The Charter Members

* Denotes present members (2014)

Bill Beaton

(Auditor)

( Additional Active Department Stores )

Bill came to Taradale from the King Country with his family when his father was appointed Police Constable for Taradale, He first worked in a bank but after courting and marrying Sheena McDonald daughter of Jack McDonald he was invited to join the Family Company and when Jack died he became Managing Director, and under his guidance the company has prospered and expanded its interests to include one of the largest Apple pack houses in the country. Bill was a surrogate Treasurer for the club while Jack McDonald was Club Treasurer, doing most of the book work. He was Club President in the Club's 25th year ( 1983- 84). He was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1999.

Bill Brown

( Decorating Materials )

Bill was a Painter and Decorator in the district for many years and when he handed his business over to his son in law ( Barry Evans ) in the mid 50s, he opened a Paint and Hardware Store in Taradale. Later he sold out to Bert Scott, who was later joined by Derek Ricketts, to form the firm of Scott & Ricketts Ltd.

Harry Clark

(Director)

( Senior Active )

Harry was part of the Clark Family from Eskdale and he farmed the land at the bend in Links Road. Harry was a great historian having lived in Hawke's Bay all his life. Being in his 80's, his 3 minute talks were often of early history of the district. Harry was one of two members of the Napier Club that transferred to the Taradale Club. He Died in the mid 60's while still a member of the Club, and at the time was patron of the Napier Golf Club.

Jim Dine*

( Electric Light and Power Services )

Jim was born in Napier, and is an Earthquake Survivor. He attended Taradale school (1933-38), Napier Intermediate School (1939-40), then three years at Nelson College, in Nelson. His first six months out of school were spent on the Family Dairy Farm and Milk Round until he got an Electrical Apprenticeship with F. H. Uren & Co. He served 4 years of his time there, then transferred to the Napier Municipal Electricity Dept. where he stayed until May 1951 when he took up a job in the State Hydro Test Room. After 18 months he returned to Taradale and started his own business as an Electrical Contractor from which he retired in the early 90's. He served 21 years on the Electrical Apprenticeship Committee and is a Life Member of the Electrical Contractors Association He was invited to join the soon to be formed Taradale Rotary Club, by Ron Munro.

He was awarded a Paul Harris Medal in 1999 for for his service to his industry, the community and Rotary.

Bill Frame

( Electrical Supplies, Retailing)

Bill was the son of an electrician, born in Glasgow Scotland in the early 1900s and served in the Royal Navy during WWI as an electrician. He came out to New Zealand with his wife and sister in the mid 20's and settled in Napier, where he worked as an electrician at the time the town was changing from DC. to AC power In the early 30's, he shifted to Taradale and built a house in Meeanee Road. He also formed the partnership of Frame & Patton Electrical Contractors but it folded during the depression and Bill went to work as electrician for the National Tobacco Co. During WW2 he joined the N.Z. Navy and served to the end of the war when he rejoined National Tobacco. In 1947 he formed the company of Frame Electrical Ltd. In the mid 50's, he built a block of shops in the Main Street and opened an Electrical Shop in the shop that is now a Record Shop. Bill was a regular attendee at Rotary prior to the Charter but never attended afterwards and resigned.

Wyn Geenty

(Furniture Manufacturing)

Wyn and his brother Ken formed the Deluxe Furniture Co. after WW2 and they had a factory at the back of the Methodist Church accessed from Osier Road. They were well known in Hawke's Bay for their quality of workmanship. In the 50's they opened a shop in the Main Street next to where Scott & Rickets is now.

He was a POW. and had a rough time of it. Because of it he always tried to help people in need, particularly Servicemen. He and Brother Ken were regular Hospital Visitors both personally and for the RSA. They visited twice a week, handing out cigarettes sweets and gifts.

He was Club President ( 1966- 67 ) and in his year a project was started to raise funds to assist St. Johns in getting a hall in Taradale. He served on the St. Johns Board for some years afterwards.

Wyn was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1986 and sadly "Died in Service" in the 1987- 88 year.

