Graveyard characters

John Harrison wants to introduce local people to some of the city’s more colourful characters. The difference is, the venue is a graveyard.

An enthusiast for local history, Harrison has researched the stories of those buried by the lovely St John’s Church in Trentham. He is on the cusp of publishing a book featuring some of the material and photos he has gathered.

Last year, he conducted a tour in the graveyard based around the stories of World War I soldiers buried there.

In ‘Meet the Inhabitants’, 2.30pm this Sunday (meet in the church foyer), Judy Harrison will narrate the background of 13 locals laid to rest in the graveyard, including early sawmiller James Cruickshank, Trentham farmer Otto Skou, businessman and the importer of the first car into New Zealand Charles Seagar, car dealer Evan Gething, Upper Hutt’s first Plunket nurse Elsie Gibbs and plumber William Goodwin. There is no charge. Afternoon tea will be available and there will be time for those who join the tour to tell their own family stories.

The graveyard of St John’s, which is on the corner of Moonshine Rd and Fergusson Dr, dates back to 1861 and has memorial stones dated from 1865 till it was closed in the late 1960s.

It has memorials to many pioneer families of the area including the Whiteman, Craig, Brown, Benge and Barton families.

Only ash plots are still available there.