By Roselyn Fauth
The Timaru District Councils Hall of Fame recognised 80 people as of September 2025. Established in 1986 to honour people of national or international significance with strong ties to South Canterbury. Today it recognises 80 inspiring individuals, with their stories displayed at the Timaru District Council chambers, online, and on the Bay Hill sign maintained by the Lions Club. timaru.govt.nz/hall-of-fame - Graphic Design by Roselyn Fauth
Whose stories matter? Does our Hall of Fame help us connect to inspiring people from our district’s past? Do we need to add more names to the list, people who meet the nomination criteria but have not yet been recognised? And for those who do not fit the rules, do we need another way of honouring them?
These questions have been sitting with me ever since I looked closely at the Timaru District Council’s Hall of Fame. As of September 2025, there are eighty people recognised. Only seven of them are women.
The list is impressive. Leaders, politicians, scientists, inventors, athletes, artists, volunteers, advocates, war service... They deserve their place. Reading through the profiles has been fascinating. Each person achieved something remarkable in their field, whether in public service, professional life, sport, voluntary service, or the arts. Every one of them is deserving of their place. But the imbalance made me pause. Is it because women did not achieve? Or is it because their stories were not recorded, valued, or remembered?
A cemetery wander turned into a hunt for hidden voices has changed my view... I never expected a walk through the cemetery in lockdown to change the way I see myself, my community, and even the history of Timaru. But that is exactly what happened...
Of the 80 people recognised in the Timaru District Councils Hall of Fame, seven are women.
During those lockdown weeks of the global pandemic, our family often wandered among the graves. We would find interesting names, and I would go home and start learning about the people who rested there. What began as a way to fill the time, ended up becoming something much bigger... lots of curiosity, side quests...
Over the last few years, I have been unearthing stories that were well known, but also of those in the margins.
On top of this, my friend Lucy lost her Facebook page, and it sent me into a panic, as if WuHoo Timaru were to be shut down overnight, I would lose a lot of the information I had gathered. So I started rewriting my old Facebook posts as blogs on our website wuhootimaru.co.nz, That was when I realised most of the stories I had shared were about men. That realisation sent me on a new mission, to find these women's stories, and to give them voice, visibility, and space.
I Have Learned So Much From These People's Stories, Particuarly, Women’s Stories, About Resilience, Small Acts That Ripple, And Rights Hard Won.
I have learned that women often carried families and communities through poverty, poor health, isolation, loss, and discrimination. Their resilience, I found, was really grounding and empowering.
They taught me that small everyday acts like tending a garden, raising children, teaching, volunteering, giving service, creating art, and supporting neighbours better the lives of their community at the time, and also have rippled across generations. Some women found the courage to be loud and defiant. Some chose their careers over family when the law forced them to choose. Others found courage in the daily grind, keeping households going against really challenging odds.
History has shown me that rights are hard-won. The freedoms I take for granted today, to have access to education, to vote, to open a bank account, to own property, to work, to have fair pay, to raise our family, to lead, to volunteer, to speak freely... did not just appear. They were fought for.
And I have learned that progress is fragile. Inequality has not vanished. But stories inspire us to think critically, to make good choices, and to embrace change. Learning about women has helped me see my own life differently, with more gratitude for the choices available to me.
What I Have Learned About The Hall Of Fame, How It Began, What It Celebrates, And Who It Remembers.
The Hall of Fame was first proposed by Mayor C. Russell Hervey in the 1970s to honour citizens of the Timaru district whose achievements had national or international significance. It was officially opened on 26 September 1986 by Mayor Mrs D. H. L. McIver.
To be considered, a person must have been born in South Canterbury or lived here for a significant portion of their life. They must be a person of prominent international standing, an international sportsperson or administrator, or a nationally recognised notable New Zealander. Nominations are researched by an advisory committee, considered by a Council selection committee, and displayed upstairs in the Council chambers.
