Essay competition highlights Waitakere history
Writing about her 40 year quest to grow the perfect tree tomato has earned Annemarie Endt-Ferwerda the supreme award at
this year’s JT Diamond Essay competition.
The Tree Tomato Saga at Landsendt tells the story of the ongoing battle by the author and her husband Dick to grow a successful tree tomato (tamarillo)
crop at their orchard, Landsendt, in Oratia.
“They are very difficult to grow and very susceptible and can die just like that,” she recalls.
“There was a lot of drama that went along with those attempts, including trips to South America to look at different
varieties.”
Annemarie was awarded the Franich Diamond Prize - a piece of diamond jewellery from Franich Jewellers in Henderson - for
her winning entry.
Run by the Library & Information Services and the West Auckland Historical Society, the annual competition is open to adults and students
aged 10 to 18 years of age and this year attracted 42 entries across two categories; Memories and Research.
Memories could be the writer’s own or other people’s recollections from letters, diaries or interviews, while the
research category required the essay writer to conduct original research. The competition is designed to capture the
important and interesting life stories, events, places and buildings of Waitakere.
The competition honours the work of local historian, the late John Thomas (Jack) Diamond, whose extensive collection of
photographs and journals were gifted to Waitakere Library & Information Services by his family. These now form the backbone of the local history collection at Waitakere Central
Library in Henderson.
Winners:
Adult Historical Research
1st Rae Atkins for Fagan the Bullock
2nd Patricia Earl for Hetana Hamlet
3rd No third place winner
Highly Commended Paul Thurston for A Snapshot of NZ. Tramping in the 1940s - The Waitakere Tramping Club.
Student Historical Research
1st equal Emily Reece for Titirangi Soldier’s Memorial Church
1st equal Conor Doran and Molly O’Connor for Peter Maddison - Entomologist of the West
2nd equal Imani Kerr for Paper Bags, Nails and Coffee - The Story of the Hardware Café
2nd equal Jack Queenin for Hooked Since 1952 - A story of the Laingholm Fishing Club
3rd equal Caitlin Ashcroft for The Story Behind the Green Sign
3rd equal Chloe McLeod for The Laingholm Volunteer Fire Brigade - The heart of our community
3rd equal Jacob Morris for From Rob to Bob
Highly Commended:
Alexander Laing for The Old New Lynn Hotel
Brooke Rose Goodison for Historical Hideaway
Rowan Hart for A Huia Icon - History of the Huia Store
Niko Notman for The Lovely Life Living in Laingholm
Adam Dewar for The Dream that Wasn’t - The settlers of Cornwallis
Rize Michau for Prehistoric Animals and Bones Found in West Auckland
Elliot Crossan for Whenuapai - Dead or Alive
Kieran Mudgway for The Life of a Racing Legend
Ayrton Sheach for A Brief History of Karekare Surf Life Saving Club
Mia-Sophie Kober for St Ninian’s Presbyterian Church - A mystery unsolved
Adult Memories Category
1st Annemarie Endt-Ferwerda for The Tree Tomato Saga at Landsendt
2nd Justine Fry for One Man’s Dream
3rd Olivia Jansen for The Bach at Huia
Student Memories Category
1st Porschia Kirkconnel-Kawana for Tina Gouch - Here at Home in West Auckland
2nd Bridget Hollings for Otawewe - The Cottage of Content
3rd Sophie Cooper for A Huia Legend - The story of a Waitakere Ranger
Highly Commended
Rachel Burden for Memories of Massey Library
Waitakere City Mayor’s Prize
Jordynn Brokken for The Story of Piha Surf Club
West Auckland Historical Society Prize
Richard A. Findlay for 5 State Houses in Rata St. 1946-57
Bullock Trophy (for the school which contributes most to the competition)
Henderson Valley School
Overall Winner: Franich Diamond Prize
Annemarie Endt-Ferwerda for The Tree Tomato Saga at Landsendt
Caption: Overall winner of the JT Diamond Essay Annemarie Endt-Ferwerda wearing her prize pendant from Franich
Jewellers. Photo Sue Berman
ENDS