Hutt Valley Branch of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists

News & Views June 2015 Issue 334

Evening Meeting: 7.30pm 2nd Thursday, February to DecemberDay Meeting: 10.00am 3rd Thursday, February to NovemberVenue: Petone Community Centre, 7-11 Britannia StreetPostal Address: PO Box 31-024, Lower Hutt 5040Website: www.huttvalleygenealogy.org.nz Convenor: Anita West Secretary: Anne Martin HuttValley@genealogy.org.nz Editor: Helene Philpott bhdk.philpott@gmail.comEvening Meeting: Doors open 7pm. Notices begin 7.30pm. Speakers begin about 8pm (approx. 1 hour)Day Meeting: Doors open 9.30am. Notices begin 10am. Speaker begins about 10.30am (approx. 1 hour). Please note the library does not open until 10am

Genealogy/Family History Helpers Available AtPetone Library 10am -12pm

On duty for: June, July & August• Wednesday 17 June – Cheryl Dreaver& Avril Roberts• Wednesday 1 July – Marie Perham & Lynly Yates• Saturday 4 July – Dawn Chambers & Lynly Yates• Wednesday 15 July – Deb Beban & Lois Bartlett• Saturday 1 August – Janet Ketchell & Anita West• Wednesday 5 August – Diane Stinson & Susan Wilson• Wednesday 19 August – Ian Fyfe & Philippa WoolfFor those new to genealogy and/or who want help knocking down those brick walls, this is an excellent time and place to have our experts help you. Our helpers can show you what is available in the library and how to go about finding what you are looking for.

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http://www.huttvalleygenealogy.org.nz/mailto:bhdk.philpott@gmail.commailto:HuttValley@genealogy.org.nz

Branch Meeting Programme

Thursday 11 June Evening Meeting: Rodney King, Bridging the Gap – Family Tree and Family History as presented to the Kilbirnie Branch earlier this year Thursday 18 June Morning Meeting: Rodney King, Bridging the Gap – Family Tree and Family History as presented to the Kilbirnie Branch earlier this yearThursday 9 July Evening Meeting: Ann Ball will speak about Tracing London Ancestors, a presentation that will include showing how historical maps can assist in family history research.Thursday 16 July Morning meeting: TBA

Visits to WW1 ExhibitionsWith the various exhibitions at the Dominion Museum, Te Papa and the Film Archives featuring WW1, I plan to organise morning visits during the next 6 months and early next year and this notice is just to find out whether there would be any interest in such visits. I have yet to get more information about the exhibitions but if you are interested I will collect names at the evening and morning meetings, or you can email me via HuttValley@genealogy.org.nz and I will add your name to the list.In the meantime I will find out more about times, number restrictions etc. and if there is sufficient interest I will go ahead and make the necessary arrangements. Diane Stinson

Our AGM was finally held on Thursday 21 May after the Thursday 14 May meeting was cancelled due to flooding in the Hutt Valley. Our guest speakers Gill Knox and Peter Gibson will be invited to speak at a meeting later in the year. 2015/2016 Committee:

Convenor: Anita West Secretary; Anne Martin Treasurer: Suzanne Sutton-CummingsChristine Edney; Graeme McVerry; Diane Stinson; Terry Stock;Alistair Hardy; Helene Philpott (reappointed as Newsletter Editor)

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mailto:HuttValley@genealogy.org.nz

Conveners Report for the Year to 31 March 2015:To Members of the Hutt Valley Branch, New Zealand Society of Genealogists:The Committee:Convenor, Alistair hardy (until February 2015); Acting Convenor, Anita West (From February); Secretary, Terry Stock; Treasurer, Suzanne Sutton-Cummings;Members: Christine Edney, Graeme McVerry, Helene Philpott, Diane Stinson, Anita WestIn 2014 Amanda Barrett was co-opted for a period, but had to step aside. The committee co-opted Anne Martin to the Committee in March 2015. All members have maintained a high level of attendance at meetings and the committee has operated in a harmonious manner.I thank our Secretary, Terry Stock, for his efforts during the year in this busy role.Suzanne has maintained our strong financial position with monthly reporting to the Committee.My thanks to Diane Stinson and Graeme McVerry for their work in co-ordinating the various speakers and topics at our meetings. Diane also chairs the morning meetings.Our library has been managed by Graeme McVerry who, together with Diane, has maintained liaison with Petone Library staff.The role of Membership Secretary had been undertaken by Amanda Barrett until transferred to Christine Edney.Anita West maintained our branch website with assistance from Susan Wilson.Membership:As at 1 May 2015 our membership was 143 including 3 Life Members. We gained a number of new members during the year, but also lost some members of long standing.Annual Subscription:The Committee propose the Annual Subscription for the Year 2016/17 remain unchanged from the Year 2015/16.Strategic Plan:Progress on this matter has not been as great as we would have wished, but I feel sure the new Committee will address this aspect.

