Stortford Lodge Hotel

Speaker: ByronBuchanan - the History of Stortford Lodge.

ByronBuchanan will be talking on the history of the Stortford Lodge Hotel

The StortfordLodge Hotel, situated in Heretaunga Road, was established in the year 1890, byMr. William Stock, and acquired by the present proprietor in 1904. It is atwo-storeyed wooden building, with a fine balcony and a verandah. The groundfloor contains several sitting rooms, a large commercial room, a billiard room,and a dining room capable of seating about fifty guests. The upper floorincludes fifteen bedrooms, a bathroom with hot and cold water laid on, and aconvenient lavatory. The house is well furnished throughout, an excellent tableis kept, and the bar is stocked with the best brands of liquors. The comfortand convenience of guests and travellers is the proprietor's firstconsideration. There are good stables in connection with the establishment,which contain fourteen loose boxes.

Frederick King proprietorof the Stortford Lodge Hotel, was born in the Wairarapa district on the 23rd ofAugust, 1872, and was educated in the Greytown North public school. He wasapprenticed to the blacksmithing trade in Masterton, and for thirteen yearssubsequently was engaged in business as a member of the firm of King Brothers.He afterwards severed his connection with the firm, in order to take over theStortford Lodge Hotel. Mr. King is a member of the Hastings Bowling Club, theAncient Order of Foresters, and was vice-president and a member of the HastingsFootball Club.

Guy Wellwood - Roberet Wellwood

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Guy Wellwood - An Enterprising & Public Spirited Pioneer

Guy spoke about his Great-Great Uncle Robert Wellwood, the first Mayor of Hastings and a highly regarded and well-known townsman. Robert Wellwood was Mayor from 1886 to 1887, being the first mayor of Hastings Borough Council. He was also a farmer, auctioneer & commission agent. He was very active in the community and a promoter of new industries in Hawke's Bay.

Robert Wellwood by Guy Wellwood

Robert Wellwood was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, probably on 21 May 1836, into a Protestant farming family. His parents were Ann Proctor and her husband, Ambrose Wellwood. Like many young Irish of his time Robert decided to try his luck in New Zealand, and took a passage on the Queen of the Avon, landing at Wellington in July 1859. He was followed later by his younger brother Arthur. To see his new country Robert went swagging. He visited Hastings, later returning there to work for J. N. Williams. Catching the prevailing gold fever he went off to Otago, but failed to make his fortune and returned to become farm manager for Williams. In 1870 he received from Williams 200 acres on the Heretaunga plain, and built a home there which he named Maxwell Lea. A plane tree planted in the garden was grafted to form a cross as a protection against evil. In the 1870s Wellwood became involved in many local body activities, including the Hastings school committee, the Diocesan Trust Board and the Heretaunga Road Board. He became prominent in the Masonic lodge for many years and held office as worshipful master. On 11 April 1872, at Puketapu, he married Annie Heslop, who was from a farming family. Two sons were born before Annie Wellwood died on 12 August 1881. On 14 March 1883, at Wellington, Robert married Jane Ann Taylor Ling, the daughter of a butcher and businessman. They were to have five daughters and two sons. Wellwood sold Maxwell Lea in 1884 and set up an auctioneering and commission business the following year. He opened his own saleyards, which are said to have had the best facilities of any in the North Island. The same year he also opened a wholesale warehouse offering a wide range of stores. He purchased another farm on the Heretaunga plain, Raureka, in 1887. Wellwood was always prepared to take calculated risks but made sure his ventures were well publicised. The opening of his saleyards was promoted by a lavish lunch for the leading farmers and other prominent citizens, and the opening of his warehouse by a fancy dress ball. 'Life', he once said, is 'made up of speculation'. He also became involved in the land, estate and general commission agency fields, and those attending his first sale on 25 March 1885 were invited to christen the Hastings Salerooms with champagne. In September 1884 Wellwood was elected a member and appointed chairman of the newly created Hastings Town Board, replacing one of the five original commissioners. Two years later Hastings was proclaimed a borough, becoming overnight the largest borough in the country. On 29 September 1886 Wellwood was elected the town's first mayor, unopposed. Although a popular mayor he resigned after a year to take a business trip, but served another seven years on the council in the 1890s. Wellwood was one of the chief promoters of new industries in Hawke's Bay. He was elected president of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society in 1888 and in 1890 was the first chairman of the Hastings Farmers' Association. Six years after his death his former home was purchased by the Agricultural and Pastoral Society to complete the Tomoana showgrounds area. The plane tree he planted is now a magnificent feature of the showground gardens. Wellwood's mayoral portrait shows a strong face, partly concealed by a full black beard, with a fine aquiline nose and expressive, hooded eyes. Although he gained wealth and success in his adopted country, it appears that he never forgot his more modest beginnings. When he stood for election to the Hawke's Bay County Council in 1876 he is reported to have said: 'I do not think our Council should be composed of Members who count their acres by thousands and their sheep by hundreds of thousands. I am in favour of there being a sprinkling of the yeoman class which is the bone and sinew of every country. It is this class we may expect will act as a check to the spending proclivities of the wealthy.' At a later political meeting he stated that his best sympathies at all times were with the working man.

