The Grand hotel was constructed in 1906, with the original plans showing 66 bedrooms, 2 conservatories, one shop facing the square and a large dining room. It was designed by NZ architect Mr Maddison and built by Mr James Trevor (Trevor Bros). The...
Creator: Elizabeth Creamer
Place: Corner of The Square and Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: 1981
This building was constructed in 1890 for the 'Manawatu Daily Times', and was occupied by them until 1913. It was Waghorn's decorating shop 1913 - 1939, and then Tingey's “Oil and Colour Merchants” 1939-1979. In 1979 it became Haseldens Hobbies an...
Creator: Elizabeth Creamer
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1981
The Taverners Arms operated as the Railway Hotel from when it was built in 1905 until 1970 when it was granted a motel–hotel license. Previous owners included John Hurley (1905), William Owen (1914) and J Anderson (1920). In 1981 Super Liquor Man ...
Creator: Elizabeth Creamer
Date: 1982
The Grand Hotel was built in 1906 for Martin Craven, to replace the Provincial Hotel which was gutted by fire. In 1985 the then owners, Manawatu Holdings Ltd, converted the top floors into commercial offices and retail space.
Creator: Elizabeth Creamer
Place: Corner of The Square and Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: 1982
The Premier Drapery Company was one of the foremost department stores in Palmerston North. This building, designed by L G West and built in 1905 as part of the former Club Hotel complex, was bought by the PDC in 1975, with a view to building a new...
Creator: Elizabeth Creamer
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: 1982
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 7th January 2025. Part 1 of 2. One of twin boys. Mother was very ill so cared for by Plunket in Whanganui and returned to his mother six months later. Went to West End School New Plymouth ...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: January 7, 2025
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 20th August 2024. Part 3 of 5. Went to teachers college enjoyed it but didn’t like going on section. Chose infants because she lacked the confidence with older children. Bonded for three years – probationar...
Creator: Vicki-Marie Buchanan
Place: Linton
Date: August 20, 2024
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 17th December 2024. Lived in Taumarunui on the upper reaches of the Whanganui River. There is a riverboat museum at Whanganui. Three types of boat used on the Whanganui River – paddle, pro...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: December 17, 2024
Place: Feilding
Date: October 21, 2025
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 12th March 2024. Lynley de Roles. Went on Womens Weekly tour to Prince Charles’ and Princess Diana’s wedding in 1981. Travelled via Los Angeles and Disneyland. Stayed at Waldorf Hotel which was ...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: March 12, 2024
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 23rd June 2020. Tom Romley, Part 4 of 5. Working on the Upper Yarra Dam, living in a camp. Sleeping bags, dead snake inside. Shift work. 2 “lives” and you were out. How got to Australia. Workers from ...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Ashhurst
Date: June 23, 2020
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 3 August 2021. Part 2 of 4. Jackie’s wartime and post-war living next to military college. Dances, jive, old-time dancing. Robin was a tomboy, living in Cornwall, working in a hotel, children eating in room...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Feilding
Date: August 3, 2021
This house was built in the 1910's. A hairdressers and a natural therapist currently use the building as a workplace. According to the QV website, the house was last sold in 1980 for $22,000
Next door, to the left, a new hotel development is taki...
Creator: Benjamin Foster
Place: 119 Fitzherbert Avenue, Palmerston North
Date: August 4, 2020
The Commercial Hotel was on the corner of The Square and Main Street.
Creator: Michele Flood
Place: Corner of Main Street and The Square
Date: circa 1950
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 5th August 2025. Part 1 of 3. Emma came to New Zealand as a registered alien from Holland in February 1960 at age 19. Her sister had been in New Zealand since 1952 and married a Dutchman who cam...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: August 5, 2025
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 12th August 2025. Part 2 of 3. Moved from Holland to New Zealand. She lived in Feilding for 18 months then moved to Masterton to be with her sister and brother in law. Worked at a hotel as a rec...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: August 12, 2025
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 30th September 2025. Mike Lawrence shares photos of Wellington from 1910–1915, showing Oriental Parade with trams, carts, and the tea kiosk.
