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Stevensons Hotel, Broadway, Reefton.
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DescriptionThis was near the site of the Homemakers furniture shop.
Keith Funnell:
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/22394
Some new potential information on this photograph taken outside Stevenson's Hotel in Reefton is derived from Ken Brewer whom, amongst other things is somewhat of an expert on NZ Police uniforms (refer his article located on the IPA website https://www.ipa.org.nz/pdfs/NZ_Police_Badges.pdf
The following is Ken's deductive logic leading to placing a year on this photograph; Thanks Ken.
That is a great photo. There are two things that allow me to date this photo, but both are a little hazy.
Firstly, does the shako he is wearing have a “reverse peak” or not – that is to say a peak at the lower rear. The more I look at the photo the more convinced I am that it does.
The early shako’s introduced from 1852 did not have them, but the ones introduced from 1886 did. The latter began to be replaced from 1900 with the white helmet but these were quickly withdrawn as the white “Blancoe” on them ran in the rain and stained the uniforms. As a result the shako was reintroduced until the black cloth covered helmet arrived in 1913.
Secondly the badge he is wearing appears to be either the 1867 NZ Armed Constabulary badge or the 1886 NZ Police badge. It is hard to see, but I suspect it is the latter.
These dates are not definitive however as they replaced these items only when the individual constable needed a replacement, so it is common to see early uniform items still being worn in later years. A classic example of this confusion is a photo of Constable Spellman at the Auckland High Court in 1930 wearing a helmet adorned with the 1867 to 1886 Armed Constabulary
badge. (See attached)
A giveaway in this photo is the height of his white collar insert which is much higher than later versions, so my best guess would be it was taken in the 1890’s so the 1900 indicated in the photo title could be about right.
Any chance I can keep this copy of the photo in my files please?Date of Photo1900Map[1] ContributorBlacks Point Museum
Keith Funnell:
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/22394
Some new potential information on this photograph taken outside Stevenson's Hotel in Reefton is derived from Ken Brewer whom, amongst other things is somewhat of an expert on NZ Police uniforms (refer his article located on the IPA website https://www.ipa.org.nz/pdfs/NZ_Police_Badges.pdf
The following is Ken's deductive logic leading to placing a year on this photograph; Thanks Ken.
That is a great photo. There are two things that allow me to date this photo, but both are a little hazy.
Firstly, does the shako he is wearing have a “reverse peak” or not – that is to say a peak at the lower rear. The more I look at the photo the more convinced I am that it does.
The early shako’s introduced from 1852 did not have them, but the ones introduced from 1886 did. The latter began to be replaced from 1900 with the white helmet but these were quickly withdrawn as the white “Blancoe” on them ran in the rain and stained the uniforms. As a result the shako was reintroduced until the black cloth covered helmet arrived in 1913.
Secondly the badge he is wearing appears to be either the 1867 NZ Armed Constabulary badge or the 1886 NZ Police badge. It is hard to see, but I suspect it is the latter.
These dates are not definitive however as they replaced these items only when the individual constable needed a replacement, so it is common to see early uniform items still being worn in later years. A classic example of this confusion is a photo of Constable Spellman at the Auckland High Court in 1930 wearing a helmet adorned with the 1867 to 1886 Armed Constabulary
badge. (See attached)
A giveaway in this photo is the height of his white collar insert which is much higher than later versions, so my best guess would be it was taken in the 1890’s so the 1900 indicated in the photo title could be about right.
Any chance I can keep this copy of the photo in my files please?Date of Photo1900Map[1] ContributorBlacks Point Museum
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CommentsKeith Funnell Just cos the original post isn’t automatically displaying the image. Hopefully
It will here.
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/assets/downloadwiz/31407
Manage
Keith Funnell Margie Kirby-Garnham ... this was the hotel that our great aunt Jean Ha McGregor was working as a waitress in, when she died from a “heart ailment” in 1900. Hence it is possible, that one of the lovely 20-something ladies gazing out the top floor windows is our great aunt. No-one alive can say no, and why not just accept the possibility I say. RIP Jean Ha McGregor
Margie Kirby-Garnham Keith Funnell sounds entirely feasible to me and therefore I accept your truth. RIP Great great great?? Auntie Jean. Actually, I was just looking up John Peel. I understand Nana always said that she was related to John Peel the Huntsman. Unless I have that incorrect and it was Sir Robert Peel? I'm going to check with mum Keith Funnell Heather Newby can we get the post edited so that the image displays rather than just the link, please
Heather Newby Keith Funnell you will be able to edit it yourself because i can`t edit it.
Keith Funnell Heather Newby .. cheers, only realised I was anointed for editing after it was pointed out... sorry
Glenn Johnston Looking at various elements in the photo a circa 1900 date seems a very reasonable estimate as to the date taken.
