwood home.

But on the big day, it turned out to be one huge embarrassment.

Somehow the days got messed up, with a flash ministerial car arriving at our house unexpectedly. Oh dear.

My mother had been caught off guard and the tidiness of the house was not fit for accepting guests. In fact, from what my mother said afterwards, the place was a shambles.

My dear mum, since deceased, was not the best of housekeepers which was not helped by four energetic kids, meaning that the house was subject to much clutter.

With the intent of having things ship shape for the ministerial visit, she was horrified to be confronted unexpectedly at the door, by a group of officials dressed in suits. Through the house the men marched, stepping around toys, discarded items of clothing, not to mention the piles of linen waiting to be ironed and the unmade beds. Not a good look.

With hardly a word spoken apart from a "thank you Mrs Holden", they got back into their ministerial car and drove away. I recall my mother saying that the big boss from Lockwood who had accompanied the ministers was absolutely furious having been subjected to such an embarrassing encounter. Embarrassing indeed and certainly no bouquet for my mother, but perhaps they had made the mistake of rolling up on the wrong day. And anyway, the company did pass the test of meeting public housing loan requirements. I know, because that's how I bought my own Lockwood a decade later.

Ah 'tis the season for flags, flags and more flags. What better way to parade one's passion for a country, cause, or sports team. Being a lover of flags, I think it's neat to see them flying from cars, houses, trees and goodness knows what. Great stuff - and it's what our country's spirit needs right now. With our country well entrenched in Rugby World Cup madness, just about anything you see is bound to have a flag hanging from it. The mind boggles.