Commemorating Scottish Heritage

Scots settlers played an important role in Wellington’s early years and their descendants are planning to celebrate the richness of that heritage.

On 27 December 2015 it was 175 years since the Blenheim arrived in Wellington with migrants of mainly Highland farmers and their families. To mark the occasion, and to provide an opportunity for all the community to share in the commemoration, a picnic day was held with suitably Scottish themes and events.

The passengers from the Blenheim disembarked at Kaiwharawhara, where they were welcomed and supported by Ngati Tama and their chief Taringakuri, so the family picnic  was held on the 27^th of December 2015. Events included Scottish dancing, kilt-making, children’s games, bagpipes and displays.

The venue for the picnic was Onslow College, Burma Road, Khandallah.  Because of access and parking difficulties it was not possible to hold the picnic at Kaiwharawhara Park as in 1990.

See the Picnic Programme and Information Sheet for details of the picnic.

Other functions were held in Auckland and in Wanganui to commemorate the departure of the Blenheim on the 25^th of August 1840.  See the posting Whanganui Dinner – Toast to the Emigrants and the comments and photographs on the Facebook Blenheim175 page.

Photographs from the Dinner are available at http://www.traceygrantphotography.co.nz/the-barque-blenheim-gathering/
Password : Blenheim

Memorabilia in the form of brooches, key rings and fridge magnets are also available for purchase – see Blenheim175 Memorabilia.

Many of the settlers eventually moved to the Wanganui, Turakina and Wairarapa districts to take up land.

Contacts:

December 27th, 2015 Picnic at Onslow College:

Hugh McPhail, 7 Westland Road, Mt. Cook, Wellington 6021. Tel. 04 970 9851, email: blenheim175@gmail.com

Wanganui dinner:

Roz & Ewen Grant, Tullochgorum, 2153 SHW3, Turakina, R.D.11, Wanganui 4581. Ph. 06 327 3861. email: tullochgorum@xtra.co.nz

Auckland dinner:

Norman Cameron, 31/37 Natzka Road, Ostend, Waiheke Is. Auckland 1081. Ph. 372 8442. email norman.cameron37@gmail.com

Information about the events and some historical background about the Blenheim and other Scottish people and places in New Zealand can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/Blenheim175

Follow the link to the Blenheim People and to more information about the people who came to New Zealand on her.

Follow the link to Jessie Campbell’s Journal and Letters to get a day-by-day account of the voyage and of how one family settled into life in New Zealand.

Much of the information on this website has now been published as a book – for details go to The Blenheim People As A Book.