WELCOME TO
Historic Ethnic Bohemian Village
just 30 minutes north of Auckland city centre, New Zealand
Neighbouring village to Waiwera

PUHOI HISTORY: Taken from the PUHOI Press January 2001:

One of the Kiwi Pubs most well known world-wide, the Puhoi Pub has been in the Seymour Family for almost 41 years. Patriarch, Rodney Collingwood Seymour – known by millions -- turned 78 on January 17. He died peacefully on Mon 22. His funeral will begin on the Puhoi Hotel lawn, then to the old Puhoi Cemetry, where late wife Dulcie ashes will be with him. She passed away, aged 80, last year.

With him over Christmas and the holiday period was grandson, Nicholas Seymour (son of Murray) who turned 13 in Dec; and his daughter, Gillian Seymour. Physically not the man he was, but mentally as fiery as ever, Rodney still called the shots. Gillian will continue the family business Rod owned for over half his life. Times change but the “Puhoi Pub” is to remain a reminder of the area’s colourful past.
An avid collector of memorabilia, Rod arrived home and told his wife, Dulcie. “I’ve bought the Puhoi Pub,” he announced.
“Where’s Puhoi?” she asked.
    Rod and Dulcie, bought the pub in 1960. And this “old time licencee” added a flavour to the Puhoi Pub that ensures no-one now ever asks, “Where’s Puhoi?”
    Rod had a sense of humour that entranced many and confused others. His irony was often taken seriously but it was an approach that was outstandingly successful. Regular patrons kept the pub full. It is ‘normal’ at weekends to see 60 motorbikes parked outside. Rod was treated by them with mutual respect.
    “They say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and bring their glasses back,” Rod pointed out.

    Probably the last of the old-style publicans, Rod always mixed with his patrons and enjoyed their company. He gave & took tough banter as laughter resounded around the bar. The décor is ‘history recalled’; every inch is covered with old things unknown by youngsters, nostalgic to us older folks. Invited guests, including hundreds of school children, get to see his unbelievably extensive museum beyond.
    “I’ll never forget him throwing the contents of his till onto the lawn,” Leon, a local told me. “He’d often do it.”

He didn’t run the pub for profit, Rod said. But he didn’t like to be “ripped off” and pasted every “dud cheque” on the walls so all could see. And the success of the pub over 40 years underlines his business acumen. Nor did he brook nonsense from bureaucracy, this writer applauds. Tussles with “Big Brother” didn’t stop him as he accumulated 50 convictions. He shifted the pub licence into his wife’s name and ‘worked for her as a barman’. He added, “I am a very good barman” – being understatement of the year.
This pub’s casual and unorthodox “atmosphere”, has been subject of documentaries and articles for years.

I have drawn on an outstanding “Weekend Tv” program (Bryan Williams, Producer). .
I hope that this video will become part of the ‘Puhoi Pub Museum’ available for patrons to view. In it we can recall the vigour & raw brawn of Rodney Collingwood Seymour - this real Kiwi Bloke.

Peter E Rodgers, Editor

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