CAMBRIDGE is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. Situated 24 kilometres southeast of Hamilton, on the banks of the Waikato River, Cambridge is known as "The Town of Trees & Champions".In the 1840s Cambridge had a Maori population but in the 1850's missionaries and farmers from Britain settled in the area and guided Maori in modern farming practices -helping them set up 2 flour mills in Cambridge and importing grinding wheels from England

The Cambridge Museum website is, in my opinion, the best 'Districts Website' I have ever come across. The amount of love and attention paid to preserving their heritage is astounding.
Oh that every Town and District everywhere were to do the same ...

The home page says:
.. Cambridge Museum's focus is on Bonding People with Place.
We have an extensive collection of artefacts and archives relating to the history of Cambridge, its districts and people, and our willing and enthusiastic volunteers work with our two paid staff to build a rich archival resource of particular interest to students, family and social historians.
Our policy is to collect Cambridge-related archives, artefacts and photographs, donations of which are always welcome.
We invite you to explore our site and its different sections, and visit again. We update often
- the Museum is open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

THE WEBSITE:
SITE MAP -

ARCHAEOLOGY - Throughout the Cambridge district there are approximately 80 archaeological sites. There are pa, borrow pits, redoubts, flour mills, a mission station and a battle site.

ARCHIVES - The Cambridge Museum has well over 2500 archives entered into the collection. They range from letters, accounts and booklets to business journals, minute books, maps and newspapers. They also have research material used for local publications, resources collected by local researchers and many photographs and negatives.

ARTICLES - From 1988 to 1995 Eris Parker researched and wrote many articles in the Cambridge Independent newspaper.
The Articles Index links are:
Acclimatisation, Advertising, Arbor Day in Cambridge, Archaeology, Armed Constabulary

Band, Birth of Cambridge, Bomb Shelter, Borough Mayors, Bowling Club, Brewery, Brider Paintings

Calverts Building, Cambridge Bridges, Cambridge Club Building, Cambridge Domain Paths, Cambridge Police - 1886 to 1930, Camp Cambridge, Canon, Cemetery, Chronicles of Cambridge, Chrysanthemum Society, Coaching Days

Death of a Little Girl, Depression Days, District Roads

Early Reminiscences

First Families, First Borough Council

Gudex Memorial

Hally Family, Hewitt and the Hunt

John Ferguson - Coach Builder

Leamington Primary School, Leamington Monument, Lively Time at Leamington Town Board Meeting, Looking for a Death in NZ

Maungakawa, Motoring in Cambridge, Mystery Creek

National Hotel

Old Cambridge

Pioneer Farmers' Wives, Pioneering Women, Plunket, Post Masters, Police Station, Primary Schools, Pukekura Dairy Factory

Railway, Railway Journey in 1884, River Travel, RSA & Women's Section

St Andrew's Anglican Church Bells, Sanitary Inspection 1921, South Africa War Veterans

Tennis, Te Waikato Sanatorium, Thornton Family, Timothy Sullivan - Murdered, Town Hall

Undertaking

Waikato Farmers' Club, Waikato River Bridge, Watersiders' Strike

BIOGRAPHIES - All of the residents left their mark and made Cambridge what it is today. Many of the Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers who served between 1872 and 1882 are also included in these brief biographies

CEMETERIES -On an 1864 map from National Archives Wellington there is a cemetery marked near the two redoubts at Pukerimu. Two soldiers died while they were stationed at Pukerimu ? one shot himself and the other drowned. Perhaps they were buried at this spot. In the two years after the 3rd Waikato Militia settled in Camp Cambridge eleven soldiers died and were buried at the Cambridge West (Leamington) cemetery. The first burial in the cemetery at Cambridge East was Robert Wilson, 4 July 1866.
The Cemeteries Index is:
Cambridge Cemetery pre-1910 Burials
Cambridge Cemetery pre-1910 Headstones
Cambridge Cemetery Burial Register 1910 - 1939
Leamington Cemetery
Pukerimu Cemetery Pre-1981
Tamahere Cemetery

DECADES - Cambridge Over the Decades will trace the growth of Cambridge throughout the 1900s. HUGE amount of information on the years 1900 to 1999

COLLECTION - in the Cambridge Museum, as well as in archives and photographs, there are 13 semi-permanent displays of artefacts focusing on Cambridge history and a temporary display that is changed often. The Collection includes:
1920's Bathing Costume
1920's Dolls
Charcoal Burning Iron
Hicks Tea Pot
Lamson Rapid Wire System
Ostrich Feather Christmas Tree
Printing Press
School Sewing
Scissors
Tobacco Press and Cutter
Trench Art
Unidentified Object

