New Plymouth Observatory (1920)

A meeting in May 1919 was the inspiration behind the formation of an Astronomical Society and the building of an observatory.

On 30 July 1919 an application was made to the New Plymouth Borough Council for permission to erect an observatory on the south end of Pukaka pā/Marsland Hill.

Permission was granted in September and the following month a contract let to Boon Bros. for the concrete foundations. Mr A.W. Burrell of Stratford was asked to proceed with the job of building the observatory.

On 19 August 1920 the observatory (domed portion only) was officially opened at a cost of £568. The money had been raised by subscriptions, donations and the proceeds of lectures. It opened debt free.

In 1936, the Blundell Memorial Annexe was constructed in honour of the Society's first secretary, Rev. Oscar Blundell. It was designed by the architectural firm Messenger and Taylor. Plans for this are held by the N.P.D.C.

Further reading: New Plymouth Observatory: The First 50 Years 1920-1970, P.F. Woods (TRCT522.1 WOO) and The Heavens Declare...A Centennial History of the New Plymouth Astronomical Society, Nicolas Gladstone, 2018 (TRCT 520.6093 GLA)

Related documents:

Memories sky-high (Taranaki Herald 19 January 1988)

Lens man backs work to revamp observatory (Daily News 22 September 1998)

Of passing interest - New Plymouth Observatory, Kelvin Day (Taranaki Daily News 5 August 2013)