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Hawke's Bay Branch Lunch

This year, Valentine’s Day was made very special for a group of Hawke’s Bay members.Faye Sheriff our new “Commander” had organized a lovely lunch in Taradale.Many arrived in Art Deco costumes and this made it very festive.The lunch was held in Shani’s Family Restaurant, the large variety of items on the menu meant everyone had something they could enjoy. The venue was very friendly as were the staff who attended to our every need. Long stemmed roses graced the place mats on the wooden ...

Featured Book: Harbouring

From the author of Denniston Rose and Heart of Coal her new book, Harbouring, is set amid the NZ Company’s arrival in Wellington and the establishment of the colony there.It is a Welsh family from the foundries who are one of the first to join the scheme of Colonel William Wakefield. This is early Wellington as many stories depict it.  The towering trees and roughly cut roads, shining harbour full of ships and gutsy weather. There is bureaucratic bumbling, land sales a...

Hawke's Bay Luncheon

On a sunny but pleasantly mild day, 51 guests gathered at the Taradale Bridge Club Rooms, located in the picturesque Park Island Recreation Grounds, Napier. This was the first event held under the New Constitution of the New Zealand Founders Society Inc. and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming.Coordinator Faye Sherriff opened the event with a heartfelt welcome and expressed gratitude to the outgoing committee, all past committee members, and the retiring President and Secretary/Treasurer, Padd...

Waikato branch outing to Waiuku with Auckland branch

Waikato Branch invited Auckland Branch to join them at an outing in Waiuku.We started at Waiuku Museum, a very full and interesting place to explore.One of our Members, Joy Carter posed outside a sign commemorating her Uncle, Deputy Mayor and Foundation Member of the Museum Society.We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Kentish Hotel. The Kentish was established 170 years ago.Linda Kemp and Cynthia Jarrett were presented their Certificates by President Ray Mudford.Knight & Dickey Vintage Vehicle Mu...

Hawke's Bay Branch trip to Feilding Coach House Museum trip

Sunday 24th November, members boarded the coach for the 3 hour trip from Havelock North to Feilding Coach House Museum, "A hidden gem of history waiting to be explored". Due to being a very long day, there were only 36 members on this trip.Sadly, this was the last trip to be organized by Hawke's Bay Founders Branch President Paddy, and Secretary/Treasurer Richard. They announced their retirement earlier in the year, taking effect on 31 December 2024. 15 years ago they joined the Hawke's Bay B...

Featured Book: Ōkiwi Brown

While this is a story it could be true.  Ōkiwi Brown, is set in the time of, Cristina Sanders other book Jerningham: early colonial Wellington, in all its rough and grubby glory.Ōkiwi Brown draws heavily on historical fact and real-life characters to paint a picture of lives lived on the colonial fringe, away from what passed for ‘respectable’ society in the 1840s and ’50s. Two historically recorded suspicious deaths — first a child’s body found in a stream in 1846, his hea...

Auckland Branch funds study into the merits of Auckland's heritage Special Character Areas

Josh Howie, an Auckland University Masters student, was funded by the Auckland Branch of NZ Founders.A link to the Auckland City Council report which includes his report (page 22) is here....

Issues 90 - 93, 2018 - 2021

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Hawke's Bay Branch visit to Smedley Station and Waipawa

On Sunday 6th October, 55 members boarded the coach for the very scenic drive out into the Kahuranaki and Elsthorpe areas east of Havelock North to Waipawa. Our lunch venue was the Historic Waipawa Municipal Theatre.The main highlight of the day was to come! Following lunch our trip continued through the scenic Tikokino countryside to Smedley Station and Cadet Farm. During this drive, the commentary was given by Branch member Athol Curtis who is an "Old boy" now called "Ex Cadets" of Smedley...

Taranaki Branch pay tribute to George Mason

No doubt, you are all aware the Dr. George Mason passed away in September. George has been a valued member for 10 years with our group. He was a very generous philanthropist within the local community and with the Auckland University, supporting the arts, education and the environment. His trust fund will continue to support these ideals into the future.The following tribute was posted on the Legacy memorials for George's family.Taranaki Branch of NZ Founders wish to acknowledge George's memb...

Hawke's Bay Branch Meeting - August 2024

Branch President Paddy Bayley warmly welcomed the 60 people attending the August lunch meeting at the Taradale RSA.When she presented two new members with their Membership Certificates, Paddy noted that one of her ancestors also came on the same ship as Diane Frater's. This ship was the "Slains Castle" to Wellington in January1841Following lunch there was no formal speaker. Instead, members were given the opportunity to share their views on the future format for our Branch from 1 January 2025....

Taranaki Branch meeting - August 2024

10 members met on 9 August at the Genealogy rooms to hear from Peter Rankin, the story of his early life in New Plymouth and his great great grandfather, William Batten.William, a widower with 7 children, arrived in New Plymouth on the to become a well-known farmer in the Kent Road (now Junction Road) area. His 2 sons were active in the Militia during the Taranaki Wars.He was very much ahead of the times in providing a legacy of land to be shared amongst his daughters, not able to be transferre...

