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TUESDAY, 1 AUGUST

Proclamation of Thames Goldfields

T

he ceremonial day begins at dawn with karakia prayers

by Ngati Maru. Venue TBA. Info: Nikki Fisher at 021 905

192,

nikky@ngatimaru.iwi.nz

Costumed parade

From 12.30, be part of a ‘diggers dress’ costumed

parade along Pollen St. Children/adults walking will

congregate at the Thames Civic Centre for the official

opening of the 150th Anniversary of Thames Goldfield.

John Fields photo exhibit opens at

Bella Street Pumphouse

The photo exhibition of John Fields work in Thames

1973-1976 will be on display at the Bella Street Pump

House. Fields, trained as a scientific photographer, was

responsible for many innovations in forensic photography.

His stark but vivid portraits and still lifes of architectural

details exude a surreal quality. He was also known for

making few prints of each image, so these rare prints

command a premium price. Opens 10 am-3pm Tuesday

1st August and from then on Saturday and Sunday 10am

-3pm: $5 entry fee. Contact Merv Grafton, 07 868 1027.

“Growing with Gold” at The Treasury

Opens 11 am. This photographic display of Thames

features images from the earliest gold mining days

including the Causley Goldmine above. Open for public

viewing for several months. The Treasury is open:

Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Monday, 11am-3pm. 07

867 6069,

BJ_MIM@xtra.co.nz.

SATURDAY, 5 AUGUST

John William Hall Arboretum

Walk beneath the canopy of trees at the William Hall

Arboretum in Thames with storyteller Rosalie Steward and

guest guide, NZ plantsman Graeme Platt, as they give

you an insight into the Victorian-era amateur naturalist

who planted this oasis in 1872, alarmed at the denuded

hillsides of the gold mining era. Meet at the entrance on

Currie Street

at 9am.

AUGUST’S OPENING CEREMONIES, PRESENTATIONS & EXHIBITS

Book Launch:

The Comer Family:

A Family with a Heart of Gold

11am. The story of two Devon brothers – Robert (Uncle)

and George – born almost 25 years apart – came to

the Thames Goldfield, where they were successful mine

managers. Family historians Jennifer and Sharleen Comer

wrote the book for the Thames 150th. Meet the authors at

the Thames School of Mines, 10am-3pm. Books on sale.

Thames Museum Opening

New display, video and performance

After an opening address at 1:30pm, enjoy a performance

of “Hearts of Gold” composed for the 60th Jubilee in

1927. Tour of the Display, a video of the story “Opening

the Field: The Native Terms of Agreement” will be

screened in the new auditorium after the tour, and the

event will conclude with afternoon tea. Contact: Rosalie

Steward at

rsteward57@gmail.com.

SUNDAY, 6 AUGUST

Goldmine~Experience

Celebration of the Old and Creative

Afternoon until 4pm, enjoy the work of the Hauraki

Prospectors Association volunteers. Tours of the site

include demonstrations and stories behind a new working

stamper battery and other 19th Century gold processing

machinery. Adding to the celebration are Steampunk the

Thames and local story tellers such as Rosalie Steward.

Goldmine-Experience located at the northern end of

Thames. Info: Paul Bensemann, 021 214 2665.

Piano Concert with Anthony Peebles

At 2pm at St. George’s Church on Mackay St, take in a

concert with British classical pianist Anthony Peebles.

www.thamesmusicgroup.com.

WEDNESDAY, 9 AUGUST

Business and Volunteer Expo

Celebrating 150 years of employment in Thames. Come

to this CAN DO THAMES event at the Thames War

Memorial Hall at the Civic Centre between 10am-4pm.

Visit display stalls, hear guest speakers, and connect with

business SME’s, corporate organisations, and volunteer

groups. Free. Visit

www.candothames.org.nz,

or contact

Marlene Perry 027 703 0263

WEDNESDAY, 12 AUGUST

Shotover/Cobley Reunion

Book launch and reading

:

Ashmore: The True Story

A boy born aboard the immigrant

ship

Ashmore

was given that

name; he later married Shotover

claimholder William Cobley’s daughter Gertrude, who

was born in Thames. Author Angela Curtis (Cobley’s

great-great-grandaughter), will hold a ‘soft’ book launch

and reading on this day, the 150th anniversary of this first

major gold strike in the Thames. Time/place TBA. Contact:

Angela Curtis,

angelasnovelidea@gmail.com

FRI & SAT, 18 & 19 AUGUST

Miners Candlelit Dinner

at the Bella Street Pumphouse

6pm-11pm both nights. Dress in miners clothing and

come to the Bella Street Pumphouse on Cochrane St for

a candle lit miner’s 3-course dinner with entertainment,

at the building established in 1898 to pump water out of

the deep mines. The building is worthy of exploration on

any other weekend from 10am-3pm at a very reasonable

cost. These nights promise to be something special.

$50pp. Contact: Colleen Hughes 027 553 2394

SUNDAY, 20 AUGUST

Book Launch at The Treasury

True Tales of the Thames

From 11am-2pm, The Treasury will celebrate the book

launch of

True Tales of the Thames

, a compilation of

local stories

by people with a local connection. 07 868

8827,

info.thetreasury@gmail.com

MEGHAN HAWKES’ WEEKLY BLOG

Life as it Happened on the

Thames Goldfield from 1867 to 1868

Online from Monday 31 July - Subscribe now!

Who better to write the nitty gritty of Thames’

history than Meghan Hawkes, the author of the

Dead Cert

books, colourful historic biographies

discovered via news of deaths in gold fields.

What happened in that first year after Thames was

proclaimed a goldfield? Step back in time and follow the nuggets of

news and gritty gems of daily life as it unfolded 150 years ago.

Available to read for a full year beginning 31 July at

www. firstyearthamesgoldfield.co.nz,

or sign up for weekly email deliveries.

For ongoing news & information

LOOK UP DATABASE

OF 52,000 MINERS!

Do you have a Thames goldminer in your

family’s past? Kae Lewis did, so she wrote a

book about the goldfields.

This author of

Goldrush to the Thames New

Zealand, 1867-1869,

has spent over ten years

entering data about individual miners and their

claims at both the Thames and Otago fields.

She includes background information on mining techniques, other tales

about the miners and much, much more. Her book is available at The

Treasury, School of Mines, Thames Museum, Driving Creek Book Shop

and Carson’s. A valuable resource for goldmining and family tree research.

See online for these searchable databases at

www.kaelewis.com. WWW.COROMANDELLIFE.CO.NZ

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