Howick Historic Museum - New Zealand - History Museums on Waymarking.com

The award winning Howick Historical Village is a living museum presenting life in a Fencible village during the early settlement of Europeans in Auckland. The Village was the vision of Alan la Roche, and was opened in 1980 by the Governor General Sir Keith Holyoake.

The museum contains over 30 buildings brought together mainly from the Fencible settlements of Howick, Panmure, Otahuhu and Onehunga and lovingly restored by the Howick and Districts Historical Society members.

The land was leased by Manukau City Council to the Society in 1972 after many years of discussing possibilities for a Village. Research of each building suitable for the Village was initiated. Fundraising was by cake stalls in Picton Street in Howick and Christmas card sales. As buildings arrived on site, a large team of volunteers, under retired carpenter Arthur White, restored them to their original appearance. Shingle roofs, brick chimneys, sandstone slab paths and shell roads were constructed.

The Mission Statement states that the Howick Historical Village is “To enlighten and stimulate awareness for a better understanding of our local heritage and culture by presenting village life in a Fencible settlement during the period 1840 to 1880”.

The Fencibles
The Fencibles were retired soldiers who signed up to emigrate to New Zealand, mostly from Ireland and the midlands of England. Initially they were housed in tents or temporary sheds.

The soldiers were offered a new life in New Zealand; a free passage with their families and a cottage with an acre of land to become theirs after a seven year term, in return for certain military duties including compulsory Sunday church parade. In all, ten ships brought the Fencibles to Auckland from 1847 to 1852. Their promised two-roomed cottages were not ready on arrival, so raupo cottages were built with the help of friendly local Maori. The Fencible scheme was the largest Government funded early immigration scheme for Auckland. Many of their descendants still live in the area today.

INFO TAKEN FROM MUSEUM WEBSITE

Theme: Cultural History Street Address: Corner of Bells Road and Lady Marie Drive,Howick. AUCKLAND Food Court: yes Gift Shop: yes Hours of Operation: The museum, cafe and shop are open 7 days a week from 10am to 4pm, all year round. Closed Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day. l Cost: 14.00 (listed in local currency) Museum Size: Medium Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
In order to log this waymark in this category, you must be able to provide proof of your visit. Please post a picture of yourself or your GPSr in front some identifiable feature or point of interest either in the museum, or on the museum grounds.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.