Wallingford/Jarlov Family Trees

Levin Chronicle 1973
A man who knew this district with an intimacy that has been the experience of few, died in Palmerston North recently. From a pioneering background, the late Richard Allan Prouse was a true son of Levin, being brought up in the atmosphere that saw its development from bush to borough.

Among the Earliest Settlers

The late Mr Allan Prouse was the only son of Richard and Christina (Granny) Prouse who were among Levin's earliest settlers. They lived in a two-storey house behind the Prouse mill at Weraroa (where the Power Board depot now is), which was one of a number of Prouse Brothers' timber mills in the district.

Another Prouse brother, James and his wife Clara, were established in Queen Street East. This was also a two-storey dwelling built on identical lines to the one at Weraroa.

The house that Richard and Christina lived in was demolished in 1959. An account of this is in "The Chronicle" of February 14 of that year. It was cut into sections when demolished and the timber was used in other buildings, notably a block of flats in MacArthur Street. The Queen Street house still stands.

There was another brother, John, well-known as a singer, who it is understood stayed on in Wellington to look after a timber yard there after it was decided to establish a mill at Levin. Previously, they had mills at Whiteman's Valley and Wainuiomata.

This move to Levin took place in 1891. The late Mr Prouse was born in Levin on September 10, 1894 and was christened Richard Allen John McGregor Prouse. He was a descendant of Richard and Mary Prouse who arrived at Petone Beach in the barque Duke of Roxburgh. This ship (477 tons) left Plymouth on October 5, 1839. The skipper, Captain James Thompson, was lost overboard off St. Stephen's Island. A reunion of the Prouse family was held at Wainuiomata on February 8, 1965.

As was suggested at his funeral service in St Andrew's Presbyterian Church (conducted by Rev. R. A. G. Maddock) it was not surprising that the late Mr Prouse, raised in the environment of native bush, steam engines and logging camps, developed a close affinity for the wonders of nature.

A nephew, Mr F. W. (Winton) Parker, told "The Chronicle" these were the interests which stayed with him all his life. Mr Parker said: "He knew all the species of trees and flora of the bush and could identify timber by sight and smell."

Even the snails on the forest floor he could readily identify. He had what was probably the finest collection of specimens of hand snails and sea shells in the country, representing some 40 years of work. Many are from this district, but he travelled widely throughout the country in his search.

All are carefully indexed and displayed on trays in a cabinet made from a specially selected tree felled in the area of north Manakau Road. Mr Allan Prouse worked in close liaison with a cousin, the late Mr H. S. (Bert) Prouse and they found enthusiastic help from Mr A. W. P. Powell, acting director of the Auckland Museum. A species of snail discovered in the West Coast of Nelson province during one of the missions is named after Mr Prouse - Paryphanta Superba Prouserum - and is one of the prized specimens in the collection. The snail hunting activities of these three men in the Horowhenua area was the subject of an article in "The Chronicle" on December 31, 1945.

For Museum

It is not yet known what will happen to this magnificent collection but it is likely that it will ultimately end up in a museum. Mr Parker's son, Mark, a grand-nephew to the late Mr Prouse, also takes a keen interest in native snails and has his own collection, which was a delight to Mr Prouse who encouraged him greatly. Snail hunting was
only one interest, but it was an absorbing one. Even when unable to walk about, members of the family took him out and he directed them to remote areas, some of which he had not visited in 30 years, but where he would recall there had been colonies and he was always right. The last such field trip was only three months ago, Mr Parker recalled.

Membership of the Native Flora Club and Levin-Waiopehu Tramping Club were natural inclinations for a man who loved the outdoors but on tramping exhibitions [sic] into the Tararuas he used to recall he only made Waiopehu Hut once. There were too many things to interest him on the way and he would stop to pick specimens or photograph them while the main party pressed on.

Another collection which was accumulated by the late Mr Prouse were all the programmes from the various amateur musical shows, right up to present days.

Interest in Music

His wife, who predeceased him by just over a year, shared his interest in music. Mrs Prouse (nee Nessie Williamson) came from a pioneer district family. She also was very musical and played the piano. Mr Prouse played the double bass (more commonly known now as a slap bass) in all the local shows and in the days of the silent movies where orchestration was needed to give the necessary sound effects.

The Prouse families went over to farming after the bush was largely cut out. The late Mr Allan Prouse went into dairying and also sheep. He had a property on Tararua Road, but much of this land was taken over by the Government for the Air Force landing field during the war years and after the war, he never really returned to farming, Mr Parker recalled.

Always Busy

But, added Mr Parker, "I don't think you could say he ever really retired. He was always busy and never wasted a minute of his time." He was interested in the establishment of industry here and it is on much of the original Prouse land that many factories now stand. He had a financial interest in one factory and often "popped in"
to chat to the staff and was a very popular figure.

Gift was a typical act

One of the acts typical of the late Mr Allan Prouse was his donation of mill stones which he retrieved from a disused Maori flour mill at Poroutawhao for inclusion in the stonework of the entrance to the Lake Domain. They were rescued by Mr Prouse from the remains of the derelict mill which, it is said, was last operated by a group of
Catholic Monks. Reference to this mill is contained in the book Early Horowhenua.

The late Mr Allan Prouse was a very happy, good natured character, always with a good story readily at hand. He liked people and was interested in being in their company. Even in his last days, he craved knowledge of things around him. Information he gleaned from his studies of nature and the history of the district he was always ready to pass on. His memory was outstanding.

Although he could afford to be well-dressed, he preferred a pair of old leather boots, trousers with braces, and an open necked work shirt and old hat. Although there was a modern car in the garage of his home it was rarely used by Mr Prouse. He much preferred a little half-ton truck runabout.

That is how many Levin people privileged to know Richard Allan Prouse will remember him... a man who learnt much from the environment in which he grew up, accepted this knowledge humbly and set out to ensure that those who followed would benefit by his research and endeavours.

PHOTOS

A picture showing Mr Prouse (second from right) in the casual garb in which he was most at home. It is understood he was helping a friend, Mr W. W. Jamieson, clear a Bartholomew Road section.

A view of Prouse's Mill. The two-storey Prouse homestead is shown in the background at the right. Today, Beardsley and Pearce backs onto it. The Horowhenua Electric Power Board depot is where the mill once stood.