Group of children tin kettling - with Chevrolet Tourer in background.

About this image

DescriptionGroup of children tin kettling most likely after Miller/Thorn wedding, and Thorn's car in front of garage.

Published in Nathan, Simon, 'Through the eyes of a miner: The photography of Joseph Divis', Greymouth: Friends of Waiuta, 2016, page 23. Book caption: "Tin kittling - welcoming a newly married couple to their home with lots of noise - was a feature of Waiuta weddings. Perhaps these children are celebrating the Thorn-Miller wedding (on next page). Tom Thorn's new Chevrolet is in the background."

Group portrait with Chevrolet Tourer. Divis, Joseph, 1885-1967: Photographs of New Zealand gold mining and international travel. Ref: PAColl-9540-1-47. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/45464081
PhotographerJoseph DivisMap^[1]ContributorHeather Newby

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)WaiutaEventGroup of children tin kettling

From Facebook

Date Created15th March 2025CommentsSandy Langdon
I just Googled it. It's what I thought, banging tin cans , pots and pans making a lot of noise.
It was considered an honor to be tin kettled apparently.

Robin Gibbens
Again something that we all did that has sadly died that I had forgotten about . Just love this page and all those little things that we did as kids
16h

Suzanne Hall
Gosh what innocent time's just lovely how simple things made everyone so happy!

Bev Tate
What is tin kettling?

Noeline Pinn
Remember tin kettling newly married couples in the 40’s . Also remember those that gave the smallest tin of lollies.

Murray Thomson
Lining up for school lunch

Marie Bone
I remember doing that when I was about 5years old in kumara

Pauline Schafer
I’ve never heard of it being done at home.

Arlene Hutcheon
I remember cans tied on the backs of cars when a couple left on to go on their honeymoon. Is it the same thing?

Mary Moffitt
I have never seen a photo like this, and yet we tin-kettled every newly married couple in the district. I never knew why, just that we did it and it was great fun. Probably for coins or treats so that we could be part of the celebrations. I think that tin-kettling happened when the couple arrived at their new home or after the honeymoon. Do others remember if this is right?
One thing stands out though. We used anything noisy. The ‘kettles’ in this photo are probably kerosene tins which became useful in many ways. On a small farm we bought decades ago there was a whole shearing shed with flattened kerosene tins instead of weatherboards.
Nothing was wasted. It reminds me that we used to wash plastic bags for re-use because they were so scarce!

Arlene Hutcheon
I remember cans tied on the backs of cars when a couple left on to go on their honeymoon. Is it the same thing?

Christine Burn
My mother lived in a small town in central Otago in the 1920s. It was common practice there!! Half the district would turn up at the newlyweds house at night and bang on pots, kettles etc. It was a fun social event!!

Rae Wilson
Wow, those days seem so long ago. I too can recollect having a group of Hokitika friends who delighted in trying to 'scare' young couples when settling into their new homes.

Grant Jamieson
I hadn't heard about it, obviously not old enough

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Group of children tin kettling - with Chevrolet Tourer in background.

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