Museum Theatre Gallery archive brings show-day magic to life

Visitors enjoy the rise-and-fall thrill of the rides at Tomoana Showgrounds while others take a break from all the excitement to chat.

The archives at MTG Hawke's Bay house a wonderful collection of black and white negatives taken during 1920s-1960s by amateur photographer Dave Williams.

A gentle, easy-going and unassuming man, Dave would be seen most weekends by Hawke's Bay locals, either tramping along road verges with a camera bag slung over his shoulder or busily photographing items of public and personal interest around the area.

Never having a vehicle, Dave walked each day from his home at Clive to the Whakatu Freezing Works, where he worked most of his life.

He owned many different makes of cameras, lenses and photographic paraphernalia and would experiment with photographic techniques. He built a home darkroom in which to develop his negatives.

Dave passed away in October 1972 and his nephew, Mr H J Williams, kindly donated his extensive negative and photographic collection to the Hawke's Bay Museums Trust.

Amongst this treasure trove are some wonderful images of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral show, held at the Tomoana Showgrounds.

The A & P show coincided with Hawke's Bay Anniversary day, so most workers had a day off and could attend with their families.

Show day was eagerly looked forward to throughout the year by adults and children alike.

Families rose early to prepare for this much-anticipated day out.

Sumptuous picnics were made and packed.

Competition goods such as home-made pickles, jams, and cakes were packaged with care; vegetables and flowers were picked and laid nestled in hay to prevent bruising on the journey; children's sand-saucers were placed into boxes so they didn't move, and animals were loaded on to trucks: all in readiness for judging and the wistful hope that a coveted prize might be won.

Once at the show, children with pocket money tied into handkerchiefs or secreted in pockets were free to explore: first being instructed by parents where to meet for lunch, not to get into mischief and to spend their pocket money wisely.

The excitement of it all - freedom!

There was so much to see and do: farm animals to admire, displays of farm implements, tractor competitions, outdoor displays, and the majesty of show-jumping to watch.

Next, the exhibition halls: wandering through mesmerised by the array of items showcased on trestle tables in readiness for judging.

And the glory of seeing your mother's cake winning first prize!

But best of all were the sideshows: the merry-go-round for the littlies and the dodgems, ferris wheels and tilt-a-whirl for the more adventurous.

Finally, the sideshow booths where a child could, with skill, win a prize: that much-admired Kewpie doll or the more dangerous pop-gun.

Families would reunite for the picnic, held under the shade of the majestic stands of trees clustered throughout the showgrounds.

Everyone dressed in their best, sat in companionable groups, enjoying the ambiance of the occasion.

In order to get a welcome cup of tea, someone from the family had to line-up patiently for free hot water from one of several boilers in the carpark.

Finally, at the end of the day, families would pack up, gather everyone together, drive slowly home: tired but contented: each with a story to tell and a memory to treasure.

Happily, the annual spring show continues to be part of Hawke's Bay's history as it has for 104 years and is still one of the major events on the region's calendar.

• New acquisitions, last chance to see two series of works by artists Jono Rotman and Brett Graham on display until Monday. • F.A.W.C! Electrolux Masterclasses - an exciting chance to get up and personal with some of New Zealand's best cooking talents, Century Theatre, 9.30am-2pm, Saturday, November 4. Tickets $35 from Eventfinda

• Gail Pope is curator, Social History, of the Museum Theatre Gallery (MTG) Hawke's Bay.