NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY UK HISTORY
On 25th April 1925 a meeting was convened to revive the New Zealand Annual Dinner, which it was understood, had been held on eighteen occasions before the First World War. There is documentary evidence of a Dinner in 1898 (the archives include a dinner plan) and of another in 1901, of which we have a photograph.
The Committee decided to proceed with an annual Dinner and the first was held at the Victoria Hotel (currently 8 Northumberland Avenue), Northumberland Avenue, on 19 June 1925, ticket price £1.00, compared with £5.10s in 1970 and over £80.00 in 2003.
In 1926 the dinner was again at the Victoria Hotel and in 1927 it moved to the May Fair Hotel.
In November 1927, the New Zealand Dinner Committee discussed the question of constituting a New Zealand Association, with an annual subscription, to organise the New Zealand Annual Dinner and any other functions, such as luncheons for distinguished visitors to or from the Dominion. And so it was that in December 1927 the Association came into being and it was at the Annual general Meeting in November 1930 that the decision was made to change the name to the New Zealand Society. The first dinner held under the name of the Association was at The Savoy on 21 may 1928, with Edward, Prince of Wales, as guest of honour. The Committee felt that this Dinner was one of the best dinners of the year in London. In 1933 it was proposed to inaugurate a New Zealand Day with a dinner to be held as close as possible to 6 February. The first New Zealand Day Dinner was held on 8th February 1934.
The Waitangi Day Dinner is indeed the pinnacle of the Society’s year and it has been held at The Savoy in most years. Other venues have been The Grosvenor, the Royal Lancaster Hotel and the Royal Garden Hotel, but a return has frequently been made to the hotel on the banks of the Thames. The Waitangi Day Charity Ball is currently held at the Waldorf Hilton on Aldwych.
In the early years the Dinner was a white tie and tails affair, gentlemen only and the guest list usually included Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Chiefs of the Armed Forces, representatives of the government and the law.
Royalty has supported the Dinner over the years with HRH Prince Philip being guest of honour in 1949, to celebrate the Society’s 25th anniversary and, following his gracious acceptance, in 1953, to become the Society’s Patron, he attended again in 1955, 1968, 1978 and 1993. The Prince of Wales attended in 1970, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent in 1979 and HRH Princess Anne in 1977, when she was accompanied by Mr Mark Phillips (the speeches at this dinner were recorded by BBC2 TV) and again in 1990 as the Princes Royal, the duke and Duchess of Kent attended in1981. Other prominent guests of honour have been the Rt Hon James Callaghan, the Rt Hon Sir Edward heath, Brian Johnston, the cricket commentator, the Rt Hon T G Thomas, Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Norman Tebbit, Austin Mitchell, MP, Sir Bernard Ingham and the Rt Hon David Lange, CH.
It is customary for the Society to send good wishes to its Patron, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the eve of the dinner, and for him to send a reply which is read out to the guests as is the traditional message from the Prime Minister of New Zealand.
The menu was often of the kind served at formal dinners – salmon, chicken, pheasant or beef – although at the 1925 dinner, toheroa, new Zealand lamb and New Zealand apples were served, and the following year trout was also included, carried freight free by the New Zealand Shipping Company. New Zealand lamb, donated by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, Thomas Borthwick, CWS Ltd and others, was often served but in 1957 a member queried why New Zealand lamb had not been served in the Jubilee year of the New Zealand meat trade. In 1950 permission was granted by the Ministry of Food and the Board of Trade for special importation of the lamb. At the time of writing, the dinners include as wide a range of new Zealand produce as possible – fish, meat, dairy produce and fruit – generously donated by New Zealand companies. Peter Gordon, a well-known New Zealand chef, has previously advised on menu content. French wines were served until 1977, the year that Princess Anne was guest of honour when Corbans wines were served. Corbans remained the supplier until 1983 and 1984 when Cooks was served. Montana, Mission, Delegats, Aotea, Esk Valley, Ngatarawa, Seifried, Villa Maria– all have been enjoyed by guests. As readers will know, New Zealand wines have improved enormously since the Society first served them and it is now proud that the wines offered are of a quality to stand comparison with any other and which complement the high quality of the menu.
