When was wellington founded

About University of Otago Close. Research and Enterprise at Otago Close. Learning and teaching Close. International at Otago Close. Alumni and Friends Close. Kupe is believed to be the first Polynesian explorer to come to Wellington in AD. He was followed by Tara, who named the area "Whanganui-a-Tara" or "the great harbour of Tara". In Captain Cook first anchored in Wellington harbour. In the directors of the New Zealand Company settled on the name Wellington.

The name was chosen in order to express their gratitude to the Duke of Wellington, a supporter of the company in England. Colonisation of Wellington began by the Europeans in , when settlers arrived in the ship 'Aurora'. Colonel William Wakefield, a New Zealand Company representative, originally planned for the Wellington settlement to be where Petone is now situated. However when the Hutt River burst its banks and flooded the area, the site was shifted to its current location.

The seat of government in New Zealand was moved from Auckland to Wellington in , largely on the basis of Wellington's central geographical position. The Wahine Disaster is the most well known of the shipping disasters in New Zealand, though there have been worse disasters with greater loss of life.

John Crewes, Bible Christian minister, social worker, journalist. Alexander Galbraith, Labourer, railway worker, trade unionist, communist, timber worker.

Robin Hyde, Poet, novelist, journalist. Sybil Audrey Marie Lupp, - Mechanic, motor-racing driver, garage proprietor, motor vehicle dealer. Edna Bertha Pearce, - Kindergarten teacher and director, policewoman, internment camp supervisor. More biographies? Books Newtown! Published by the City Council in the late 's, this books covers many of the social services, unusual characters and past history which makes this area so special. Newtown School Jubilee publications - these three jubilee publications from three different eras give a potted history of not only Newtown School but of the suburb as a whole: Newtown School jubilee souvenir: to Kenneally Irvine-Smith The Cyclopedia of New Zealand volume 1, This late-Victorian almanac and directory for Wellington contains many entries for the businesses, institutions and notable Wellingtonians that were based in Newtown at the end of the 19th Century.

Library Online Here are some electronic resources to help you in researching Newtown's history: The Wellington Local History Database This is an index database based around a collection of newspaper articles dating back to the s when the clipping and indexing of local newspapers first began at the Central Library.

The complete article can be viewed by either requesting the listed WVF subject file from library staff at Central Library, or requesting to see a microfilmed copy of the original newspaper.

It was originally assembled and maintained by Evening Post library staff as a reference collection by newspaper journalists and editors and is now housed on the 2nd Floor of the Central Library in 30 filing cabinets. A search on a suburb's name will bring up all those envelopes with the term in their subject heading though other subjects such as the zoo or Wellington Hospital may require more specific searches.

Run a simple keyword search and see happens! Wellington City Archives Located near the Basin Reserve, the Wellington City Archives is one of the first places to visit if you wish to engage in primary historical research into Wellington's suburbs. It remained a Blundell family business until Wellington became New Zealand's capital in , with Parliament officially sitting in the city for the first time on 26 July After it was sited in Auckland.

A panel of Australian-based commissioners later designated Wellington the seat of government due to its favourable geography, sheltered harbour and central location. The Wellington City Corporation was formed in following the dis-establishment of the township's Board of Works. There were earlier attempts at establishing local government in Wellington, including, in , an unofficial council led by colonist William Wakefield.

Borough and Provincial Councils were established in and respectively. The Borough Council was short lived and the Provincial Council struggled financially and had more of a regional focus. Water supply was a priority for city councillors.