Newspaper Article 1979 – Father of Highland Games turns 80

Father of Highland Games turns 80

Mr. Harry Poppelwell, “father” of the organisation which established the hugely successful Hastings Highland Games, wants to see the Hastings annual Blossom Festival revived.

Mr. Poppelwell turned 80 recently and is pictured above being given belated birthday greetings by two of the pretty guests at today’s games.

On the left Miss Pamela Brewster, an 18-year-old trainee travel consultant who was crowned Miss Highland Games last Saturday night.

On the right is Miss Barbara Diamond, also 18, who is the 1978 Toowoomba Australia, Carnival of Flowers Queen.

Mr Poppelwell said today: “If we were to call a meeting to discuss the re-establishment of the Blossom Festival, I am sure many people would be there.

But a prerequisite for any such move was to have a capable full-time paid secretary-organiser of the calibre of Ken Sparks or John Minty, both of whom held the job in the heyday of the festival.

“We could not sustain it without one,” said Mr Poppelwell.

‘Greater Hastings, the organisation which he helped found 29 years ago, had as its prime aims publicising Hastings and creating better public spiritedness in the community.

“And with all due respect to the Highland Games, which have been a wonderful success, the Blossom Festival attracted the biggest crowds ever to assemble in Hastings.”

He recalls one festival when cars were bumper-to-bumper from Dannevirke to Hastings and the Ministry of Transport estimated 70,000 to 80,000 people attended.

Hastings-born and educated, Mr Poppelwell opened his own drapery business in 1926 and 53 years later still goes to work at his Russell Street menswear store daily.

During the Second World War he became chairman of the entertainment committee of the Hastings Patriotic Organisation.

The fund-raising committee organised extremely successful “fun” sessions in the Municipal Theatre which raised thousands of pounds for the Patriotic Committee.

After the war Mr. Poppelwell felt there was a void of activity in the community.

In 1950 he was chairman of a meeting of prominent businessmen in the town which led to the formation of Greater Hastings.

Mr. Poppelwell was the foundation president of Greater Hastings and retained the position for 17 years until he retired. And there are many who will say the organisation has not been the same since.

In 1950, the once-famous blossom festival was instituted following a suggestion from the late Mr Bill Sheppard, a Hastings lawyer. A Blossom Queen contest started in 1957.

Also in 1950, Greater Hastings started the Highland Games after the late Mrs. F. McKenzie, Havelock North, suggested a gathering of the clans because of the large number of people of Scottish descent in Hawke’s Bay.

Although the Blossom Festival ended a few years ago because of lack of support from people entering floats – it never lost its spectator appeal – the games have gone from strength to strength.

Each year the number of participants grows and it is now justifiably described as “The Braemar of the South” – the biggest games of its kind in the world.