The menu cover, featuring a Maori rafter pattern from Ohinemutu, was introduced in 1950, although prior to that there had been some use of photographs of a Pouhi. In 1999, the rafter pattern was no longer used, a silver leaf theme being introduced. In line with most formal dinners of the time, the menu was in French for many years but in 1977 it was printed in Maori and in English, but was just in English the following year until 1986 when French was re-introduced. The use of the English and Te Reo re-commenced in 1997.
Speeches in the past were lengthy – the toast “Our Guest” would be proposed by a prominent speaker, to which there would be a response by another prominent guest. The same formula would follow for the toasts “The Dominion of New Zealand” and finally for “the Visitors”. In 1979 the number of speakers was reduced and now, generally speaking, only the President and the guest of honour make speeches. Over the years there have been various forms of entertainment, either before, during or after, the dinner. These have included hotel orchestras, the string sections of the Grenadier, Coldstream and Welsh Guards Bands and of the RAF band, songs at the piano, solo singers, duos, and more recently, appearances by Ngāti Rānana, performing Maori songs and dances.
The Committee voted in 1966 that the event should become a black-tie affair. The question of whether decorations should be worn with said black-tie exercised the Committee in 1969, with a decision that yes, they should.
Other notable events for the Society have included, a reception at Mansion House, in 1940, given for the Society to commemorate New Zealand Day, by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Coxon. The occasion was graced by the presence of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Another reception at the Mansion House was in honour of Princess Alexandra in 1971, and another, for members and guests, was held in July 1980.
The New Zealand Society was a male bastion for many years, ladies being welcome only at balls, cocktail parties or functions such as luncheons for newly appointed Governors-General and their wives. The first dinner that ladies attended was the farewell to the Rt Hon WJ Jordan PC, on his retirement as High Commissioner for New Zealand, held on 25 July 1951 at The Savoy.
Women were first elected to the Society in 1976 and on to the committee in 1977 (the year that ladies first attended the Waitangi Day Dinner), with Mrs Mary Weston CBE becoming the first woman President in 1984. Since then there has been an almost equal number of male and female Presidents, and indeed in the late 1990’s there were three women presidents in succession. It is interesting to note that women play such a leading part in the Society, given that there’s a New Zealand Women’s Association. The Society and the Association have a happy relationship although it was not until 1951 that a decision was made to include the Secretary of the Women’s Association in events to which wives were invited.
Committee meetings were held at various locations, among them the Bank of New Zealand offices in Regent Street, at the National Bank of New Zealand and at New Zealand House, 415, Strand and later in New Zealand House, Haymarket. The latter offered exceptional entertaining venues - the Penthouse with its wonderful views of London and the long-lamented Reception Hall, with its John Drawbridge mural. Since its inception, the Society has enjoyed a close relationship with the High Commission, the incoming High Commissioner being invited to become the Society’s Vice-Patron, and the Deputy High Commissioner being an ex-officio member of the committee.
