Looking Back: Katikati historic photo — Jessie Thompson

Katikati's Jessie Thompson, the 1935 carnival queen. Photo / Western Bay Community Archives

Roy and Claudia Diggelmann, household names in Katikati, are the grandchildren of the original settlers to Katikati — the Humes and the Diggelmanns.

Claudia’s mother, Rita Hume, was a prolific collector of all things Katikati. Claudia inherited all of it.

Claudia sometimes passes things on to Katikati Library’s community heritage services co-ordinator Sandra Haigh, who provides Katikati Advertiser with a monthly historic photo.

This photo is one of those treasures. It’s dated 1935 and is of Jessie Thompson, the carnival queen for that year.

Jessie’s father used to own and run a bakery in Main Rd (close to the bridge). Katikati had a Queen Carnival every year with activities ranging from afternoon teas to parades to garden parties — the idea was to fundraise for the community.

The most significant legacies of these fundraisers are war memorial halls at Katikati and Te Puke.