The goldfield town of Thames is currently celebrating 150 years since the field was first opened. Many of us waited expectantly for one of the grand parades of old, we were disappointed as this time things had been done in a more low key format. The
Thames Xmas Parade 23rd December is to have a gold or 150 theme, so this may rival the
1967 or 1973 parades we remember.
As previously mentioned our old Thamesite ancestors had a parade at any excuse...the Coronation, Labour Days, Queen Carnivals, along with the jubilee are but a few of those that have been held in the town.
Below is a photo just obtained from the Campbell Collection that shows Verran's display for the 1927 Diamond Jubilee. Interestingly this particular float was resurrected and used on several other occasions well into the 1930s.
The 'Miners Dream', never had truer words been spoken - as the miners of Thames forever believed that the next great gold find was just around the corner!
Photographs of more recent parades can be found at
Kete Hauraki Coromandel.
