WAIKATO HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC

Waikato Historical Society was founded in 1954. Its objectives are to record local history, collect articles of local interest and educate public opinion.

Hockin House is an 1893 late Victorian dwelling that was the residence of the first four superintendents of Waikato Hospital. It takes its name from Doctor Munro Hockin, who died in office in 1939 and was the last superintendent to live in the house.

Today, the house is the headquarters of the Waikato Historical Society as well as a colonial folk museum. It is situated in Graham Park at the end of Selwyn Street in Hamilton near the Waikato Hospital.

Tours are available for groups of 10 or more at $10 per person. Tours include a talk on the history of the house, participation in butter making, a talk about early milking practices, a demonstration of late 19th and early 20th century clothing and visual talks on the parlour as well as using the coal range.

Hockin House is available for renting at $10 per hour. It has excellent car parking facilities, a well equipped kitchen, and a meeting room which seats  40 people.

The Waikato Historical Society meets monthly, usually on the second Saturday except in January. Members visit places of historic interest in the summer months and lectures are held in Hockin House during the winter. There is a monthly newsletter. The annual subscription is $35 per adult or $45 for a family.

Enquiries about events, membership, programmes, renting Hockin House and tours through the house should be made to the President, Cliff Thomas (contact details below).

Requests for information must be directed to the Archivist, Betty Smith. There is a charge for research of $20 for the first hour and $10 for each subsequent hour.

Waikato Historical Society Inc
Graham Park
Selwyn Street
Hamilton

President:
Cliff Thomas
Phone (07) 855 5592
Email:  candathomas@xtra.co.nz

Archivist:     
Betty Smith
137 Grandview Road, Hamilton 3200
Phone (07) 846-4981