Two conflicting notes accompany this photograph. i) Photgraph taken in Kawakawa Road. ii) Taken in Awahuri Road near the Giesen Road intersection. Engine owned by Mark Beazer who farmed on Lees Line (now Lees Rd.). Persons on engine. L to R: Mark Beazer, Charles Beazer (fourth son of Mark). Boys on wheat sacks: Sons of George Short, watchmaker and jeweller.
The traffic and railway bridges across the Oroua River at Aorangi suffered considerably under the heavy flood waters on April 17th, 1897. The approaches to the Railway Bridge on the Feilding side of the river went with three short spans of the bridge, the iron piers resisting force of the current remarkably well. The only connection left between the two sides of the river were the Railway irons and sleepers, which remained swinging the air. Two spans of the Road Bridge on the Feilding side of the river went, leaving six standing without any apparent damage. The two spans which were washed away stranded about a quarter of a mile away down the river.
The Sandilands Edwardian Development involved the demolition of the existing building that had stood in place since 1904 and construction of the new 'former Sandilands building'. Unlike its predecessor, the new building meets 100% of earthquake code and comprises of precast concrete walls, structural steel roof framing and an insitu concrete floor. The original veranda posts and filigree were restored and re-used in the new building, along with salvaged bricks that are included in the ground floor façade. It has a floor area of 310m2 with all three tenancies full. It was a pleasure to work on this magnificent project and were ecstatic when the building won 'Commercial Development of the Year' in the Feilding Business Awards for 2014. And recently the Sandilands Edwardian Development was awarded a Silver at the Commercial Project of the Year Awards in Auckland. Colspec Construction Ltd is based in Palmerston North servicing the Manawatu region for commercial construction,residential building and building maintenance. www.colspec.co.nz Colspec - After three years as construction manager of a local building company, Shane O'Brien set up Colspec Construction Ltd in 1980 and it became a local success story. Currently employing over 40 permanent staff, Colspec Construction covers a huge variety of building work, from large scale corporate projects worth millions of dollars to smaller residential work.
Fergusson Street - showing Standrings Toys Etcetera, Warehouse Clothing, D.J.'s Sports
Postcard - A.M. Mclean Series of Feilding showing: Part of Feilding Square Railway Station Wesleyan Church Whisker's Bush - Awahuri Road
Photograph showing businesses on Manchester Street. Applied Identification Systems Wholesale VEG Mart
This photograph was taken shortly after a session of the May school holiday programme in 1982. Children's Librarian Carol Morrison had to serve on the public desk immediately after reading stories about witches to children attending the programme. The photograph gives a clear picture of public library systems before the advent of computers. To the left of Miss Morrison is a wooden box containing sequentially numbered issue cards. Fourteen sets of these were used, rotated through a fourteen week cycle. The left hand edge of each card was punched with a series of slots and holes allowing them to be sorted in blocks using a pair of wire 'knitting needles.' Each card was pre stamped with the due date. When issuing a book, staff would write the customer's membership card number and book's accession number on a prepared sheet containing 100 cells - rather like an Excel speadsheet. The correctly numbered issue card was slipped into a pocket at the back of each book. Books were then stamped with a due date on a thin sheet of paper glued into the back cover where it could be easily checked by the customer. To the right, a row of metal reserves screens can be seen propped up behind the piles of books. When a book was reserved, the title and classification were written on a thin strip of card. Each screen consisted of a mild steel sheet with its bottom and side edges folded over to form grooves. The strips of card could be slipped into these and arranged in alphabetical or Dewey order. When a book was returned, it would be checked against these lists before being shelved. The issue card was removed from the pocket and put aside, later to be returned to its sequence and sorted using the 'knitting needles.' This process determined which cards were missing and by checking the issues sheets, which books were overdue. Feilding Municipal Library became Feilding Public Library in 1989 when the Borough of Feilding amalgamated with Manawatu, Kairanga, Oroua and Pohangina County Councils. An automated library management system was introduced a year later, in time to handle the rapid growth in Library use resulting from the doubling of population. Prior to amalgamation, county members were required to pay an annual subscription to use Feilding's library. Carol Morrison moved to the Palmerston North Teachers' College Library in 1983. She married Municipal Librarian Simon Johnson in August the same year.