DISTRICTS - The farming districts around Cambridge have always been very important to the development of the town. Initially the 50 acre soldier allotments of 1864 were to be a barrier between the Maori King Country and the city of Auckland.
The Districts Index is:
Fencourt
Hautapu, Pukeroro and Bruntwood
Karapiro
Leamington
Maungakawa Settlement
Pukekura and Maungatautari
Pukerimu and Kaipaki
Roto-o-rangi
Taotaoroa
Te Miro
Whitehall

HERITAGE WALKS - Heritage Walks around Cambridge are many and varied. Included in the website are: a Business Walk, Churches, Cambridge Domain, Leamington, Waikato River and the Suburbs. These cover (or will link to) the foundation of Cambridge, historic buildings, people, places, etc.

HISTORIC BUILDNGS - In 1972 concern was again expressed when the Cambridge District Scheme made no mention of the value of our heritage. And it was not until 1975 that the Cambridge Borough Council organised a team to compile a list of Cambridge Historic Places and a Tree Register.
This is truly a wonderfully nostalgic link with photos and info on many, many old Churches, Homes, shops and buildings of yesteryear

LODGES - The Alpha Waikato Lodge, No. 449, I.C., Cambridge was opened on 15 December 1865, in a hotel later known as the Masonic Hotel, by dispensation by the Provincial Grand Master of New Zealand, I.C. This lodge lasted only two years.
The Cambridge Lodges Index is: Loyal Duke of Cambridge Lodge and The Alpha Lodge

MILITARY - From its beginning in 1864 Cambridge has been a military centre. When regular forces have not been needed abroad, volunteer units have kept alive our military tradition.
The searchable Military Index is:
3rd Waikato Militia
Armed Constabulary
Cambridge Cavalry
Volunteers
South Africa War
Waikato Mounted Rifles
World War One - Roll of
Honour
Supplementary Roll of
Honour
Te Miro - World War One
Soldier Settlement
Departure of First Five
Soldiers
St Andrews Church World
War One Memorial Windows
World War Two - Roll of
Honour
World War Two Stories
Cambridge in World War Two
Cambridge Sends You
Greetings - 1940

NEWSPAPERS - The first newspaper in Cambridge was The Waikato Mail, a 2d tri-weekly launched in September 1880 by Joseph Ivess with Charles Montrose as editor. The papers index is:
Bond's Almanac 1912
Cambridge Edition
Cambridge 100 Years Ago
News and Theatre Courier
Waikato Advocate
Waikato Independents
Waikato Mail

PHOTOGRAHS - An 1882 advert for W H Neal, Photographer, opposite the Sale Yards Cambridge, says that one could see ?The most artistic photos ever produced in the Waikato. Enlargements made from carte de visite or glass positives, and finished in water colours or oil. Views of homesteads and scenery taken to order. A number of views of Cambridge to select from - Inspection invited.?
There are photos for individuals and a negatice collection

POEMS - in 1873 the Armed Constabulary complained about the lack of literary encouragement and HQ in Wellington sent up some books to start a library. Poems about Cambridge have appeared in Cambridge newspapers for nearly a century and some are repeated here.
The poems are:
A Parody
Battle of the Range
Charms of Cambridge (written by G.M. Te PAHU - 13 November 1923, I take an extract: "Exquisite and sweet, on an old rustic seat, At the Domain, in Cambridge, at nine, Sat a young maid, in beauty arrayed, A picture - simply devine!")
C.H. Treadgold for Seeds! Seeds! Seeds!
Christmas Love Rhymes
Cows, Cows, Cows
Cricket Match at Oakleigh Farm
For Sale: Ford Car
Furious Cambridge Flyer
Hearts and Hearths Aglow
Kaimai Battle
Ode to the Imitations of Immortality
Ode to the Imitator
Old Buffers' Match
Our Fire
Ratepayer's Lament and More Moans
Waikato River
Working Bee
Prize Winning Poems -
Cambridge Historical Society 50th Jubilee Competition

RATE PAYERS - 1900-1915. On 23 July 1900 the Borough offices had a fire and material including the Rates Registers were destroyed. The indexes of people occupying Cambridge East properties begin in 1900

