The ex Con Hargreaves 12” Cassegrain and the Roy Stuart 6inch Newtonian being prepared for display and publicity at Eivers Road for the 1963 Whakatane Spring Show.
Norman Izett preparing the site with his small bulldozer at Hurinui Avenue soon after gaining for lease from the Borough Council, a small area of the reserve there in 1963.
Commerce Street. Dome on Norman’s truck for journey to site. L to R Freddie Wedderel, Norman Izett with daughter Nina, Jim Duthie, and Jeff Duthie in Dome aperture.
The Dome, which was constructed by Freddie Wedderel, being carried towards it’s building for installation. Jim Duthie (obscured) Jeff Duthie, and Norman Izett.
Official Opening, performed by Mayor Fred Bridges (left) with inaugural president Clive Kingsley-Smith. May 4th., 1964. Other person unknown.
Jim Duthie at the finder of the 12” Hargreaves telescope.
Sisson Bros. block layers at work on the observatory extension in 1969 under the watchful eyes President Jim Duthie and Nina Izett
A photo of the 8” Grubb in later years. This is a famous instrument that was used in Winsdor, Sydney, by John Tebbut who came to fame also with the work he did with it from 1886 to 1913. The telescope was hand built in Dublin in 1882.
Click here to go to John Tebbut’s Wikipedia page
This much travelled telescope being dismantled once again. This time for the return journey from where it first came, all those years ago, Windsor Australia! In this photo are Mandy Thompson, Norman Izett and Eric Cleaver with the telescope shouldered.
Building completed and telescope assembled and checked out by it’s last previous owner, Dr Frank Bateson (rear right) Four members who have served as Presidents are shown, clockwise from left; Bruce Thompson, Norman Izett, Jim Duthie, and Clive Kingsley- Smith, front.
Click here to go to Dr Frank Bateson’s Wikipedia page
