Manawatū Standard article. On 19 October 1966, US President Lyndon Johnson and his wife Lady Bird Johnson arrived at Ōhakea air base for the start of their New Zealand visit. Amongst the welcoming crowd was air force recruit Ray Mankelow, who capt...
Creator: Jimmy Ellingham
Place: Manawatū
Date: September 18, 2021
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. In 2020, the prospect of large numbers of citizens catching Covid-19 and dying as a result drove the government to mandate a nationwide lockdown to halt the spreading of the v...
Creator: Karis Evans
Place: Manawatū
Date: May 31, 2025
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. Minnie Sabina Thomas (1898-1974) began collecting autographed books and pamphlets in 1934 after obtaining the signatures of the Lord and Lady Bledisloe. By the time of ...
Creator: Tina White
Date: December 21, 2013
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. The life and career of actress and singer Nellie Stewart (1858-1931). Nellie performed at Palmerston North's new Opera House in its first week of opening, July 1905.
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: November 15, 2008
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. History of The Palmerston North Opera House. Built in 1905 in Church Street, it put the city's two earlier live venues, the Theatre Royal and the Lyceum, out of busine...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: January 8, 2005
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. In December 1925, the Borough Council agreed to the Manawatū AA's request for a camping ground. Three acres were designated in the southwest corner of the Esplanade. After an ...
Creator: Geoff Watson
Place: Palmerston North
Date: November 8, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. European refugees, displaced persons after World War 2, started arriving at a camp in Pahīatua in 1949. This article describes the journey and October 1950 Wellington arrival ...
Creator: Dr Tania Kopytko
Place: Wellington Palmerston North Pahīatua
Date: November 1, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. European refugees, displaced persons after World War 2, started arriving at a camp in Pahiatua in 1949. This article describes the story of Lucija (Lucy) Ozolins née Upenajs w...
Creator: Dr Tania Kopytko
Place: Pahiatua
Date: June 8, 2024
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The significance of the Kowhai tree and the history of Feilding. Before World War 1, Feilding botanist and plant man Lewis Thomas Brown was passionate about adopting kōwhai as...
Creator: Marilyn Wightman
Place: Feilding
Date: October 25, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. History of the Kosy Theatre, which opened in 1915 near the Post Office Building in The Square. Wartime footage and movies attracted audiences in its first years. The theatre c...
Creator: Val Burr
Place: Palmerston North
Date: October 18, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Mounted on the wall of the Palmerston North Brass Band room is a bass drum with more than 100 years of history. The instrument traces its playing days back to World War 1 and ...
Creator: Russell Poole
Place: Palmerston North
Date: October 11, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. History of musical theatre in Palmerston North. In 1900, the Palmerston North Amateur Dramatic Society was formed. Over its nearly 125 year history it has been known by severa...
Creator: Kaydee Zabelin
Place: Palmerston North
Date: May 11, 2024
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. The career of Theatre Royal's business manager and first Opera House manager Harry Muller.
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: August 17, 2019
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. In 1926, international ballet dancer Anna Pavlova toured New Zealand. She performed at the Palmerston North Opera House on 11 June 1926.
Creator: Russell Poole
Place: Palmerston North
Date: September 9, 2023
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. A new book,* Power: Electrical Supply to the Manawatū* by Colin Rush looks back at the history of local power supply since 1878. The author joined the Manawatū-Oroua E...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Manawatū
Date: February 1, 2014
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Telethon was a 24-hour live television spectacular designed to raise money for charitable causes. It originated in the United States, but New Zealand put a typically Kiwi spin...
Creator: Jaime Ridge
Place: Manawatū
Date: September 13, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The 158th anniversary of the 250,000 acre block of land sale that Rangitanē agreed to sell to the Crown is on July 23 1864. The deed of sale is held in Archives New Zealand, W...
Creator: Warren and Virginia Warbrick
Place: Palmerston North
Date: July 23, 2022
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. In October 1925. William Milverton gifted 4 acres, 3 roods and 28 perches of land to the Palmerston North Borough Council. This parcel of land was to become Milverton Park, on...
Creator: Geoff Watson
Place: Palmerston North
Date: September 6, 2025
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. In the 1950s and 1960s, building company Beazley Homes built homes to meet a housing shortage. The nationwide company made pre-cut affordable homes, with the house and...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Manawatū
Date: July 17, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. The 2010 editor of the Manawatū Journal of History Cushla Scrivens discusses increased internet access to local historical material. The importance of National Librar...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Manawatū
Date: August 28, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. On 22 February 1972, French wrestler Andre Roussimoff, also called Andre the Giant, came to Palmerston North for a wrestling match. His large size drew a lot of attenti...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: August 14, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. On Monday 10 July 1967, New Zealand swapped pounds, shillings and pence for dollars and cents. The new coins presented some problems for parking meters and domestic gas...
Creator: Tina White
Place: New Zealand
Date: July 10, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. In 1955 pianist Winifred Atwell performed a six day show season at the Regent. The variety show featured comedians, artists and even some nudity. Pianist Winifred (Winn...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: June 26, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. Author Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) spent six weeks touring New Zealand in 1895, part of a world speaking tour. On 2 December 1895, he gave a lecture to a packed audienc...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: August 7, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. The life story of James Alfred (Jimmy) Nash (1871-1952). Jimmy Nash became Palmerston North's 15th mayor in 1908. He was popular, remaining in office for 15 years. In t...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: August 21, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. Maurice Costello was a dedicated press photographer who spent 35 years recording Palmerston North's daily news. He joined the Manawatū Standard in 1962 and retired in 1...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: June 19, 2010
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. Annie Besant was a charismatic speaker whose 1908 visit sparked local interest in Theosophy. A local branch of the New Zealand Theosophical Society was formed in 1911 a...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Palmerston North
Date: May 29, 2010
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Rostrata private maternity hospital ushered thousands of Palmerston North babies into the world 1918-1962. Named after a large red gum tree on the site (eucalyptus rostrata), ...
Creator: Lesley Courtney
Place: Palmerston North
Date: June 3, 2023
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. From 1890, Arbor Day in New Zealand was celebrated in the first week of August. Trees would be planted, usually in schools, public places, official parks and gardens. In 1965,...
Creator: Marilyn Wightman
Place: Feilding
Date: August 2, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The first professional rugby match in New Zealand was played at the Palmerston North Showgrounds 1 March 1996 between the Wellington Hurricanes and the Auckland Blues.
Creator: Stephen Berg
Place: Palmerston North
Date: February 15, 2025