ROADS - The first local body in the district was the Cambridge Road Board in 1868, whose immediate duty was to open up road communication with Hamilton. From then until 1890 the foundation of the present system of roads was laid down. The Index of Road Names around Cambridge District is fascinating as it tells short stories on the pioneering people after whom the roads are named.
The Roads Index is: (each one a link to a story)
ASPEN ROAD

BAKERS ROAD
BANKS ROAD
BEERS ROAD
BENN ROAD
BELLEVUE ROAD
BRINKWORTH ROAD
BRUNSKILL ROAD
BUCKLAND ROAD

COX ROAD

DAYS ROAD
DILLON ROAD
DISCOMBE ROAD
DUNCAN ROAD
DUNNINGS ROAD

FENCOURT ROAD (Formerly HARBUTTS ROAD)
FERGUSSON GULLY ROAD
FINLAY ROAD
FLUME ROAD
FORREST ROAD
FRENCH PASS ROAD

GOODWIN ROAD
GORTON ROAD
GRAYS ROAD
GRICE ROAD
GRIGGS ROAD

HAMILTON ROAD
HANLIN ROAD
HANNON ROAD
HARBUTTS ROAD (Formerly LIVINGSTONE ROAD)
HEADS ROAD
HICKEY ROAD
HILLS ROAD
HICKS ROAD
HOGANS ROAD
HOOKER ROAD

KAIRANGI ROAD
KELLY ROAD
KITE ROAD

LANG ROAD
LAURENT ROAD
LEE MARTIN ROAD
LUCK AT LAST ROAD
LYNDS ROAD

McELDOWNEY ROAD
McLARNONS ROAD

MAKGILL ROAD
MARYCHURCH ROAD
MATHIESON ROAD
MILL ROAD
MILLS ROAD
MUIRHEAD ROAD

NARROWS ROAD
NICKLE ROAD
NORRISH ROAD
NORWEGIAN ROAD

OLIVER ROAD

PEAKE ROAD
PENCARROW ROAD
PICKERING ROAD
PUKERIMU LANE

RANSTEAD ROAD
RACECOURSE ROAD
RINGERS ROAD
ROBINSON ROAD
REYNOLDS ROAD
ROBERTS ROAD

SAVILL ROAD
SCOTTS ROAD
SKEETS ROAD
SMART ROAD
SPEAKE ROAD
ST KILDA ROAD
STOKES ROAD
SWAYNES ROAD

TAANE ROAD (DAY ROAD)
TARR ROAD
TAYLOR ROAD
TE AWA ROAD
THORNTON ROAD
TODD ROAD

VICTORIA ROAD

WATKINS ROAD
WHITEHALL ROAD
WISEMAN ROAD
WOODCOCK ROAD

ZIG ZAG ROAD

SCHOOL REGISTERS - School Registers for Cambridge and districts are an ideal way of tracing the movements of families. New Zealand does not keep census records and these school rolls show when a pupil arrived at a school, where they came from, when they left and where they went to. Most Registers also show a birth date for the pupil. FOR SCHOOLS: Cambridge, Goodwood, Hautapu, Pukerimu, Roto-o-rangi, Taotaoroa

WOMEN - Mrs Alison Drummond, a renowned author on local history, spoke to the Cambridge Branch of the National Council of Women in November 1961. "The settlers' wives and families" she said, ?often started their Waikato life in a tent. They were lucky if they had a rather more substantial whare of slab, raupo or ponga. Some of the earlier raupo whares were things of beauty; finished very prettily inside with tukutuku. "The first of these homesteads were divided by a curtain into bedroom and kitchen. Windows were often glazed with coarse calico and cooking was generally done on an open fire outside.
"Washing was taken to the nearest creek or spring and spread to dry on bushes. The usual form of lighting was the home-made tallow candle. All the sewing of Victorian tucks and frills and the long, long seams was done at night by the light of these spluttering and rather smelly candles." All this - and the pitter patter of numerous little feet - was our pioneering women's lot.
The Cambridge Women Index is:
Cambridge Pioneer Women
Pioneer Farmers' Wives
RSA Women's Section
Women on the Cambridge 1893 Electoral Roll
WW I Nurses
Women's Suffrage in Cambridge
Women's Suffrage in New Zealan
WW2 Women's Stories

1913 STRIKE - The Watersider's Strike was the main topic of conversation in Cambridge towards the end of 1913. By the end of October, 13,000 Wellington watersiders were out on strike and it was spreading. The farmers' interests were at stake
The 1913 Strike Index is:
1913 Watersiders' Strike
Special Constabulary Medal Holders
Special Constabulary Camp Gazette Roll