After purchasing Simon Buchholz’s business in Motueka, Abraham Manoy made immediate plans for improvements and alterations to the store building, and over the ensuing years added to his business empire.
Keen to cater to the needs of the rural community he built, in June 1890 a large brick building in High Street to be used as a store for grain, hops and other local produce.
The same year, he erected a small butter factory to take in butter to export by packing it into enamelled kegs.
The plant was situated at the rear of his premises but detached from the other building. To expand in 1892, he erected a new butter factory in Riwaka, which opened in November.
Not being a man to stand still, Abraham rebuilt the High Street premises, built and opened a Ham and Bacon factory in 1898, undertook more additions and alterations to his building to sell furniture and ironmongery in 1899, and purchased the old butter factory at Kaituna in 1901.
Further advances were made with a new creamery built at Brooklyn in 1903. A dressmaking service was added to the High Street business, more additions and alterations to his furniture warehouse in June 1903, and the erection of another large brick building, next to the furniture warehouse, for a drapery department. In September 1906 Abraham purchased the Motueka flour mill which burned down in 1919. By 1909 his sons joined him in business, which was renamed Manoy & Sons.
Deserving a well-earned rest Abraham and Maria took a trip to Africa and England in January 1909 but Maria became unwell and by the time they reached Durbin she was worse. Son Harry was living in Africa at this time, so accompanied his parents back to England. On reaching London Maria continued to deteriorate, dying there in June 1910. Abraham and Harry returned to New Zealand soon after.
In December 1912 Manoy’s warehouse in High Street was badly scorched from a fire and most of the stock was ruined by water damage.
On the morning of 29, January 1913, the community woke to the news that Abraham had passed away overnight. His body was taken to Wellington for burial, as there were no Jewish burial grounds in Motueka.
The baton then passed to sons Lionel, Albert and Harry.
Keeping abreast of modern techniques, the sons opened a new and up-to-date butter factory at Riwaka, some 35 years after opening the original factory.
In the early hours of 2 August 1938, a fire broke out in the lounge room of the Post Office Hotel.
It quickly spread, and a south-westerly wind helped to fan the sparks across to Pah St and onto Manoy’s Stores, and to the block of shops on the eastern side of High St, also owned by the Manoy brothers resulting in a total rebuild.
A few days later, Lionel and Harry purchased Glover’s Flat Gold Syndicate claim and employed men to carry out sluicing.
Harry died in Motueka on 15 December 1954, and Lionel in 1960. The business continued until the 1980’s, run by Leo’s son.
One cannot finish the story without mentioning the generosity of the Manoy family. They repeatedly gave to the community with their time, donations of money and items, too numerous to mention, including donating some land in July 1945 in Pah St for the memorial hall and community centre.