WAITANGI DAY SERVICE
The Waitangi Day service is another highlight of the Society’s year. The first service according to our records, was in 1933 and was held, as now, at St Lawrence Jewry-next Guildhall, London, when the vicar, Canon W P Besley, who had spent some years in New Zealand, suggested that there might be a service held at his church. As he was Chaplain to the Girdlers’ Company, whose hall was close to the church, he asked the Girdlers’ whether they would be prepare to offer tea after the service and so began a long-standing and happy relationship with the New Zealand Society. For the following few years’ teas were held at the Guildhall, but returned to the Girdlers’ in 1939. The 1940 service was held at 11am followed by lunch at The Savoy but by 1941 both St Lawrence Jewry and the Girdlers’ Hall had been badly damaged by enemy action. However, services continued at various City churches – St Mary Woolnoth, St Margaret’s, Lothbury and St James’s Church, Garlick Hythe. The tea parties were also held at various Halls of the city Guilds – Clothmakers’, Vintners’, Armourers’ and Brasiers’, Grocers’ and Drapers’. In 1955 it ws decided that St Lawrence Jewry should become the official church of the Society and that the vicar should become the Honorary Chaplain to the Society and in 1956 the Society presented a Cross, candlesticks and altar cloth for the Commonwealth Chapel in the church. In 1990, Mr nick Came, President, presented a new flag, kindly donated by the Shipping Corporation of New Zealand, to the church to be hung in the same Chapel. The pulpit is a gift from the Auckland Electric Power Board.
It had taken 21 years for the damage at the church and at Girdlers’ Hall to be repaired and it was not until 1961 that the Hall was finally rebuilt, substantially on the same site. The format of the service these days is for readings to be made by the President of the Society and the Prime Warden of the Girdlers and for the address to be given by a prominent New Zealander – speakers in the past have included Mr John Lewis, then Headmaster of Eton, Judith Mayhew Jonas of the City of London Corporation, and many High Commissioners.
In 1952 the Girdlers’ Company founded a New Zealand Scholarship, for an under-graduate at Oxford and Cambridge. In 1969 the Scholarship was increased to an annual award which normally funds three undergraduates in any one year. In 1986 a New Zealand Research Fellowship at Green College, Oxford, was founded and part funded, becoming fully funded from 1992. As from 2000/2001 the undergraduates and the Fellow become honorary members of the Society. The Society is indeed grateful for the part the Girders’ Company has played in United Kingdom/New Zealand relations.
In 1954, the then High Commissioner for New Zealand, The Rt Hon Sir William Jordan, PC, KCMG, presented the Girdlers’ Company with a Master’s chair, made from New Zealand timber, and on 1 August 1963, to celebrate the return of the Girdlers’ to their Hall, rebuilt after the Second World War, the Society presented them with a silver rose-water finger bowl. This is used at official dinners, when it is passed among the guests. The 60th anniversary of the Society in February 1967 was marked by the presentation of a greenstone mere to the Company and in 1999 the Society gave a Phormium tenax plant for the garden at the Hall. To mark the 75th anniversary of the Society, it presented the Company with a botanical painting of a Kowhai, painted by the President at the time, Elizabeth Irvine.
In 1956 it was decided that the Honorary Chaplain and the Master of the Girders’ Company should become honorary members of the Society.
ANZAC DAY
ANZAC Day was first mentioned in the 1937 Committee minutes when a service was held at St Paul’s Cathedral and the Society sent a wreath to the Brockenhurst Memorial Service. In 1944 a service was held at St Marin in the Fields but today a short service is held at The Cenotaph (always on 25 April) followed by a longer service at Westminster Abbey, which the President attends.
SECOND WORLD WAR
The Second World War did not impede the Society which continued to function although at the Committee meeting held on 27 September 1939 the consensus of opinion was that although it would prove impossible for the Society to hold functions in the normal way, it would nevertheless be possible to use the Society’s organisation in various ways for the benefit of New Zealanders who might come to this country for active service and especially to co-operate with any organisation that might be formed for this purpose. That same year the Society voted that £30 be given to the New Zealand women’s Association for the purpose of providing Christmas gifts for New Zealanders on active service in this country. To celebrate the end of hostilities an informal reception for members and guests was held at The Savoy.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
During the 1930’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, luncheons, usually held at The Savoy were held in honour of visiting politicians, such as The Rt Hon G W Forbes, Prime Minister, The Rt Hon J G Coates, The Rt Hon Peter Fraser, P.M, The Rt Hon S G Holland P.M, for the New Zealand delegates to The Economic Conference in 1933; for the MCC team before its tour of New Zealand in 1935; for Sir Bernard and Lady Freyberg; to Sir William and Lady Norrie, to Lord and Lady Cobham, all of these prior to their departure for New Zealand to become Governors-General and Their Ladies. In 1951 a dinner was held to farewell Mr W (Bill) J Jordan, the High Commissioner in London since 1937 – the speeches were recorded for use by the Pacific Service of the BBC. High Commissioners, who have generally accepted the position of Vice-Patron of the Society, are farewelled by a reception and a gift. The Rt Hon Keith Holyoake, CNP, MP Prime Minister, was honoured by a luncheon on 16 January 1969, and the Rt Hon J R Marshall, MP, Deputy Prime Minister was similarly honoured in 1970.
