BY ROBYN PARKES
Thomas Samuel Tidd Jnr was born in 1842 in Nelson. His parents Thomas and Elizabeth, nee Eyles, had arrived on board the ship Mary Ann seven months prior to Thomas being born.
In 1866, he married Louisa Midgley, and the couple made their home on a section cut out of the bush at Wai-iti. With roads that were little more than tracks, bullock carts were the main source of transport. Many of the residents in the area were known to walk to Brightwater and even Richmond, to attend church services and purchase supplies.
Louisa was born at Brightwater in 1845 to Henry and Mary Ann Midgley, nee Seymour. Her parents had arrived in New Zealand in 1839 and 1840 respectively on board the ships Bolton and London. Thomas and Louisa later relocated to Foxhill, where he carried out a business as a farmer and brewer. He was a member of the Mansion of Peace Lodge and of the Forest Lodge and was also for a time elected to the Foxhill School committee. The couple had 11 children, although not all reached adulthood.
Thomas, in partnership with Eliab Baigent, opened ‘Wakefield Brewery’ which they operated from a building at the rear of Eliab’s home until August 1893 when the partnership was dissolved, leaving Thomas to continue on his own. When Eliab, requiring a slower pace in life, moved to another home, Thomas took over the house in 1898 and opened ‘Tidd’s Boarding House” and in 1901 Louisa advertised her tearooms offering refreshments at all hours for cyclists, cricketers and holidaymakers. Louisa continued to run the house and tearooms after Thomas died in 1909.
A serious accident occurred in January 1903 when Louisa and daughter Mary were driving home in the late afternoon and on reaching the school bank the trap broke, and while descending a steep grade struck the bank.
Louisa was thrown onto the horse before falling onto the road. Dr. Pearless, who was close by, heard the screams and arrived shortly after the accident. After tending to Louisa he arranged for her to be carried home on a stretcher. After a full examination it was found that she had only suffered from shock and bruising.
Four years after Thomas died, Louisa put her total property up for auction to be sold in one lot. The auction took place in Nelson on Saturday, 25 January, 1913 and included the brewery, public hall and boarding house at Wakefield.
The brewery was listed as a large building, the boarding house as having 10 rooms and conveniences, a large hall used for public meetings, dances etc, a large building used as a bottling store, fitted with a brick oven, outbuildings and a five-stalled stable, with the property having two frontages to the main road and within three minutes of the railway station, post office, school and recreation ground.
Louisa moved into Washington Valley, Nelson and remained there for the rest of her life. She died at her son’s home on 12 September, 1934 aged 89 years.
