Bolton St cemetery’s history explored
Kā piti Historical Society holds first talk of the year
The history of Wellington’s Bolton Street Cemetery is the topic of discussion at Kāpiti Historical Society’s first meeting on the year. The cemetery has a rich history but was split in two by motorway development in the late 1960s.
Today the two sections are linked by a bridge over the motorway which provides access to The Terrace and downtown Wellington to the east and Anderson Park and the Botanical Gardens to the west.
Guest speaker Barbara Mulligan will give an overview of the development of the cemetery, its decimation by the construction of the motorway in 1968/9, the work of the Friends of Bolton Street in protecting and conserving the myriad heritage features of the cemetery, and some of the stories of those buried within.
“I am a Wellingtonian, having lived here all my life apart from 11 years in London.
“After attending Cashmere School, Khandallah
School, then
Onslow College, I graduated with a BA in English and history from Victoria University of
Wellington, followed in much later years by a PhD in nosiness. The latter has been particularly beneficial as I have wandered around Karori and Bolton Street cemeteries, studying headstones and then finding out their backstories.
“I ran a hobby venture taking people on tours around Karori Cemetery for 10 years, and more recently around Bolton Street Cemetery.
“I am now a dedicated taphophile and visit cemeteries wherever I go.
“My professional career was in the international development field, working for both government and non-government agencies.”
■ Note: The society co-ordinators are working on a list of speakers for the year and would be grateful for any suggestions or volunteers.
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For more information on the Kāpiti Historical Society, contact Roger Childs at pamandroger.childs@gmail. com or Gordon Dickson at glengords@gmail.com.