Lesley Dowding with her new book Home Before Acorns Fall at Percy’s Place in Stratford, where she volunteers her time. Photo / Alyssa Smith
Resting in front of a church in North Taranaki is a 105-year-old oak tree.
How it got there was the inspiration behind Lesley Dowding’s new adult book, Home Before Acorns Fall, illustrated by Brenda Cash.
Dowding, who has published three books in the past, said the latest story was a tale of hope and love based on the true story of Vera and Clyde Putt from Ōkato.
Dowding was selling signed copies of the book at Percy’s Place in Stratford on Thursday, May 23. She volunteers at the shop to give back to those who support her.
“When I’m not writing I’m creating garden pieces, printing my photography on aluminium sheets. The gallery has supported me so it’s great to give back to them and volunteer my time. I love meeting people and hearing their stories. I can also sit in this environment and write to my heart’s content.”
She said her newest book, Home Before Acorns Fall, is based on a true story, told by her late neighbour and friend, Mervyn “Merv” Putt.
“Merv was the son of Vera and Clyde who met during World War I. The story of meeting in London and the connections to the oak tree stayed with me. I knew I had to share it so, once I had permission from the family, I wrote it.”
She said Merv’s father Clyde, a farrier from Ōkato, was sent to WWI to tend to the horses. While staying in London he met Vera.
Dowding said while the base of the story was true, she came up with how Vera and Clyde met.
“I spoke to the family during my research and they said they had never been told. With their permission, I had them meet at a dance and Clyde asked Vera to fix his uniform.”
In the story, Vera, a sewer and embroiderer, fixed Clyde’s uniform and added an acorn motif to the collar.
“Vera would travel to a local square and pick up acorns. I had seen a picture of where Vera lived and after my research, I noticed a square with a garden in the next cul-de-sac so I wrote that as the garden where Vera collected the acorns.”
Dowding said on a cold day, Clyde flicked his collar up and saw the acorn, a sign he would see Vera again.
“They got married and before they left to go back to Ōkato, Vera picked up one acorn and put it in her pocket.”
She said once they arrived in Ōkato, Vera planted the acorn at St Paul’s Church.
“Now, 105 years later, that acorn has grown into a large oak tree. It is so unique and special that something historical representing hope and survival is in Ōkato.”
The title, Home Before Acorns Fall, was inspired by the saying “home before leaves fall”.
“It was said in both the English and Turkish papers. I tied it into my story by replacing the word leaves with acorns.”
She said her friend Brenda Cash illustrated the book.
“She captured the essence of the time and period perfectly. Her illustrations are beautiful and she was integral in making the story what it is today.”
The back of the book has a QR code, designed for visually impaired people.
“I want everyone to be able to enjoy the story. I narrate the audio while special sound effects play. It is quite special and a way everyone can experience the book.”
Dowding said she had always been passionate about story-telling.
“I lived in London and attended Lincoln University. After teaching drama for eight years, I moved to Stratford around 1975. My first teaching position here was as a drama and English teacher at St Mary’s in Stratford.”
From 1978 to 2014 she taught at several Taranaki schools including St Mary’s, Stratford High School, Ōpunake and Pātea.
She then joined Special Education Services, educating teachers about students with disabilities before starting at Waitara High School in the early 2000s.
In the late 2010s, she moved to Okato, teaching at Coastal Taranaki School before she retired four years ago.
During her career, storytelling had always been a focus, Dowding said, with her stories taking her across the globe.
“In the late 1970s, I joined the Literacy Reading Association for New Zealand which linked me to the American Reading Association. I’ve been overseas and ran workshops focused on literacy.”
Despite travelling the world, she said Taranaki would always be home.
“I love it here. There’s something about Taranaki and I love all the parts I’ve been to.”
Dowding’s book is available from Percy’s Place, Stratford, and Gover Street Gallery where illustrator Brenda Cash is an artist-in-residence.
