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Main Street
Greytown
Tel: (06) 304-9061
Opening hours :
Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.00pm
Saturday 10am - 12pm
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In October 1871, in a letter to the Mercury, the Hon. G.M. Waterhouse of Huangurua Station (later Prime Minister) generously offered his Legislative Council honorarium and an annual subscription for the purposes of a library. He wrote: “…..I have long noticed the almost complete absence in the valley of theWairarapa of all means of intellectual recreation. There is, so far as I am aware, nothing approaching to an Institute or Public Library….I think it would be a great attraction to Greytown …”
Dr Welch donated land on the allotment occupied by the house of the Borough Foreman at the north end of Main Street. Building commenced in April 1871 and the library was open for business in August 1873, with Mrs William Skeet, wife of the surveyor being appointed librarian at a salary of 25 pounds per annum. A second storey was added to this building later for social occasions.
By the 1890’s it became apparent that the Council should have a suitable building of their own, for administration purposes, which should include the Institute and library. The first tenders were submitted in August 1892. After completion in December 1892, the Greytown Borough Council Chambers were open for business with the library and public reading rooms on the ground floor and the ladies’ reading room, mother’s room and Council Chambers on the upper floor. The librarian was Miss E.E. Stone.
It is interesting to note - old records show that for the year 1913 the total number of book issues was 7,079.
After a settled period of 70 years the library was on the move again. In 1959 the Borough Council Chambers underwent a refurbishment, and to enable this to take place, the library was moved from the Council Chambers to the shop next to the Town Hall, where Mondo’s is today. At this time the library consisted of some 4000 volumes.
The Librarian of the day Miss Joan Judd is remembered with some affection by Greytowns senior borrowers. A favourite reminiscence is the separation of “men’s” and “women’s” fiction, and a story that was told to me of the time a slice of bacon was found in a book, being used as a bookmark!
Another amusing story, when Mrs Pat McDowell and Mrs Barbara McGhie were librarians, there was some bafflement over the amount of ivy that was growing over and around the books. It was discovered that it was actually growing through the walls from outside, so desperate measures were called for, with Mrs McGhie squeezing into the gap and dealing to it with a pair of secateurs. They spent the next several days fielding questions as to why the “lovely” ivy was dying.
In 1970 two large donations of land to the Council decided the next move for the library. The Beautifying Society made a gift to the town of their Garden Square, in the Main Street opposite Hastwell Street, and Mrs Stella Bull gifted her house and property to the town. The idea of a Civic Square for Greytown came into being.
November 1979 saw the transporting of the old Masonic Lodge from West Street to its present site – no mean feat considering the size of the building. The library was officially opened by the Hon. M.B. Couch on November 29th 1980 and Mrs McDowell and Mrs McGhie continued until their retirement in 1984.
The last few years has seen huge changes.
In 1997 our first computer was kindly donated by the Greytown District Lands Trust and we joined the technological age, finally doing away with the old card system, which would have been impossible to manage today.
In 2000 the old Service Centre at the Borough Council building closed down and council services were added to our duties. Bill Bain joined me allowing full-time opening hours in a very busy place.
In 2001 Greytown, Featherston and Martinborough Libraries joined with Carterton Library to make up one larger and more comprehensive library system – the Wairarapa Library service.
Book issues have risen to nearly 44,000 and a total book stock of 15,000 books means the library is again running out of space. Plans are afoot for the conversion of the old Town Hall into a new library, meeting space and art gallery.
Sylvia Lagah, Librarian
Please view archived information about Greytown here
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Carterton |
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A library for Carterton was a priority for early settlers and the one established in 1874 …more |
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Greytown |
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In October 1871, in a letter to the Mercury, the Hon. G.M. Waterhouse of Huangurua Station …more |
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Featherston |
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The Featherston Library started life as the ‘Featherston Literary Institute’ in April, 1896. It was officially opened by Mr Alfred Matthews who had gifted the land and funds … more |
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Martinborough |
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