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Kokatahi Band - formed in 1910 by farmers and miners from the Kokatahi Valley.1980.
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DescriptionBack Row,L to R: Les Inwood, Kees de Bruhn, Charlie Donnelly, Merl Hutchison, Jack Tomlinson, Jack Innes, Percy Crough, Jim Milner, Fred Reeves, Dave Chinn, Jack Marshall, Athol Olson.
Front row from left: Jim Woolhouse, Eddie Charteris, Jack Heveldt, Ron Manley.
David Verrall.." This photo is from the back cover of the book about the Kokatahi Band called "Boyangs n' Bandanas", written by Frank Graham in 2001."
The photo was taken in 1980 at the Kaniere State Farm.
Front row from left: Jim Woolhouse, Eddie Charteris, Jack Heveldt, Ron Manley.
"The Kokatahi Band was formed in 1910 by farmers and miners from the Kokatahi Valley, a rich farming area 12 miles east of Hokitika on the West Coast. The brilliant uniform is based on the "going out" dress of the early miner. The members play a variety of unusual instruments. Date of Photo1980Map[1] ContributorSue Vaukins
Front row from left: Jim Woolhouse, Eddie Charteris, Jack Heveldt, Ron Manley.
David Verrall.." This photo is from the back cover of the book about the Kokatahi Band called "Boyangs n' Bandanas", written by Frank Graham in 2001."
The photo was taken in 1980 at the Kaniere State Farm.
Front row from left: Jim Woolhouse, Eddie Charteris, Jack Heveldt, Ron Manley.
"The Kokatahi Band was formed in 1910 by farmers and miners from the Kokatahi Valley, a rich farming area 12 miles east of Hokitika on the West Coast. The brilliant uniform is based on the "going out" dress of the early miner. The members play a variety of unusual instruments. Date of Photo1980Map[1] ContributorSue Vaukins
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)Kokatahi Person Les InwoodJim WoolhouseEddie CharterisJack Heveldt Ron ManleyKees de BruhnCharlie Donnelly Merl HutchisonJack TomlinsonJack InnesPercy CroughJim Milner Fred ReevesDave ChinnJack Marshall Athol OlsonOrganisation (eg business)Kokatahi Band
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Category Tagmusic
From Facebook
LinkFacebookDate Created28th December 2016CommentsMichelle Macilquham Mike Anderson... is that popa on drum..
Michelle Macilquham Stanley Thorpe. ..
Anne Thorpe Michelle Macilquham no not in this photo
Heather Newby https://www.facebook.com/kokatahiband/
Kokatahi Band
The Kokatahi Band was established in 1910 and continues to this day, playing bush ballads, old Irish,…
Heather Newby Looks like the 1970`s?
Alice Gilsenan Loved them xx
Sue Vaukins On the back of the post card it says "The Kokatahi Band was formed in 1910 by farmers and miners from the Kokatahi Valley, a rich farming area 12 miles east of Hokitika on the West Coast. The brilliant uniform is based on the "going out" dress of the early miner. The members play a variety of unusual instruments. The band is very popular throughout New Zealand"
Mary Moffitt Always loved everything about this band. It was always the highlight for me of any show where it performed
Jenny Gifford OMG - I love the Kokatahi Band -
Joan Duncan more like early 60s thats a young athol olson on the end
Val Whittaker So much apart of the Coast history this famous Band
Jan Page Loved them
Heather Newby Admins - this is on Recollect.https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/18718
David Verrall This photo is from the back cover of the book about the Kokatahi Band called "Boyangs n' Bandannas", written by Frank Graham in 2001.
The photo was taken in 1980 at the Kaniere State Farm.
From the left, back row, Les Inwood, Kees de Bruhn, Charlie Don…See More
Bev Kelly David Verrall was before my dad Dick Elcock joined.
Vern Pattinson Jack worked at United saw mill with me on the mid 60s
Robin Donnelly The photo would have been taken in the early 70,s. My father Charlie Donnelly died in 1976.
Myron Caldwell Many decades ago this band went to Melbourne for some obviously important occasion. There was a man named Les Inwood in the band. A woman spoke to home out on the street and he went and told the others some woman had chatted him up. She followed him into the pub and said "you silly bugger, I am Eileen, your cousin" It was my mother also visiting Melbourne. She was from Inangahua.
Pat Dooley Is the band still going?