Pattullo Pioneers

Robert Pattullo spoke on the history and background of the Pattullo family in Scotland
and the subsequent emigration of some members of the family to New Zealand in
the 1800s.
The early Pattullo pioneers first established themselves at Otago and then ventured
to the East Coast of the North Island, purchasing land in Gisborne and Hawke's
Bay, including "Newstead" in 1911.
They called for the abolition of sheep tax and got a stock tax which was less
taxing.
Robert covered progress and change over the last 100 years at Newstead. He also
detailed an extensive involvement and contribution to Agricultural and Pastoral
Societies in both Otago and Hawke's Bay over four generations of the Pattullo
family.

Robert Pattullo - Pattullo Pioneers

Robert Pattullo - Pattullo Pioneers Robert Pattullo will speak on the history and background of the Pattullo family in Scotland and the subsequent emigration of some members of the family to New Zealand in the 1800s. The early Pattullo pioneers first established themselves at Otago and then ventured to the East Coast of the North Island, purchasing land in Gisborne and Hawke's Bay, including "Newstead" in 1911.Robert will cover progress and change over the last 100 years at Newstead. He will also detail an extensive involvement and contribution to Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in both Otago and Hawke's Bay over four generations of the Pattullo family

J H Coleman: lust for land

LUST FOR LAND is written by Adrian Coleman. It is a record of J H Colemans life from arrival in New Zealand in1859 until his death in 1928 aged 94; acquisition of pastoral land in Hawkes Bay; very early sittings of the Maori Land Court in Hawke's Bay; Royal Commission into land dealings, particularly concerning the Heretaunga block (James escaped); the making of his fortune; his commercial and philanthropic activities; the lives of his four privileged step-children; division of his wealth; the lives of his own children and grandchildren.
Retired solicitor Adrian Coleman always hoped to pen a book. So when his muse came by way of a descendant's deeds box 20 years ago, the Hastings property lawyer decided its contents merited a mention.While he initially intended to write a biographical piece on the box's former owner - great-grandfather James Henry Coleman - his research led to a much broader project.The deeper he delved into his descendant's land dealing in what was then described as New Zealand's "wild west", the more the book's brief veered from a purely biographical account of his family, to a deeper understanding of some of the area's earliest land transactions.The broader scope "created quite a conundrum" for the 70-year-old, who admits he originally set out to write "primarily for my family". Yet the result, Lust for Land, James Henry Coleman - His Life, His Fortune, His Descendants, is, he believes, a "delicate fusion" and a scholarly and colourful history of his family and the province."Because I'm a lawyer I'm interested in land issues and how lawyers of the day dealt with these issues."So what has changed in a property lawyer's role between the mid 19th century and now? "Hardly anything actually. The law doesn't move very fast."And even outside legal transactions, there were other similarities between now and then. "I remember one Maori woman, a client of mine, weeping as she signed away a small flat in Flaxmere. That occurred only about six years ago. When the great Hawke's Bay chief Karaitiana had his land eased from under him he went into a long and deep depression. The Maori attachment to land was, and still is, palpable."The book, launched last month in Havelock North, was also a family affair. "I had my son, James Hayes Coleman, great-great-grandson of the old man, and his son Jacob Howard Coleman, great-great-great-grandson, beside me, which made it a special occasion."As for family affairs, don't miss the story of a future son-in-law's fighting off the cannibals of Rwanda, of a daughter being courted by a succession of impecunious impostors, all claiming to be titled Europeans, love and heartbreak in two world wars, and the impressive social functions which wealth made possible.

Hawke's Bay Magpie Rugby History - 1875 - 1945 - Frank Long

Hawke's Bay Magpie Rugby History - 1875 - 1945 - Frank Long A wonderful book.
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union was founded in 1884. This makes it the oldest Provincial Rugby Union outside the four main centres. Hawke's Bay have a very good Ranfurly Shield record with 24 defenses from 1922 to 1927, 21 successful defenses between 1966 and 1969 as well as 2 defenses in 1934. Hawke's Bays glory days came long before the NPC was founded. As such Hawke's Bay does not have a very flattering record in either that competition or the AIR NZ Cup. The best position the have managed in either is 3rd. Hawke's Bay dominated the second division of the NPC before the Air New Zealand Cup was set up. In 1997 Hawke's Bay joined with Manuwatu to become the Central Vikings and subsequently won the 1998 second division NPC final against Bay of Plenty at McLean Park, Napier. Both Unions have since gone their separate ways, and are both foundation unions of the Air New Zealand Cup which started in 2006. In the past Hawke's Bay has produced some great All Blacks over 50 in total including Kel Tremain and George Nepia Hawkes Bay also defeated the 1993 British Lions.

