The Ferryman's cottage
This plaque was installed by the Albert Town Community Association with support from a donation by Nicola and Charlie Jacobsen. The post was donated by Templeton Engineering.
1872 - mary anne norman
Ferryman’s Cottage, located at 4 Arklow Street, is a historic residence that has housed several of the district’s prominent figures. The land where the cottage now stands became the property of Mary Anne Norman on September 8th, 1872—it was rare at the time for a woman to hold a property title in her own right. Mary Anne and her husband, Henry Norman built a two-bedroom cottage on the site sometime between September 1872, when the title was Issued and Henry’s death in 1879. According to their eldest daughter, Mary Ellen Norman (born in 1865), her father built the cottage himself. (Source: Skirt Tales)
Mary Ellen married George Ballantyne at the age of 17, and they lived at Ferryman’s Cottage, where George took over the farm from Richard Norman in 1908. Mary Ellen and George later moved with their seven children to Table Hill Farm at Mt Barker.
The cottage was rented by a Mr. Harrison for a short period.
1905 - SARAH TEMPLETON
Mary Anne Norman died intestate (leaving no will), and it took some time to find her youngest daughter—the only surviving child—and get the paperwork necessary to enable the property to be transferred to James and Sarah Templeton in 1910.
Again, the property was held in the wife’s name, Sarah Templeton. James was the puntman (ferryman) from 1905 to 1917. For several years, there was no form of communication at the ferry landing stages. Prospective passengers had to yell to attract the ferryman’s attention. To remedy this, James installed an electric bell system between the puntman’s hut, the cottage, and the punts on the Clutha River so those wishing to cross the river could summon him at any time. He also requested and received a bicycle from the Vincent County Council so he could speed up the service between the two punts.
James and Sarah Templeton had a large family of twelve children, six boys and six girls, and for many years lived in three small houses set close together in what is known as Ferryman’s Cottage. In due course, the cottage was extended and they all lived under one roof.
1941 - Aunt sue's
After Sarah Templeton’s death in November 1941, the cottage was left to their five unmarried children, with the ownership eventually transferring to Susie Templeton. The cottage became known as ‘Aunt Sue’s’. Susie’s brother Brice went to WW2 despite being underage. Susie was a District Nurse, Plunket Nurse, and Karitane nurse. She never drove a car and always rode a bicycle to tend to the sick and shop in Wanaka.
Susie was a teetotaler, whereas Brice was the opposite. Susie was a staunch Presbyterian, never believed in gambling, never took a ticket in a raffle but would happily give a donation. Susie was very caring and was known to take in sick babies, and often helped deliver babies at Ferryman’s Cottage when the mother couldn’t make it to Cromwell Hospital. She was at everyone’s beck and call. There was a saying in the district if you want your car fixed go to Templeton’s Workshop. If you want milk, go to Templeton’s. If you want a midwife, go to Templeton’s.
Brice and Susie Templeton lived at the cottage until Susie’s death in 1980. Brice sold the cottage to Michael and Sherry Taylor in August 1982.
Murray and Joyce Raffills purchased the cottage in 1983. They extended the cottage and restored and developed the cottage garden.
The cottage was purchased by Marie Lewis and Bryan Lloyd in 2003, who named it Ferryman’s Cottage and ran it as B&B.
In 2021, Nicola and Charlie Jacobson purchased the cottage and have continued to restore the cottage.
Bruce Hebbard
Sources
Norman Family Archive
Templeton Family Archive
Marie Lewis and Bryan Lloyd with information passed to them by Murray and Joyce Raffills
Information from historical titles from 1872 to 2021