He recalls living there in 1959 when the kiosk w...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: September 30, 2025
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 12th September 2023, Part 1 of 2. Grew up on a dairy farm. 1950s, milking cows before and after school. Long journey to school. Fitting in homework. To Teachers College in Palmerston North. No clear expecta...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: September 12, 2023
Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 22nd December 2020. Part 1 of 2. A linguistics PhD on the apostrophe, its history, current usage. Found in ancient Greek manuscripts to mark dropped vowels. Studying old Greek and Latin documents online. Me...
Creator: Stuart Birks
Place: Palmerston North
Date: December 22, 2020
The first Occidental Hotel was built on the corner of Fitzherbert Street [Fitzherbert Avenue] and The Square in 1887. It burnt down in September of 1891 and was replaced by a very similar building which was also destroyed by a fire in 1927.
Creator: George W Shailer
Place: Palmerston North
Date: 1887
The Occidental Hotel was erected c.1887 and was destroyed by fire in 1891. A second Occidental Hotel erected on the same site, was also burnt down in 1927. On the far left is the Club Hotel. The four two-storey buildings in the centre of the photo...
Creator: George W Shailer
Place: Palmerston North
Date: circa 1890
One of a series of postcards donated anonymously to the Ian Matheson City Archives. The postcards are addressed variously to a Mrs R. Fergusson of Rose Bank, Halcombe and Miss Elsie Simpson of Manchester Street, Feilding.
To the left of the Band ...
Place: Palmerston North
Date: September 28, 1911
Looking across The Square to the Grand Hotel, built 1906. To the left can be seen the Occidental Hotel opposite the Bank of New Zealand, on the corner of Fitzherbert Avenue. In the foreground can be seen the statue of Te Peeti Te Awe Awe erected i...
Creator: Unknown
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: circa 1908
Te Peeti Te Awe Awe (c1820-1884), a chief of the Rangitāne tribe, was involved with negotiations and the sale of Māori Land for the opening up of the Manawatu for pakeha settlement. A marble statue of Te Peeti was installed in The Square, Palmerst...
Creator: Unknown
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: circa 1907
These images were taken for the October 8th, 1978 edition of the Tribune weekly newspaper, the first of which was published with the caption: “Karen Seebeck - the Konigan Queen for Palmerston North's annual Oktoberfest, which was held in the city ...
Creator: The Tribune
Place: Masonic Hotel, Main Street, Palmerston North
Date: October 8, 1978
McRae's Hotel was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Tarawera on 10 June 1886. The wreckage from this destruction subsequently became a tourist attraction.
This photograph was created by William James Young in the early 20th century. A large vari...
Creator: William James Young
Date: 1900 to 1914
This photograph consists of two views. One is of the bridge over the lakelet in the Square with the Post Office (erected 1905-1906 in the background. The second is of the bridge over the lakelet in the Square with the with the Occidental Hotel in ...
Creator: A Rickard, Palmerston North
Place: The Square, Palmerston North
Date: 1910 to 1925
The origin is unknown. It is assumed to be named after Cuba Street in Wellington, which was named after the ship, "Cuba."
The image is a derivative of this <a href="https://manawatuheritage....
Creator: Heritage Team, Palmerston North City Library
Date: 2024
These images were likely taken by the Evening Standard on the 12th of February 1984 but were not published. They depict former United States president Jimmy Carter during an interview with Evening Standard staff Warren Barton and Maurice Costello,...
Creator: Manawatū Evening Standard
Place: Palmerston North
Date: February 12, 1984
This aerial is believed to be of Shannon. The road running from the centre to the top left of the image is State Highway 57, Margaret Street, the main road. Prominant buildings on this road on the right from the centre have been identified as the ...
Creator: Joe Greening (Argosy Studios/Argosy Industrial Photos)
Place: Palmerston North
Date: 196X