Kete Horowhenua

Found 73 results

Auckland Building Society/Maurice Mead Cinema Advertising Slide

In the 1950s and 1960s New Zealand's home ownership rates were steadily growing. Aspiring to own your own home was a natural part of family life and this slide shows this perfectly- the young family are dreaming of a large house with a decent lawn. A house that size was a big ambition back then and even harder for most families to afford now! 

Unlike a bank, building societies are owned by their members but offer many of the same financial services. The Societies are able to offer 'ballots' where members who bought shares in a special fund were eligible to receive prizes generated from the fund's interest. Few people won prizes but those who did won more than an equal share from the interest would provide. This was like the former 'Bonus Bonds' scheme which concluded in 2020. For many Society Members the biggest financial goal was to raise enough money for a house deposit. 

This Society was based in Auckland but it appears that Maurice Mead was the local Levin agent who represented them. MAVtech cannot find any information about Mister Mead. Interestingly, despite the invitation to call him there is no phone number on the slide! Was this a mistake, or was the slide one of a pair? If it is the latter that would make it very rare! 


Magic Lantern Slide- Family and House

Who are the people in this magic lantern slide? Where is this house? Why is there so much mud? And, most importantly, had anyone heard of firearms safety? The child in the picture must be hoping that the gun isn't loaded.

If anyone can answer these questions (or can decipher the writing on this slide) please let the MAVtech Museum know! In the absence of any answers we can see why this slide is important: many family photographs and postcards show groups outside of houses. With land needing to be broken in, families outside their properties were seen as a kind of colonial pride.

What they are holding also speaks volumes about how people saw themselves (or at least, how they wanted to be seen). The man is holding a gun and is seen as a powerful provider. The boy holds a hammer- has he been helping with the work? The lady holds a book (a Bible perhaps? This was common for womens' photographs in Western countries back then). And the young lady looks ready to go to school or church in her neat hat and tidy clothing. These themes were often used in professional photographs and subconsciously spilled over into many early snapshots. 


Mind you- this could also be a professional photograph.

Also, this is a lantern slide, designed to be projected onto a wall. Unlike a personal photo album, these  slides were usually viewed as a large group. Extended family? A soldier overseas in the First World War? (the Dunedin Photographic Society took photographs of families that soldier relatives could then view near the front. These were all magic lantern slides.)

Photographs are often seen as perfect windows into the past but this one holds more questions than answers! 

The six Brown girls, mid 1920's

Written on back with blue ballpoint pen - 6405 979

The six Brown girls, mid 1920’s 1 B&W photo print

In garden by fence with railway stock wagons in background. The following 7 names have been used as identification in connection with the girls of the Brown family - Annie, Gwen (later Graham), Girlie (later Urwin), Jeanne (never married), Billie, Eris (later Mouldey) youngest (?) daughter and Maisie (later Hebley).

Appears to have been removed from a photo album.

Annie believed born January 1906 (see Certificate of Proficiency Acc.#s2002.098.0034 gives her age as 13 years 10 months in Novemeber 1919).

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

Family Group Beside River

Penciled on back: “Shannon Family In front Mrs T. Brown nee Newton ? Mrs Jas Hallam”

An unidentified family group beside a river. Four girls are standing and sitting in the branches of a small tree. The woman sitting on the left, holding toddler on her lap, is believed to be Mrs T. Brown (nee Newton). The woman standing at the right of the group is believed to be Mrs James Hallam.

1 B&W photo print {Fragile, slightly damaged}

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

de Ridder Diamond Wedding Celebrations

Names for photograph taken from attached paper

People gathered at the diamond wedding celebrations of Mr and Mrs J F de Ridder. Those in the photograph include:- Bob Sorenson, Hettie de Ridder, Dick Hayes, Edward de Ridder, Mark Perreau, Amy Anderson, Caroline Sorenson, Ethil Robinson, Miss Clarke, Evelyn Jensen, Winnifred Neville, Lionel de Ridder, Mr Linklater, Merv Robinson, Flora Newson, Ken Robinson, Harold Jensen, Arthur Neville, Sid Jensen, Doug de Ridder.

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Foxton Historical Society”

Members of Brown family and others at Brown's gate, early 1930's (?)

Written on bottom of photo with purple ink - At Brown’s Gate

Members of Brown family and others at Brown’s gate, early 1930’s (?) 1 B&W photo print

Back Row (L – R): woman (unidentified), Mrs Sarah Brown (wearing hat), Jeanne Brown, Gwen Graham (nee Brown). Centre: Gordon Mitchell. Front Row (L – R): Alistair Brown, girl (unidentified).

Appears to have been cut from a photo album.

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

Crawford Family at McDonald Cemetery, 1977

Penciled on back – 2 25/4/77 Group of members standing on exact spot of home & grounds of Hector (Jnr) Lakeside with McDonald Cemetery directly behind. Photographed by Miss D. Picken.

Written with blue ballpoint pen – 25/4/77

Crawford Family at McDonald Cemetery, 1977 1 B&W photo print (numbered – 2)

Cemetery also visible in photo #.0073 (behind Cabbage trees at right of photo).

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”
Search settings