The Hall of Fame is not just a list on paper. If you walk into the foyer of the Timaru District Council buildings, you will find the photographs and short biographies of those honoured, displayed beside the Council Chamber. The full list and profiles are also on the Council’s website. Out in the community, the Timaru Lions Club maintains a sign at the top of Bay Hill, highlighting a selection of these inspiring people for all to see.
That process has produced eighty names.
Seventy-three men.
Seven women.
What I Have Learned About The Hall Of Fame, How It Began, What It Celebrates, And Who It Remembers.
The Hall of Fame was first proposed by Mayor C. Russell Hervey in the 1970s to honour citizens of the Timaru district whose achievements had national or international significance. It was officially opened on 26 September 1986 by Mayor Mrs D. H. L. McIver.
To be considered, a person must have been born in South Canterbury or lived here for a significant portion of their life. They must be a person of prominent international standing, an international sportsperson or administrator, or a nationally recognised notable New Zealander. Nominations are researched by an advisory committee, considered by a Council selection committee, and displayed upstairs in the Council chambers.
The Hall of Fame is not just a list on paper. If you walk into the foyer of the Timaru District Council buildings you will find the photographs and short biographies of those honoured, displayed beside the Council Chamber. The full list and profiles are also on the Council’s website. Out in the community, the Timaru Lions Club maintains a sign at the top of Bay Hill, highlighting a selection of these inspiring people for all to see.
That process has produced eighty names.
Seventy three men.
Seven women.
Thinking Critically... What Does The Hall Of Fame C Urrently Tell Us About Memory, Silences, And What Gets Valued.
I don't think the imbalance means women have failed to achieve. But I think it can show how history has traditionally been recorded. I have found that men’s public achievements were documented in detail, and they have been really easy to find in the newspapers and books. Whereas many women’s contributions might have been confined to private or community spaces and maybe even dismissed as ordinary. I wonder if laws such as the marriage bar restricted women’s careers or vice versa, made women choose careers over family, which could explain why some women died without a husband or children to pass their story on. It would be interesting to know if archival practices focused on men intentionally, and how that is reflected in today's civic collections and archives today. Because ultimately, even today, nominations depend on who comes forward and who holds power to approve them.
Through this lens, I think the Hall of Fame can be both a mirror and a construction of our community. It reflects our past values and, in turn, can influence our future identity. When only seven women are honoured, the subtle message that we can assume is that excellence belongs mostly to men.
Correcting that imbalance is not about rewriting history. It is about broadening it, making sure we tell the whole story. And if a hall of fame is not appropriate, then can we look for an additional complementary form of story sharing?
Thinking Critically... What Does The Hall Of Fame Currently Tell Us About Memory, Silences, And What Gets Valued?
The Hall of Fame can be more than a roll call of names. It is a form of official memory, and I think it helps to shape what we as a community value.
Feminists would point out that the criteria themselves reflect patriarchal values. They privilege arenas like politics, the military, and elite sport — fields where women were historically excluded. Meanwhile, caregiving, teaching, cultural work, volunteering, and community service, where women made huge contributions, are rarely considered notable enough for civic honour.
From this perspective, the absence of women is not an accident. It is the result of structural inequality. Social rules and legal restrictions kept women from visible roles. Even when women achieved extraordinary things, their stories were less likely to be recorded, remembered, or nominated.
This matters because representation shapes possibility. Public honours are powerful symbols. They tell us who matters, whose footsteps are worth following. When women are missing, the message is that greatness is male. Correcting that imbalance is an act of justice as well as remembrance.
What Next For Timaru? Can We Review The Past With Today's Lens, Consider Adding Names, Broadening Recognition, Or Do We Need To Add Other Ways To Recognise People Of Our Past
I think feminists would point out that the criteria themselves could reflect patriarchal values. It comes across that privileged arenas like politics, the military, and elite sport — fields were where women were historically excluded. Meanwhile, caregiving, teaching, cultural work, volunteering, leading, and community service, where women made huge contributions, are rarely considered notable enough for civic honour.
