In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection.

General Foch was an innovative commander and one who was big enough to admit mistakes and learn from them. On the 26th of March 1918 this French General was appointed the head of all Allied forces- a big change from the previous squabbling between the British and French commands. Foch's authority did not extend to overruling national commands, but he could at least coordinate strategy and direction of battle and by being the 'head' of all armies he could shelter his subordinate commanders from political interference. 

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection. 

General Pershing was the commander of the American Forces, who entered the war on the Allied side in 1917. Pershing adamantly refused to integrate his troops into the other Allied armies, preferring to fight for the most part as a separate force. His men were ill-trained for the realities of trench warfare and suffered terrible casualties but by sheer numbers made an impact on the front line.

Judging by the consistent hand colouring this slide was part of a set made in 1918. MAVtech has others from this series on Kete.

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection. 

General Joffre was a senior commander of the French Army who won early victories during the war. However, a string of losses eroded his position and by the time this slide was made he was likely no longer in direct command and instead had an advisory role. 

Judging by the consistent hand colouring this slide was part of a set made in 1918. MAVtech has others from this series on Kete. These slides were certainly shown in cinemas, but may also have been shown via magic lanterns to smaller audiences as well.

Taken with the East German Reflekta camera. 

Taken with the Reflekta Camera. Black and white film was used in this series. In part, this was for a 'retro' effect but many vintage cameras have early lenses which struggle to take photos outside without lens flare. The effect of flaring is most noticeable in colour! 

If you came into the library on Wednesday 1 March, you could have been forgiven for thinking you'd taken the DeLorean back to the 1980s. Staff were dressed up to celebrate the opening of the exhibition 'Rewind to the 80's'. 

The exhibition was a collaboration between Libraries Horowhenua and MAVtech, the Museum of Audio and Visual Technology (Foxton). It was a nostalgic flashback to the technology of the 1980s, an important decade full of momentum and transformation, with a new millennium on the horizon. Much of the technology we enjoy today stems from innovations from this time. 

MAVtech scoured their archives to find some fantastic examples... there's even a space helmet television! 

These images are scans of Instax Square photos - actual film photos!

Pictured: Services to Older Adults Librarian Jen Walton & Library Comms Coordinator Nicky Jenkins.

 If you came into the library on Wednesday 1 March, you could have been forgiven for thinking you'd taken the DeLorean back to the 1980s. Staff were dressed up to celebrate the opening of the exhibition 'Rewind to the 80's'.

The exhibition was a collaboration between Libraries Horowhenua and MAVtech, the Museum of Audio and Visual Technology (Foxton). It was a nostalgic flashback to the technology of the 1980s, an important decade full of momentum and transformation, with a new millennium on the horizon. Much of the technology we enjoy today stems from innovations from this time.

MAVtech scoured their archives to find some fantastic examples... there's even a space helmet television!

These images are scans of Instax Square photos - actual film photos!

Pictured: Services to Older Adults Librarian Jen Walton

Every photograph is a window into the past- and sometimes what you see surprises you. Children singing a waiata about being kind to animals seems like a modern day school lesson, but the writing on this slide is from 1924! In the 1920s only a few private schools taught the grammer of Te Reo. Tragically, all the other schools saw speaking Te Reo as a caning offence. Was this slide of one of the private schools- or a smaller group or club? We just don't know.

Or maybe these children were located at Waiata Shores, near Auckland (although even then, few schools used Te Reo names for locations back in the 1920s).

Art historian Walter Benjamin coined a term called 'optical unconsciousness' and part of that is seeing a photograph in hindsight. The people in it do not know the future, but we do. Whatever this photograph depicted it seems like it belongs in our present than in it's past.

But the past is full of surprises!

During the First World War when New Zealanders on the 'home front' were far away from the front line and struggled to get accurate photographs published in the press, seeing photos of commanders like Haig would have been important.

Sir Douglas Haig is pictured here after his promotion to General in late 1914 but before his rise to Field Marshal in 1917. A senior commander for much of the war, he has a complicated legacy. Once nicknamed 'the master of the field' and 'the man who won the war' he is now known as 'the butcher of the Somme'- forever linked with the bloody attrition of trench warfare and backward thinking military tactics. However, historians are still divided over which of these legacies is the most deserved.

This 'magic lantern slide' was designed to be inserted into a protector (most likely powered by a lightbulb or, for bigger audiences, a carbon arc lamp) and enlarged onto a screen. Haig's photograph would have been shown in cinemas, schools and churches as well as in community meeting urging patriotism for the war. 

The corner of the slide indicates that it was made in London and it's copies would have served a similar purpose there. 

In 1978 Alan Eyles was a candidate in the brand-new electorate of Horowhenua. He came second to National's Geoff Thompson but still managed to get 39.30% of the vote (Thompson got 42.86%). Eyles did not contest the seat again.

