200,000 Images

This is the 200,000 images that we have digitized since we arrived in New Zealand in September 2011.  The name of the probate record was William Duncan Malmo.

April 23, 2012

ANZAC Day

 ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corp) Day is celebrated on April 25th.  It is equivalent to the United States Veteran's Day.  The celebrations start with a gun salute and talks at the government offices and then a small parade with the veterans.  There are all different celebrations during the day but we decided to visit the Wrights Hill Fortress in Karori which is only open to the public 4 times a year on Waitangi Day, ANZAC Day, Queen's Birthday and Labour Day.

 Wright's Hill Fortress is a coastal battery built to protect Wellington City from possible enemy attack from the Pacific in World War Two. The extensive underground work which consists of numerous tunnels was started in November 1942. There are 2,030 feet of interconnecting tunnel.

 According to the pamphlet this fortress contained an engine room, oil store, fortress and battery plotting room. three gun stores, a command post, and stairways and landings to three gun pits, as well as the interconnecting tunnels.

One of the numerous tunnels

One of the guns

The top of the fortress

Entrance to the fortress

View of Wellington from the fortress

April 25, 2012

Rivendell

 Each month all of the Senior Couples in the area get together for dinner.  This time we decided to go to Upper Hutt and tramp (hike) in an area that was used in the filming of the Lord of the Rings.  It is called Rivendell and it has the Hutt River flowing through the lush green foliage.

This is one of the huge trees located in Rivendell.

Hutt River

April 21, 2012

St. Paul's Cathedral

 There are numerous St. Paul's Cathedral's in Wellington.  Old St. Paul's is located in the lot adjacent to the archives.  It is small and very quaint in its decorum.  There is also a St. Paul's a couple of blocks to the east of the archives.  These pictures were taken at this church and it is well known for its stained glass windows.

The main chapel

Smaller chapel located at the back of the church

One of the many stained glass windows.

East/West Ferry

 Since Wellington has been labelled was the Coolest Little Capital in the World we decided that we had better take a boat out into the harbor to get a better look at Wellington.  Monday the 9th was a beautiful day with a high of 18 degrees celius and so we departed with the McVey's and the Ditchburn's on the East/West Ferry (Dominion Post).

 The boat stops at three different locations - Seatoun, The Island, and Days Bay.  You are given the opportunity of stopping once and hiking before returning to Wellington.

View of Wellington

Seatoun Port

Day's Bay located in the town of Petone

Island

April 9, 2012

Palmerston North Courthouse

 Palmerston North was the third courthouse that we visited this weekend.  We have a total of 6 counties to work on during the next 10 months.  They are Wellington, Napier, Masterton, Palmerston North, New Plymouth and Whanganui.  We are almost finished with Masterton and more than half way finished with Napier.

April 7, 2012

Hastings/Napier

 This is the Avenue of the Oaks in Hasting.  When you drive down this street it is like driving down a tunnel of trees.  This is located in Hastings which is a beautiful and immaculate town.  They actually sweep the streets and sidewalks at least three times a week.  Everyone's yard appear as if they all have professional gardeners. Hastings has a spanish mission style architecture.  It was largely rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and has many beautifully landscaped parks and gardens.  Elder and Sister Farnes are serving their mission in Hastings and the surrounding areas. We had the privilege of going out of dinner with them on Friday night.  Sister Farnes entered a convent when she was 15 years old.  She spend 4 years there and before taking out her vows to become a nun she decided to take a year off and experience the world.  Just before she was to go back into the convent and take her vows to become a nun she met the Mormon missionaries and joined the church.  Someone told her once that instead of becoming a Mother Superior she had become a Superior Mother.  She is a fascinating person to know. She and Elder Farnes arrived in New Zealand the week of Thanksgiving 2011 and within 2 weeks of their arrival he had a stroke which affected his eyesight and he was unable to drive.  Sister Farnes had to immediately learn to drive on the opposite side.

Dinner with the Farnes and the McVey's at the Masonic Lodge in Napier.

 The Farnes  went with us Saturday morning to have our picture taken outside of the Napier Courthouse.  Sister Farnes was gracious enough to take our pictures even though it was raining.

 The courthouse was recently moved to a new location shown above but this was the original courthouse.

Fountain in Napier

Napier is considered the art deco capital of the world.  It was also devastated by the 1931 earthquake and has since been rebuilt.  They have a Art Deco Weekend which is held in February where the local folks and visitors polish their vintage cars, dress up in their best art deco gear and get into the spirit of the festival.

 When Don was working at the archives he digitized a probate of a sheep farmer.  When he died in 1896 he deeded his property to the town of Napier for a 9 hole golf course.  Of course, Don needed to see this golf course.  It is now a 18 hole golf course that extends on three sides of the road (north, south and west).  It is beautiful with the lush green scenery.

April 7, 2012

Matthew Cowley

 Matthew Cowley was one of the first missionaries to serve in New Zealand.  Later he and his family returned to New Zealand and lived in this house while he was serving in the town of Dannevirke.  He became very proficient in the Maori language and therefore was able to translate the Doctrine of Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price into Maori.

 A church was built by the members down the street from his house.  It is now filled with old records and pictures.  Don found a church minute book that was dated 1917.  There are numerous pictures of event that have transpired there during the last century but most of the pictures do not have names or events on the back so they will remain a mystery to future generations.

The church is very small and consists mainly of a chapel area and a small kitchen.  We were surprised that it is left open with so much history inside.

April 6, 2011