Articles in ‘History’

Cleopatra VII was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, ruling Egypt from 51 BC - 30 BC. She is celebrated in many historical records for her beauty and her love affairs with the Roman warlords Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, but was a powerful queen before her interaction with either and a much stronger monarch than any of the later Ptolemaic Dynasty. · Fluent in a number of languages, she was an effective diplomat and administrator. Her…

The Advent Calendar · Advent calendars are undoubtedly a festive staple in New Zealand as in many countries around the world, with children and adults alike leaping out of bed to discover what is behind the little numbered door that day. Modern advent calendars can hide anything from chocolate to wine behind their doors as we count down to Christmas. · But where did advent calendars come from? Let’s explore the history of this popular festive…

November 26th 1961 – The Drug Thalidomide is withdrawn from the market after affecting over 10,000 babies worldwide Thalidomide changed our relationship with new medicines for ever. It took five years for the connection between thalidomide taken by pregnant women and the impact on their children to be made. Not only did thalidomide change people’s lives, but it resulted in tighter drug testing and reporting of side-effects. · Thalidomide is…

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died last month at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. She died peacefully at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer, with family by her side. Her last duty, just two days before her death to appoint the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, which she did with her usual grace and smile. Her death prompted an outpouring of grief around the world and New…

Death of a Legend – Jimi Hendrix September 18th, 1970 A performance by Jimi Hendrix was sure to be frenetic, full of energy, and wild. He would rip fast on his guitar and at times smash his instrument to pieces at the end of a show. Watching Hendrix play was more than merely observing a performance — it was an experience. But it all ended when he was found dead on September 18th, 1970, in his girlfriend’s London Apartment. He was only 27. ·…

NZ VJ Day – August 15th · After the collapse of Germany and its surrender in May 1945 and what became to be known as VE day, the war continued to rage in the Pacific with the Japanese the Allies delivered Japan an ultimatum to surrender on 28 July 1945. Known as the Potsdam Declaration. It called on Japan to surrender its armed forces unconditionally or risk “prompt and utter destruction.” · When this was ignored, the US dropped two atomic…

26 July 1865: Parliament sits in Wellington for the first time After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Governor Hobson set his mind to finding a more permanent capital for the new colony. Okiato, Bay of Islands, was initially regarded as the capital but in 1841 Hobson sent a party further south to survey the Whangarei, Mahurangi and Waitematā Harbours for a more central location. Two early choices, what are now Hobsonville and the Panmure…

10 June - The Eruption of Mt Tarawera · Just to the south-east of Rotorua, Mount Tarawera could be described as an unusual looking mountain, with several large domes and a broad, flat top. It was shaped by volcanic activity hundreds of years ago. The Māori inhabitants of the area, and the Europeans who arrived in the 19th century, did not know that Tarawera was an active volcano until 1886, when it came to life in the deadliest known eruption…

May 5, 1893 - US Stock Market Tumble Triggers Panic By the end of the year, 600 banks closed and several big railroads were in receivership. Another 15,000 businesses went bankrupt amid 20 percent unemployment. It was the worst economic crisis in U.S. history up to that time. Like most major financial downturns, the depression of the 1890s was preceded by a series of shocks that undermined public confidence and weakened the economy. The Panic…

Nz’s First Poppy Day · One Hundred Years Ago, on April 24th 1922, New Zealand held its first Poppy Day. It followed an international effort led by French woman, Madame Guérin who was a well-known touring lecturer and fundraiser, who split her time between living in the USA and France during the First World War. She was a director of the “American and French Children’s League”, which was the US branch of the French charity “La Ligue des enfants…