Members of the Committee farewelled the British Rugby team at Waterloo Station in April 1930, prior to its tour of New Zealand.
SMOKING CONCERTS
Politically incorrect as they would be now, Smoking Concerts were popular from the 1930’s onwards and were usually held at the Connaught Rooms. The first was due to be held at the London Tavern, Fenchurch Street, but was cancelled because of the earthquake in Napier in 1931. The Committee minutes record that appropriate artistes were booked for the evenings but the nature of the entertainment was not recorded – it is thought that radio entertainers were popular. It has been planned to hold such a concert for the visiting All Blacks team in 1953 but instead members of the team were invited to the Waitangi Day Dinner in early 1954.
GARDEN PARTIES
The first garden party was held at Ranelagh in July 1933 and continued there until 1939 when it moved to Hurlingham. There were none during the war years but in July 1948 it was held gain at Hurlingham and from 1949 onwards it has been held annually, now as a pre-Wimbledon event, with the opportunity to see championship tennis players enjoying games in this most English of settings. A garden party was held at Hurlingham in 1970 to honour the Governor-General Sir Arthur and Lady Porritt.
The Society has organised a number of other events over the years and a popular outing was that in the Port of London Authority’s boat Katherine, to cruise the London docks. These continued until the 1950’s but today there would be little or no shipping to be seen and the warehouses, which housed New Zealand dairy products, have been converted into apartments.
A visit was made to the “RMS Queen Mary” in May 1936 and a cocktail party was held on board “Dominion Monarch” in 1961. In the mid-1930’s a visit was made to Croydon Aerodrome, which included a tour of the aerodrome, a short flight in a 38-seater machine, afternoon tea at the Aerodrome Hotel, all for ten shillings!
Currently the committee of the New Zealand Society UK is invited to the annual Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace.
BALLS
Several balls were held pre-war and notices announcing them were sent to the ships from New Zealand as they passed through the Panama Canal, most visitors then approaching the United Kingdom in a leisurely way rather than arriving, as today, by air, within days. A Coronation Ball was held at Hurlingham in 1953.
Cocktail parties for visiting sports teams, receptions for well-known figures, such as Jean Batten, featured in the Society’s earlier years.
Receptions for visiting sports teams have continued and two outstanding events occurred in recent years. The first was for the All Blacks in 1991 and was held in the very grand setting of the Wellington Barracks, London. The second was for the victorious New Zealand crew in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race in 1993, held in the now-disappeared Reception Hall at the New Zealand High Commission. Each member of the crew spoke with reminiscences of the race, and alter mingled with the capacity crowd. Unfortunately this type of event becomes rarer as sports teams become more professional and their non-playing time is devoted to sponsored events.
FILM SHOWS
Film shows were popular in the 1950’s. In 1954, at the Royal Empire Society’s Assembly Hall, the film “Royal New Zealand Journey”, was shown to members who were allowed to bring one lady guest. Further shows of films about New Zealand attracted large audiences and were combined with cocktails and supper. These continued in the 1980’s.
