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

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The story of the Fitton family and a wedding dress made in 1869. The dress was worn by Isabella Fitton (née Alexander) when she married Matthew Fitton in Lyttleton. They moved...

Creator:      Fiona Mckergow
Place:          Manawatū
Date:          February 8, 2025

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The life story of Danish immigrant Olga Monrad, née Berg (1843-1884). The Monrad family were early settlers in Karere, near Longburn.

Creator:      Lesley Courtney
Place:          Manawatū
Date:          January 18, 2025

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. From 1885, property owners paid a special rate to support the poor in the community. Administering assistance for poor people from 1902 to 1930 was the job of the charitable a...

Creator:      Margaret Tennant
Place:          Manawatū
Date:          January 4, 2025

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Significance of Madge Allsop, born Marjorie Kiri McWhirter. Madge (played by actor Patricia Emily Perry) was a fictitious character invented by Australian satirist Barry Hump...

Creator:      Jaime Ridge
Place:          Palmerston North
Date:          December 28, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. History of the Chapel of St Michael the Archangel Orthodox church. After World War 2, a large group of displaced persons from Europe settled in Manawatū, bringing with them t...

Creator:      Tanya Kopytko
Place:          Palmerston North
Date:          December 21, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. History of the Hoffman Kiln. One hundred and twenty years ago, Hoffman Oblong Continuous Kiln in Featherston Street was constructed to make bricks for new buildings and resid...

Creator:      Val Burr
Place:          Palmerston North
Date:          January 11, 2025

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The Taoroa Suspension Bridge, 18 kilometres from Utiku spanned 86 metres above the Rangitikei River. It opened in May 1911. In 1960, a farmer transporting sheep died when the ...

Creator:      Val Burr
Place:          Rangitikei

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. A coalition of groups and individuals joined together in 1985 to protest against a proposed rugby tour to South Africa. Locally, Coalition Against the Tour (CAT) was formed in...

Creator:      Lesley Courtney
Place:          Palmerston North
Date:          November 23, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The stories about the lives of service personnel named on war memorials have often been lost in time. Their stories lived in the memories of their relatives, who are often no ...

Creator:      Dorothy Pilkington
Place:          Manawatū
Date:          November 9, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. In 1924, the first sports team from Asia toured New Zealand. The team proved popular, played twenty two matches and attracted large crowds. Among the legacies of the Chinese U...

Creator:      Geoff Watson
Place:          New Zealand
Date:          November 2, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. History of Palmerston North power supply since 1924. Originally, peak load power was carried from the power station building in Keith Street. Politically, the ownership and ma...

Creator:      Val Burr
Place:          Palmerston North
Date:          October 26, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. While common in England and parts of Aotearoa, hedgehogs were still a rarity in Manawatū in the early 20th century.

Creator:      Russell Poole
Place:          New Zealand
Date:          October 19, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The planning and building of the Civic Administration Building, from 1969. It was officially opened 28 September 1980.

The project was championed by mayor Brian Elwood. There ...

Creator:      Isaac Heaphy
Date:          October 12, 2024

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. The original Upper Gorge Bridge was built in 1875. Designed for both road and railway traffic, it was narrow. The gorge road was widened in the 1920s and the bridge was repair...

Creator:      Val Burr
Place:          Manawatū
Date:          June 21, 2025

Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. Article about the social side of student life at Massey over the past sixty years. Highlighted are the activities that have both reflected and challenged social and cultural n...

Creator:      Louis Changuion
Place:          Palmerston North
Date:          October 5, 2024