Bill Gilmore

(Children's Wear Retailing)

Bill was a 'Jack of all Trades', a qualified carpenter, joiner, & cabinet maker by trade, a dental technician by profession, and he and his Wife Esme ran the Children's & Lady's Wear Shop that still bears their name in the Main Street. His trades became his hobby and his profession a sideline. He was also an authority on New Zealand Ferns and he grew many of them in his fernery at his home on the corner of Puketapu Road and Harpham Street.

Bill was the club's first Musical Director. A highly qualified pianist he played for the club for a number of years. He also assisted Jim Letcher with the musical arranging of the Club's Welcome Song. Bill was a very quiet person who joined the club on the understanding he would not have to give a 3 minute talk, only one other person has been given that exemption. Bill " Died in Service" in the 1985-86 year, his widow later married Tom McDonald who was a close family friend of Bill's and the club's Charter President.

Ray Kerr

(Women's Clothing Retailing)

Ray had a clothing shop in the Main street where Lennox & Gee's shop now stands. The business was started by a Mrs Boston in early 40's, replacing a hardware and electrical shop run by her and her husband Tom. The shop was bought by Roy Tankard and his wife in the mid 40's, and they ran it till the early 50's when they leased it to Ray. Ray sold the business in 1960 and as was the requirement in those days, resigned from the club, nominating his successor as Brian Autridge. Later he moved to Hamilton.

Lloyd Leman

(Secretary)

(Local Bodies Administration)

Lloyd was the Club's first Secretary a position he held till 1963. He was the last Town Clerk for the Taradale Town Board and the only Town Clerk for the Taradale Borough Council. He was responsible for the administration when Taradale was amalgamated with Napier.

Lloyd was active in the Methodist Church and several other Taradale organisations. He was the son-in-law of Jim Letcher, the club's Honorary Member. After the amalgamation of Taradale and Napier Lloyd took up a position as Town Clerk in Waihi and resigned from the club in the 1967- 68 year.

Jim Letcher

(Honorary Member)

Jim was a past member of the Napier Rotary Club who had lost his classification when he retired from being Napier's Collector of Customs. When the Taradale Rotary Club was formed Jim was appointed our first Musical Director, and he had to organise and conduct a "sing song" at each meeting, a practice not followed today. He was also composer of the Clubs Welcome Song. Jim also was co-composer of the Presentation Address for the Sergeant at Arms Chain of Office. The Centennial Rose Gardens in Taradale Park were designed by Jim, his design winning a competition run by the then Borough Council. Jim's son in law Lloyd Leman was Taradale's last Town clerk and the clubs first Secretary.

Eric Mason

(Horticulture)

Eric was an Englishman in the true sense of the word. Cultured in both speech and bearing, he was a particularly good orator, being able to talk with authority on almost any subject.  He first visited New Zealand in about 1953 and liked the country so much he promptly returned to England, sold up, and returned to settle permanently at Poraiti. He was Community Service Director ( 1962-63 ) and Club President in the 1964-65 year. He became Senior Active in 1966 with the new classification of Journalism Publicity.

He also presented a cup, known as the Mason Cup, to St. Josephs Maori Girls College for the Rotary Speech Contest. Although the original cup was lost a replacement cup was presented for competition in early 1989.

 Eric was also an active Freemason, being a member of numerous orders and he attained Grand Lodge Status. He "died in service " in 1983.

Ron McDonald

(Transportation)

After war service Ron and two other servicemen took over the firm of McDonalds Transport that was founded before the war by brother Jack. Ron's job was mainly as Office Manager and Dispatcher, (organising which trucks went where), and he seldom left the office until the last truck was safely back at the depot. This meant he worked very long hours, which eventually took its toll, and he sold his share in the company and worked at McDonald's Supermarket. Long hours also forced him to resign from Rotary in the 62-63 year. While manager of the transport company Ron was a great supporter of anything to do with Taradale lending trucks for free when ever necessary.