Notes from 1980: Alan and Deva Groombridge's most recent business is the running of Aldeva Motels and Motor Camp which they have managed for the past 16 years. Mr. Groombridge senior opened a milk bar in 1908; Alan and brother Fred went into business with him. He also owned the Tivoli Theatre and the two brothers eventually took over the running of the theatre and sweet shop. By 1966 the Groombridge family no longer owned the theatre or sweet shop so Alan and Fred sold the milk bar. Alan and Deva were then able to concentrate on the motor camp which they had started the previous year.
George Leach pictured on the field. He and his business Feilding Commercial Cleaning operated in the 60s and the 70s.
George Leach
On the back of the postcard: Mini Golf Course, Makino Park, Feilding. This challenging 18 hole course was designed and built on a voluntary basis by members of the Feilding Lions Club in 1982, assisted by generous donations of materials from local business firms. The Feilding Lions Club operates the course and donates all profits to charitable and community causes.
Working on the basis that the newest vehicle in the photograph is a BMC 1100 (left foreground), this photograph was taken in the early 1960s.
Darragh's Mitre 10 - Hardware Specialists was situated on Manchester Square. The building was destroyed by fire and the Darragh's moved their Mitre 10 shop to Kimbolton Road
Architectural plans for the Feilding Public library building on the corner of Bowen and Stafford Street. These were drawn for the Feilding Borough Council in 1975, by architect Lindsay Durrant.
On 6 June, 1999, the Feilding Historic Society buried a Time Capsule in Manchester Square, to be excavated in several decades.
Shop assistant for the Bookseller, Stationer, Fancy Goods, & Musical Instrument Dealer, on Manchester Street. The business was established by William Carthew in 1879, and the premises was comprised of 2000 square feet of floor space.
The interior of the new Post Office, built after the 1942 earthquake damaged the original Post Office and clock tower. In 1946, tenders were called for a new Post Office, and the new building was opened in October 1949, by the Postmaster General F. Hackett.
A builder who is believed to be either O. (Oliver?) Sporle or Alf Sporle* operates the first mechanical concrete mixer used in Feilding, in 1915.
*The information attached to the Library's hard copy refers to 'Alf Sporle' on the back, whereas the photo itself has a pasted label referring to 'O. (Oliver?) Sporle.
(Lydia Smith, 2021)
A window display in McLeod & Svendsen, an electrical appliance store once located on the corner of Kimbolton Road and Manchester Square. The exact date is unknown, but it is likely the photograph was taken during the late 1950's or the early 1960's, due to the PhiliShave electric razors and portable (transistor) radio advertising displayed. A note on the back of the photograph reads: McLeod & Svendsen's shop in the Square, Feilding. The frontage remains on new building in the Square today.
This photo was supplied by Bernard Svendsen, whose father Albert Svendsen co-owned the business from May 1923.
Added to database by Lydia Smith, 2023.
Feilding Doctor, Peter Broad, was inducted as New Zealand Medical Association President, at its conference in Palmerston North on Thursday, March 17, 1983. He trained at the Otago Medical School and served in the Middle East during World War II. On his return to New Zealand he was appointed Surgical Registrar to the Palmerston North Hospital Board. Dr. Broad has spent most of his practising years in the Manawatu. He commenced General Practise in Feilding in 1948, and his many local patients will testify to the untiring and caring work he has done in the community during his 35 years in the town. In 1949 he rejoined the Palmerston North Hospital staff as a visiting anaesthetist and was instrumental in setting up the Department of Anaesthesia. Dr. Broad has also played a leading role in the family training scheme for young doctors, which has now become a part of the qualification requirements for future General Practioners. In the local community Dr. Broad has always been a willing volunteer for St John Ambulance Brigade lectures and examinations, he has been a Director of Ranfurly Private Hospital for over thirty years with numerous sporting activities in an honorary capacity.
Serving tea at the Swimming Club's Trophies Sports Evening - March 1956. Nellie Sowerby (Marsden), Doris Dewe, Dolly Paltridge, Myra Bramwell.
Manawatū District Libraries - Feilding Library (Temporary Site) while the redevelopment of Stafford Street took place. The library occupied this site from August 2022 and relocated back to 64 Stafford Street in June 2024.