Heritage et AL

Currently on in the exhibition space on Level 2 of the Waitakere Central Library is an exhibition highlighting some of the stories of West Auckland contained in our collection of oral history recordings.   If you are interested in exploring any of these stories in more depth these and other recordings can be listened to in the J T Diamond Reading Room at the West Auckland Research Centre .  Ref: Picnic in Henderson, 1932, West Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries.

Ref: Auckland Libraries, front exterior view, Lopdell House, Titirangi, 2014, West Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries, TITI-D-2014-0033 Several months have passed since the great unveiling of plastic wrap from the exterior of Lopdell House, Titirangi, which is part of the newly named Lopdell Precinct. I was curious to see inside the building following its renovation, restoration and seismic strengthening. The entrance foyer, with its floor of decorative tiles and sweeping circular staircase provided an impressive welcome. Ref: Auckland Libraries, spiral staircase, hanging lights and tiled entrance foyer viewed from level 2, Lopdell House, Titirangi, 2014, West Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries, TITI-D-2014-0004

Ref: AWNS-19250924-48-4, the Hobsonville site purchased by the Defence Department, 1925,, Sir George Grey Special Collections Douglas Mill’s house is one of 15 houses at Hobsonville Airbase classified as a heritage building. These built heritage landmarks are being retained during the transformation of the former RNZAF base into a new housing estate.  One of the reasons the house is being preserved is due the significance of Douglas Mill; one of New Zealand’s pioneer aviators. Ref: AWNS -19280816-47-1, constructing the new naval base at Hobsonville, 1928, Sir George Grey Special Collections Mill was one of the first fliers to see the potential for commercial aviation in New Zealand.  In 1927 he established the Air Survey and Transport Company at Hobsonville.  One of its specialities was aerial surveying and photography, but the company was also the New Zealand agent for Britain’s De Havilland Aircraft Company .  As De Havilland’s agent the company import...

A Historypin Pin of the Day image showing Henry Thomas and his children seated on and standing beside a cow, recently caught my eye. The image is originally from the Wairarapa Spydus Archive and was pinned by the DairyNZ Time Capsule Project . The project is a nationwide initiative for NZ Year 5-8 students. The project aim is to create an online time capsule of the NZ Dairy Industry. Ref: Historypin 'Pin of the Day', 18.01.2013, Ref: 01-103/3.MD1111, Henry Thomas and family, Greytown New Zealand, 1900, Source: Wairarapa Spydus Archive, Pinned by: DairyNZ Time Capsule Project Auckland Libraries holds collections of  heritage photographs depicting cows and the dairy industry, including a similar image of a child sitting on a cow (see below). Many of these images can be accessed through Auckland Libraries' online heritage databases: Heritage Images , Footprints and Local History Online . Images depict locations from around the Auckland Region and further afield,...