GOLF
Golf was a popular right from the inception of the Society, with the Society presenting an engraved silver tankard to the winner of the Bogey competition at the West Middlesex Gold Club in 1933. Silver tankards continued to be given as prizes although it did become a pewter one in 1951! In 1953 Lt Col B Myers (died 1957) presented silver golf trophy to be played for by members annually – the Bernard Myers Cup. This was played for a the Royal Mid-Surrey course in Richard – at the peak of golf’s popularity there were three meetings annually – the Bernard Myers Cup, the Australia and New Zealand Challenge Cup and a match between the Society and the Australia Society.
OTHER EVENTS
From the late 1980’s the Society has supported New Zealand Day held each August at Newmarket Race Course, often taking a hospitality marquee where members and guests can place their bets, have a glass or two of New Zealand wine and enjoy the company of other guests. Several of the races are sponsored by New Zealand companies.
More recently members have enjoyed visits to the Globe Theatre, particularly to see the embroidered hanging contributed by New Zealand needlewomen; to the Royal tournament to support New Zealand performers; to the Houses of Parliament to enjoy a conducted tour by Austin Mitchell, MP; to the College of Arms; and to The Tower of London for a tour led by the only New eland Yeoman Warder, followed by the Ceremony of the Keys; and to the large Maori exhibition on at the British Museum. Recently the Society has presented a cheque to the British Museum for a project on Maori kites.
Plans are afoot for an overseas trip to visit New Zealand war graves at Ypres, Belgium. Wine tastings have been added to Society events along with a “Christmas Party”. A drinks party for new members has for many years been held after the Annual General Meeting.
Visiting New Zealand politicians and economists are invited to address the Society in more informal surroundings than the official luncheons of earlier days.
BADGES
The design for the badge of the Society was adopted at the 1950 Annual Meeting and badges for committee members were made. In 1959 the President’s insignia was generously presented to the Society by Mr Tom Maxwell and “Friends of Tooley Street”. This was the location of the New Zealand Dairy Board’s London office. Upon his retirement as President in 1972, Mr A Luke presented the incoming President and committee with a gavel.
Past Presidents’ badges were introduced in 1978 and a Society tie (a Tudor rose with fern leaf surround) in 1977 – price £2.00 each.
The Society’s badge has undergone some amendments over the years. In 1956, Mr Frank Taylor, a noted bibliophile, presented an antique goblet for the use of the Society, but records do not show for what purpose this was put.
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP
These commenced at One Guinea (£1.10p) and range currently from £20.00 p.a for a single member to a corporate membership (10 nominees) of £110.00. Membership has fluctuated over the years, commencing with a hundred and peaking at 600.
THE FUTURE
The Society is continually moving forward and in 1998 a Scottish branch was formed.
In the year 2000 the society awarded its first Achievement Award for the New Zealander considered to have contributed significantly to creating a positive image of New Zealand in the United Kingdom. Peter Gordon, chef and restaurateur, won the first award. A Lifetime Achievement Award was instituted in 2001, with Rachel Windsor QSM being the first recipient.
The Society has formed closer links with other New Zealand organisations in the United Kingdom and regular meetings are held together.
Membership has changed somewhat – it is now a generally younger membership and as a society, holds far fewer formal functions, apart from the New Zealand Day Dinner, the culmination of the President’s year – but it still remains true to its original objectives – To maintain and further good relations between the Untied Kingdom and New Zealand.
