Historian sheds light on history of small settlement Upokongaro

Waverley historian and author Laraine Sole. Photo / Lin Ferguson

The launch of Waverley historian and author Laraine Sole's new book about Upokongaro, a small settlement 15km north of Whanganui, will be heralded with a great fanfare.

"Upokongaro was a once thriving and interesting little town with an amazing history,'' she said.

Laraine has sourced a wonderful piece of band music written especially for the Avoca Hotel in Upokongaro titled the "Hotel March" for a pipe band.

In 1947 the National Pipe Band Championships were held in Whanganui and the Ruahine Highland Band stayed at the Avoca Hotel.

Their stay was a particularly happy one and they were well looked after by Don Sergeant, one of the band members who also had the distinction of being a most prolific composer of pipe music.

He composed the Avoca House March to commemorate the band's stay.

To this day this tune is played by pipe bands in New Zealand and overseas.

Neil Boyd of the Whanganui Robbie Burns Society managed to find Laraine a copy of the music and a piper to play it for the book launch.

"I was very excited when I discovered the music and of course I had to use it. It's just the perfect fanfare for the launch of the book," he said.

"On the day of the book launch at the end of May a piper will play the piece which is very significant and exciting.''

The book has 19 chapters and is filled with facts about the once thriving and interesting little town on the river, Laraine said.

"I've found Upokongaro very fascinating. They had a great drama troupe who performed in the Memorial Hall regularly, a golf course and even a courthouse."

Upokongaro was always the go-to place from Wanganui, she said.

"The boats did regular trips up there and coaches constantly drove up there with groups. It was very popular."

Laraine said she had a few other books in the pipeline.

One of her earlier books, The Early Hotels of Old Wanganui, was, according to local historians, well-written and easy to read and collectors of Wanganui history have added it to their library.

Writing the history of small towns was her passion, she said.

"And a most absorbing hobby. Or maybe it's because I'm naturally very curious and love digging and finding out information. For me it's a never-ending excitement."

She said this quote from Roman politician and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) best summed up the worth of history for her.

"To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain perpetually a child. For what is the worth of a human life unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history?"

Her last book was The Early Hotels of Old Patea which was popular and published with the assistance of the Patea Historical Society which funded the printing.

Laraine believes the popularity of her books on local history never fails to amaze her.

"I'm touched that so many people share my passion for history."