Dannevirke
121 miles north east from Wellington. 80 miles south west from
Napier by rail.
In about 1870 a move was made by the Government of the day to
induce immigration from Norway & Denmark, as these folk were
considered to be good settlers for this new land. Land, known as
70 mile bush, as set aside and 40 acres given to the first
settler families upon arrival. Dannevirke became a huge
sawmilling centre. At one point housing 50 sawmills. Then one day
the forests were no more and many moved on further afield to new
forrestry blocks. Those that stayed settled into dairying and
sheep farming
These ships brought immigrants for
Dannevirke.
The HOVDING & BALLARAT forming the main nucleus.
Balloted Land: immediately upon arrival, these families were balloted sections: P JACOBSEN, J SORENSEN, J HALVORSEN, E PERSEN, B AMUNDSEN, H WIND, C JOHNSON, N ANDERSEN, A FAGER,A NILSEN , A BERNTSEN, C LARSEN, J MICKLESEN, H MORTENSEN,, J ANDERSEN, P JOHANSEN, H ISRAELSEN, J GRONBECK, H PEDLAR JENSEN, H JENSEN, A NILSEN.
Church. 1886 Lutheran pastor was HM RIES; Church of England, Rev E ROBERTSHAWE, who had been schoolteacher until his ordination in 1881: Presbetarian, began in 1885, annexed to Woodville. Rev ELDRIDGE inducted to the new church in 1898, then in 1900 by Rev Alexander GRANT; Roman Catholic, from 1897 becme a parish in its own right with Rev William McGrath, then later Rev T CAHILL in 1899. Methodist, Rev J WORBOYS and James WRIGLEY 1883 to 1888 then in 1889 Rev MK GILMOUR was appointed. Salvation Army, activities began 1892 with Capt HUGHES & Leiut BLOOMFIELD
Cricket Team: Dannevirke A v Ormondville 7-12-1904: A BERR, HUNTER, NASH, DOBBIE, C & P HANSARD, NEALE, STEWART, BECKETT, OSBORNE, CRESPIN, MCDONALD, Emergency was BROWNE
English Settlers - 1881: J ALLARDICE, boardinghouse keeper; T MILLER owned a block on High Street; J MARTIN owned 40 acres of land; A McCULLUM had 30 acres on Millers Road. WILLIAMS,JONES & HUNTER were also landowners. F ELMBRANCH was a settler:
School: Dannevirke school was later renamed Dannevirke North School: The first school opened in 1873 with Mrs JOHNSON (or JORGENSEN) a Danish teacher. Later was Miss COVENTRY in 1875. The first school committee was chaired by Mr ALLARDICE: The original school roll included Axel ANDERSEN, Waldemar LARSEN, Caspra AMUNDSEN, & Georgina GRONNEBECK:.
Sawmill: W HENDERSON and partner George WRATT opened the first sawmill in 1885
Carriers 1898: RT Brighouse
Cabinetmakers 1898 - Bates, Thos; Eliasonn John
