The fascinating history of Tawa
By Chrys Ayley
Tawa residents will have the opportunity to learn about its fascinating history in a series of talks at the forthcoming Tawa History week in early June. Chairperson of the Tawa Historical Society, former principal of Tawa College and author, Bruce Murray has been a Tawa resident for 45 years. There are some ?fascinating little stories? about Tawa and he should know as he has been researching its history for 45 years. A series of speakers has been lined up from the Tawa Historical Society to give a series of talks each morning from June 2 to 5 at the Mervyn Kemp Library, Mr Murray said. The talks will relate to the research members of the society are doing now such as the Tawa Cemetery which is also the subject of the society?s latest book due to be printed soon. Considerable research has been undertaken to discover the stories about the first burials and there are some sad stories such as a mother, 24, and baby who both died as a result of the birth. The father took the remaining three children and moved back to England, Mr Murray said. Bartlett House, a heritage house at 26 Oxford Street has also been the subject of extensive research and ?there are some fascinating stories? including stories about its occupants. If the weather is fine there will be a talk at Willowbank Park as it is quite a historical spot with many items of interest including, but not limited to, the bucket tree presented by Edward William Earp a sheep farmer and the site of the Maori track from Wellington to Porirua.