Dave Lyes Glenn Johnston I'm not convinced purely on what appears that the leaves surrounding the crown appear to be higher on the 2 x badge examples than the one worn by the policeman.
Glenn Johnston Dave Lyes I'm dating on other things than the police badge and policeman's clothes and am just saying Ken's date estimate seems to tie in with what I reckon the date might be. What date do you think the photo is?
Dave Lyes Glenn Johnston . I think he is wearing a provincial armed constabulary badge on his Shako.
But the bicycle seems to have pneumatic tyres and of a more modern design to his uniform. I would bracket it 1886-1910 but I cant really justify it to be honest.
Keith Funnell Dave Lyes .. very consistent with Ken’s commentary as well; lots of examples of uniforms being hung onto until it was necessary to get a replacement. Like your “whole world view” approach Dave. When did pneumatic tires appear in NZ?
Glenn Johnston Rubber tyres, rubber gumboots etc. were around in the Victorian era which is a lot earlier than some people think. I remember being perplexed once when finding remains of rubber gumboots in a pit on a goldmining site that was undisturbed since the C19t…See More
Glenn Johnston A bit of semi related trivia, one of my great grandfathers was in the Armed Constabulary immediately after serving in the Anglo - Maori NZ wars. He is recorded as two different people in the multi volume police history because the author did not appreciate the same constable was employed/recorded at different localities and times under both European and Maori versions of the same name. I don't have any photos of his uniform.
Manage
Keith Funnell Glenn Johnston ... most interesting about the tyres .... even More Interesting about the land wars scenario... what a gold mine of info there.
My question about pneumatic tyres stems from my grandfather having his solid tyre truck ordered off the ro…See More
Dave Lyes Keith Funnell the style of bike I think is later.
Hells bells!, I dunno. Show me some grenades to identify,
Glenn Johnston Regarding pneumatic rubber bike tyres a quick look on papers past revealed that they were widespread enough in England in 1883 that regulations for bikes to have bells were enacted because the hollow rubber tyres were so quiet that pedestrians were being startled. My skim reading indicates in NZ it wouldn't have been until the 1890's that such tyres became widespread on bicycles.
Keith Funnell Glenn Johnston ... ta dahhh ! Your collation therefore also supports Ken Brewer's estimation of 1890s or thereabouts. Nice to have cross referencing of date estimates based on different elements within the photo. Would be good if we had a historic…See More
Glenn Johnston I don't think the photo is prior to the late 1890's hence my support of the circa 1900 date. My partner is part of a historical costuming group and makes "fairly authentic" costumes and has made female cycle gear so perhaps I should show the photo to her.
Glenn Johnston As to it being a concrete footpath, perhaps it is? The Inangahua Times mentions a plan for concreting the footpath outside a different pub, The Criterion, in 1907. The Times also mentions a meeting at Stevenson's Hotel to form a Cycle Club on 14.11.1892. April 1896 papers talk of a recently formed Reefton Cycling Club & adverts show a wide range of bicycles available for sale in Reefton at that date. By 1907 Stevenson's Hotel was advertising as having electricity and telephone and the photo appears to show both power and telephone lines. None of this really changes my thinking much though it perhaps skews my circa 1900 date estimate slightly to the post 1900 side of 1900.
Keith Funnell Glenn Johnston ... see, and there you go again! . Had not even occurred to me to look at power poles and telephone wires as a clue. As you say, I am now happy to contemplate that when my great grandies, great aunts and uncles were undoubtedly popping in to Stevenson's Hotel to visit my great aunt Jean Ha McGregor that worked there in 1900, it was a very similar looking building, with much busyness with all the coach travelers. Thanks for sharing your insights.
John Rosanowski Agree with Glenn re c.1900. Bowler hats had become very fashionable by that time.
Glenn Johnston My partner has had a look at the photo and whilst more au fait with womens clothing than mens she says a late 1890's - turn of the century date is quite likely. She mentioned the women upstairs with blouses not bodices and the type of sleeves on the blouses, mens jacket styles and the hats. (she said apart from some of the "trendy wealthy" the men would stick with their clothes until they wore out so you look for the more modern styles present as dating clues)
It will here.
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/assets/downloadwiz/31407
Manage
Keith Funnell Margie Kirby-Garnham ... this was the hotel that our great aunt Jean Ha McGregor was working as a waitress in, when she died from a “heart ailment” in 1900. Hence it is possible, that one of the lovely 20-something ladies gazing out the top floor windows is our great aunt. No-one alive can say no, and why not just accept the possibility I say. RIP Jean Ha McGregor
Margie Kirby-Garnham Keith Funnell sounds entirely feasible to me and therefore I accept your truth. RIP Great great great?? Auntie Jean. Actually, I was just looking up John Peel. I understand Nana always said that she was related to John Peel the Huntsman. Unless I have that incorrect and it was Sir Robert Peel? I'm going to check with mum Keith Funnell Heather Newby can we get the post edited so that the image displays rather than just the link, please
Heather Newby Keith Funnell you will be able to edit it yourself because i can`t edit it.