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Library Volunteers:Thank you to all our Library Volunteers who staff the enquiry desk at the Petone Library. This is an important means of reaching out to the public.Communications:My thanks to Helene Philpott for editorship of our ‘News and Views’.Our Webmasters Anita and Susan have expanded our website and have provided members with advice as to events and issues.I must also acknowledge the efforts of our member, Jenny Martin, to keep us aware of Regional events and Irish Interest Group activities.NZSG also provides us with regular newsletters to both individual members and to branches.Regional Meetings:Our branch has been represented at most of the quarterly meetings where NZSG matters have been discussed.Family History Month 2014:We co-ordinated our speaker programme with those of other area branches to give publicity to Family History Month in August last. Arrangements are underway to mark the event this year, with the Hutt Valley Branch convening the 2015 Wellington organising committee.Petone Heritage Centre:We acknowledge the assistance of the staff at Petone Heritage Centre during the year.Summary:In stepping down from the role of Convenor I would like to thank all members for their interest in genealogy and their enthusiasm. My best wishes to you all for the future.Alistair Hardy, Former Convenor Hutt Valley Branch, NZSG

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Thursday 21 May Morning Meeting: Tricia Meehan (Librarian, Petone Library) gave us an introductory talk followed by a tour through some of the resources. Her notes below:The Heritage CollectionsItems are selected re. Our Collection PolicySee Family and Local History section on Libraries Online for details and guides.Items held in the Heritage Centre, Petone Community LibraryHeritage computers; 2 plus microfilm scannerNot for loan. A range of formats;SerialsIncomplete collection of periodicals published in Lower HuttKept out the back, available on requestSchool magazinesRepresentative collection of magazines from schools in Lower HuttThe Library aims to collect comprehensively and is actively seeking to fill gaps – anyone want to donate?NewspapersSubstantial collection of local newspapers, microfilm and hard copyMajor titles include:Evening Post, 1865-1971, 1977-2002 (microfilm); Dominion Post 2002- (microfilm)Hutt and Petone Chronicle, 1891-94; 1905-12; 1931-35; 1953-67 (microfilm)Hutt News, 1927-1989 (microfilm); 1990- (hardcopy); The latest 3 months of the Dominion Post and Hutt News are online at Press DisplayPapers Past Evening Post 1865-1945, Hutt News 1927-1945, Dominion 1907-1920Hutt Valley Independent, NZ gazette, New Zealand Colonist, Wellington independent. We have applied to the National Library for the Hutt News from 1945-1950 to go online; there is a selection process, depending on other applicants, etc.Newspaper indexes: The Library has indexed local newspapers for many years Some index entries are searchable on the Libraries CatalogueAlso card index in the Heritage CentreNewspaper scrapbooksSeveral sets of scrapbooks of clippings, mostly from the Evening Post and Hutt News.

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Searchable on the Library catalogue.Scrapbooks kept in the temperature controlled room in the Heritage admin area. Can be retrieved by staff on requestVertical Subject fileContains clippings from newspapers, books and periodicals…Mostly Searchable on the Library catalogue; Petone sequence not on the catalogueCurrently being revised. Directories and almanacsStreet, Post Office, business and telephone directories for the Hutt and Wellington hardcopy, microfilm and CD-Rom. Stones directories on CD RomWises on Ancestry.comElectoral rollsLocal electoral rolls from the 1947 onwards; National electoral rolls, current at War Memorial Library (WML)Earlier electoral rolls are held on microfiche or accessible on Ancestry.comMicroficheMostly family history resourcesBDM up to 1990NZ cemetery recordsNZ electoral rolls – now on ancestry.comMisc. – e.g. Machinery accidents 1879-1919, river drownings 1840-1887. Some of the misc. fiche now on ancestry.com e.g.bankrupt estatesCD-RomsMostly NZSG ones …MapsSmall collection of maps of Lower Hutt 1840 - currentSome are digitized.Hutt City Archives has a map collection – may be digitized one day…PhotographsThere are two collections of photographs, one is from the Local Studies Collection that was held at WML; the other is from the Petone Borough Library. All are on the Hutt City Libraries (HCL) catalogue now. Access via Family and Local History, Search PhotosAudio-visualAudio/video tape recordings of events, oral histories, talks about Lower Hutt history Being redeveloped, some items are searchable on the Library catalogue.