PRESIDENTS OF THE NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY
New Zealand Annual Dinner Committee
President/Chairman of Executive Committee
1925/26
Sir James Parr, KCMG
Sir Thomas Parkinson, MD
1926/27
Sir James Parr, KCMG
C J Wray
New Zealand Association
President/Chairman of Executive Committee
1927/28
The Hon Sir James Parr, KCMG
Hal Williams
1928/29
The Hon Sir James Parr, KCMG
Hal Williams
1929/30
Sir T M Wilford, KC
Hal Williams
New Zealand Society
President/Chairman of Executive Committee
1930/31
Sir T M Wilford, KC
Hal Williams
1931/32
Sir T M Wilford, KC
Hal Williams
1932/33
Sir T M Wilford, KC
Hal Williams
1933/34
The Hon Sir James Parr, KCMG
C J Wray
1934/35
The Hon Sir James Parr, KCMG
1936/37
The Hon W J Jordan
R S Forsyth
1937/41
The Hon W J Jordan
1941/42
The Hon W J Jordan
T B Ching
1942/43
The Hon W J Jordan
W L James
1943/44
The Hon W J Jordan
W L James
1944/45
The Hon W J Jordan
M B Esson
1945/46
The Hon W J Jordan
M B Esson
1946/47
The Hon W J Jordan
F T Sandford
1947/48
The Hon W J Jordan
F T Sandford
1948/49
Hon W J Jordan
F T Sandford
1949/50
The Hon W J Jordan
F T Sandford
1950/51
H E Davis
L E L Donne (position ceased to exist)
1951/53
Mr F S Arthur
1953/54
Mr S A Chisholm
1954/55
Sir Henry Turner
1955/56
Mr T N Maxwell
1956/57
Mr M Maurice Smith
1957/58
Major General W G Stevens, CB, CBE
1958/59
Mr R G Lund, MBE
1959/60
Mr C W H Ronaldson
1960/61
Mr A R Frethey
1961/62
Mr G L Davies
1st non New Zealand President
1962/63
General Sir John Westall, KCB, CBE
1963/64
Mr M H Oram
1964/65
Sir Alexander Ross
1965/66
Mr Hector McNeil
1966/67
Mr J A MacConachie, MBE
1967/68
Mr D L M Martin
1968/69
Mr J W Rodden, CBE
1969/70
Mr A T Campbell
1970/71
Mr John Butler
1971/72
Mr Alan L Luke, FRIBA, ANZIA, CC
1972/73
The Very Reverend Martin Sullivan
Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral
1973/74
Marshal of the Royal Air Force the Lord Elworthy
GCB, CBE, DSO, MVO, DFC, AFC
1974/75
Sir Max Brown, KCB, CMG
1975/76
Mr P H Newton, DFC
1976/77
Col J I M Smail, OBE, MC, TD, DL
1977/78
Mr L F Brown
1978/79
Mr Nigel F Neilson, MC
1979/80
Mr Brian P Shaw, MA
1980/81
Mr J B Buxton
1981/82
Rev T J Raphael
1982/83
Mr P G Snelling
1983/84
Mrs Mary Weston CBE, 1st Lady President
1984/85
Sir Harold Smedley, KCMG, MBE
1985/86
Mr Gerald Scott
1986/87
Mr G K Forshaw
1987/88
Mrs Yvonne Riley
1988/89
Mr David C F Haggis
1989/90
Mrs Jan Harvey
1990/91
Mr Nicholas J Came
1991/92
Mr Alan J Taylor
1992/93
Mrs Caroline Cazenove
1993/94
Mr D J Walker
1994/95
Lt Col Peter Leigh
1995/96
Mr R Nicholson
1996/98
Mrs Gillian Goudge
1998/99
Mrs Alison Spencer
1999/2000
Ms Ana Hensley
2000/01
Mr Derek Smail, OBE, TD, DL
2001/02
Mr Robert Gibson
2002/03
Ms Elizabeth Irvine
2003/04
Ms Barbara Stones
2004/05
Ms Judith Watson
2005/06
Ms Annette Arnold
2006/07
Miss Maria Wickens
2007/08
Mr Martin Conway
2008/09
Miss Helen Campbell
2009/10
Miss Romy Brandeis
2010/11
Ms Michelle Marsh
2011/13
Mr John Greager
2013/15
Mrs Tania Bearsley
2015/17
Mrs Robyn Allardice-Bourne
2017/19
Ms Kerryn Beeching
2019 - Current
The Hon Clarence Tan