Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga

Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga Thames Museum Society collects, preserves and exhibits artifacts and stories about Thames district. The museum specialises in family and town research. Museum

Make us the first stop in your journey connecting with the past.

SPORT ON THE GOLDFIELD. In 1902 Thames formed a hockey club for both men and women. Over the decades there were many tea...
16/06/2026

SPORT ON THE GOLDFIELD. In 1902 Thames formed a hockey club for both men and women. Over the decades there were many teams and they travelled around the Thames Valley. Even played Roller Hockey in various halls.
Members of the 1950s Thames High School team are: Back row: George Webby, Dorothy Deeble, Shirley Workman, Helen Blake, Allison Cobb, Marilyn Moore, Paddy Cobb. Front Row: Jill Griffin, ? Quinn, Allison Mills, Mary Hovell, Beverly Brokenshire, Ann Whitehead, Beverly Pearson.
Sports photos are a great way to remember our history, scans of photos always needed for your collection.

NEW STAFF MEMBER. Robyn has organised a new secretary for the Evening Star office in Hall 4. Established in 1869 as the ...
16/06/2026

NEW STAFF MEMBER. Robyn has organised a new secretary for the Evening Star office in Hall 4. Established in 1869 as the Evening Mail by William Shaw, then traded as the Evening Star and taken over by Hopcraft and McCullough. We then knew it as the Thames Star until 1998,
You can view and search early editions 1874 to 1938 online at https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/thames-star
If you need some help learning how to search the papers, make a time at the museum for a one on one tutorial.

DAY OUT 1941. Happy group down the Thames Coast January 1941. What more could you want, car big enough to accommodate th...
15/06/2026

DAY OUT 1941. Happy group down the Thames Coast January 1941. What more could you want, car big enough to accommodate the neighbours and a caravan!
Labelled From L to R: Bill, Mrs Young, Mr Pearson, Allan [Crosbie], Clarice, Mum [Mrs Elizabeth Crosbie] & Mrs Pearson. Pearson’s car & trailer, Thames Coast Jan 1941.
The Crosbie family lived along Tararu Road next to the Challis'; father Lewis worked at A & G Price, they had two children Allan and Muriel (Tillie).
Source: C Daley & D Gerrand, Crosbie Family Collection.

DID YOU KNOW? There were many schools (public & private) on the goldfield, including this large school up the Waiotahi V...
14/06/2026

DID YOU KNOW? There were many schools (public & private) on the goldfield, including this large school up the Waiotahi Valley. A handy walk for children further up the hills and across the top of the Moanataiari.
The lower photo is looking east along the Waiotahi Creek. The school had gone by then, and most students went then to Waiokaraka / Central School. The school was top centre, near where the road loops around today on the south side of the creek.
School rolls available if you need a family name looked for.

Wow its amazing to hear everyone's memories on recent posts!If you have any old nursing photos please share or send dire...
14/06/2026

Wow its amazing to hear everyone's memories on recent posts!
If you have any old nursing photos please share or send direct via pm or email so we can keep building the collection.
Can you recognise your mum, aunt, nana in this 1950s Thames Hospital photo???

LOST INDUSTRIES No 2. There were small dairy factories around the Thames Valley. Then larger factories were built, like ...
13/06/2026

LOST INDUSTRIES No 2. There were small dairy factories around the Thames Valley. Then larger factories were built, like the milk powder plant at Kerepehi. Did you have any family working there? When did it close?

By request, Graduation Class of 1970. Did you know that Thames Hospital was training nurses before the regulations came ...
13/06/2026

By request, Graduation Class of 1970. Did you know that Thames Hospital was training nurses before the regulations came into being in 1902. They continued to teach nurses until 1989 (last graduation)
Books at the museum on the history of the hospital and the Thames School of Nursing.

LOST INDUSTRIES: In 1910 a state of the art abattoir was built at Pārāwai, one of the most modern in the Dominion! Ov...
12/06/2026

LOST INDUSTRIES: In 1910 a state of the art abattoir was built at Pārāwai, one of the most modern in the Dominion!
Over the following decades generations of Thames families worked at the abattoir. Who do you remember having worked their?
Named in the photo are local residents, including; Messrs F. G. Wayne (manager), T. A. Dunlop, E. and M. Deeble occupies the foreground of the picture.

Know Your Town - Care for your history No 1. Over the years a site that has been vandalised countless times - why was it...
12/06/2026

Know Your Town - Care for your history No 1. Over the years a site that has been vandalised countless times - why was it built?
The Bird Hide was officially opened 15th November 1993. It came from an idea by Keith Purnell of Thames, as a way of raising the awareness of the community and council towards environmental issues. The dream became a reality with a partnership, and the help of Environment Waikato. This led to plans being submitted for council planning approval, which was duly granted. Along the way members of the Forest and Bird Society became involved, plus members of the public who lent a hand. An initial grant of $9000 was received from the ‘Rainbow Warrior Compensation’ fund.
Source: Thames Memorials & Plaques by A Barker 2016

Remembering the past nurses who worked and trained at the hospital. 1985 Reunion classes 1930 to 1940. Many will know th...
11/06/2026

Remembering the past nurses who worked and trained at the hospital. 1985 Reunion classes 1930 to 1940. Many will know their names, please add to comments. Hard times, epidemics, depression and war years, they saw it all.
Always a smile, always helping in later years where they could.
Thanks to all the special names you have shared in the previous posts.

Names so far back row: 1? 2. Grace Tizard (Teasdale); 3. ?Lesley Castle. 4? 5? 6? 7. Rona Crosbie (nee Watson), 8. Mary Smith (nee Knowles).
Front row: 1? 2. Peggy Purnell, 3. Joan Currie (nee Beasley), 4.? 5. Miss Corbett, 6? 7 Lal Cameron, 8? 9 Mary Wilson (nee Donn).

Address

503 Cochrane Street (corner Pollen & Cochrane Streets)
Thames
3500

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 1pm
Tuesday 10am - 1pm
Wednesday 10am - 1pm
Thursday 10am - 1pm
Friday 10am - 1pm
Saturday 10am - 1pm

Telephone

+6478688509

Website

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