The book's author Heather Maloney with long-time Koputaroa resident Sandra Webb.
The book's author Heather Maloney with long-time Koputaroa resident Sandra Webb.
A new book that documents some of the history of Koputaroa and families who lived there will have a timely release.
The official release of Koputaroa - A Place I Call Home will coincide with the 100-year centenary celebration of the Koputaroa Hall, a community facility that had played hostto many weddings, birthdays, annual general meetings and other functions.
The launch of the book will be a homecoming for its author Heather Maloney MNZM, who was mayor of Franklin District Council between 1998 and 2004 and still lives in Pukekohe. She grew up in Koputaroa and moved away in 1968 when she was 20.
What started as a Covid-19 boredom buster with reflections of her old home town quickly morphed into much more when she thought about other people who had lived in the area.
Koputaroa was on the main trunk line and was a designated train stop for many years.
Maloney described the book as part historical, part autobiographical, and features 130 families who were living in the Heatherlea, Ihakara and Koputaroa districts in 1949, taken from an electoral roll of that time.
There are various maps and photographs of the district in the 166-page book.
Her journey saw her reacquaint with old school-mate Sandra Webb, who had lived at Koputaroa her entire life and whose great-grandfather had farmed there.
Webb assisted Maloney wherever possible and gets a mention in the book’s preface.
“I was only too happy to help,” Webb said.
There was a limited number of copies of the book printed. A reprint would depend on demand.
The new book Koputaroa - A Place I Call Home, by Heather Maloney.
Koputaroa Hall is not as old as Koputaroa School, which had its centenary in 1991. The hall, which was rebuilt after a fire in the 1930s, was initially on a different site and was moved to its present location next to the school in 1997.
An afternoon tea was planned at Koputaroa Hall on June 25, at 2pm.
RSVP to Sandra Webb, 021-457-425.
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.