The Horowhenua electorate changed boundaries over the years, gaining and losing Shannon and Waikanae. Foxton constantly remained in the electorate. With the advent of MMP in the 1996 election, electorates were redrawn and Horowhenua was largely replaced by the Otaki electorate. 

With the average New Zealander making four or five trips a year to the cinema in 1978, an advertising slide was a great way of getting your face in front of voters. Eyle's photo was in black and white- perhaps to associate him with newspaper publicity. With each slide only shown for a few seconds at a time the message had to be quick and to the point.

MAVtech has a broad collection of magic lantern slides- but none are more haunting than this one. We know very little about the person in this photograph. From his uniform we know  he was a lieutenant in the First World War. He is wearing a gas mask to protect against enemy chemical warfare attacks (or 'friendly' gas blowing back towards his own lines). His uniform is clean- it is unlikely he was photographed anywhere near 'The Front'.

It may have been a snapshot. Private cameras on the Western Front were banned from 22nd of December, 1914. One soldier found with a camera was sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labour. However, the rules were often disobeyed and were sometimes laxer with regards to 'Officers' like a lieutenant. Cameras were also allowed 'behind the lines'  or off-duty, when this picture may have been taken.

But it is more likely that this was an official photograph taken to be displayed during magic lantern lectures at the home front. People were desperate for any news of the war and were eager for photographs. This soldier looks clean, well fed and comparatively relaxed for someone preparing for a chemical attack. He would have been a reassuring image for those back home.

Inscription on back: Mrs MacDonald with Flora’s love December 1902

Formal head to waist studio photograph of Flora McDonald. Wearing dark blouse with large ribbon bow over high necked undergarment. Hair down.

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

Inscription on back – Theresa Hinemoa McDonald

Full length childhood photo of Theresa Hinemoa McDonald,standing in garden wearing light coloured dress with long sleeves and pintucking on skirt, beading at neck, dark sash, dark stockings and boots. Hair down.

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

Label attached – 3 age groups of Theresa Hinemoa (younger daughter of Hector Jnr)

Formal threequarter length studio childhood portrait of Theresa Hinemoa McDonald wearing light coloured coat and hat, fur muff, two string pearl necklace.

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

Keith Robinson and Henry Robinson Henry dressed in racing silks.

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

Studio portrait of Doris Olive Hughes and Iris Ellen Hughes. Doris holds a bunch of cut flowers in her hand and is standing beside Iris who is sitting astride a rocking horse.

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

Bride & Groom – Sarah and William Brown 1 B&W photo print {Fragile, damaged}

Formal studio photograph. William (‘Bill’) Brown was a railway ganger based in Shannon.

They had 6 daughters then a son (Alistair). 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).

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.”

Written on back with blue ballpoint pen: “(3) M.D. Father Branaghan Outside Club Hotel.”

Penciled on back: “c / 8”

Father Branaghan standing beside a car outside the Club Hotel, Shannon.

1 B&W photo print, copy

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

His mother Dora (Theodora McCutcheon) on her wedding day.

Penciled on back – Otaki

Written on back with blue ballpoint pen – Otaki 3c

Man & woman (unidentified) 1 B&W photo print

Man (left) wearing knitted wool cloak & dark glasses. Woman (right) wearing torn sack cloak & dark glasses.

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

Mrs Ngawhare Cook and three of her grandchildren, Phillip, (the son of Samuel Lichfield Cook), Liza and Ria.

Three copies

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

The family of Charles Henry and Matilda (nee Symons) Collins. Their children are from left to right:- Edith, Charles Henry Junior, Fred, May, Annie, Gordon and Hilda. Adeline sits in the front of the group.

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

A person dressed as a tramp with long beard and trousers held up with string.

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

Embossed with gold leaf on mounting board below photo - Billens & Bunting Palmerston North.

Unidentified man

Has a beard and moustache.

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

An enlarged copy of photo 1977.047.0071.

Formal photograph of Hector McDonald Snr. He is wearing a textured jacket with a dark cravat over a white shirt with upturned collar. He has a beard and moustache.

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

Young woman sitting on lawn.

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

Unidenified man

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

Inscription on reverse reads: “C J Pownalls sons.”

Three young men, two standing and one sitting on a bench in a studio setting, who are described on the reverse of the photograph as “C J Pownalls sons.”

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

An unidentified man is leaning against door frame in this oval photograph. The building into which the doorway is made of weatherboard. The man is wearing trousers and a vest over a shirt with a bow tie. He has his hands in his pants pockets.

1 B&W postcard

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

A head and shoulders portrait of an unidentified elderly whiskered, balding man. He is wearing a jacket and waistcoat and the lack of clarity of the photograph suggests that it may be a copy or enlargement of a section of another photograph.

1 B&W photo print copy

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