The Bathing Beauty Contest and Mardi Gras (behind the sound shell), a forerunner of Napier’s Art Deco Festival, in progress on Marine Parade in 1934. Photo / Michael Fowler Collection
The Bathing Beauty Contest and Mardi Gras (behind the sound shell), a forerunner of Napier’s Art Deco Festival, in progress on Marine Parade in 1934. Photo / Michael Fowler Collection
Napier’s main cause for civic celebration over the years revolves around it becoming a borough – which occurred in November 1874. This year we look forward to Napier’s 150th anniversary of this event.
To mark, in 1934, the diamond jubilee (60th anniversary) of becoming a borough, Napier mayor CO Morsesaid a diamond jubilee carnival would be held along with other events, such as sports.
It was also Napier’s Thirty Thousand Club’s (a service organisation) 21st birthday. They had held a Christmas Mardis Gras since 1913, and would be responsible for the Napier Diamond Jubilee Carnival.
Māori were still very much marae-based in 1934, and as such, these earlier celebrations were European-orientated.
As the Duke of Gloucester (Prince Henry, third son of King George V) was visiting Napier on December 19, 1934, and many preparations were required for his visit, it was decided to hold the Diamond Jubilee Carnival immediately after Christmas, instead of November.
The placegetters of the Bathing Beauty Contest. The names of the contestants could not be found. The first two places were from Blythe’s and third place, Snaddon’s. Photo / Hawke’s Bay Knowledge Bank, M D Bartlett, 1813
On Christmas night, as a prelude to the Diamond Jubilee, there was a performance of Handel’s The Messiah. It was held at McLean Park, with 150 voices and an orchestra. This was thought to be the first open-air production of The Messiah in Australasia. Gusty winds played havoc with the sound system, but the many thousands gathered enjoyed the show.
The official opening of the Diamond Jubilee occurred on Boxing Day morning, beginning with a parade of Napier’s oldest residents. After marching from the courthouse (former DoC building on Marine Parade) they lined up directly beneath the sound shell stage, with the mayor addressing a 4000-strong crowd from the sound shell. The oldest resident had been in Napier since 1852 (Ahuriri then). The mayor wished all of “pioneers” well in “their declining years”.
During all of this, a bit of excitement was happening on the foreshore, when gunshots ‒ without warning ‒ rang out.
Napierites had detested sharks ever since the fatal Marine Parade beach attack on Bright Cooper in 1896. When fins were sighted near the foreshore ‒ it was assumed they were sharks, and a rifle was quickly secured. To the shock of the assembled crowd, shots were fired by the marksman to try and kill the “monsters of the deep”.
He was to discover, however, upon picking up one hit by a bullet, it was in fact a large kingfish.
This caused some mirth around New Zealand to whether Napier could tell the difference between a shark and a kingfish.
After this excitement had calmed down, 160 homing pigeons were set free from the concrete auditorium area facing the sound shell to formally open the Diamond Jubilee Carnival.
Children, with “gaily-bedecked dolls’ prams, fancy costumes, bicycles and trolleys” then formed a procession and entered the concrete auditorium.
Behind the sound shell were sideshows, merry-go-rounds, a miniature railway and an ocean-wave ride – and the carnival was soon said to “be in full swing, with the public generously apportioning its patronage.”
As part of the Diamond Jubilee Carnival, a Bathing Beauty Contest would be held on Boxing Day.
The contest was advertised all over New Zealand, and a £25 (2023: $3750) prize was offered for the winning team, and £5 ($750) for second place. It cost 5 shillings ($37.50) to enter.
The contest rules stated there must be three in a team, wearing bathing costumes and high-heeled shoes, but no head covering or wrap. You had to be aged at least 14, and the judging criteria was on the general ensemble (all the girls in each team would be considered as one whole) of uniformity of the team, attractiveness of costume, and stage presence.
Seven teams had entered, and the three judges – Mrs CO Morse, Miss EM King and Mr W Baker, gave the first prize to a team from Blythe’s (A Napier drapery business) and second prize to another Blythe’s team. A team from Snaddon’s (Napier menswear shop) came third and received nothing for their efforts.
Sportingly, the three girls from the winning Blythe’s team shared their prize money with the Blythe’s team that came second – so each of the six girls received £5 ($750).
This weekend’s 2024 Napier Art Deco Festival continues this long tradition of bathing contests with the Bathing Belle/Bathing Beau competition (with males now included) to be held at 10am today at Ocean Spa as part of Bertie’s Bathing Brunch.
There is also an exhibition on at Creative Arts Napier, 16 Byron St, called “Before the Bikini”. Free entry, February 16-29.
Thanks to Alison Price, Napier Libraries, for some research assistance.
