Key Takeaways:
- The article discusses the history of Wellington, New Zealand, during the Victorian era, focusing on the reclaimed land in the area of Victoria, Mercer, and Harris Streets and Jervois Quay.
- The reclaimed land was used for various events, including circuses, open-air election and trade union meetings, and the 1896-97 Wellington Industrial Exhibition.
- The exhibition featured displays of local industries, including tea kiosks, typewriters, and machinery, as well as entertainment such as the kinematograph and kinetoscope.
- The city’s streets were lit with electric lighting for the first time in 1889, making Wellington the first city in the southern hemisphere to have electric street lighting.
- The article is based on excerpts from the book "Mr Ward’s Map – an doorstopper treasure trove" by Elizabeth Cox, which tells social history stories that emerge from each of the 88 sheets of the titular map.
Introduction to Mr. Ward’s Map
The article provides a glimpse into the history of Wellington, New Zealand, during the Victorian era, as presented in the book "Mr Ward’s Map – an doorstopper treasure trove" by Elizabeth Cox. The book tells social history stories that emerge from each of the 88 sheets of the titular map, which was drawn by Mr. Ward in the late 19th century. The article focuses on the reclaimed land in the area of Victoria, Mercer, and Harris Streets and Jervois Quay, which was used for various events and activities during that time.
Circuses and Entertainment
In the 1890s, circuses were a popular form of entertainment in Wellington, with many circuses originating in Australia and traveling to New Zealand several times a year. The circuses would set up their big top on the reclaimed land, and the performers would parade through the streets to the tent. The FitzGerald Brothers circus, which arrived in Wellington in 1894, was one such circus that promoted itself as offering not only entertainment but also scientific learning to the youth of the city. The circus featured a team of 80 human performers, including an orchestra, acrobats, gymnasts, contortionists, and horse riders, as well as 70 horses and eight cages of wild animals.
The 1896-97 Wellington Industrial Exhibition
The reclaimed land was also used for the 1896-97 Wellington Industrial Exhibition, which featured displays of local industries, including tea kiosks, typewriters, and machinery. The exhibition was a great success, with 180,000 people visiting the event over 11 weeks, despite the architecture of the buildings being considered deficient. The exhibition included a concert hall, a "hall of mystery," and an art gallery, as well as a cycling and running track and grandstand. The kinematograph, a newly arrived technology that projected moving pictures, was also featured at the exhibition, with films including one of Eugen Sandow, the famous German muscle man.
Electric Lighting in Wellington
The article also discusses the introduction of electric lighting in Wellington, which began in 1889. The city council had called for tenders to provide electric lighting in the city, and the successful tenderer, the Gülcher Electric Light and Power Company, built two small brick hydroelectric stations to supply electricity to the city. However, the project struggled from its earliest days, and the contract was eventually taken over by the New Zealand Electrical Syndicate. The syndicate applied for permission to supply electricity to private customers for the first time and built a new brick building on Harris Street, which featured a large chimney that burned coal from the West Coast to generate electricity.
Conclusion
The article provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of Wellington during the Victorian era, highlighting the city’s development and growth during that time. The reclaimed land in the area of Victoria, Mercer, and Harris Streets and Jervois Quay played a significant role in the city’s entertainment and industrial activities, and the introduction of electric lighting marked a major milestone in the city’s development. The book "Mr Ward’s Map – an doorstopper treasure trove" by Elizabeth Cox offers a unique perspective on the city’s history, and the article provides a compelling introduction to the book’s contents.
