Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Life story of Palmerston North Samoan community leader Tile Vamaua Verne Tile (circa 1915-1978), known as Verne. Verne was born in Samoa and settled in Palmerston North in 195...
Creator: Tile Vamaua Vernon Tile
Place: Manawatū
Date: March 22, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Life story of Victor Emmanuel SMITH (1863-1951). Amongst the many roles he held in Feilding, he was a land agent, Palmerston North Hospital board representative, Feilding comm...
Creator: Marilyn Wightman
Place: Manawatū
Date: March 15, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The story of Eileen Neilson, later Eileen Savell (1883-1970) a Pohangina farmer who for over three years served in Egypt during World War 1. Eileen joined a volunteer organisa...
Creator: Lesley Courtney
Date: March 8, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The Manawatū rugby side beat Auckland in 1976 to win the Ranfurly Shield at Eden Park, Auckland. The win occurred during a time of change, for Manawatū rugby, the city and the...
Creator: Stephen Berg
Place: Manawatū
Date: August 15, 2026
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The life, work and legacy of Mina McKenzie (1930-1997). Mina was appointed as Manawatū Museum's first director in 1978. As a leader in the sector, she influenced museums in Ne...
Creator: Karis Evans
Place: Palmerston North
Date: March 1, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. History of Coombrae, the first "home for the aged" built in Feilding. Land for the facility was donated by the Coombe family, who lived at 30 North Street Feilding. A 21 bed f...
Creator: Marilyn Wightman
Place: Feilding
Date: May 23, 2026
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The history and construction of Palmerston North City Council Civic Administration Building and Convention Centre. Construction of the brutalist style buildings started in Oct...
Creator: Lesley Courtney
Place: Palmerston North
Date: January 24, 2026
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. For a time, the Pellow family was the only New Zealand company making custom made dance shoes. Albert Pellow started making dance shoes in Pitt Street Palmerston North in abou...
Creator: Dr Tania Kopytko
Place: Palmerston North
Date: January 17, 2026
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The establishment and history of Papaioea Park, a 3.6 Terrace End park accessible fron Ruahine Street, Featherston Street, Rangitira Avenue and Papaioea Place. Established in ...
Creator: Geoff Watson
Place: Palmerston North
Date: December 27, 2025
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The history of a historic Feilding homestead, originally located on a 15 hectares site in the 1870s, at 142 Denbigh Street Feilding. The home was moved to 6 North Street Feild...
Creator: Marilyn Wightman
Place: Feilding
Date: January 10, 2026
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Since 1959, the Manawatū rugby team has had a mascot. Cassius the Colt was followed by Cassius the Colt II in 1990 and Cassius the Colt III in 1995. Manawatū Stu was introduce...
Creator: Clive Akers
Place: Manawatū
Date: June 20, 2026
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The grandstand at the Showgrounds, later Central Energy Trust Arena, has been extensively damaged a number of times in its history. Opened in 1900 with seating capacity for 22...
Creator: Murray Brown
Place: Palmerston North
Date: April 11, 2026
Journalist Tina White's weekly "Memory Lane" article in the Manawatū Standard. The life and career of Madame Lauri Alwyn, women's health advocate. Madame Alwyn visited Palmerston North in May 1936 and presented a number of lifestyle, health and fi...
Creator: Tina White
Place: Manawatū
Date: November 27, 2010
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The history of the wishing well in Te Marae o Hine/The Square 1963-1990. Erected as a fundraiser for local charities by the Palmerston North branch of the New Zealand Jaycees.
Creator: Heather Glasgow
Place: Palmerston North
Date: May 16, 2026
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Construction on the Mangahao hydroelectric power scheme commenced in 1920. It lies behind Shannon, on the Mangahao River. It was a large construction project, employing 900 me...
Creator: Isaac Heaphy
Place: Manawatū
Date: May 2, 2026
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
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. 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
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
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
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. The history of Zonta Club of Manawatū, established in 1975. Zonta International is a global organisation working to improve the lives of women and girls through service and ad...
Creator: Zonta Manawatū club members
Place: Manawatū
Date: August 9, 2025
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