St Patrick’s Day, the ‘Feast of St. Patrick’, celebrates the death date March 17 of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, who died in 641. The shamrock and
Edwin Jackson’s Baths – Petone’s First Swimming Pool
Edwin Jackson reported to the Hutt and Petone District Town Boards about swimming baths in Kilbirnie, Wellington; and suggested that similar be adopted for Petone
New Zealand’s First Newspaper
New Zealand’s first newspaper, The New Zealand Gazette, was published in Petone. The Gazette was first published in London under the auspices of the New
Christmas in Hutt Valley: parades, parties & decorations
Christmas parades began in NZ about 1905, started by department stores promoting the arrival of Santa for shoppers to visit in their stores. George and Kersley Ltd’s
Armistice Day in Petone
The First World War came to a close with the signing of an armistice between Germany and the Allied Powers on 11 November 1918. Fighting
Early settler Samuel Parnell and New Zealand’s Labour Day
Samuel Duncan Parnell is the ‘founder of the 8 hour working day’ in New Zealand, celebrated first in 1890 with a Labour Day parade for the labouring classes.