Newspaper Article 1984 – Poppelwells brighten up Hastings

Poppelwells brighten up Hastings

When the war musicals Harry and Janet Poppelwell organised came to an end, a friend asked: ‘‘Harry, why don’t you do something to brighten up the town.?’’ And he did just that.

Mr Harry Poppelwell, MBE, Hastings businessman, was the founder of Greater Hastings, the Blossom Festival and Fantasyland.

As the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Wednesday this week, it was time to reminisce on the fruits of their labours.

Greater Hastings was born when Mr Poppelwell called a meeting with 10 businessmen.

“But there wasn’t much’ happening then in Greater Hastings and we were struggling for something to. So we had a blossom parade with two or three floats and a band.

“The next year I decided to have a parade on a Saturday but the businessmen laughed and said. ‘Who the hell would come out to see a parade on Saturday’?”

But they did – in their hundreds.

The Easter Highland Games were also founded through his energetic efforts.

“I decided it would be good to have some sort of Scottish celebration since there were a number of Scots living in Hastings. The first one was held on a showery, bleak day.

‘Hundreds of people turned out to watch the events and I knew if they came out in that sort of weather to listen to bagpipes then it would be a success.”

The couple met at Smith and Caughey Ltd, Auckland, where Mrs Poppelwell worked. Mr Poppelwell was in the city on business. They were married at St Benedict’s Church, Auckland, after which they settled in Hastings.

Mr Poppelwell said he always wanted to be a draper, but his parents wanted to send him to college. ‘If told them it would be a waste of time because I wasn’t a student. So I got a job as a junior at Roach Bros. Drapery where I earned 10 shillings a week,” Mr Poppelwell said.

For Mr and Mrs Poppelwell their success and happy marriage is a team effort. When Mr Poppelwell was chairing various business meetings in their Charles St home (where they have lived since they were married) Mrs Poppelwell prepared suppers and socialised with the guests.

The couple will further celebrate their golden wedding anniversary at a family gathering in Hastings tonight.