Not far from Ponsonby Road [L2D18]

Another afternoon jog. Varied where I ran, although still fairly local, as is advised during lockdown. I went through a part of Freemans Bay which is on the eastern slopes from Ponsonby Road, and not somewhere I have really been in all these years in Auckland.

Paget Street is a short street joining Anglesea Street to Picton Street, and part way along was this building. On the facade is the name Queen's Hall. This building is adjacent to where Mr Alex Thorne had built his large home. Subsequently this was built, reputedly also by Mr Thorne so thathis daughter would have somewhere to sing. It was opened by the Auckland Mayor (Arthur Myers) on 04 August 1906. The Auckland Star newspaper reported that Mrs Alex Thorne was the owner. Apparently the intention was that charges for attendance would do no more than meet costs. A ticket for the second concert shows the cost as two shillings. Only about ten years before the Prime Minister of New Zealand had a campaign slogan of promising workers "Eight hours work, eight hours play,  eight hours sleep and eight bob a day." Two shillings therefore would be earned by two hours work.

The old hall is now a private residence.

My extra for today is the Westpark Marina in the upper Waitemata harbour just after sunrise.