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Nelson essentials - water and sewage
‘Bright pure water’ and sewageNew Zealand’s early cities reeked of rotting rubbish, dead animals and excrement, and water sources were often contaminated. By contrast, Māori settlements were hygienic,...
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Sarah and John Danforth Greenwood
Sarah Greenwood (1809-1889)John Danforth Greenwood had been a successful physician in Mitcham, Surrey, England, but was forced to retire due to ill health in about 1838. The family lived briefly in...
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Anchor Foundry
The Anchor Shipping and Foundry CompanyPort Nelson. Nelson Provincial Museum, F N Jones Collection: 309919 [with Anchor Foundry buildings]Click image to enlargeThe Anchor Foundry operated from 1866 to...
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Tophouse
Tophouse, the scene of a murder/suicide in 1894, was the natural pass between the Wairau, Motupiko and Buller Rivers, and was commonly used by Maori in pre-European times. Tophouse Pass became a vital...
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Myths and Legends of Te Tau Ihu
The myths and legends of Te Tau Ihu tell of significant events in the history of the region. Some are Polynesia-wide legends, including creation myths, adapted to local landscapes; others are parables...
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Auckland Point Market
Auckland Point, or Matangi Awhio was a pa, kainga or seasonal camping site from at least the fifteenth century. Henry Thompson, representative of the Government-appointed Trustees of Native Reserves,...
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Salisbury Footbridge 1887-2010
Bridges come and bridges go, especially in Bainham, where the Aorere River in a raging flood can leave a trail of destruction. The upright wooden straining posts of the 1902 suspension bridge, the...
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St John's Methodist Church Nelson
A Wesleyan Church, the first Church built in Nelson, was opened in 1843 on the corner of Haven Road and Rutherford Street. This building was sold in 1857 due to earthquake damage and a growing...
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Slavery in Colonial Times
As in many other cultures, slavery was a key element of Maori society. Mokai were usually spoils of war, condemned to lives of drudgery, danger, heavy physical work and obedience to their masters or...
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Samuel Ironside
Samuel Ironside the man and his missionThe Reverend Samuel Ironside was a pioneering figure in the introduction of Christianity to early New Zealanders. His influence was sought throughout New Zealand...
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Trooper Ralph Vincent James and his Monument
Collingwood lad, Trooper Ralph Vincent James 2483, died of enteric fever (typhoid fever) on 20 November 1900 at Zeerust Transvaal, South Africa while serving in the Boer War for the Fifth Contingent of...
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Nelson Provincial Buildings
These days, a glance along Nelson's skyline reveals our city’s prominent buildings; the Clock tower, the Rutherford Hotel and the Cathedral. Rewind one hundred years, however, and you would discover...
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Melrose House and Garden
The original gardenThe elegant garden around historic Melrose House is a short distance from the central city, on the corner of Upper Trafalgar Street and Brougham Street, and is part of the original...
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Heritage Tree Tales
Nelson is blessed with some spectacular heritage trees – many with interesting stories to tell. All of these, and more, are listed in the New Zealand Tree Register.College Gate gumThe College gum....
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Isel House and Park – legacy of the Marsden family
A historic park and house, named after Isel, a small village in Cumbria England, and a recreation ground form part of the legacy left by the Marsden family of Stoke.Thomas Marsden, a watchmaker from...
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Old Folks Hall Nelson
A well-used landmark of Nelson is the modest building with floor to ceiling windows beside the Trafalgar bridge overlooking the Maitai River. Constructed in the 1956, the hall was the brain child of...
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Percy Adams and his gates
Percy Adams Memorial Gates, Wakapuaka CemeteryPercy Bolland Adams was born in Marlborough on 5 March 1854. His father William Adams, owner of Langley Dale1 station, was a Lawyer, was briefly the...
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The Union Steam Ship Company
The Great Days of the Union Steam Ship Company Consider a modern innovation such as the internet and how it has changed our day-to-day lives. Even though the Victorian era has been dubbed the Age of...
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Nelson Matinee
Those were the days, the days of the matineeIt was the immediate post war years and Saturday matinees were all the rage with our generation of kids. Whether it was Chums Club, Young New Zealanders...
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Marlborough Sounds Whaling
For nearly 140 years, whales on their annual migration north were spotted by whalers from hilltop lookouts at the entrance to Tory Channel. Whale chasing boats then raced out to harpoon them and tow...
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