Brief history of Hawke's Bay Ranfurly Shield history is some quite good until the late 60's.
Hawke’s Bay rugby is defined by two golden Ranfurly Shield eras: 1922–26 and 1967–69. In both periods the Bay became the benchmark for rugby in this country, and the 1920s side was truly something special. It scored 720 points in 24 successful defences and conceded just 204. Players such as the legendary George Nepia, Jimmy Mill, Bert Grenside, Jackie Blake and the mighty Brownlie brothers – Laurie, Cyril and Maurice – all wore the black and white of the Bay with distinction. Good as these players and their teammates were, much of the Bay’s remarkable success was due to the efforts of the astute and formidable Norm McKenzie, Hawke’s Bay’s selector-coach during this golden run.
Norman McKenzie, one of five brothers to have played first-class rugby, became a Hawke’s Bay selector in 1916. Along with his brothers Ted and Bert, he would play a key role in the controversial 1927 ‘Battle of Solway’.

Hawke's Bay rugby (video)
Hawke’s Bay’s 19–9 victory over Wellington in their 1922 shield challenge came as a complete shock to the team from the capital. Nothing in Hawke’s Bay’s recent history suggested that the outcome would be anything other than a routine victory for Wellington. Little was known about the Bay team, which McKenzie had assembled after scouring the province for men with individual brilliance who could also become effective team players. Hawke’s Bay’s dream nearly turned into a nightmare within weeks. They held on 17–16 over Bay of Plenty only because the challengers failed to convert a last-minute try near the posts.
By 1926 Hawke’s Bay had assembled a remarkably strong squad. The arrival of Bert Cooke from Auckland and Lance Johnson from Wellington completed a backline so strong that even recent All Blacks of the calibre of Lui Paewai and Tommy Corkill couldn’t break into the team. Some of New Zealand rugby’s finest unions were dispatched with ease – Wellington 58–8, Auckland 41–11 and Wairarapa 77–14. There seemed no reason to think that the Bay’s run would end any time soon.


Over the summer of 1926–27 Hawke’s Bay was rocked by a number of departures. George Nepia moved to East Coast and Bert Cooke and ‘Bull’ Irvine left for Wairarapa. In the first challenge of the 1927 season Wairarapa, so convincingly defeated the season before, ended the Bay’s tenure with a hard-fought 15–11 win. Some expressed relief that Hawke’s Bay′s reign had finally ended. Even Norman McKenzie admitted that the shield needed to move to maintain its appeal. But not everyone in the Bay was so willing to accept the loss of a possession to which they had become accustomed. The opportunity for redemption came just a month later with a rematch in Masterton. A unique feature of this game was the involvement of the McKenzie family. Norman’s brother Ted was the Wairarapa coach and Bert McKenzie was the referee. Hawke’s Bay won the Battle of Solway 21–10 but Wairarapa kept the shield because Wattie Barclay was later ruled to have been ineligible to play on residential grounds. In the meantime the Bay ‘defended’ the shield twice in challenges that were expunged from the record.
Kel Tremain
Though there was a brief shield tenure in 1934, Bay supporters had to wait until 1966 for a rerun of the 1920s. After Waikato was defeated at the end of the season, shield fever gripped the province. Over the next three seasons street parades preceded 21 successful defences. As in the 1920s, success was due in no small part to the coach. Colin Le Quesne – ‘The Fuehrer’ – was a meticulous planner who had represented the Bay with some distinction during the 1930s. He had welded together a formidable team which contained many fine players who went on to represent their country. None stood out more than the captain, Kel Tremain.

At the time Tremain’s status in New Zealand rugby equalled that of Colin Meads. As an agricultural field cadet he studied at Massey and Lincoln agricultural colleges. So after debuting for Southland in 1957 Tremain represnted Manawatu, Canterbury and Auckland before settling in Hawke’s Bay in 1962. He was a try-scoring machine from the side of the scrum. In 268 first class matches he scored 136 tries, a record not beaten by another forward until Zinzan Brooke did so in the 1980s and ‘90s.
Kel Tremain died in 1992 after a short illness, aged only 54. His place in New Zealand rugby is recognised by the annual award for the outstanding player of the season, which is named in his honour.