Motueka and Districts Historical Association
The Association dates back many years, but was 'reinvigorated' in 1981. We have several parts to our activities:
- Our mission is to preserve and make available historic records relating to the Motueka area. A large collection of material is held in the Crozier Research Room at the Motueka Museum and is constantly being added to.
- We hold monthly meetings at which we have a variety of speakers on topics of local interest. In the summer months, our meeting are often trips to sites of historic importance or interest, usually with a relevant speaker.
- A historical journal is produced from time to time, featuring articles on local families, places and incidents. The next issue is in the planning stage and is due to be produced later in 2010.
Monthly meetings are held on the 4th Saturday of the month, in most cases at Community House, Decks Reserve at 1.30pm.
Recent meetings:
April 27th, 2013: Ngatimoti visit. Historical guru of the Motueka Valley, Ed Stevens, had invited fellow members of the Motueka Historical Association to come to Ngatimoti and learn more about some of the history there. The people of Ngatimoti will be celebrating 100 years since the Peninsula Bridge was built later this year but we were there to see some other historical places. Read a report of this meeting here »
March 23rd, 2013: Upper Moutere visit. Eileen Thawley met the 11 members of the Motueka and District Historical Association who ventured out to hear her talk about two places that are important parts of her and husband Graham's lives - Somerset Cottage and the Moutere Hills Cemetery. Read a report of this meeting here »
February 23rd, 2013: History of Brightwater. Twelve members sallied forth on a beautiful February morning to drive to Brightwater and be met by John Dearing ex-drug squad policeman now turned historian. John loves piecing together the coincidences that occur when studying history. Read a report of this meeting here »
October 27th: History of Rothmans factory. A big crowd of about 30 people attended the Motueka Historical Association's October meeting last Saturday to hear Geoff Tillson's recount the history of the Rothmans Tobacco Company factory. Read a report of this meeting here »
September 22nd: Potted History of Murchison. Most people see Murchison as a place you have your first loo stop at on the way to Christchurch or the last break and cuppa on the way home again. Although you can now travel by car to Murchsion from Motueka in an hour and a half this has only come about in the last few years. Read a report of this meeting here »
May 26th: Ex-Drug Squad detective John Deering spoke about how he has carried over his detective work to the history of the NZ Postal Service and one of his more in depth researches was on the Dovedale Post Office. Read a report of this meeting here »
April 28th: If you've never been to Dovedale then it's well worth making the effort and going for a drive. On a recent autumn Saturday the Motueka and District Historical Association travelled via Neudorf to the peaceful valley named for the bird of peace. Read a report of this meeting here »
February 25th 2012: Hops and apples are ready for harvest once again and as the growers strive to bring in their crops and make a living the Motueka and District Historical Association visited two private properties where the history of these industries are being preserved by two stalwarts who have worked in both of them most of their lives. Read a report of this meeting here »
November 26th: When Harry and Bertha Hart opened their modern bakery in 1925 behind Bedford House at 191 High Street which housed their residence, cake and tea shop, little would they know that 87 years later there would be a lane named for them and that the bake house would be a community bar popular with locals after being in operation for only a year. Read a report of this meeting here »
October 8th: Tucked away in a very large shed at the back of a residential property is a piece of Motueka history and on Saturday October 8th the Historical Association went to see it. More to the point, we went to the movies - shown on the projectors saved from the fire that destroyed the Majestic Theatre in Motueka in 1983. Read a report of this meeting here »
August 23rd: Brian Hickmott took us down memory lane on Saturday when he talked to the Motueka and District Historical Association about the business of McNabb & Co Ltd of which he was the last proprietor. Read a report of this meeting here »
June 25th: After the business activity of the Annual General Meeting, Peter Millward, director of the Nelson Provincial Museum, talked about the latest project they have taken on and need help with. The Nelson Provincial Museum has in its care one of the most important photographic collections in New Zealand. Read a report of this meeting here »
May 28th: Launch of our new Journal, Volume 7 in the series " ... and so it began, The Continuing story of Motueka" followed by a talk from Trevor Lummis on Lummis Brothers, butchers and Old Motueka. Read a report of this meeting here »
April: The upgraded Tasman District Library in Richmond is usually closed on Saturday afternoons but two of the staff, Cathy Vaughn and Karen Dickenson, gave up their day in the garden to give the Motueka Historical Association a guided tour. Read a report of this meeting here »
March: The sun wasn't shining as we left Decks Reserve for our day out in Tapawera. Viv Barker was there to greet us as we called in first at the old Stanley Brook School building, which we whizz past on the way to the West Coast or Christchurch but never stop to look at closely. Read a report plus photos from this meeting here »
February 2011: An area of our district that is lacking in any sort of comprehensive study is the Lower Moutere area. We addressed this problem when we met at George and Gwen Bunn's property on the top of the hill above the Lower Moutere school. News report from this meeting here »
November 27th: What better way could the Motueka and District Historical Association celebrate 30 years since its formation than a picnic lunch in the spacious grounds of a local historical house that was built for a leading settler family 160 years ago. News report from this meeting here »
October 30th: We are still celebrating 30 years since the Association began, this month with a slide show of scanned photos from photographs taken by Rana McGlashen over the 30 years. Coralie had scanned the photos into her computer and used the Windows slide show programme through a data projector so that they could be viewed on the wall. News report from this meeting here »
September 25th: Many of the members who talked at the September Historical Association meeting were born just as the depression started to make itself felt and only one or two had actual personal memories of that time. Most had to draw on what was passed down through family stories and the lasting attitudes of their parents to money, savings and caring for their families and neighbours. Full report from this meeting here »
August 28th: Diana Clark, a descendant of Appo Hocton, researched her great grandfather and although a book has been written about him considers the book as a work in progress. Diana talked very enthusiastically and with great feeling about her forebear. Full report from this meeting here »
July 24th: Frosty Goodall talked not only about his latest book "Melody Fingers and Dancing Feet" but also his previous three publications pointing out some of the do's and don't's of publishing. He related some of the things that happened at dances and the local people involved in dance bands. Full report from this meeting here »
June 26th: The latest AGM was held and many of those attending were there at the first meeting 30 years ago. They must get an award for commitment and tenacity!! Eileen Thawley and Sydney Daughtrey then gave us an informative talk on the war memorial project. Photos and report from this meeting here »
May 22nd: Gold on the Tablelands: Mining has taken place in several places in the Nelson region, the most unusual or remote being the tablelands between Mt Arthur and the Cobb and the ranges further south and west. Photos and report from this meeting here »
April 24th: Anzac topic - members presented recollections relating to war experiences at home or abroad. Read a report of this meeting here »
March 27th: Visit to Speargrass Station, St Arnaud. Read a report of this trip here »
February 2010: Trip to McKee Domain - speaker Fred McKee on history of the domain and the McKee family. Then to Grossi Point - background paper on history of Grossi family.
December 2009: Christmas function - speaker Tom Rowling on history of Rowlings of Kaiteriteri.
Research Room
Research Room hours: Open to the public for use during hours of museum operation. Association members available to assist with queries Tuesdays 10am to 3pm.
Enquiries to Coralie Smith 528 8241, email TW-CR.Smith@xtra.co.nz
Association details:
President |
Patsy O'Shea |
528 4282 |
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Vice president |
Eileen Stewart |
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Secretary |
Coralie Smith |
528 8241 |
TW-CR.Smith@xtra.co.nz |
Treasurer |
Jennie Askew |
528 7309 |
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Committee |
Tim Rich
Wendy McGregor
George Bunn
Betty Fry
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Subscription: $15 per year