Jack McDonald

(Treasurer)

( Department Stores )

An enterprising person, Jack, who came from a farming background, formed J.H. McDonald Ltd. as a General Store, McDonalds Transport, and later added Timber & Building Supplies and a Petrol Service Station. The Service Station formed the base for what is now Richard Howell Motors. After he disposed of the General Store, the Building Supplies and the Service Station as a Company became McDonalds Four Square Store, later to become McDonald's Supermarket, one of the first in the country and first to computerise using bar codes. It is now McDonalds New World.

As a land developer he bought land in Harpham Street, sub-divided it and built and sold the houses. This development was one of the first after the war and the catalyst that started to change Taradale from a rural village to the town it is today. He had a Wine Shop and was for a time a Land Agent.

He was a J. P. and served on the HB Harbour Board and took an active part in Civic Affairs. He and his wife travelled overseas in later years and Jack was always bringing back new ideas to improve service in the Supermarket.

In Rotary Jack was the first Club Treasurer and the Club Caterer. He supplied the produce and Mrs McLean and her husband cooked & served the meals. He held both of these positions till 1963, and was an Honorary Member until his death in the 1976- 77 Year.

Tom McDonald

(President)

(Viticulture)

Tom was the Club's first President and along with Ron Munro and Len Whitehead, persisted after the Napier Club rejected forming a Taradale Rotary Club in 1955 to be successful in 1958. As a past member of the Napier club and well versed in  Rotary matters, he was an ideal President to set the club on firm foundations. He was our first Paul Harris Fellow (1981) and received the 0BE.

Tom was born in Taradale and he left school at 13 to work as a grocer's boy before he went into the Wine Industry. He married Gwen Brown and they had two daughters Janet, and Ann. Janet sang at the Charter Night, and her son Philip Gordon was a Rotary Exchange Student to Alaska. Janet was also the co-author of the book "Taradale, The Story of a Village 1844-2000, a history of Taradale". Ann was the wife of a former club member Bill Schwalger, (1970-85). After Gwen died, Tom married Esme Gilmore.

In public life Tom was very active. He was Chairman of Taradale's 50th.Jubilee Committee (1936), President of the Omaranui Bowling Club (1936- 39), President of the Taradale Rugby Club, Chairman of the Queen Carnival Committee for the War Memorial Plunket Rooms, served on the Taradale School Committee, and served a number of years as Chairman of the Hawke's Bay Education Board. He was also a JP.

It was in the Wine Industry that Tom really made his mark. He started in the industry with Bartholomew Steinmetz at the Taradale Vineyard, (on the site of the existing McDonald Winery), where he learnt to become a Wine Maker. He leased and later bought the vineyard from Bartholomew Steinmetz and expanded it. In 1944 he sold out to Ballans Industries remaining as Manager and Winemaker. When Ballans sold to Pinfolds and later to McWilliams in1958, Tom became the Production Manager. He was at one time Chairman of the N.Z. Wine Institute. Known in the wine industry as "Mr. Wine" Tom was regarded as a pioneer, being one of the people who changed the wine industry from being mainly domestic to an international industry. Tom "died in service" in 1987.

Mac McCalmont

(Sergeant-at-Arms)

(Seed Distributing)

Mac was the club's first Sergeant at Arms. He was a very popular member of the club for twenty five years. A generous man with a great sense of humour, he delighted in telling jokes on himself. In Mac's year as Director of Community Service, (1967- 68), many of the projects he arranged were working bees to help people in need. These projects helped to develop the fellowship in the club. On his death, in the 1982-83 year, the club honoured him by building a memorial seat in Gloucester Street , where it narrows near the Atawhai Centre. This is the only physical memorial erected to a member by the club.

Mac was manpowered from Masterton to Napier during the war to work in a tyre retreading business. After the war he started out on his own account firstly as the Rural Delivery mail carrier and part time Driving Instructor. Later he started Taradale's first garden shop from his house in Puketapu Road, which was where the computer shop is now. The shop was later shifted to Gloucester Street in the shop that is now the pet shop. His last business venture was the founding of Total Mowers Ltd, in Greenmeadows.  Mac. "died in service".

Doug McKenzie

(Plumbing)

Doug was born in Hastings and educated at Hastings High School. He started work with Henry Williams in Napier and was later with the Ministry of Works. He started his own plumbing business in 1956.

