George Bundo

George Bundo (1901-1985)

George Bundo was raised by his father (Khanna Jack Bundo) and his mother’s Hananeia family. With his father frequently away working as a “Hawker”, it is believed George spent his time with his grandmother (Sarah Hananeia), his Aunts (Kathereen, Selina, Annie, Rose) and Uncle (Nicholas Anthony). His grandfather Antony Elias died 8 months before George and his father arrived in Dunedin from Syria.

His grandmother, Sarah Hananeia and Uncle Nicholas Hananeia were also independent traders. They too would have been away from the family home at various times. Nicholas Hananeia’s son-in-law, Jacob Facoory continued the family tradition of “hawking”.   Reference is made to this trade in the Caversham Project:

“The Lebanese or 'Assyrians' were another 'alien' group. Like the Chinese they maintained an entrepreneurial role on the fringes of southern Dunedin life, hawking wares around rural Otago.  As succeeding generations learned English, however, they were better able to blend in with the dominant population. The church they built, St Michael's Orthodox Church in Fingall Street, was a symbol of their cultural and religious distinctiveness.” 

http://caversham.otago.ac.nz/resource/people/people_race.html   

With his father and mother’s family frequently working away from home this inevitably would have affected George’s childhood. Was it a childhood of changing faces, places and a supportive and close-knit family?

School records show George entered High Street School in July 1906 and also for a month at the South Town Belt School, Christchurch in 1908. His Auntie Rosie’s husband Solomon George was recorded as his guardian for his Christchurch schooling.

At 16 years of age, his education included admission to Dunedin Technical Classes on 16 April 1918. He was an evening student and it is assumed the trades classes he took were in house-painting, etc. as he went on to work in the Painting and Paper-hanging trade.

George never talked to his children about his childhood although there is a family story that he was sent home on his first day at High Street School as he had sworn at the teacher in Lebanese. This suggests he had some language skills!

George met and married Elizabeth (Lizzie) Emily (nee Deans) in 1922. He worked as a Painter while raising his family. The Bundo family lived in South Dunedin at 28 Atkinson Street, 181 Surrey Street, 14 Prendergast Street, 57 Bathgate Road, 71A Prince Albert Road, 12A Prince Albert Road and 12 Phillip Street.

During the Great Depression years (late 1920s-1935) George lost his job as a Painter, like so many other hard working people. He was Caretaker of a Billiard Saloon in the Stock Exchange in the early years of marriage (1931-35). He had no permanent work, but found some just before the war.

It is known George Amunie, his 1st cousin was listed as a Billiard Saloon Proprietor when he died on 21 August 1948. Was this the same Saloon where George Bundo worked in the early 1930’s?

George worked for Love Bros and the Railways as Leading Painter but badly gashed his hand on a broken pane of glass, whilst at Love Bros. He later worked as a Maintenance Officer for McLeod’s Soap Factory in Castle Street, Dunedin.

George Bundo held many positions at the St. Michael the Archangel Greek Orthodox Church, 72 Fingall Street, South Dunedin. His grandmother, Sarah Hananeia, along with other local Lebanese women, made and sold goods to help erect the Church in 1911. After each service, his 1st cousin Lottie Amunie would repeat the service in Lebanese for the older people.

George was Treasurer and Past President of the Caledonian Bowling Club and held positions in the NZ Federation of Painters and Decorators, eg Conference President, 24th Biennial and Golden Jubilee Conference 1956.

The five Bundo children, Margaret (Peggy), George, Ian, Walter, Barbara, all married and raised families in Dunedin (Thomas, Bundo, Meehan).  They were well known in the community through their work as a Painter, Shop Assistants, and a Farm Worker.

Through their New Zealand marriages and community involvement, the Hananeia and Amboor descendants have local, national and international connections to many families in the Dunedin Lebanese community.  Refer to the Cedars of Lebanon website for further information.

http://www.cedarsoflebanon.org.nz/files/384/file/HANANEIA-and-BUNDO-Family-History-pdf 

 Research by G L Thomas, NZSG Member, G H St John, NZSG Member and M E Woodford