Alfred Russel Wallace has always been in the shadow of Charles Darwin, but he should be remembered as his equal. Wallace was a naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist, who extraordinarily developed the concept of evolution by natural selection about the same time as Darwin. He collected more than 100,000 specimens in his travels in the Amazon Basin and the Malay Archipelago!

Well-known historian Jock Phillips is our speaker this month. 

“In my recent book I attempted to tell the history of New Zealand through the stories of unusual and revealing objects.  In this talk I will discuss seven objects from the book which have a significant connection to the Kapiti coast or the Wellington province.  They include several items which tell of the early settlement of the area, two from close-by which highlight the fascinating history of sewing, and finally two 20th century items with local links – the baton of Levin farmer and scholar Leslie Adkin and the country’s first working television set.” Tuesday 12 May Starting at 7.30pm Kapiti Uniting Church Hall – Weka Road, Raumati Beach. Everyone is welcome a koha would be appreciated.

Jock Phillips is a freelance historian of New Zealand. He was formerly General Editor of Te Ara, the Online Encyclopaedia of New Zealand in Te Manatū Taonga/the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. He has also worked as New Zealand’s Chief Historian following 16 years teaching American and New Zealand History at Victoria University of Wellington.  

He has published sixteen books on New Zealand history, of which the best known is A Man’s Country: The image of the Pakeha male – a history.  His most recent books are A History of New Zealand in 100 Objects and Our Land in Colour.  He was awarded a Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in 2014. 

Thanks to our April speaker Chris Turver

He gave an interesting talk on the problems and and mixed experiences he faced as a press reporter in dangerous places entitled “Life in the Danger Zones” about his time in Vietnam, Borneo and Mururoa.

Since those days he has worked in local government, for Electra, as President of the Kapiti RSA, chief executive of the RNZ Coastguard Federation; founder and life member of Club Vista; and commodore of Waikanae Boating Club.

Confirmed speakers for the next two months

9 June – Paul Callister speaking about the Ahu Ahu Ohu Commune within a wider context of thinking around that time.

14 July – Bruce Taylor talking about provincial and inter-city passenger rail travel from 1950.

Helping the Kapiti Historical Society

Lindsay Madden can’t continue with assisting at KHS Meetings. Our thanks to him for his efforts over the last two years or so especially in getting posters out into the community and purchasing the vouchers for speakers.

If anyone could assist the KHS in the future, for example with getting posters out and purchasing vouchers, it would be much appreciated. 

Roger Childs, Gordon Dickson, David Hadfield