| Collection |
Don Furness Photograph Album |
| Description |
Page 10 of 27: Six views of Seymour Square, Blenheim.
Seymour Square and gardens are a famous Blenheim attraction. They are named for Henry Seymour, an early Nelson settler. Seymour was Alfred Fell's father-in-law, and in 1857 Fell arranged for the surveyor, Alfred Dobson, to survey Marlborough land Seymour and Fell owned into town sections. This town became known as Beaver and later was named Blenheim.
Seymour Square was used in the 1870s as a sports ground and planting of trees and shrubs began in 1877. A merry-go-round was added in 1878 and a band rotunda opened in 1898. The Industrial Exhibition was opened there in 1904 and the War Memorial was unveiled in 1928. The fountain was built on the band rotunda site in 1953.
1. A black and white photograph marked A of Seymour Square showing the band rotunda. It may have been taken in 1912 to show the newly refurbished band rotunda; it was repainted that year and the paths tarred and sanded. The clothing of the two men seen walking on a path fits with this time frame.
2. A coloured photograph marked B of Seymour Square of about the same time period as number 1.
3. This is the then photograph to be compared with number 6. It is a black and white view of Seymour Square showing a lady standing admiring the rose garden. The trees around the band rotunda have grown taller so it was possibly taken in the 1920s or early 1930s. The Grosvenor Hotel on the corner of High Street and Henry Street can be seen in the background and the Methodist Church on the opposite street corner is to the right of the Hotel.
4. A coloured photograph marked C of Seymour Square showing the Clock Tower and War Memorial, so it was taken after the unveiling in 1928. Very large Toi-toi plants are in the foreground behind the gaudy pink and white flower borders. The Grosvenor Hotel is still in the background.
5. A coloured photograph of the Clock Tower and War Memorial, possibly taken in the 1980s. The Blenheim Borough Council chambers can be seen in the background on the right. The band rotunda, built in 1953, has been replaced by the coloured water fountain.
6. This is the now photograph, probably taken in the 1980s, to be compared with number 3, being a coloured view of the same area. The Clock Tower and War Memorial, are where the gardens are in number 3. The Grosvenor Hotel is still there, much up-dated and refurbished. The Methodist Church has been replaced by the Chateau Marlborough Hotel and the band rotunda has been replaced by the coloured water fountain. |
| Year Range from |
1912 |
| Year range to |
1994 |
| Object ID |
1995.015.0194 |
| Object Name |
Album, Photograph |
| People |
Fell, Alfred
Dobson, Alfred
Seymour, Henry |
| Place |
Marlborough |
| Subjects |
Survey |
| Title |
Seymour Square, Blenheim |
|
