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The History of Marchwood Park and The Motueka A & P Association

(April 26th 2014)
Report by Coralie Smith

Our last outing for this year, now that the cool winds have started to blow across the grounds known as Marchwood Park which the Motueka Agricultural and Pastoral Association administrate.

The acting President Raymond Goodall told us the history of the association which was a bit slow off the mark with Takaka and Nelson having run shows since 1897. It was 1935 before Motueka decided it was time to run a local show. A group of about 20 formed a committee and set to work.

The first problem was where to hold it. The ground behind Bowers Sample rooms was considered too small, and the Rugby Union wouldn't allow it on the rugby grounds. Gordon Goodman, the farmer leasing Marchwood Park, suggested using his grounds and the offer was taken up.

The show has been held every year since on the same date, a week after the Nelson show, the first weekend of December at first on a Saturday and now on a Sunday. 1000 entries were taken for that first show. Many local firms offered free services to get the show underway in a short time.

Marchwood Park was originally a dairy farm run by various families including Whitehead, McGregor and Knyvetts. When Bertha Knyvett was left a widow the Motueka Borough Council was looking for land for an aerodrome and bought the whole farm.

Some of the original native trees still remain as do two brick lined wells put in by early settlers. The Knyvett house was unfortunately burned down many years ago but stood near a stand of acacia trees in the middle of the equestrian area.

Raymond showed us one of the three-minute books the association has in its archives, as well as many photographs and schedules they hold showing how some things change and some stay the same. Names that appear in the minute books and that Raymond learned a lot from are Clive Williams, Margaret Woodley, Colin Puklowski, Allan Wratt, Pat Adair and Kath Morgan.

A camping ground has become an important part of the income of the association and the equestrian sections the mainstay of the rest. Various groups utilise the park-like area including the Country Music group.

Neil Sturgeon talked next about the entertainment side of the show in which his family have been involved since his father got a showman's licence in 1935. Issued by the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand it still has to be renewed every two years.

Neil's father George had married Winifred Hart whose father owned the farm which is now Jubilee Park, Richmond. George was a bootmaker by trade having served his apprenticeship with Smiths of Bridge Street, Nelson.

The family moved to Courtenay Street, Motueka and became the main entertainment at the A & P show. Gaming type booths such as crown and anchor were the first games. The first merry go round came in 1937 with a dart game, milk bottle game and similar following.

George bought Arthur McNabb's farm on Main Road Riwaka, near what is now Rodgers garage. He also had a bootmakers shop in High Street behind what is now Take Note.

A feature of the early shows was the baby competition and Neil won it one year with his blonde curly hair.

George's sons Neil and Don bought the business from their father at the same time as setting themselves up in partnership as builders, and added other entertainments. Their first ferris wheel was acquired in 1947 and was built by Ryman Brothers by copying a US built Ellis wheel from all sorts of bits and pieces. Then as now all machinery has to be tested and passed by a council engineer as does the ground where the machinery will operate.

Neil built his own clowns which we all remembered from our childhood with their gaping mouths open for a ball to be thrown in as they moved from side to side.

Today Don's son George and Neil's son Wayne run the business with many added items such as chairoplanes, water ball, crash cars and so on. The showman's business is a family business and takes a lot of dedication and time away from home. In the past it has attracted shady characters but the Sturgeons got a name for reliability and honesty and they have earned contracts with events the length and breadth of the South Island.

Margaret Woodley has been associated with the A & P Show since childhood, and has served on the committee many years and is a life member. For years Margaret and her late brother Clive Williams have run the merry go round which was first used at the Motueka Beach circa 1956.

Samuel Cate, a retired bootmaker, who lived on the aerodrome corner, had built the horses and punts and painted them. He had formerly been a wheelwright and coach builder with Knapps and an engineer for the coolstore at the wharf. The machinery part was assembled behind Unilevers pea factory by night staff and parts from a pea viner and a truck were used.

In 1962 it was shifted to Marchwood Park and run by the A & P Association. Sturgeon Brothers had been offered it but had no money at the time to purchase, something they have regretted ever since.

The Motueka A & P Association is in good heart in 2014 thanks to an active and forward looking committee. Ready to change as times demand, they now get crowds similar to when the show started in 1935.

 

Raymond Goodall & Neil Sturgeon (photo by by Wendy McGregor)


Merry go round minus horses 2002 (photo by Margaret Woodley)

 
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