More Info →Evans Family Collection: Mrs Evans and baby at the Palmerston North Plunket Rooms

A photographic series prepared by the Prime Minister’s Department in 1947 to attract British migrants. The Evans family of 5 Mansford Place, Palmerston North were selected to show the living conditions of a typical New Zealand family. Baby Julie Silvester is weighed by a Plunket nurse at the Palmerston North Plunket rooms in King St. The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society founded by Sir Frederic Truby King was formed in 1907 for the education of mothers and the welfare of babies. Plunket Rooms were established throughout the country, staffed by specially trained nurses where advice was offered freely to mothers. Plunket record books showing graphs of weight gains were often treasured by families. As the Evans boys were no longer babies, Julie was ‘borrowed’ from a neighbour for some of the photographs. (Julie’s married name was Camden).