C/- Tawa Community Centre, 7 Cambridge Terrace, Tawa, Wellington 5028 ; Secretary ph 232 5901
Website: tawahistory.org.nz
The Tawa Historian
Newsletter #59 – March 2023
Hello everybody
Chairman’s Comment:
The first few weeks of 2023 have been a sad time for our Society with the death of two of our Executive Committee members.
Bruce Murray, who died on 10 January 2023, played an enormous part in making the Tawa Historical Society the successful organisation that it is today. He was the chairman for 20 years and after retirement from that role became the society’s patron. Bruce was directly or jointly responsible for many of the publications we have produced in the past. A History of Tawa, published in 2014, was perhaps his magnum opus.
Gilbert (Gil) Roper died on 26 February 2023. In his time on the Executive Committee, he wrote three books that will be of value to residents and researchers for years to come. Tawa – The Tree (based on his university thesis), Tawa – its recreational Parks and Reserves, and the history of Redwood Bush, Tawa (published by the Friends of Tawa Bush) are all top-class reference materials on local history.
We in the society will miss them both and offer our condolences to Shona and Helen and their families.
A couple of invitations for all members:
Monday 3 April, 7.30pm at the Community Centre in Cambridge Street.
We will be launching Bruce Murray’s last book, entitled “Early Wellington Cricket and the Tawa Flat Cricket Club”.
The launch will be a celebration for family, friends and cricket acquaintances.
Cricket Wellington’s President, Mr Bryan Waddle MNZM, has agreed to be the guest speaker at the event and will officially launch the book. To every cricket fan Bryan is of course well-known as a cricket commentator on Radio Sport. During his media career that lasted nearly 40 years, he commentated on more than 250 Tests and 400 one-day internationals.
RSVP – to help with the catering for light refreshments please let the Tawa Historical Society know if you are able to attend – tawaparsons (at) xtra.co.nz
We look forward to seeing you there.
Tuesday 25 April, Anzac Day Commemoration at the Tawa War Memorial in Oxford Street, 10.00am:
The parade will assemble at the New World car park at 9.30am and march off towards the memorial at 9.45am.
The service of commemoration will start at 10.00am at the war memorial.
If wet, the parade/march will be cancelled and the service will be held in the RSA hall, starting at 10.00am.
Society Projects:
Work has kicked off on researching and writing a new book to be published, we hope, in 2024 or 2025. It will be a little different from most of our previous published works by focussing on people rather places or things. For the book we are seeking to identify sportspeople who have represented New Zealand who have a strong connection with Tawa, either through living here or playing for a local club. Some names probably spring to mind immediately, but it is representatives in some of the less mainstream sporting codes that we are interested in hearing about, from whatever era. Please drop us a line at our postal address or through the website if you know of someone whose story we might want to include.
Subscriptions:
A few members still have not paid their annual subscriptions. If this means you, we would appreciate you paying your subscription as soon as possible please.
David Parsons
Chairperson,
Tawa Historical Society