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Community archivesA small collection of archives from local residents and organisations.This collection is being redeveloped. Online resourcesA selection of key resources are available via the Library catalogue.Ancestry, FindmyPast, Family Search and Papers Past. The public can access these resources freely in any Library Other online resources are accessible via Connect, except for Petone Heritage Centre.Other Heritage Collections

Hutt Valley Branch of the Society of GenealogistsThe Society’s collections are kept in the Heritage Centre. Anyone can browse, members can borrow.Most items are searchable on the Library catalogue. Historical Society of EastbourneThe collections of the HSE are being catalogued on to the Library catalogue. Anyone wanting to use them should contact the Society or the Eastbourne Library. Email: eastbournehistory@xtra.co.nzHutt City Council ArchivesHold Council records and a small collection of community archives.http://huttcity.govt.nz/en/Leisure--Culture/Archives-and-heritage/Archives/Petone Settlers MuseumOnline immigration database 1840 - 1897.We welcome any suggestions, feedback, or recommendations to buy – notice is taken of library customersSMART library books; like to have Hutt copies, but not always.

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http://huttcity.govt.nz/en/Leisure--Culture/Archives-and-heritage/Archives/mailto:eastbournehistory@xtra.co.nz

A Selection of Books shown to us by Tricia:

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Eastern Hutt School is celebrating 100 Years La-bour Weekend 23 & 24 October 2015.All past pupils, teachers and past Committee mem-bers are cordially invited to join us over this weekend when we can look back and celebrate our proud history of 100 years in schooling.For information go to www.easternhutt.school.nz Latest additions to Papers Past (May 2015):

• Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette (1902-1948) • Hawke's Bay Herald (July-December 1894, 1901-1904) • Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser (1888-1896) • Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette (1877-1881) • Samoa Weekly Herald (1892-1900) • Samoanische Zeitung (1903-1920) • Sun (1916-1920) • Thames Advertiser (April 1897-March 1898) • Waikato Times (July-December 1887) • Wairarapa Standard (1867-1887) • Wanganui Herald (1910-1920) • West Coast Times (September-December 1878, 1910-1916)

Belmont School Reunion:Belmont School Reunion 2015 planning is now underway.The dates of celebration are:Thursday 19th November – Saturday 21st November 2015 Belmont School 50th Reunion Planning Committeeemail: reunion@belmont-lowerhutt.school.nz

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http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.WCT&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.WH&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.WAIST&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.WT&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.THA&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.SUNCH&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.SAMZ&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.SWH&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.STSSG&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.STSSA&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.HBH&e=-------10--1----0--http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.AHCOG&e=-------10--1----0--http://www.easternhutt.school.nz/

Calling all Fellow Genealogists

This is your Newsletter. All contributions are gratefully received no matter how small. Thanks to those who already contribute. Editor

The Battle of Messines 7 June 1917The Battle of Messines during the First World War was a prelude to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres − better known as Passchendaele − which began on 31 July 1917.In contrast to the disaster that was eventually to occur at Passchendaele, the carefully prepared attack on Messines was a striking success. At 3.10 a.m. on 7 June, huge mines that had been placed under the German lines by hard-working tunnellers exploded. Almost immediately, New Zealand troops of 2nd and 3rd (Rifle) Brigades left their trenches and advanced towards the ridge in front of them, on which lay the ruins of Messines village. Australian and British troops moved forward on their flanks. The New Zealanders paid a heavy price for success: by the time the New Zealand Division was withdrawn on 9 June, it had suffered 3700 casualties, 700 of them fatal. http://www.nzhistory.net.nz10