 Doug's time in Rotary was all too short. He became the clubs second Director of Community Service for the 1960-61 but he died of a heart attack in December of that year, the clubs first death and the only director to "die in service".

Doug ran a small plumbing business with his son Denis as his apprentice. He was active in the Plumbers Association and in community affairs. He was also active in his church, All Saints, being on the Vestry and at one time one of the Wardens.

Ted Morris

(Physician)

Ted was, a GP who served in Taradale for almost 40 years, part of that time as the district's only resident doctor. Affectionately known as "Doctor Ted" he was a dedicated physician who worked long hours and became a personal friend to many of his patients. He was president of this club in the 1965-66 year and was the instigator of the Cruse Club, (Widows Club), project when the  Club was responsible for forming the first Cruse Club in New Zealand. Other projects I can remember were getting the Omarunui and Eskdale monuments tidied for their centennial year (1966), organising members in regularly cleaning up the rubbish from the road to the Dump. He attempted to get the Club to learn Esperanto-unsuccessfully.

When "Ted" decided to retire he said he thought it was about time because he had started delivering grandchildren to people he had brought into this world. He died shortly after moving to Havelock North after retirement.

Alan Munro

(Additional Active Pharmacy)

The son of Ron Munro Alan was born and educated in Napier, attending Napier Boys' High School and worked with his father in the pharmacy. He was training to be a Chemist, and follow his father in the business. He was the club's first Bulletin Editor a position he held for all his time in Rotary. Sadly Alan "died In service" in the 1963- 64 year from a kidney illness.

Ron Munro

(Director)

(Pharmacy)

RON could almost be called the founder of The Taradale Rotary Club because it was he, along with Tom McDonald and Len Whitehead who persisted after the Napier Rotary Club had turned down a request for a club in 1955 and gained a review in 1958 which lead to the formation of this club in January 1959.

RON'S classification was Pharmacy and he came out to Taradale after being manager of the UFS. in Napier. He bought out Taradale's sole Chemist shop from a Mr. Mostin Williams. The shop when he bought was dark and dingy the only light coming from the door and two small highlights at the front of the shop. After two renovations and buying the shops on either side, he rebuilt to the shop known today as Peter Sugden's Pharmacy.

In public life, Ron was an elder in the Presbyterian Church and active in the Presbyterian Social Services Association. It was largely through his efforts that the Atawhai Centre came to Taradale. The first block of flats built there were named after him. He also held high office in the St. Johns Ambulance Association and with others, including members of this club, helped form the Taradale Sub Branch. This included procuring and fitting out their hall in Gloucester Street beside Richard Howell's Service Station. Ron Joined Omarunui Masonic Lodge late in life and had started to take office shortly before he "died in service in the 1975-76 year.

Craig Northe

 (Building Construction)

Craig was active in the Presbyterian Church and a Past Master of Omaranui Masonic Lodge. He was active in community affairs and served several terms on the Taradale Town Board as well as a member of the first Borough Council.

He came to Taradale in the early 30's and lived in Auckland Road. During the depression he worked on the building of the Redcliffe Bridge and forming of the Kennedy Road Extension. From his home Craig started a building business in the mid 30's, later shifting to Avondale Road and building his home which is now on the corner of Blenheim Street. The house had an area of land around it on which built several houses. On his retirement he sub-divided the remaining land which included Blenheim Street. He built numerous other houses around Taradale and trained several apprentices in the building industry. Craig had only a short time in Rotary because his wife had a bad stroke and he had to do almost everything for her, hence his retirement from business and Rotary shortly after the club was chartered. Before he resigned he nominated Arthur Stafford to take his place.

Several years after his wife died, he married again, but the marriage was short-lived and he died in September 1979.

Mark Pothan

 (Cycle Retailing)

Mark was the youngest Charter Member and he is a cousin of David Nichol. He ran a cycle business from a shop where Mode Hair Salon is now, (one of the shops that Ron Munro bought and rebuilt). The business was started by Roley Roythorne in the mid 30's. Mark was Roley's apprentice and later bought the business. In 1966 Mark sold the business to John McKinlay, who was a member of the club for a short time. Mark and his wife Andria started a small superette in the shop that is now the Manchester Unity. They worked this for about two years, until Mark joined the Post Office and resigned from Rotary in the 1967-68 year. Mark had several postings around New Zealand and was at one time Postmaster at Bluff.

