Pearce and Jane Molloy, who is secretary of the newly established jubilee committee, are keen to hear from anyone who would like to get involved with the planned celebration.
Molloy said that included hearing from people who may have lived in the town in the past and moved elsewhere, or people who have photos or other mementos from times spent in Inglewood.
Pearce said the committee has booked the town hall for the full 10-day period.
Gay and Kevin Lawrence will be putting together a display telling the story of the early settlers in the town, she said.
“They do the fabulous displays in the Fun Ho! Toys museum, and we’ve been lucky enough to see [a] sketch of their plan for this, it will be absolutely incredible when it’s done.”
The Inglewood of the late 1870s was very different to the Inglewood of today, Pearce said.
“In my research, I came across a story about them coming together to celebrate the first year of Inglewood, so in 1876. There were just three shops in the town, and the townspeople went to the sports ground for the celebration.”
Pearce said the town’s churches were largely responsible for the social life of residents back then.
“People would come into town on Sunday for church, and afterwards have a shared lunch or a picnic. That was how they met and spent time together.”
Another key part of the first years of Inglewood was the railway station, she said.
“It was absolutely instrumental in the development of the town. Inglewood had a railway station long before New Plymouth did.”
The station itself is “steeped in history”.
“It’s the only railway station in New Zealand to still be standing on the site it was originally built on.
The station was the transport hub for the town’s settlers, she said.
“It was also home to the town’s post office, so it really was where everything happened. People arrived there, they got their mail from there, their goods came by train, so did their stock. The station was the hub of the community in that way.”
Molloy said celebrating the achievements of the early settlers was important.
“They had a tough life. It was cold, they lived under canvas while they built their homes. The land was bush that they cleared. No showers, everything they did, they had to do themselves. The jubilee is a way to celebrate their work, and the town they build.”
A book, to be written by Chris Lambert and Mary Boekman, is in the works, for the jubilee, Pearce said.
“It will focus on the families, the stories of the people who built the town we know as Inglewood.”
The details:
What: Inglewood 150-year jubilee
When: January 2025.
Details: Contact janemarymolloy@hotmail.com or marie.pearce@npdc.govt.nz
