More Info →Massey University Student 'Procesh' - Float for University revue 'Ben Hurcules'

Description

The annual Student procession or 'Procesh' was held at midday on the Monday of 'Capping Week' and was a highlight of 'Town and Gown' relations between Massey University and the City. Sometimes courting controversy with its 'student humour', the parade usually consisted of floats, clowns and trick cyclists. It attracted large crowds, stopping traffic along Broadway and around the Square and usually ended with a ceremonial ducking in the Butterfly pond after speeches by students representing 'Lord and Lady Massey' and the Mayor.

This float is advertising the capping week revue, a show written by Ross Grimmett specifically for performance in 1964. Titled 'Ben Hurcules', it was reviewed by the Evening Standard as 'sparkling with wit.' The show centred around Ben Hurcules' (John Sutton) five labours, which included a mail train robbery, retrieving the girdle of Mabel from the Amazons, and removing all the Bulls from the Manawatū.

Keith Roland Hamblyn was a photographer with the Palmerston North Hospital Board for many years. In a private capacity, he documented a wide variety of public events between 1958 and the early 1970s.

Identification

Object type

Image

Relation

2014-26

Date

April 13, 1964

Digitisation ID

2022S_2014-26_038868

Format

Slide