Hawke's Bay Branch Winter lunch - June 2024

"I WOULD NOT STEP BACK…"A large banner, featuring a photograph of a wartime hero, with a British fighter plane on fire in the background, with the words:168 Condemned Allied AirmenA Nazi firing squadThree days to executiongreeted 67 members of our Branch as they arrived at the historic Cheval Rooms, Hastings Racecourse for our annual mid-winter lunch....

Waikato Branch visit to Matangi Dairy Factory - June 2024

Waikato Branch visited the old Matangi Dairy Factory where Harry Mowbray gave a very interesting presentation on the history of the factory and the present day use by the Mowbray Family Trust....

NZ Founders Society AGM June 2024

The NZ Founders Society held its AGM on 15 June 2024 at the East Pier Hotel in Napier. The meeting agreed to adopt the new constitution when it re-registers under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 on 1 January 2025. The new constitution was based on the constitution builder put out by the Incorporated Societies Registry which was a great resource to ensure that all the necessary extras were included. The officers elected at the AGM and the current branch representatives will act until 31 Decem...

Auckland Branch sponsorship of Auckland University study into Special Character Areas

The Auckland Branch of NZ Founders recently sponsored a summer student of Auckland University. Joshua Howie's report is attached....

Taranaki branch meet in Inglewood - May 2024

31 May 2024, 9 members attended a presentation by Graeme Sykes at St. Andrews Church in Inglewood. The current Church opened in 1923 and was closed in 2019 with earthquake risk. The Church is an historical site and is known as a Peace Memorial commemorating the 137 soldiers who perished in the 1st World War. Parishioners currently worship in the Church Hall.A window from the original wooden church, moved from New Plymouth in 1877 is in place in the current church.Feasibility studies have been do...

Waikato Branch lay ANZAC wreath

Chantell Hill and her Grandmother Kaye Forster-Hill laid a wreath on behalf of the NZ Founders Waikato Branch at the Hamilton Anzac Service....

Auckland and Waikato Branches share Christmas 2023 function

Waikato and Auckland Branch Members joined together for our Christmas functions. After Lunch at the CBD Café in Pokeno we visited the Queens Redoubt in Pokeno and the Mercer museum....

Hawke's Bay Branch Mystery Trip - May 2024

On a beautiful sunny autumn morning, 46 members enthusiastically boarded the coach, for their annual Mystery trip. This, sadly, will be the last Mystery trip organized by Paddy and Richard Bayley. They plan to step down at the end of this year when the NZ Founders Society new Constitution comes into being on January 1 2025.Leaving Havelock North, we travelled along Middle Road, one of the first local roads of any length connecting Havelock North with Central Hawke's Bay. It runs close to the...

Taranaki Commemorative meeting - March 2024

On 24 March 2024, we hosted our annual commemorative service at the NZ Founders plaque on the coastal walkway after enjoying a lunch meeting at Cobb & Co.Our speaker was Major Terry Heese from the Salvation Army. Terry spoke of his Cornish ancestry and his families journey with the Salvation Army. His wife Glenys is also a Major in the Salvation Army.The local Cornish Association members were invited to participate in this as a combined meeting and we were pleased to see some of those members at...

Waikato Branch AGM 2024

The AGM of the Waikato Branch was held on 18 April 2024.The AGM was followed by members talks about their relatives who served in WWI.Miriam Farrell was presented with a "Certificate of Appreciation" for serving 15 years on the Branch committee with 3 as Vice President....

Hawke's Bay Branch AGM 2024

A very warm welcome was extended to New Zealand Founders National Secretary Carolyn Adams, when she attended the Hawke's Bay Branch Annual General meeting recently. Being St. Patrick's Day, one member came dressed very appropriately.Prior to the commencement of the AGM, two "Friends of Hawke's Bay Branch" and one Associate member of NZ Founders Society, were presented with their membership certificates by National Secretary Carolyn Adams.In her Annual Report, President Paddy Bayley thanked her ...

Hawke's Bay Branch New Year Lunch 2024

East Pier Hotel, situated on the waterfront in Napier's historic port area of Ahuriri, was a most relaxing and tranquil venue for our New Year Luncheon. The centre of each table was decorated with a generic model of a barque, in recognition of the ships our ancestors would have sailed to New Zealand on.Branch President Paddy Bayley welcomed 71 attendees, which included National Secretary Carolyn Adams, from Hamilton and National Treasurer Kathy Dent from Wellington. We were indebted to Kathy,...

Taranaki Branch Christmas lunch 2023

Friday 24th November, Christmas lunch at Cobb & Co was celebrated with 14 members.Adrienne Tatham proudly showed her Kiwibank Local Hero medallion, which she received as one of 100 recipients under the Volunteer of NZ awards. This is a valued recognition of Adrienne's work with our iconic Pukekura Park and her involvement as Patron and Friends of the Park volunteer group.We will resume activities again in 2024 and wish all a safe and happy festive season....