Robin Donnelly Yes
David Verrall Robin Donnelly thanks for that, the photo is wrong and I was repeating the error. My apologies.
Gaelyn Watson My Great Grandfather Les Inwood.
Paul Agnes Smith A very young looking cousin Athol...
Carole Beeby Don't see Billy Scott or Brownie there Judy Hanson, Sue Biggs
Vern Pattinson Maori Jack
Val Whittaker So much a part of the coast
Kevin Bell Looking good there Athol.
ne Bruce I loved to listen to these guys. Such interesting instruments.
Veronica Moore Ernie Charteris not Eddie
Veronica Moore Jack Heveldt was my lovely uncle,and his father my Grandad use to play the bones
Helen Warwick Veronica Moore Hello Veronica from Val & Pearls niece xo
Kathryn Ward Loved this band
Maurice O'Flaherty i worked with Jack Heveldt at Stillwater mill both of us on the skids
Bernie Bell Is your Dad in there Gus.
Brian Gus Heveldt Yes Bernie right hand side of the Drum
Bernie Bell Brian Gus Heveldt got him Gus,great photo.
Jeff Lemon Legend has it the band drunk the plane dry flying to Australia for the Royal Show
Nina Townsend Oh my lord I just found a CD of these fellas anyone know any band members I'd love to pass it on
Aileen Hore Maybe early 70s
Jessie Thompson This photo could have been taken during West Coast Axemen and kokatahi ABand tout Aussie. Aghast g4eat memories
Sandra Douglas Jessie Thompson Hi Jessie hope you are doing ok .i have copy this photo somewhere & think you are right they were head to Aussie.
John Bennett ...no Father Bill
Vern Pattinson
RIP Athol
Paul Agnes Smith
Vern Pattinson Athol was my cousin. I was not aware he has passed. (When?)
Irene Williams
Sadly a number of photos have disappeared or been deleted from the website from more recent times.
Maurice O'Flaherty
worked with Jack at Stillwater Mill
Shirley Merrick
So sad hear Athol has away. I went to Queenstown with the band year’s ago had a ball.
Dennis Thompson
Wow! That's awesome!
PaulAnthony Teens
Kees the only one standing. That’s life
Judith Jones
RIP my much loved grandfather Pop Milner
Sue Vaukins
I remember Athol use to play in a band that played at the youth club in Kaiata.
Sandy Brears
Always enjoyed their music
Helen McEwen
Charlie Donnelly was our neighbour in Ikamatua when I was growing up
Liz Hay
Loved the distinctive sound of the band, at various events during my childhood. I was proud of the fact that my uncle by marriage, Dave Chinn, was a band member.
Kerry Molloy
Worked up "the hill" with Kees de Bruin,Ernie Charteris and Athol Olsen.Characters all, as was this band!Peter Kirwan and Dave Schroder later joined it as well
Margaret Standen
Heather Newby think this was taken before 1980 as dad (Charlie Donnelly)passed in 1976
Amy Bradley
I've still got Grandads (Ernie Charteris) harmonicas.
Diane Craig
Patricia Heveldt
Sandi Greenlees
My grandfather...Charlie Woolhouse played the large drum in the early days,they used to practice at the Kokatahi store,when I was staying there.
Kaye McNabb
Great band, great little valley and great memories. When the wind blew the wrong way you couldn't hear them.
Michelle Macilquham Stanley Thorpe. ..
Anne Thorpe Michelle Macilquham no not in this photo
Heather Newby https://www.facebook.com/kokatahiband/
Kokatahi Band
The Kokatahi Band was established in 1910 and continues to this day, playing bush ballads, old Irish,…
Heather Newby Looks like the 1970`s?
Alice Gilsenan Loved them xx
Sue Vaukins On the back of the post card it says "The Kokatahi Band was formed in 1910 by farmers and miners from the Kokatahi Valley, a rich farming area 12 miles east of Hokitika on the West Coast. The brilliant uniform is based on the "going out" dress of the early miner. The members play a variety of unusual instruments. The band is very popular throughout New Zealand"
Mary Moffitt Always loved everything about this band. It was always the highlight for me of any show where it performed
Jenny Gifford OMG - I love the Kokatahi Band -
Joan Duncan more like early 60s thats a young athol olson on the end
Val Whittaker So much apart of the Coast history this famous Band
Jan Page Loved them
Heather Newby Admins - this is on Recollect.https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/18718
David Verrall This photo is from the back cover of the book about the Kokatahi Band called "Boyangs n' Bandannas", written by Frank Graham in 2001.
