Maypole Dance

1934

This photo, dated c.1934, shows some district maids of the time lined up for their photo before doing their maypole dance. You can see some of the ribbons coming down from the maypole. The location is the grounds of the big house in Mathers Road owned by Mr & Mrs Digby Neave.
The Digby Neaves were in the nature of patrons of St Martins church which at that time was part of a parish along with St Mary's Halswell. They opened their grounds once a year, squire-like, for a parish garden party. The garden party included sack races, three-legged races and egg and spoon contests. As far as I can remember the maypole dance was a one-off, though. Many of the parents of the girls made great effort and some sacrifice to dress their daughters for this event as it was held during the Great Depression of the early thirties.

According to the Christchurch telephone directory of the time, the Digby Neaves lived at 35 Mathers Road.

Area: South West / Hoon Hay

Contributor: Malcolm Smith

Source: Entry in the 2016 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt by Malcolm Smith.

Source: View in canterburystories.nz

Reference ID: CCl-PH16-127

Uploaded by: CCL Photo Hunt

Copyright status: In copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License

Folk dancing at the YWCA

28 August 1962

Rosalie McKay (left) and Vivienne Summerfield dance a figure in "The Grand Old Duke of York".

Creator: Christchurch Star

Area: Central City / Central Christchurch - East

Source: Christchurch Star Archive

Source: View in canterburystories.nz

Reference ID: CCL-StarP-01297A

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Copyright status: In copyright

Copyright Christchurch Star.

Reuse license: Contact me

Permission for commercial reuse must be sought from the Christchurch Star.

Dutch Young Folklore dancers

31 August 1990

Members of the Dutch Young Folklore Dancers group at the World Youth Festival parade in traditional dress. Dancers, from left, Evelyn McKenzie, Berny Holtmark van Dijkerhof and Evelyn Jenke.

Creator: Christchurch Star

Area: West / Hagley Park

Source: Christchurch Star Archive

Source: View in canterburystories.nz

Reference ID: CCL-StarP-01116A

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Copyright status: In copyright

Copyright Christchurch Star.

Reuse license: Contact me

Permission for commercial reuse must be sought from the Christchurch Star.

Folk dancing group at Phillipstown School

1940

The Phillipstown School folk dancing group in the playground near the Nursery Road entrance.
Contributor's note: "This was the folk dancing group, ready and trained for the big Christchurch primary schools celebration on the Centenary of New Zealand 1840/1940. It was held at Lancaster Park. All the primary schools submitted such a group and we all danced together. The boys likewise - gymnastic groups from each school performed en masse. Our mothers were given the dress pattern. They had to go to Armstrongs Drapery Store to buy the material which had been ordered in bulk. The material design was the same, but there was a choice of 2 colours. Our mothers made the dresses. I am on the right of the second group from the left."

Creator: P Lambert

Area: South East / Phillipstown

Source: Entry in the 2013 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt

Source: View in canterburystories.nz

Reference ID: CCL-PH13-134

Uploaded by: CCL Photo Hunt

Copyright status: Out of copyright

Morris dancers

circa. 1975

Hay's Christmas parade.

Area: Central City / Central Christchurch - West

Source: Archive 812

Reference ID: CCL-ARCH812-0022

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Copyright status: In copyright