EVENTS

Events 2010

 
 
Sts Peter & Paul's Feastday on Sunday, June 27


The Puhoi Historical Society is joining with the Puhoi/ Warkworth Parish to celebrate Sts Peter and Paul's Feastday on Sunday, June 27, this year, starting with Mass at 11am, and moving across to the hall after that for a shared meal and the usual afternoon of chat, reminiscing, Bohemian music and folk dancing, update on Puhoi Church Restoration and Fundraising. Everybody is welcome.
Please bring a plate for the shared luncheon. Soup provided.

 
 
AGM - 2010


The PHS AGM was held on Wednesday 26 May in the PHS Records Room
The Committee remains the same as last year.

 
   
Chairman's Report 2010

This has been a year of retrenchment. Having lost three very active members of the committee last year has inevitably had an impact on the amount of work that could be done. The museum in particular has been affected by this situation as none of the many improvements, great and small, which we have been planning, have actually taken place. The good thing is that your committee is never short of ideas, we just lack the manpower to carry them out.
Apart from alterations to the museum, however, I can report on much that is positive. You will have seen some evidence of our existence around the village:

  • signage has been installed on the wharf
  • the cut-out figure of John Rauner is much in evidence informing passers-by that the museum is open
  • a pamphlet guiding tourists around the village's historic sites has been printed and distributed
  • and, to our immense delight, a brown tourist sign pointing out our museum to the travelling public has just been put up on the junction of SH1 and Puhoi Road. It is hard to believe, but negotiations with the powers that be to have that tourism sign installed at the entrance to the village have continued since the year 1991. Nineteen years! We have the corres- pondence to prove it! Hence our delight that it has finally happened.
It gives me great pleasure to report that our most pressing problem, namely the lack of members to staff the museum during holidays and weekends, has been alleviated considerably. We have been joined by Ria Boeinghoff, Jenny Kaufmann and Caroline Ennen who have all three proved to be enthusiastic members and very able indeed at holding the fort.
Despite losses to the committee, the Society’s internal work has continued as usual:
  • the genealogy files have been kept up to date and added to by Jenny Schollum
  • digitalisation of those photos, which remain to be added to the Photo Master File, continues and new material is added with the considerable help of Jenny Kaufmann
  • the transcription of tapes continues thanks to Gerard Straka
  • services to visitors, such as general information and the provision of genealogy charts and family photos, have been maintained
  • newspaper cuttings relating to Puhoi and photos of important events around the village are being collected regularly
  • the museum has been kept open on a regular basis with the invaluable help of our three new members
  • a total of 28 groups have been hosted and given lectures on the history of Puhoi
  • and, of course, the committee has met all the requirements of an incorporated society with monthly meetings and the keeping of precise secretarial and treasury records.
As you will see from our Treasurer’s report your society is in excellent shape financially. The museum has been open regularly and the door takings have been very pleasing as has the income from visiting groups. The result is a very pleasing surplus of income over expenditure. The major item of expenditure this year was around $3000.- on all that signage. The committee is most grateful that this considerable sum has been covered by a generous donation made by the Titford family of Upper Waiwera.
Bearing in mind that, of the five committee members, three are holding down a variety of jobs , I feel that we have done quite well at keeping the Society in good working order and I hope to be able to present a similarly positive report in a year’s time.

Werner Fischer (Chairman)

 
   
2010 LECTURE SERIES

You are most cordially invited to our 2010 LECTURE SERIES.

  1. Why our founders felt impelled to come here in the first place Political, social and economic situation in 19th C. Bohemia, enticements to emigrate, the journey, the shock of arrival
  2. Surviving the first six months Coping with the situation: a factual and imaginative excursion into history
  3. Capt. Martin Krippner Krippner the man, the story of the foundation of Puhoi
  4. Life for a pioneer woman Pioneer women were as tough - if not tougher - than the men. And we can prove it!
  5. Building a community for long-term survival Stations along the amazing road to a well established community
  6. Social highlights Church, dances, weddings and anniversaries were at the centre of community life. And boy, could those Bohemians throw a party!
Venue: The Records Room at the museum
Time:Lectures start at 7.30 p.m. You are encouraged to view the museum beforehand and ask lots of questions over a glass of wine afterwards.
Dates: The 1st lecture will be on 26th May following our (brief) AGM.
The 2nd lecture will be on 23rd June.
All other lectures will be on the last Wednesday of each month.


I hope to see you there.
Werner Fischer (Chairman)



 
Museum OPENING TIMES, Directions, Mass Times
  • 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.
    MUSEUM Opening Hours: We will endeavour to be open at the following times, dependant upon the availability of volunteers.
    1pm to 4 p.m. Christmas to Easter
    Saturdays and Sundays
    During School holidays,
    Excluding Christmas Day 25th December, Boxing Day 26th December 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
 


 

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.