Reflecting upon the past few ‘not at all what we expected’ years: Cyclone Gabrielle, January - March flooding, White Island eruption, Anzac Day 2020 & Covid-19
Looking back on the recent Heritage Festival 2023: Wedding & the Ever After’s photo exhibition at Armanasco House. Images of members: Sheila Sekula, Angela Grace-Jones, Anne Bell & Eileen Rusden
Leaving a legacy of local history. In August this year, Blockhouse Bay lost a local legend: Keith Rusden
A quiet achiever whose creativity and knowledge enriched the lives of so many. In November this year, Blockhouse Bay lost a well loved local librarian and true advocate for the early history of the Bay: Carol Augustine.
In collaboration with the Blockhouse Bay Library, the Blockhouse Bay Historical Society presents a dual exhibition of wedding images, stories and memorabilia through time. Both venues are located in the Gittos Domain and we encourage everyone to view these complimentary exhibitions in tandem. There will be a wide variety of images across differing era’s, many sourced from the community as well as our extensive archives. Together, we celebrate the history of love in the Bay. Society members will be on hand to answer questions, expand on stories of local families and guide you through our permanent displays in the oldest surviving settlers cottage in Blockhouse Bay.
In the late 1930s, a group of young Blockhouse Bay men formed the Blockhouse Bay Surf Lifesaving Club.
They took their training very seriously and were coached by Barney Clews. During the week the club members would train at Blockhouse Bay beach doing exercises on the shore, and swimming across from Te Whau Point to the sandbank and back again. On Friday nights they caught a bus to Karekare, where they stayed in the clubhouse over the weekend and did their surf training, before travelling back to town on Sunday night.
Photo of the Armanasco Family in front of their house
One part of our heritage which has been saved is the historic Armanasco homestead, across the other side of the Green.
It was built in 1890 by Stefano Armanasco, an Italian who came to New Zealand in 1885 and bought several parcels of land in Blockhouse Bay.
The site he chose for his home was on six acres bounded by Heaphy Street and Blockhouse Bay Road. When building was completed, Stefano sent back to his home village of St Agata for a bride, Maria, and she came out to join him in 1890. They were married in St Patrick’s Cathedral in the same year and settled to life in the new home at Blockhouse Bay.