Mark and his Wife retired and live in Fielding.

Ray Sellar

(Men's Clothing Retail)

Ray was manager of the Taradale Branch of J.C.Mackie Ltd. and was only in the club for a short time resigning in the first year due to work pressure and living in Napier. Later ill health lead to premature death a very young age. The Sellar Family lived in Ahuriri, Ray's brother Keith was prominent in trying to save Napier Hospital and was a candidate for the City Council in the 1998 Local Body Elections.

John Stitson

(Joinery Construction)

In his early life John Lived at Westshore he served in the Navy during the war married Beryl Dadson and settled in Greenmeadows on the corner of Avenue Road and Forward Street.

In the early 50s John started his joinery business behind his house, the business grew and John had to find bigger premises so he bought a section in the "New" Greenmeadows Industrial Area, beside where Ken Carson's Workshop is now. As the business grew so did the building, eventually housing three businesses; Stitsons Joinery, Stitsons Glass, ( later Napier Glass ),and Stitsons Laminated Surfaces Ltd. These businesses were all combined with Norrie Joinery and Walters & Jackson Joinery to form Consolidated Joineries which was managed by a former club member lan Norrie, who was nominated by John to join the club. John left the company after a short period and became a spec. builder of flats, and a property developer.

In Rotary John was twice chairman of the Programme Committee, a director of Vocational Service (64- 65) and President for the 67- 68 year. The report on John's year makes interesting reading two of our main yearly projects were started in John's year namely the Rotary Fair, which raised $1300, and the Camp Kaitawa Project.

Sadly in the year after he was President, John died of a heart attack while playing golf. His son Brian  was a Charter Member of the Greenmeadows Rotary Club.

Jim Sutherland

(Vice-President)

(Sheep Farming)

Jim was the club's first Vice President, he had a farm at Rissington and traveled the longest distance to attend Rotary, I think it is still the farthest a member has had to travel. During the war Jim went overseas with one of the early echelons and served in the Long Range Desert Group, a group of N.Z. Solders who mapped the desert for the allied forces and skirmished the Italian and German Armies. He was "promoted in the field" and gained the Military Medal. In Jim's year as President the Club Xmas Party was held at his farm. On the completion of his Presidential Year Jim resigned from Rotary, sold the farm and moved to live for a number of years in Taradale in O'Dowd Road.

Len Whitehead

(Director)

( Religion Protestantisim )

Len was the local Presbyterian Minister and a past member of the Paeroa Rotary Club. He was one of the people who persisted with Napier Rotary to have the Taradale Rotary Club formed. Sadly he only had a short time with the club he helped to form because he "died in service in the club's 1961-62 year.

Jim Woods

(Dentistry)

Jim was the first resident dentist in Taradale, He and Doctor O'Shaughnessy built and set up their rooms in Kelvin Chambers, (Harold Howard's rooms). He was only in the club for about a year when he sold out to Harold and moved to Canberra Australia.

Fred Yeo

(Groceries Retailing)

Fred came to Taradale from Marton towards the end of the 30's and bought out Murdock's Grocery on the Puketapu Road-Gloucester Street Corner, (where Tremain's are now ). He almost immediately got into local body politics becoming a Town Board Member and later served as Taradale's first mayor. A First World War Veteran, he was also active in the RSA, serving as President at one time. During the Second World War he was on the Patriotic Committee and an officer in the local Home Guard. Also during the war he helped organise and was M.C. for the "Send Offs" and "Welcome Homes" for Taradale Service Men and Women going overseas or returning home.

Fred served as Club President for the 1962-63 year and "died in service" the following year.

When Fred came to Taradale he was a widower but in the late 30's he married the Town clerk's daughter and secretary, Edith Jarvis, who was very active in the community as an active member of the Women's Institute, the Bowling Club and several other organisations. She also held high rank in the St. Johns Association.