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James Sinclair
Fiery, ambitious Scotsman was ‘King of the Beaver’Born in Caithness, in the north of Scotland,1 James Sinclair was described as a clear-headed, strong-minded Scotsman, who, by his dominating...
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William Eyes
The rise and fall of a colourful and controversial colonistA cast of hardworking ‘alpha’ men dominated the early days of settlement in the Wairau. And none was more keen to get to the top than William...
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Queen Street in Richmond
Queen Street is the long street that runs through the heart of Richmond, from the foothills in the east, to the Waimea River in the west. As the commercial centre of Richmond, Queen Street has...
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Barrington Gum
The giant gum and Kingsland Forest in RichmondThe Barrington Gum was named after a farm which was once located further down the Reservoir Creek valley from about 1850 to 1914.The Eucalyptus or Gum...
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Joseph Ward
Diarist, runholder, forthright politicianBorn in Staffordshire in 1817, Joseph Ward arrived in Nelson in December 1842 with his parents-in-law Henry and Mary Redwood. He had married his cousin Martha,...
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Picton Bloaters
Sardines, pilchards, herring – the famous ‘Picton Bloaters’ were variously called all of these names. From earliest settlement there were huge seasonal shoals of them in Queen Charlotte Sound, close to...
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Brown Barrett's Cannery in Picton
With the outbreak of War in 1939, there was an urgent need for all primary produce and to introduce more products for home consumption and export. The Auckland-based Brown Barrett Company established a...
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James Durden
A solitary grave stone perched on a lonely grass and flax covered coastal terrace 1km north of the Anatori River, North West Nelson, marks the final resting place of miner James Durden. The Epitaph...
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Getting established in Marlborough
Marlborough’s first decades after European colonisation were rather rocky. The Wairau Affray in 1843 badly frightened potential colonists to the Wairau. Strong earthquakes in 1848 and 1855 and severe...
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Stoke Library
The first Stoke library was opened in the 1940's, thanks to the commitment of a group of residents, led by Fred Reed, who were mainly connected with the Stoke School board. The group applied for access...
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Richmond's Sparrow Plague
Peril and Pennies from the SkiesIn the late 1800s and early 1900s, a growing threat to Richmond’s prosperity darkened the skies. A small number of house sparrows – as few as 100 – had been introduced...
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May's Retail, Butter and Bacon Empire
The Store in Queen Street RichmondMay’s store was an institution in early Richmond. It occupied a large, two-storied building on a prominent site and sold as wide a range of goods as you could get...
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The Rise of the Motor Vehicle in Richmond
In 1923, John Warring (known as Jack) opened a bicycle shop near Queen Street’s intersection with Gladstone Road. Just three years later the growing popularity of motor vehicles led Jack to expand and...
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Early Marlborough Settlers
An overview..There was plenty of opportunity for an able man (supported by an equally able wife) in the early days of a colony. All of the people listed below had their fingers in many pies: business,...
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W.E. Wilkes Ltd
Builders in Richmond for 90 YearsWilliam Edward Wilkes. Mayor of Richmond Borough 1917-1923.The firm of W.E. Wilkes is synonymous with house building in Richmond but it all began in a much smaller way...
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The 1884 plague of rats
Early settlers in the Nelson Province faced many challenges. One of these was the rat problem – which exploded to plague proportions in 1884.Illustration of Polynesian Rat, Rattus exulans from 'On the...
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Dame Cath and Sir Greg of Mapua
Dame Cath gets a right royal roasting for knighting ‘Sir Greg’A mock knighthood of Mapua’s Greg Olsen at a historic gathering in Golden Bay to celebrate the achievements of Dutch explorer Abel Tasman...
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The sofa of Days Track
Sofa so good - a community art projectIt’s a steep climb up Days Track in Nelson. The track starts at Rocks Road and the first section runs to Grenville Terrace, the second section to Moana Avenue and...
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Reverend brothers Arthur & Reginald Hermon
Bishopdale Old Boys“Young men must be found for the ministry, and they should be fit and proper men. They must be men who feel called to the work, and above all they should be those in whose hearts was...
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Mary Ethel Hunter
Prohibitionist, nurse, lay preacher and matron. Mary Ethel Hunter was born on November 21st 1884 at Auckland, the seventh child of Richard Hemming Hughes and his wife Hannah (nee Graham).Mary (May)...
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