Waiuku war memorial hall, including roll of honour boards for First and Second World Wars.
The Waiuku public hall was opened on the corner of Queen Street and Victoria Avenue in June 1917. It was not built as a war memorial at the time, although the Waiuku and Districts roll of honour, which was unveiled during a ceremony held beside the town’s memorial cenotaph on 25 April 1931, was later placed in the hall. This roll of honour consisted of a finely carved board made from imported oak on which were listed the names of a total of 297 local men from Waiuku, Otaua, Aka Aka, Glenbrook, Pukeoware, Waipipi, Karioitahi, Kohekohe, Pollok, Te Toro, and Awhitu who had seen active service during the First World War. The names of those who had died were marked with a cross.
After the Second World War, the hall was both refurbished and extended. Both the First World War and the Second World War rolls of honour were placed in the new foyer. The building was formally reopened and dedicated as the Waiuku War Memorial Hall on 18 May 1957. Sometimes known as the Waiuku War Memorial Town Hall, sometimes just as the Waiuku Town Hall, the building was rededicated as a war memorial after further refurbishment on 17 February 1991.
Sources: 'Roll of Honour Unveiling Ceremony', Waiuku News, 28/4/1931, p. 5; 'Memorial Hall Must Be Living Monument', Waiuku News, 21/5/1957, pp. 1, 7; ‘'Waiuku War Memorial Refurbishment', Barnacle Bulletin, November 1990, pp. [8-9]; 'Rededication of the War Memorial Hall', Barnacle Bulletin, March 1991, pp, [1, 4].
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