The photo was taken in 1980 at the Kaniere State Farm.
From the left, back row, Les Inwood, Kees de Bruhn, Charlie Don…See More
Bev Kelly David Verrall was before my dad Dick Elcock joined.
Vern Pattinson Jack worked at United saw mill with me on the mid 60s
Robin Donnelly The photo would have been taken in the early 70,s. My father Charlie Donnelly died in 1976.
Myron Caldwell Many decades ago this band went to Melbourne for some obviously important occasion. There was a man named Les Inwood in the band. A woman spoke to home out on the street and he went and told the others some woman had chatted him up. She followed him into the pub and said "you silly bugger, I am Eileen, your cousin" It was my mother also visiting Melbourne. She was from Inangahua.
Pat Dooley Is the band still going?
Robin Donnelly Yes
David Verrall Robin Donnelly thanks for that, the photo is wrong and I was repeating the error. My apologies.
Gaelyn Watson My Great Grandfather Les Inwood.
Paul Agnes Smith A very young looking cousin Athol...
Carole Beeby Don't see Billy Scott or Brownie there Judy Hanson, Sue Biggs
Vern Pattinson Maori Jack
Val Whittaker So much a part of the coast
Kevin Bell Looking good there Athol.
ne Bruce I loved to listen to these guys. Such interesting instruments.
Veronica Moore Ernie Charteris not Eddie
Veronica Moore Jack Heveldt was my lovely uncle,and his father my Grandad use to play the bones
Helen Warwick Veronica Moore Hello Veronica from Val & Pearls niece xo
Kathryn Ward Loved this band
Maurice O'Flaherty i worked with Jack Heveldt at Stillwater mill both of us on the skids
Bernie Bell Is your Dad in there Gus.
Brian Gus Heveldt Yes Bernie right hand side of the Drum
Bernie Bell Brian Gus Heveldt got him Gus,great photo.
Jeff Lemon Legend has it the band drunk the plane dry flying to Australia for the Royal Show
Nina Townsend Oh my lord I just found a CD of these fellas anyone know any band members I'd love to pass it on
Aileen Hore Maybe early 70s
Jessie Thompson This photo could have been taken during West Coast Axemen and kokatahi ABand tout Aussie. Aghast g4eat memories
Sandra Douglas Jessie Thompson Hi Jessie hope you are doing ok .i have copy this photo somewhere & think you are right they were head to Aussie.
John Bennett ...no Father Bill
Vern Pattinson
RIP Athol
Paul Agnes Smith
Vern Pattinson Athol was my cousin. I was not aware he has passed. (When?)
Irene Williams
Sadly a number of photos have disappeared or been deleted from the website from more recent times.
Maurice O'Flaherty
worked with Jack at Stillwater Mill
Shirley Merrick
So sad hear Athol has away. I went to Queenstown with the band year’s ago had a ball.
Dennis Thompson
Wow! That's awesome!
PaulAnthony Teens
Kees the only one standing. That’s life
Judith Jones
RIP my much loved grandfather Pop Milner
Sue Vaukins
I remember Athol use to play in a band that played at the youth club in Kaiata.
Sandy Brears
Always enjoyed their music
Helen McEwen
Charlie Donnelly was our neighbour in Ikamatua when I was growing up
Liz Hay
Loved the distinctive sound of the band, at various events during my childhood. I was proud of the fact that my uncle by marriage, Dave Chinn, was a band member.
Kerry Molloy
Worked up "the hill" with Kees de Bruin,Ernie Charteris and Athol Olsen.Characters all, as was this band!Peter Kirwan and Dave Schroder later joined it as well
Margaret Standen
Heather Newby think this was taken before 1980 as dad (Charlie Donnelly)passed in 1976
Amy Bradley
I've still got Grandads (Ernie Charteris) harmonicas.
Diane Craig
Patricia Heveldt
Sandi Greenlees
My grandfather...Charlie Woolhouse played the large drum in the early days,they used to practice at the Kokatahi store,when I was staying there.
Kaye McNabb
Great band, great little valley and great memories. When the wind blew the wrong way you couldn't hear them.
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West Coast New Zealand History (10th Jul 2023). Kokatahi Band - formed in 1910 by farmers and miners from the Kokatahi Valley.1980.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 21st Apr 2026 00:27, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/18718