Events

Events 2008
 
 
145th Anniversary Weekend


Why not join in
with the Puhoi Hotel, the Puhoi Band,
the Bohemian Dancers and the Historical Society

to make Puhoi’s 145 th Anniversary Weekend a really memorable one.

On the 29th June 1863, 84 very tired and exhausted Bohemians (now Czech Republic) ended their epic 4 months journey from their villages by being ferried to the landing site near the hall by Maori dugouts only to find themselves in an isolated wilderness with only 2 crude huts for shelter. This was a far cry from what they had expected. That day in the Church calendar is the ‘Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul’ and this was faithfully remembered in 1881 when the time came to name the Puhoi Church.

This year, Sunday falls on that very day making for a particularly special occasion and the weekend’s arrangements are :-
Friday Evening
27th June 2008

Puhoi Bohemian Band will play in the Hotel bar from 6pm.
Saturday
28th June		 Bohemian Museum and Records Room will be open between 1pm and 4pm where there is a treasure trove of history, family genealogy and archival photos.
Sunday
29th June

Mass at the Church at the usual time of 8.30am and special mention will be made as to the significance of the day.

Bohemian Museum and Records Room will be open all day between 10am and 4pm.

Puhoi Hotel, as in previous years, will host the “Honouring of Age” sit down lunch at the hotel for Descendants over 80 and their spouses. 11.30am for noon. Space is strictly limited so it will be by invitation only.
For information ring 09 422 0812 (Bev. or Gillian) or email roase@xtra.co.nz.
Afterwards they will join us in the hall and mingle with the many other descendants, friends and visitors gathering for the shared afternoon tea and the entertainment which is to follow.

You are invited to spend Sunday afternoon in the Puhoi Centennial Hall from 1.30pm onwards. Please bring a plate for a shared afternoon tea at 3pm. The Historical Society will provide coffee, tea, fruit juice, etc throughout the afternoon. Not only will the Bohemian Band be playing but the Bohemian Dancers will be livening up the proceedings so it will be an afternoon of music, colour and interest.
For queries email : info@puhoihistoricalsociety.org.nz
 
Due recognition after 70 years
This previously almost hidden major study ranks alongside and complements Father D.V. SILK’s ‘A History of Puhoi’ published in 1923.

Ruth SCHMIDT in 1934 was still able to talk to and mingle with quite a number of the very original settlers who, although young when they arrived in 1863/6, had lived through it all and could vividly remember and speak at first hand. Neither later Historians nor ourselves had this privilege and advantage.
1935 Graduation M.A.

She is now 98 and still living in Auckland so her family bought her to Puhoi in November 2007 to see how the past has been treasured and preserved and to receive her inscribed copy of the joint effort between the Society and the Family in republishing it. Her alertness was an inspiration to us all and what a delightful day that was.


Copies of this most important and very readable history are available from :-

Puhoi Historical Society , P.O. Box 404-224, Puhoi 0951, New Zealand.
NZ $30 each including local postage.


   
Loss of Our Patron
We were all greatly saddened by the death on 22nd December 2007 of Doug TITFORD at the age of 86, a real gentleman. He, along with his late wife Jessie, took key roles in the Society spanning 30 years and contributed so much. They will be remembered too for their untiring fundraising efforts which, among other things, went towards the Records/Meeting Room adjacent to the Museum. He was very active in many other Community activities too including the annual agricultural shows and will be greatly missed.

Puhoi 2008 Community Photo

Among the Society’s Archives are photographs taken during the 1913 50 year Anniversary celebrations and likewise in 1933 when the 70th anniversary of the first landing was honoured.

Ruth CUNLIFFE, the Puhoi Librarian, recently came up with the concept of having a similar Group photo taken of those currently involved with Puhoi and in future years that too will be archival and of increasing interest. Puhoi remains a very small village, which is part of its charm, and although there may be more houses, the population hasn’t changed much from 1900 when there were about 500. Amazingly almost 350 people, ranging from week old babes-in-arms to the oldest living descendents, filled the historic Puhoi hall to overflowing. What a splendid concept.

 

 
  • Visit the Bohemian Museum and Records Room on the left on main approach into Puhoi Village (just before reaching the Church). It is well signposted.
    Normally open between 1.00pm and 4.00pm Christmas to Easter, Weekends and during School Holidays (but excluding Christmas Day 25th Dec; Boxing Day 26th Dec and Easter Good Friday)
  • Mass Times at Church of Saints Peter and Paul at Puhoi
    Sunday at 8.30 a.m and Wednesdays at 9.00 a.m.

 
Worth a look

HISTORY
• Survival has an insight into the relationship between the Bohemians and the local Maori, the prior work of the Surveyors, a section on the arrival of the second lot of Bohemians and another about scraping up a living in early times.
• Hardwork includes information about clearing the land.
• Togetherness. Schooling, weddings, music and relaxation.
• Puhoi bound. There is a map showing the route, information about each ship and the voyage along with the names, ages and relationships of the Bohemians who came on them.
• Debt of Honour. Although Puhoi was, and still is, a small place, the Roll lists the many who served in World Wars 1 and 2 and honours those who paid the ultimate price and never returned.

PUHOI TODAY
• Further village photos added

MAPS
• Puhoi descendants can now identify the location of the particular Bohemian village that their ancestors left from, its original and current names.

 
Newsletters
    June 2007
    June 2006
    January 2006
    August 2005