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/

Commemorating Scottish HeritageScots settlers played an important role in Wellington’s early years and their descendants are planning to celebrate the richness of that heritage.On 27 December 2015 it will be 175 years since the Blenheim arrived in Wellington with migrants of mainly Highland farmers and their families. To mark the occasion, and to provide an opportunity for all the community to share in the commemoration, it is planned to hold a picnic day with suitably Scottish themes and events.The passengers from the Blenheim disembarked at Kaiwharawhara, where they were welcomed and supported by Ngati Tama and their chief Taringakuri, so it is proposed to hold the family picnic at Kaiwharawhara Park on the 27th of December 2015. Events are likely to include Scottish sports and dancing, children’s games, bagpipes and displays.Other functions will be held in Auckland and in Wanganui to commemorate the departure of the “Blenheim” on the 25th of August 1840.Many of the settlers eventually moved to the Wanganui, Turakina and Wairarapa districts to take up land.For more information: https://blenheim175.wordpress.com Hutt News May 5 2015What’s On at Your Local Branches?

Kilbirnie:Wednesday 1 July –TBATime/Venue: 10am The Park Bowling Club, Kilbirnie Crescent, KilbirnieKapiti:Tuesday 23 June - Emerson Vandy, National Library. Digital NZ and latest from Papers Past.Time/Venue: 7pm Kapiti Community Centre, 15 Ngahina St, Paraparaumu.Wellington:Wednesday 24 June – Visit to the BNZ MuseumTime/Venue: 7.30pm Connolly Hall, Guildford Tce, ThorndonPorirua:Wednesday 8 July – Emerson Vandy. Papers PastTime/Venue: 7.30pm Helen Smith Community Meeting Room, PatakaCnr Norrie & Parumoana Sts, Porirua

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https://blenheim175.wordpress.com/

Announced this week [4 June 2015] that Kirkcaldie & Stains Store is to close.

Kirkcaldie & Stains Limited was established in 1863 by John Kirkcaldie, a Scotsman who had served his apprenticeship as a draper, and Robert Stains, an Englishman who had worked in the retail trade in London. 151 years ago they initiated a tradition that is still upheld today.

Mr John Kirkcaldie and Mr Robert Stains.The two enterprising young men met in Sydney and came to the settlement of Wellington, which offered the best prospects for business. Each had a capital of £350, which they pooled, and opened their first store in Waterloo House on Lambton Quay on the site which is now occupied by the historic Bank of New Zealand building. Their small store was built from the timbers of a wrecked ship. The business thrived having been founded on the principles of selling quality merchandise at a price that gave good value and service. Kirkcaldie & Stains opened for business on Wednesday 9 December 1863.As the business grew a new store was built in the same location. The flourishing business again outgrew its home and in 1868 larger premises were built on reclaimed land at the corner of Lambton Quay and Brandon Street, part of the present location of the store.A branch of the company was operated from premises at the corner of Ghuznee and Cuba Streets from 1871 until 1876, and Kirkcaldies also had a branch in Napier from 1897 until 1917. Since then the company has been a single store operation based on Lambton Quay. Further adjoining premises were acquired and the store was expanded with new stores built on the existing site in 1897 and then again in 1908. The 1908 building was surrounded by the facade, which is still the hallmark of the company today.In 1886 Robert Stains returned to England and the partnership was dissolved. The Kirkcaldie family ran the company until the great depression of the 1930’s. In 1931 a controlling interest in Kirkcaldie & Stains was acquired by British Overseas Stores, a London based organisation that owned retailers throughout the world. The company experienced many highs and lows during more than 50 years of primarily British ownership including the celebration of its centenary in 1963. Consideration was given to opening other branches during the urban expansion of the 1960’s and 1970’s as many other New Zealand department stores opened outlets in the new suburban malls. However Kirkcaldies remained committed to the single site in the heart of the Wellington business district.12

In 1985 all of the shares in the company were purchased by the Renouf Corporation, later to be known as Hellaby Holdings. Renouf bought the company with the intention of redeveloping the valuable site Kirkcaldies occupied. The redevelopment commenced in 1986 with the southern half of the building being demolished and an office tower was built above the new store. The other half of the building was completed in October 1989 and the new store received a “Significant Achievement Award” from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce as well as being voted “Top Shop” by the Wellington public.Lambton Quay in 1925The current building forms three floors of retail store, two car-parking floors and has two 14-storey office towers above. The historic facade of the original building was retained and refurbished during the rebuilding. The company traded throughout the redevelopment by relocating some departments to other premises around the area. In 1994 Hellaby Holdings announced its intention to return Kirkcaldie & Stains’ ownership to the hands of Wellingtonians.Kirkcaldies became a public company in 1995 when shares were sold to customers and staff of the store in a public float. Between 1995 and 1998 Hellaby’s progressively sold down their shareholding in the company and in 1999 completed their exit by selling all of their remaining shares. Kirkcaldie & Stains remains a public company today with about 1,600 shareholders, the vast majority of whom are Wellingtonians. The biggest shareholders are the customers and employees of Kirkcaldies. During its long history Kirkcaldie & Stains has survived many upheavals, including earthquakes, fire and flood, the famous Tea Room shooting of 1898 and extensive renovations. From Kirkcaldie & Stains Website

