This photo shows Foxton Beach Surf Lifesaving Club volunteers Holly, Kelsey and Thomas conducting a rescue drill just beyond the waves at Foxton Beach. In another IRB was Jacob Brookie, a photographer using a vintage 1950s Agfa Silette camera. A freak wave had already wet the lens of the Silette, and the lens was a bit damp despite Jacob’s best efforts which explains the slight lack of focus in this image!

The 2023/2024 Foxton Beach swimming season was plagued by bluebottle jellies- lifeguards on the observation deck saw huge ‘mats’ of them out at sea. There were a few painful stings felt by swimmers onshore, but no emergencies as a result. 

This photo was taken as part of a series about Foxton’s volunteers, and many photos were published in the Horowhenua Chronicle.   

This photograph was taken by local photographer Jacob Brookie in March 2023 from the dune track leading from the beach carpark down to the sea. It is of the  Waitārere Beach Surf Life Saving Community Facility under construction and the completed building will be the home to the local surf lifesaving clubrooms which can accommodate up to 200 people and host more training sessions. At the time of writing, it will be ready for the 2023/2024 summer season.

Jacob used a 1960 Agfa Flexilette camera to take this photograph. The Flexilette was an unusual camera as it was a twin lensed design built to take 35mm film- not many of these designs have been made! It wasn't all that popular in its day but still takes nice photographs.

Foxton Fizz has been part of Horowhenua since 1918 and is one of the last small town soda companies left. In over a century of bottling flavours have come and gone and so have different label designs on the bottle.

This 1970s cinema slide would have been shown during intermission along with other advertising slides and slides showcasing upcoming films. The 'Tropic' slide is an unusual mixture of a local brand advertising using the far-away tropics as a selling point. The drink would be more likely to be consumed at the Manawatu Heads than the white sands of Hawaii! The 'Thirst Quencher' by-line probably meant that this slide screened during Summer.

However, with overseas brands like Coca-Cola moving in on the local market, familiar names had to appear to be a bit exotic to compete. It must have worked- Foxton Fizz is still with us today!

Inscription on reverse reads: “First Day Pupils and Staff of Fairfield School 5 Feb 1963. Original in Fairfield School Album”

First day pupils and staff at Fairfield School 1963.

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

Penciled below photo, as caption: “Summer Holidays.”

Written on back with blue ballpoint pen: “Hydrabad about 1930.”

View of seaward side of the shipwreck “Hydrabad”, looking north from the rear of the wreck with the tide washing against it. There are a number of people on the wreck and swimming in the sea.

1 B&W photo print, mounted

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