Karori Historical Society

Our next public meeting will be held on Tuesday 8 September 2026 at St Ninian’s, Newcombe Crescent, Karori at 7.30 pm.

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The Butcher, the Baker and the Beauchamps – Gábor Toth

Hear guest speaker Gábor Toth, local and NZ History Specialist for Wellington City Libraries, presents ‘The Butcher, the Baker and the Beauchamps.’ An investigation into the demographics and residents of Tinakori Road and the surrounding area in 1900 when Katherine Mansfield and her family lived at No. 75, the house that inspired her story, The Garden Party. 

While researching the history behind a City Council decision in the early 20th century to re-number all the properties in Tinakori Road, Gábor was struck by the diversity in the occupations of residents in the area. This led him to concentrate on the period when Katherine Mansfield’s father, Sir Harold Beauchamp, made the decision to move his family back to the Thorndon area after living in Karori for five years. They shifted into a grand villa at 75 Tinakori Road (later renumbered 133 and eventually demolished for the construction of the motorway). The mixed nature of the neighbourhood was something Mansfield later drew upon for some of her best-known short stories.

Friends and family are welcome.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday 2 June.