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The Native Tenths Reserves
The New Zealand Company, a private company formed in Britain and supported by the British Government, established a colonisation scheme for New Zealand in the 1840's.The Company wanted to avoid some of...
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Frederick Trolove
Trolove of the ClarenceFrederick Trolove (1831-1880) was an early European settler who established Woodbank Run, located south of the Clarence River. Most of what is known about Trolove, comes from...
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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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William Adams
A leading voice in the separation of the ProvincesEton and Oxford educated barrister, William Adams was a leading voice for the Wairau’s discontented settlers and became the province’s first...
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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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The Renwick family
A slice of early colonial lifeThe Marlborough Museum Archives collection has digitised hundreds of letters donated by Annie Ball, which relate to the life of Dr Thomas Renwick’s family.Renwick family...
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Dr Thomas Renwick
A busy settler in early Marlborough and NelsonDr Thomas Renwick was born in Dumfries, Scotland in 1818, trained as a doctor and quickly rose through the ranks of the Royal Navy as a ships’ doctor. On...
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Cousins Clifford and Weld make their mark
In August 1847 Charles Clifford and his cousin, Frederick Weld drove 3000 sheep from Port Underwood to Flaxbourne: "Crossed the Bluff River with sheep. Had to throw them all into the water, a day and...
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The Ghost of Tophouse
Tophouse HotelClick image to enlargeI am the new owner of Tophouse, since September 2007, and have researched the history of Tophouse and have found that apparently we have a resident Ghost! The Ghost...
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Tamati Pirimona Marino
Through his parents, Ringahuri of Ngati Tama/Te Atiawa and Roka of Ngati Rarua, Marino (also known as Te Pua Ringahuri) was related to all three manawhenua iwi of Mohua after the Tainui Taranaki...
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Ferdinand Hochstetter (1829-1884)
Just how did a German geologist come to survey the Nelson region's mineral resources, gift a major mineral and fossil collection to the Nelson Institute and lay the foundation of what would become The...
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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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Carl Vendelbosch
Carl Vendelbosch has built 11 pottery kilns in various homes and locations, and has been involved with Nelson's studio pottery scene since the 1960s.Vendelbosch studio Mapua 2013. Photo courtesy,...
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Eileen Duggan,1894-1972, poet and writer
At one time, Marlborough-born poet, Eileen Duggan, was one of New Zealand's most widely acclaimed poets.1Eileen Duggan as The Spirit of Ireland in a school play Special Collections, The University of...
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Aniseed Valley Copper
The discovery of an outcrop of copper ore in the upper Aniseed Valley by Fred Stratford in 1881 led to the development of an industry that saw a 30-year flurry of activity, both on the ground and in...
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Hop Harvest
Hop HarvestMarch 1st is a significant date in the Nelson district because it heralds the start of the hop harvest. The hot, dry summer has ripened the flower cones of Humulus lupulus that have been...
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Orchards of the Nelson region
Stoke OrchardsStoke once had orchards everywhere, with hawthorn or occasionally gorse or macrocarpa hedges on the boundaries.The population was sparse, so everyone knew everyone. Geoffrey Gates who...
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McCashin's Brewery
Many milestones in New Zealand's beer history are associated with the Nelson region. The country's second commercial brewery was opened on the corner of Hardy and Tasman Streets in 1842, and possibly...
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Millers Acre or Taha o te Awa
Millers Acre, sits beside the Maitai River and is in the heart of, what is now, Nelson City. It has been put to a number of uses over the years. Early Māori historyThe Mahitahi (Maitai) River featured...
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Jane Evans
Jane Evans - a joyful artist Jane Evans was born on New Year's Eve, 1946. Her father, Dr George Evans, was a community minded old style family GP, and her mother, English-born Beatrice had a vivid...
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