Pātea - Former District High School Steps (1921)

Originally, this was formed as a memorial avenue from gates at Egmont Street to the memorial steps below the school. It was officially opened by Governor-General Lord Jellicoe on 27 October 1921.

[There is no record of an unveiling ceremony on 27 October 1922 as recorded on the plaque - but Jellicoe did arrive by train from Whanganui and then to New Plymouth - by car via the coastal road - on 27 October 1921. On the trip he also unveiled the memorials at Manaia, Auroa and Opunake and, as well, the memorial avenue at the Patea High School.]

It seems that it was hoped that the Governor-General would open both Pātea war memorials on his 1921 visit, but it appears that the Domain memorial gates were not completed and that the High School Avenue was the only one unveiled.

The memorial is to Lieutenant George A Robbie (WWI 24/1306), the district school's headmaster and the past pupils (un-named) who also fell.

Two marble plaques on lower posts

 Left Plaque

These Steps, Memorial  Avenue

& Gateway, were opened by

Lord  Jellicoe of Scapa

October 27^th 1922 [sic]

Right Plaque

These steps were

Erected in Memory of

Lieut G A Robbie

(Headmaster)

And Pupils of this

School who Fell in

The Great War

1914-18

Related items:

'Patea & District War Memorial: The Work Commenced', Patea Mail, 14 October 1921, p.2.

'Notes and Comments', Patea Mail, 31 October 1921. p.3.

'Memorial to Fallen Soldiers', Hawera & Normanby Star, 12 July 1922, p.4.