Funds granted to replace historic flagpole
Pahı¯atua will soon have its historic centrepiece restored, with a replica of the Sedcole Flagpole going up as the damaged original is returned to the descendants of the man who donated it to the town.
The wooden flagpole was Pahı¯atua’s first public structure, erected by town co-founder Henry Sedcole as a community focal point for gatherings and discussions in 1900.
It was taken down for restoration in 2015 after it became structurally unsound. The flagpole proved beyond repair and a replica to carry the original plaque and mark the historic location was planned to go up during Pahı¯atua’s town upgrade.
But when money for the $32,440 new flagpole ran out, it looked like that wouldn’t happen until the Tararua District Council stepped in to save it last Wednesday through its Heritage Protection Reserve Special Fund.
Pahı¯atua on Track chairwoman Louise Powick said the council’s recent decision meant the new flagpole could be built and set in place by the end of the final phase of the town upgrade. ‘‘Soon we’ll be able to once again see the Sedcole Flagpole up over Main St, with new seating and green space around it to honour and restore the site’s history as a public gathering spot.’’
When Ian Bailey, a great-grandson of Henry Sedcole, heard the original flagpole was beyond repair he set out to save it. ‘‘I thought it might just disappear or be used as firewood, so I contacted Pahı¯atua on Track to say the descendants would be interested in taking it off their hands,’’ he said.
Bailey thought it would be nice to cut the original flagpole up asmementoes for any descendants who wanted one.
After six years of negotiating the bureaucratic process for taking ownership of the heritage-listed flagpole, that’s exactly what Bailey was doing in the backyard of his Palmerston North home.
‘‘We’re getting each piece laser cut with an image of the flagpole, and an inscription.
‘‘I’ve had contact with about 40 of Henry’s direct descendants so far, but that’s only scratching the surface.’’ 1. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Correction