Alice Coombs

Alice Coombs, the wife of William Coombs. lived in Hawkes Bay until returning to Palmerston North after her husband's death in Hastings in 1907. She died in 194...

The mayor assists

Mayor Grant Smith, was the first to hand-stitch one of hundreds of poppies to an Anzac Quilt, assisted by Robyn Wilson.

Drawing of "Taranaki from seawards 1858"

Drawing entitled "Taranaki from seawards 1858", handwritten on the back. It depicts two sailing ships, with Taranaki, including Mount Taranaki, in the backgroun...

Opening of Local History Week 2016

The 9th annual Local History Week was opened at the Palmerston North Central Library. Maria Shiva speaks to the guests. Front row, right: Debbie Duncan, General...

Steampunk at the City Library!

The Steampunk Experience was held in the Central Library in May 2017. There were many events, including teapot racing, fashion shows, stalls selling Steampunk w...

RNZAF 21st Anniversary Airshow, RNZAF Station Ohakea

Crowd and Planes on display

Early Settler Picnic

A group of unidentified early settlers in Palmerston North.

Diary of an itinerant farm worker

This "McDougall Farmers' Notebook 1935-36" was used as a diary by an unknown farm worker who went on 'Tour of N.I.', beginning 15 October 1935 (first entry). He...

Forty Years of Centrepoint Theatre: The History According to Hawes

Shipboard Diary of Emily J. Hewitt [Shannon]

The shipboard diary of Emily J. Hewitt [Shannon] written while a passenger on "Nourmahal" from London to Sydney.

Louisa Snelson's Scrapbook

Louisa Snelson (c 1856-1919) was an early settler of Palmerston North, along with her husband George who established the first shop on The Square. Louisa was ve...

Craven School Prize Book - The Faerie Queene

This is the inside cover of a copy of The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser, won by Craven School pupil Lorna Monckton in December 1903 for work in English. To vi...

Shipboard Diary

Diary written by third class steerage passenger on the 'Ionic', sailing from Gravesend and Plymouth in England to Wellington and Port Chalmers in New Zealand. T...

Minnie Thomas Collection

Index for Minnie Thomas Collection. Minnie Thomas began collecting autographed books and pamphlets in 1934 after obtaining the signatures of the Lord and Lady B...

Letter from Oscar Monrad to Marie Monrad

Letter from Oscar Monrad to his aunt, Marie Monrad, wife of Johannes Monrad in America. The letter was written after Oscar's return from Denmark and describes d...

Letter from Clif Reed to G C Petersen

Letter from Alexander Wyclif "Clif" Reed to George Conrad Petersen regarding his manuscript, 'Forest Homes'. Clif Reed was the Managing Director of A H and A W ...

The Shannon Detention Camps: The Stories of WWII Conscientious Objectors and Their Families

This account of the Shannon World War Two Detention Camps is based on contributions from a large number of family members and descendants of those who were in...

Coalition Against The Tour poster

The Coalition Against the Tour group was formed 15 March 1985, to protest against the proposed tour of the All Black rugby team to South Africa. This poster's ...

Gillian Absolon - Finding Aid

Gillian Absolon was born on 30 March 1934 and died on 1 January 2019. In 1993 Gillian established the Mature Employment Support Agency in Palmerston North whe...

Coalition Against The Tour - Finding Aid

The Coalition Against The Tour group came out of the Community Volunteer group. The group was formed 15 March 1985, to protest against the proposed tour of the ...

Coalition Against The Tour poster

The Coalition Against the Tour group was formed 15 March 1985, to protest against the proposed tour of the All Black rugby team to South Africa. This poster's ...

Memory Lane - "Slice of 60s life"

Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. Local news, events and opinion pieces as described in the newspaper on 20 Novembe...

Memory Lane - "Children of Little Poland"

Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. Over seven hundred Polish children came to New Zealand at the invitation of the P...

Man in Makerua flax swamp, near Shannon

Miranui Flaxmill was owned by A & L Seifert Flaxmilling Company Ltd and opened in 1907. This view looks eastwards with the Tararua Ranges in the background. the...

Brightwater Terrace bus shelter

Painting of Brightwater Terrace, Palmerston North, showing house and bus shelter. Pen and wash. Colour. John Tetley was a parasitologist at Massey Agricultural ...

Raumai Bridge

Original Wooden Raumai Bridge before demolition

The Lakelet bridge

  Lakelet in the Square, looking towards the Post Office, with the bridge on the right and – just visible on the left – part of the second bandstand. The two...

Ashhurst Bridge construction

This was the second Ashhurst Bridge to cross the Manawatu River at the lower end of the Manawatu Gorge. The first was washed away in 1895 and due to disputes it...

Ashhurst Bridge piles

The piles being lowered into position during the construction of the second Ashhurst Bridge, which crossed the Manawatu River at the lower end of the Manawatu G...

Upper Manawatu Bridge

The Upper Manawatu Bridge taken at the Woodville end of the Manawatu Gorge Walk. Taken on 15 July 2017 while the Gorge Road was closed due to a large slip and 1...