Thames (NZ): Early business licenses

Archives Auckland continues to hold a wealth of information about early Thames. The first businesses were required to get licenses from the Warden's Court. Several of these butt books remain at Auckland Archives.
A simple search at Archway will bring several results, for instance:

Thames Wardens Business License Butt Book (14414)

1867? - unknown range held: 1867 - 1871
Order details:
title years
Business Licenses Butt Book License No. 55-200 1867 - 1868

agency series accession box / item sep record no. part alternative no.
BACL 14414 1 / a

An example of one of the butts is below:

Thames (NZ): A & G Price Invoice

Amazing what comes to light on online auction sites, makes you wonder how many gems are thrown out in the rubbish. A pile of old invoices from the Claxton Clothing factory in Thames, had this wonderful A & G Price Invoice. More information on the Claxton Clothing Factory and A & G Price can be found at The Treasury, Thames.

Above: Part of Invoice
Below: Photo of A & G Price Ltd

Thames (NZ): Goldmining in the Coromandel

A good snapshot of the early documents available at Archives Auckland, are outlined in the online exhibition at Archives New Zealand. Entitled : GOLDMINING IN THE COROMANDEL.

The introduction starts with the discovery of gold in Coromandel, but has documents relating to the wider area. "This album illustrates goldmining in the Coromandel peninsula and shows what it was like to live and work in the goldfields."

There are three Albums: Early Days (18 items), Goldmining in the Tokotea (18 items) and Life in the Goldfields (20 items) Information includes sample pages from correspondence, court books, maps, hospital registers etc..

Block IV Thames Map

Remember if you are looking for mining information to check for Miner's Rights and other info at Kae's Goldminers database. The Treasury, Thames has a growing collection on mining and welcomes any contributions of documents or maps. The School of Mines at Thames, is also worth a visit.

Thames (NZ): Another Hotel Closes

Well, what would the Thames-ites of old make of the closures of their beloved hotels.

The Imperial Hotel closed its doors last week...hopefully to reopen at some stage. The town of a 100 plus hotels has now but two operating: The Salutation and the Junction Hotel. Trade taken over by bars and restaurants a plenty.

The Imperial Hotel on Pollen Street & Sealey Street corner opened c1868, soon after the goldfields opened. "Famous for its speciality drinks, was one the oldest hotels in central Pollen Street. Situated on the corner of Sealey Street, it was later moved by timberjack and wedged across Pollen Street to its present position"

Early publicans included: William Clements, E Morrow, O'Hagan, Rayson, Francis amy, John Fogarty, Penk, Mason, Rennick, James Foy, Michael and Kate Fallon, Fred Cowling, William & Fanny Constant and James Agnew. That only takes us to 1900!

More information and photos available at The Treasury, Thames.

*****The hotel did indeed reopen and is still operating as of December 2012*****

Thames (NZ): Thames Hospital School of Nursing

Trying to construct a list of all nurses who trained and registered at Thames Hospital over the period 1900s to 1989 - Registered General (RN/RGON) and Community/Enrolled Nurses.

Incomplete years 1930s-50s in particular, so if you, a relative trained at Thames, would love to hear from you. Need names, photos of graduation if possible.

The Hospital School of Nursing trained approximately 600 nurses (with more names yet to find). Giving young women (and later men), the opportunity to train for a profession. Nursing students came from the local and wider area, with many staying on in the town for many years after their training was completed. With many still residents of the town today!

For Heritage week: 12 to 17th March the hospital has on display, it's collection of historic photographs. A delightful collection that previously adorned the corridor between the two ward blocks.