Newsletter – September 2025
Kia ora koutou,
Right: Jean Irvine (front row, second from left) with other staff members of the Rāwene District High School, 1954
It is our 60th birthday. The Hokianga Historical Society was founded by historian and district high school teacher Jean Irvine in 1965. At that time, it was based in Rāwene. Jean Irvine was a prolific researcher and writer. Through the HHS she published some significant histories including Township of Rāwene and Historic Hokianga. In 1968 we became an incorporated society.
In 1973 a branch of the HHS was formed in Omapere and for many years it operated from temporary premises. In 1988 the HHS and the Hokianga Tourism Association combined to form the Hokianga Information Centre and Museum. Space was limited in this new location and most of the archives were kept in storage. The foreshore site eventually became unstable due to erosion. In 2012 the HHS signed a lease with the Opononi Area School who kindly let us have some of their grounds off 14 Waianga Place for a bespoke museum and archives centre at a peppercorn rental. Since then, the two organisations have operated separately.
The HHS is registered with the Charities Commission, and we are part of National Services - Te Paerangi administered by Te Papa Tongarewa. We are passionate about Hokianga history and telling the stories of the people and the places that make up Hokianga. We strive to acknowledge and make people aware of the truly bi-cultural nature of our organisation, our museum and archives. We have an impressive archive with photos, books, documents and taonga that have all been donated to us over the years. We provide an important social, cultural and educational role to local whānau and to visitors and our membership which numbers over 100.
Volunteer and family historian Brenda Keats with her niece Jacinta Conza who visited in June to research her Bryers/Leaf whānau connections and to meet Brenda. Jacinta is holding a photo of their ancestors Charles and Mary Ann Bryers (nee Mayne). Jacinta comes off their son Victor (Wick) who married Kitty Leaf and Brenda is a descendant of Victor’s brother Matt.
Bryers family historian Judith Holloway identified the family members in the photo as: Back row (standing): Matthew, Victor, Alice, Ivor and William. Seated on sofa: Mary Ann and Charles (parents of everyone in the photo except Hazel). Seated on verandah steps: Hazel (daughter of Alice), May and Bernice.
Claire Deighton, librarian at the Rawene Library (pictured left) with Jean Irvine's Township of Rawene and the Kohukohu Magistrates Court stamp that the library donated to our collections in August 2025.
Peace celebrations, Rāwene after the end of the South African War, 1902.
Charles Peet Dawes photographer
Heather Baxter Collection, HHS
This photograph shows the Rāwene courthouse which now houses the community library and beside it the Masonic Hotel, formerly the Bryers Hotel on Parnell Street.
In July we had a visit from Gillian and Ray Lawrence. Gill kindly donated a copy of Doctor Smith Hokianga's King of the North for our library. Gill was looking for information from the time her father, Mr Abbott, was the head teacher of the Waimamaku Native School and found it in the Attendance Roll (1947-47) that sits in the Whaley Archives. It then transpired that Gill was a boarder at Whangarei Girls at the same time as our president Dawn Metcalfe. Dawn was able to pop in to see her.
Ngā mihi,
Claire Kaahu White
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