Tawa Historical Society Incorporated
The Tawa Historian
Newsletter #15 – January 2008
Dear Members,
It has been a long time between drinks! After our first executive meeting of 2008 it was decided to send members a newsletter bringing everyone up to date with a number of matters, and that uncovered the fact that the previous newsletter was over twelve months ago. In our defence we have been in touch with you about book releases, a Christmas get together, the annual meeting which included a copy of the Chairman’s address, an open day at the Tawa Community Centre, etc., but we promise we will not leave another newsletter so long in future.
That aside, I would like to bring you right up to date with our current projects:
Lest Tawa Forgets
We are at the final stages of editing this book and it should be ready prior to Anzac Day this year. The plan is to have a launch of the book on the Sunday before Anzac Day. The RSA have kindly agreed to host the launch after their annual general meeting on 13 April. The AGM is scheduled for 3.00pm, so our launch should be commencing sometime after 3.30pm. All members are invited to attend. We will give you further details closer to the event.
Memorial Oak Tree Plaque
Members will remember that it has been decided to place a plaque alongside the Oak tree outside Tawa School in Oxford Street. The plan here is unveil the plaque on the afternoon of Anzac Day this year, say at 3.00pm. The plaque is being made locally and the wording has been agreed between ourselves, the RSA and Tawa School. We have discovered that the tree was planted on Anzac Day 1943, so our unveiling will be sixty five years to the day later. The costs will be shared between ourselves, the RSA and Tawa School. Members are encouraged to attend this event also.
The Tawa Memorial
Late last year a sub committee looking into the possibilities of the memorial asked an architect, Callum McKenzie of McKenzie Higham, Wellington, to prepare initial sketch plans of what a memorial might look like. We gave Callum a broad design brief and he has brought his people out to measure up the area at the end of Oxford Street. It is adjacent to both Grasslees Reserve and the Tawa RSA. Callum has commenced work and hopes to have something for us to consider shortly.
The Takapu Road Ammunition Bunker
Phil Harland has overseen this project and members are no doubt aware of the publication of this first Historical Series booklet. We have also had an afternoon with the United States Ambassador and presented him with a booklet. It is now available for $7.50 at the Tawa Library. Well done Phil!
Grasslees Reserve and the Tawa Cemetery
Vikki Muxlow of the Wellington City Council has been corresponding with us over the information boards to be placed both in the cemetery and in Grasslees Reserve. There will be one board in Grasslees Reserve which covers information about Grasslees farm and the Best family, and also information about Elsdon Best who was born close by his memorial in 1856. There will be three boards in the cemetery, one of which gives a brief background to the history of the cemetery, another which lists those who are buried there, and a third which gives a plan of the cemetery. The Wellington City Council has provided us with the suggested wording for these information boards and we have reached agreement with them. A structure is being designed by Wellington City Council to contain the three boards and shield them from the weather.
Reprints
At the executive meeting it was agree to print 20 copies of the Historical Atlas of Tawa and 50 copies of The Streets of Tawa. These should be available in due course from either the Society or from the Tawa Library. As a public service we will also reprint the Heritage Trail pads which are available to members of the general public at no cost from the Tawa Library.
Booklets
Preliminary work is being done on three booklets to be published by the Society. The first will be on the Tawa Cemetery, the second on the original Tawa Flat Railway Station, and the third on Bartlett House at 26 Oxford Street.
Charles Duncan Reserve
The attention of members is drawn to the new signage at the entrance to this reserve at the bottom end of Fyvie Avenue, on the right, not far from the Main Road. It was placed there late last year by the Wellington City Council.
Membership
As at the end of 2007, fifty two members made up our Society, and we are taking on new members steadily. Our Treasurer reports that all but a few of our members have renewed their subscriptions, even at the higher cost of $25. This extra money is being put to good use in paying for our room at the Tawa Community Centre, and having that room means we are able to enjoy the Community Centre facilities at no further cost for our committee meetings and A.G.M., and the storage is starting to fill up. This was a once only opportunity, and has been a great success.
Best of Tawa Volume II
Preparatory work has been done on this volume and things are running to schedule on this for publication in October, November 2008.
Again our apologies for not providing more newsletters, we will do better in the future!
Yours sincerely
Bruce Murray
Chairman