Keith Funnell Heather Newby .. cheers, only realised I was anointed for editing after it was pointed out... sorry
Glenn Johnston Looking at various elements in the photo a circa 1900 date seems a very reasonable estimate as to the date taken.
Dave Lyes Glenn Johnston I'm not convinced purely on what appears that the leaves surrounding the crown appear to be higher on the 2 x badge examples than the one worn by the policeman.
Glenn Johnston Dave Lyes I'm dating on other things than the police badge and policeman's clothes and am just saying Ken's date estimate seems to tie in with what I reckon the date might be. What date do you think the photo is?
Dave Lyes Glenn Johnston . I think he is wearing a provincial armed constabulary badge on his Shako.
But the bicycle seems to have pneumatic tyres and of a more modern design to his uniform. I would bracket it 1886-1910 but I cant really justify it to be honest.
Keith Funnell Dave Lyes .. very consistent with Ken’s commentary as well; lots of examples of uniforms being hung onto until it was necessary to get a replacement. Like your “whole world view” approach Dave. When did pneumatic tires appear in NZ?
Glenn Johnston Rubber tyres, rubber gumboots etc. were around in the Victorian era which is a lot earlier than some people think. I remember being perplexed once when finding remains of rubber gumboots in a pit on a goldmining site that was undisturbed since the C19t…See More
Glenn Johnston A bit of semi related trivia, one of my great grandfathers was in the Armed Constabulary immediately after serving in the Anglo - Maori NZ wars. He is recorded as two different people in the multi volume police history because the author did not appreciate the same constable was employed/recorded at different localities and times under both European and Maori versions of the same name. I don't have any photos of his uniform.
Manage
Keith Funnell Glenn Johnston ... most interesting about the tyres .... even More Interesting about the land wars scenario... what a gold mine of info there.
My question about pneumatic tyres stems from my grandfather having his solid tyre truck ordered off the ro…See More
Dave Lyes Keith Funnell the style of bike I think is later.
Hells bells!, I dunno. Show me some grenades to identify,
Glenn Johnston Regarding pneumatic rubber bike tyres a quick look on papers past revealed that they were widespread enough in England in 1883 that regulations for bikes to have bells were enacted because the hollow rubber tyres were so quiet that pedestrians were being startled. My skim reading indicates in NZ it wouldn't have been until the 1890's that such tyres became widespread on bicycles.
Keith Funnell Glenn Johnston ... ta dahhh ! Your collation therefore also supports Ken Brewer's estimation of 1890s or thereabouts. Nice to have cross referencing of date estimates based on different elements within the photo. Would be good if we had a historic…See More
Glenn Johnston I don't think the photo is prior to the late 1890's hence my support of the circa 1900 date. My partner is part of a historical costuming group and makes "fairly authentic" costumes and has made female cycle gear so perhaps I should show the photo to her.
Glenn Johnston As to it being a concrete footpath, perhaps it is? The Inangahua Times mentions a plan for concreting the footpath outside a different pub, The Criterion, in 1907. The Times also mentions a meeting at Stevenson's Hotel to form a Cycle Club on 14.11.1892. April 1896 papers talk of a recently formed Reefton Cycling Club & adverts show a wide range of bicycles available for sale in Reefton at that date. By 1907 Stevenson's Hotel was advertising as having electricity and telephone and the photo appears to show both power and telephone lines. None of this really changes my thinking much though it perhaps skews my circa 1900 date estimate slightly to the post 1900 side of 1900.
Keith Funnell Glenn Johnston ... see, and there you go again! . Had not even occurred to me to look at power poles and telephone wires as a clue. As you say, I am now happy to contemplate that when my great grandies, great aunts and uncles were undoubtedly popping in to Stevenson's Hotel to visit my great aunt Jean Ha McGregor that worked there in 1900, it was a very similar looking building, with much busyness with all the coach travelers. Thanks for sharing your insights.
John Rosanowski Agree with Glenn re c.1900. Bowler hats had become very fashionable by that time.
Glenn Johnston My partner has had a look at the photo and whilst more au fait with womens clothing than mens she says a late 1890's - turn of the century date is quite likely. She mentioned the women upstairs with blouses not bodices and the type of sleeves on the blouses, mens jacket styles and the hats. (she said apart from some of the "trendy wealthy" the men would stick with their clothes until they wore out so you look for the more modern styles present as dating clues)
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West Coast New Zealand History (4th Oct 2022). Stevensons Hotel, Broadway, Reefton.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 3rd May 2026 08:15, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/22394