Tūātapere history - War Memorials & Anzac Events, Memorial Tree Planting

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Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

Tūātapere history - War Memorials & Anzac Events, Memorial Tree Planting: IMAGES: The above photo is labelled: "Planting Memorial Trees, July 1921" and was gifted as part of the Margaret Thomas Collection. Photo is in Public Domain. Attached news clip is from: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ (15.07.1921) The 'Memorial Trees', of which there are two bare-rooted ones shown in this image, appear to have been planted along the area on the Main Road which is adjacent to the old Tūātapere Branch Line Railway Station and yard, which is now mostly a collection of large car parking areas. There is a huge crowd in attendance, including a lot of school aged children and people as far back as the photograph shows, along with quite a well-developed Main Road frontage of various building from those days. The long gone Engine Shed Water Tank is in the middle of the photo along with telegraph poles, and on the right can be seen the new Railway Station and remaining water thank, still standing today. On the reverse, writing states: "Sent by H McFeeley (the Tūātapere townships first teacher, who started in 1910 prior to the school being built and opened in 1913). EVENT HISTORY: Our recently departed Patron, Margaret Thomas who donated this photo, had always told us about this photo and it's local significance. Before the Waiau District Soldiers' Memorial Library was built (now known as just Waiau Memorial Library), these trees, at least 2 of them as shown, were the districts' living memory of those they lost in WW1. As Margaret sadly passed on 10 April 2025, just before Anzac Day, and she was also the Secretary of the local chapter RSA, we are placing this image in our online collections for Anzac Day 2025 in honour of her memory of her RSA office holding, her role as our CWArchives Community & Heritage Hub Patron and also in honour of the 'Memorial Trees' shown above and those lost soldiers they represented. "We will remember them", and this extends to this day and the publishing of this photo, even though the trees to commemorate these brave men are now long gone. MISSING MEMORIAL TREES: While she was Chair of the local Tūātapere Te Waewae Community Board some years ago, Margaret told us she had also attempted to find out just what had happened to these above trees and when exactly they were removed, but had be unable to track down any details. Des Williams, author/compiler of the "Hole in the Bush" Tūātapere Centennial book, reports that rumour had it that someone without much appreciation for history removed at least one of these tree's for a car park extension, but he also could not find out much more. So if anyone else locally or further afield knows anything, please contact us about this. We would like to know more about their demise and record this here. The only information we have been able to source so far to the story, is that on 15 July 1921, Cr. (Councillor) Horrell of the Wallace County Council had requested permission for the Tūātapere Soldiers’ Memorial Committee to plant trees on the Main Street and permission for this was given without prejudice. The trees were obviously planted as we have this photographic proof here. But any more than that is still unknown. Can you help us out? More information about this event and the site itself will hopefully be added as more community contributions come in. In the meantime, please share your memories of these trees and stories from over the years that you know and let us know if you have any more photos, please. You can do this by adding a comment at the bottom of the image page or contact us.