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Karen Stade ~ Nelson City suburbsThe Top of the South Branch
of the New Zealand Society of Authors |
Writers' Trail ~ Nelson/ Tasman
Karen Stade
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HERITAGE PANELS DRAW ON WORK OF NELSON HISTORY WRITER
Karen Stade is a researcher and writer of Nelson history, with more than 30 years of professional writing experience. She is a twice former president of the Nelson Historical Society and in 2017 she was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for services to historical research and the community. Three heritage panels in the suburbs of Nelson city draw extensively on her work: one a double-sided panel telling the story of the central city suburb, The Wood, and its Italian settlement, and the other two documenting the life of New Zealand’s first naturalised Chinese immigrant, Appo Hocton. Karen describes the unveiling of the panel in The Wood in July 2020: ‘Five years after Karen Price and I co-wrote and published Pasta, Prayer & Promise: the story of Nelson’s Italian Community 1860 - 2014, we were both on hand for the official unveiling of a heritage panel celebrating the community. As it happened, I was wearing two hats at the ceremony, both Italian historian and speaking on behalf of the City of Nelson Civic Trust, which jointly funded the panel with the Nelson City Council and of which I am a trustee. ‘The panel is on the corner of Tasman and Grove Streets, right in the heart of The Wood – Nelson's own Little Italy. On one side is the story of The Wood and on the other, the Italians who called it home. On hand to share the occasion was a large representation of the Italian community and Wood residents, including our good friend Belinda Wheatley, who promoted the panel to the council and wrote the text using Pasta, Prayer & Promise. Speaking were the Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Marcelli, City Councillor Gaile Noonan, Club Italia president John Esposito, Italian senior Francie de Leva, and me.’ See top photo The panels describing Appo Hocton – full name Wong Ah Poo Hoc Ting – use information drawn from Karen’s book Appo Hocton: New Zealand’s First Chinese Immigrant, Nelson 1842 – 1920, which was published by the Nelson Provincial Museum in 2010. Both panels are in the Washington Valley area, where Appo first hid out after jumping ship in October 1842. He was the first recorded Chinese immigrant to New Zealand, and in 1853 was the first naturalised Chinese. Appo became a successful trader and landlord and owned multiple properties in Washington Valley, some of which still exist. The larger panel gives an overview of his life and successes. In 2017 Appo’s descendants approached Nelson City Council asking to have a previously unnamed walkway running between Pioneer Crescent and Valley Heights named after him. It became Appo Hocton Way in 2019, and in August 2020 a small panel giving some information about him was attached to the street sign. Written by Chrissie Ward |
Karen Stade, Fabrizzio Marcelli and Gaile Noonan at the unveiling of the panel in The Wood, July 2020.
Photo: Martin De Ruyter
Panel at Pioneer Park, St Vincent Street
Sign for Appo Hocton Way, Pioneer Crescent
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GETTING THERE
The maps below show the location of each of the Heritage Panels - look for the purple book icons.
The maps below show the location of each of the Heritage Panels - look for the purple book icons.
1. You'll find the panel about Italian settlement in The Wood,
Cnr of Tasman & Grove Street. The nearest dwelling is 71 Grove Street.
Cnr of Tasman & Grove Street. The nearest dwelling is 71 Grove Street.
2. Look for the large panel about Appo Hocton,
New Zealand's first naturalised Chinese immigrant,
on St Vincent Street, close to Hastings Street.
3. The small panel about Appo Hocton is at the Pioneer Crescent end
of Appo Hocton Way. The nearest dwelling is 5 Pioneer Crescent.
3. The small panel about Appo Hocton is at the Pioneer Crescent end
of Appo Hocton Way. The nearest dwelling is 5 Pioneer Crescent.