News & Events

A ceremony to unveil a plaque commentating the arrival of the first 6 ships to Taranaki was held on 6th August 2015.

A memorial stone and bronze plaque in the Masterton Pioneer Cemetery was originally unveiled in November 1974, a donation from the Wairarapa Branch of the NZ Founders Society, by Lena Iorns, a direct descendent of Joseph Masters. The memorial was damaged in 2011 as part of the Council's rejuvenation plan for the QEII Park. A reinstatement ceremony was held on 17 April 2015.

The NZ Founders 2015 Annual General Meeting took place on Monday 22 June 2015 at the Te Rapa Racecourse, Hamilton. A good contingent of Waikato members attended along with delegates from the branches. A main focus for the year ahead will be trying to track down existing members and re-establish the Canterbury branch of Founders. Any current members of the Canterbury branch should contact the National Office.

The story behind our banner photo which is typical of many of the early settlers from whom the Founders Society members are descended.

The Barque Blenheim set sail from Greenock, Scotland on the 25^th of August 1840 with 197 Scots, most in family groups, arriving in Port Nicholson [Wellington] at Kaiwharawhara on the 27^th of December 1840.

To mark this 175 years of settlement in New Zealand arrangements are in place to hold dinners In Auckland on the 22^nd & Wanganui on the 25^th of August to mark the Blenheim’s departure, and a picnic at Kaiwharawhara Park in Wellington on the 27^th of December 2015 to mark the arrival.