WHAT I'M ABOUT
For as long as I can remember I've had an intense relationship with the humaness of death. It is something that touches us indirectly and eventually directly - there is no escaping it.  In the meantime we can learn so much from the social history aspect of death.  This also ties in with my love of genealogy and knowing WHO is a part of me.




~ I adore researching my family history 
~ A love for my Taphophilia, hobby including headstone photography; memorials (military and civil); grave photo ceramics and adornments. 
~ Ongoing research to discover the forgotten life stories then sharing my photograpy for the benefit of others via Flickr; my blog and other databases

Honorary Life Member of The Friends of Linwood Cemetery Trust  (Researcher; Facebook and Twitter)



a few acquisitions I'm INVOLVED WITH:
~ Many military medals, badges, decorations
~ Netball New Zealand uniforms spanning decades
~1940s homemade wooden and metal household goods
~ Craft pedestrian crossing by Kumeu Knitty created to raise awareness for safe crossing points
~ Museum historical educational dioramas
~ World Masters sporting items
~ Photography developing equipment associated with Auckland photographer Reginald Silvester Lediard,1898-1973
~ Military Greatcoats
~ Honoria Gray LLB. clothing
~ Captain Mervyn Corner MC, WW2 military memorabilia and uniform
~ Robin Morrison camera and accessories
~ Military great coats
~ NZ Military uniforms - WWI, WWII, Vietnam
~ Gramophone & record
~ Ration packs
~ Nazi souvenired objects
~ WW Souvenired objects
~ WWI and WWII medical items
~ Memorial plaques
~ Bomb training kit
and on and on! 




coMPLETED AND STORED
~ WWII RAF objects
~ Buchenwald Concentration camp prisoner of war identification tag
~ Parachute silk wedding dress
~ WW1 Trench art
~ Objects related to the Mau Mau uprising
~ Military propaganda
~ Seuffert illuminated address casket
~ Flying hats and goggles
~ Early backpack
~ Food (Pantry) items from 1950s - 70s
~ Colonial Ammunition Company (C.A.C.) items
 ~ Blickensderfer Typewriter, Model No 8, Circa 1907
~ Sir Edmund Hillary Nepalese National dress (Daura Suruwal)
~ Sir Edmund Hillary collection
~ Ceramic and tin toys
~ Tower of London poppies
~ Hat boxes
~ Sporting shoes
~ Large hotel mirror
~ Chinese social history objects
~ Guns
~ Knives


HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2020: 
 ~Completion of the 21st Battalion Association cataloguing project Making objects from this donation accessible onsite, offsite and online
~My set of flickr images, 21st Battalion Association Collection processing


HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2019: 
 ~Disassembly of a rare c1818 Collier 5 shot flintlock revolver

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2018: 
 ~Yoga retreat in Sicily
~Kicking back on the French Riviera
~History in the UK
Photo albums here

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2016: 
~Catching up with my incredible son and his GF, Perth, Australia
~Fantastic 3 weeks in France. Paris then Eze,on the French Riviera Photo albums here



HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2015: 
~ Birth of third grandson Toby - February 2015

~ Amazing 2 weeks in Turkey inclusive of 100th Commemorations of the landing at Gallipoli, then 4 weeks in the UK. Photo albums here

~ Constable Adam BEGG finally getting recognised as dying in the line of duty

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2014: 
~ Rediscovering Sapper Robert Hislop's grave and having him acknowledged as the first New Zealander to die in WW1