First, a quick note to my regular readers – thanks so much for all your support and encouragement over the past year. I hope you all enjoyed the holiday season and are ready to make the most of 2014. To get things started here is a short list […]
As a collector of interesting old things it is natural that Christmas related items frequently fall into my hands. I often find examples that fit well in my collections of maritime, military and New Zealand historical ephemera, photos and postcards. This Christmas postcard happens to also be from […]
It is that silly time of year again, so I thought I’d do my bit to spread a little Christmas cheer courtesy of some vintage postcards from my collection. I’ve uploaded these images at a higher resolution than usual on the off-chance that anyone wants to use them […]
Today marks an important date in New Zealand history. One hundred and fifty years ago one of the bloodiest battles of the New Zealand Wars took place between British troops and Māori warriors at their defensive earthworks at Rangiriri. By the time the battle was over early the […]
On 3 December 1917, the men of the 1st Canterbury and 1st Otago battalions assembled along the front line opposite a German strongpoint that was backed with pillboxes, machine-guns, trenches; and at the heart of the position, the ruins of Polderhoek Chateau. At midday the whistles blew and […]
A unique New Zealand story is hitting the big screen this weekend – Caroline Fitzgerald’s film ‘The Drowning Country’ tells the amazing story of how her great-grandmother revolutionised life jacket designs in the wake of the sinking of the Titanic. Orpheus Beaumont always had a close connection with […]
Last week I talked about the giant water chute that was a star attraction at the 1906/7 N.Z. Exhibition in Hagley Park, Christchurch. This is a follow-up post of sorts, but mostly just an excuse to share some seriously awesome photos of one of the Exhibition towers being […]
There is something about Edwardians that makes me smile. It doesn’t help that their world is one that is far too easy to romanticise – a world filled with pageantry, fancy hats, brass bands in rotundas, pocket watches, amusing moustaches and in Christchurch they even had a giant […]
I’ve previously posted battlefield guides for two of the most famous battlefields in Europe; Omaha Beach and Waterloo. Today’s guide is for a lesser known battlefield, but one that is a lot closer to home – at the top of the North Island of New Zealand. Known today […]
At the start of the year I posted this series of summer snapshots taken by English tourists passing through sunny Nelson in 1933. Here are a few more snapshots from their New Zealand holiday, this time showing what they got up to that winter. Eighty years ago the […]
History Geek 