Kirkcaldie & Stains A Wellington Story By Julia Millen. Printed in 2000. This book was commissioned by the directors of Kirkcaldie & Stains, and gives a complete 240 page history of this famous Wellington store from its beginning in 1863, through the two world wars, up to the end of the twentieth century. It contains a large number of black and white photos of both the store and the many hundreds of people who have worked there. Available at both Petone and Hutt Memorial Libraries

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National Library of Ireland Announces Launch Date for New Online Genealogy Resource– Almost 400,000 images of Catholic parish register microfilms to be available on-line for free from 8th July 2015 – The entire collection of Catholic parish register microfilms held by the National Library of Ireland will be made available online, for free, from 8th July 2015 onwards.On that date, a dedicated website will go live, with over 390,000 digital images of the microfilm reels on which the parish registers are recorded. The NLI has been working to digitise the microfilms for over three years under its most ambitious digitisation programme to date. The parish register records are considered the single most important source of information on Irish family history prior to the 1901 Census. Dating from the 1740s to the 1880s, they cover 1,091 parishes throughout the island of Ireland, and consist primarily of baptismal and marriage records. NLI’s Ciara Kerrigan, who is managing the digitisation of the parish registers, said: “We announced initial details of this project last December, and received a hugely enthusiastic response from people worldwide with an interest in Irish family history. We are delighted to announce that the project has been progressing well, and we will be able to publish all the digitised records online from 8th July onwards. “This is the most significant ever genealogy project in the history of the NLI. The microfilms have been available to visitors to the NLI since the 1970s. However, their digitisation means that, for the first time, anyone who likes will be able to access these registers without having to travel to Dublin.” Typically, the parish registers include information such as the dates of baptisms and marriages, and the names of the key people involved, including godparents or witnesses. The digital images of the registers will be searchable by parish location only, and will not be transcribed or indexed by the NLI. “The images will be in black and white, and will be of the microfilms of the original registers,” explained Ms. Kerrigan. “There will not be transcripts or indexes for the images. However, the nationwide network of local family history centres holds indexes and transcripts of parish registers for their local areas. So those who access our new online resource will be able to cross-reference the information they uncover, and identify wider links and connections to their ancestral community by also liaising with the relevant local family history centre.” The NLI is planning an official launch event for the new online resource on 8th July.

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FAMILY HISTORY MONTHLY TALKS 2015Find out more about the resources and services at the National Library and the

Alexander Turnbull Library that can help with your family history research.

‘Such a settlement as ours’

Willis Street, Wellington, 1863, watercolour by William Howard Holmes. ATL reference no: B-121-015

In 2015 we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Wellington as New Zealand’s capital city. The Alexander Turnbull Library is a national institution and collections of the documentary heritage of New Zealand, Pacific and Antarctica, but Wellington has (and is!) a special place in our collections. Come and hear three experienced Turnbull staff open up the pictorial, published and manuscript

collections of the Library with a special emphasis on finding out about people and places in Wellington’s past. Speakers: Jenni Chrisstoffels – Research Librarian, Pictorial, Rita Havell –

Research Librarian, and Amy Watling – Online Research Services LeaderWednesday 17 June 2015 12:10 – 1:00pm

Venue: Tiakiwai, Lower Ground FloorNational Library building, cnr Molesworth & Aitken Street, Wellington

There will be a Conservation Clinic following the talk. Get preservation advice on the care, handling and storage of your treasured family items from Field Conservator Vicki-Anne Heikell. Please note that

conservators are not able to provide valuations. Bookings essential preservation@dia.govt.nz

www.natlib.govt.nz

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http://www.natlib.govt.nz/mailto:preservation@dia.govt.nz

Hutt Valley Branch of the New Zealand Society of GenealogistsNews & Views June 2015 Issue 334