An Historical Overview of Lambton Harbour

by D.J. Pyle

Half zine, half book, half pamphlet, An Historical Overview of Lambton Harbour is a light but rigorous exploration of the history of the Wellington Harbour from pre-colonial times to nowadays.

Described by the author as a "fact sheet for the newcomer" D J Pyle's austere writing sternly drives the conversation towards the darker, bloodier sides of our collective history with an exclusive focus on the events that happened on Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Packed with archival images, this book is a modest invitation for historical curiosity and refrains, always, from providing a definitive answer.

Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Tim Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting history of the pre-1900s with insight into Māori interactions. Falls off somewhat after this period, often recounting national events with limited connection to Wellington. Still, some interesting tidbits.

Also - the maps of Māori migration and wars in the first half are very difficult to read in black and white. Suggest next edition reproduces these with a clearer key.

[Daniel Headifen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy to read. I’d never considered all the culverted/piped rivers. That most of Wgtn’s are struck me as a shame and too much like Europe where they’re all lost. So some good info in here. One wish would be more between 50s and 80s - a page for something stand alone would have been good. Brought at Unity.

[Suhel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, succinct and interesting. Covers some of the main events in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara, starting from 1250 AD.

[Jordan Oosterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive and brief history of key events around Lambton harbour from first settlement to the present day. Nicely printed, easy to understand, fully recommend. Essential reading for anyone visiting or residing in Pōneke.