From this perspective, I don't think the absence of women is an accident. And could be the result of structural inequality. Social rules and legal restrictions kept women from visible roles. Even when women achieved extraordinary things, I wonder if their stories were less likely to be recorded, remembered, or nominated.
This viewpoint is interesting to consider because representation shapes possibility. Public honours are powerful symbols. They tell us who matters, whose footsteps are worth following.. When women are missing, the message can be interpreted that greatness is male. Correcting that imbalance is an act of justice as well as remembrance. If we want to uplift all of our community, I think we need to help us all feel connected and inspired.
What Next For Timaru? Can We Review The Past With Today's Lens, Consider Adding Names, Broadening Recognition, Or Do We Need To Add Other Ways To Recognise People Of Our Past
Learning about these women, and about the people already honoured in the Hall of Fame, has taught me something about where we have come from, who we are, and who I am.
It has shown me that South Canterbury has always punched above its weight, producing and supporting people who have shaped their communities. It has reminded me that resilience, ingenuity, teamwork, service, and creativity are part of our region’s DNA.
It has also made me more grateful. Grateful for the choices available to me, choices many women before me never had. And it has made me more intentional about the future. About how I use those choices, the stories I tell, the projects I give my time to, and the doors I try to hold open for others.
Most of all it has made me believe that history is not just about the firsts or the greats. It is about all of us. Every life leaves ripples. And when we choose whose stories to remember, we are also shaping the story of who we want to be.
So I come back to the same question. Where are all the women? Perhaps the next chapter is up to us.
To date I have nominated two women. Bella McCallum, a gifted botanist whose brilliance was cut short when she died in childbirth, and author Ivy Preston, who gave voice to women’s experiences through her writing. This has been very much a team effort, and I am grateful to those who helped research and find information so their profiles could be presented to the Council for consideration.
And I have a third nomination underway with the help of the woman's descendants.
Can you help?
So now I ask you... Whose stories do we remember? Who can we nominate? And is it time to widen the stories we tell in our public spaces? The Hall of Fame is one way to honour achievement, but it is not the only way. Perhaps it is time to ask ourselves:
Whose stories do we remember?
Who else deserves nomination?
And beyond the Council's website and foyer and the sign on the bay hill... is it time to add to the public signage in town, to show a wider range of stories about the people and places that shaped us? Do you know someone who you think meets the Hall of Fame criteria? I would love to help you pull a nomination together and submit for the councils consideration.
What I am am learning from all of our past people's stories, is that history can share the firsts, and the greats, but it can also include all of us.
The future of our memory is in our hands.
Timaru District Council Hall of Fame – Nomination Criteria
To be eligible for consideration, nominees must meet the following:
1. Connection to South Canterbury
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Born in South Canterbury, or
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Lived in the Timaru District for a significant portion of their life.
2. Achievement Categories
Nominees must be recognised in at least one of these categories:
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Persons of Prominent International Standing
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International Sportspersons or Administrators
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Nationally Recognised Notable New Zealanders
3. Consent
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If the nominee is deceased, permission for potential inclusion must be given by their next of kin.
4. Nomination Process
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Nominations must be submitted in writing to:
The Chief Executive, Timaru District Council, PO Box 522, Timaru 7940. -
Nominations should include supporting information such as:
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A summary of the nominee’s achievements.
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Evidence of national or international recognition.
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Details of the nominee’s connection to South Canterbury.
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5. Assessment and Selection
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An advisory committee researches the candidates.
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A selection committee, made up of Timaru District elected members and the President of the South Canterbury Historical Society, reviews and approves nominations.
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Nominations will not be reconsidered unless new information is supplied.
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The decision of the Selection Committee regarding eligibility is final.
6. Recognition
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A photograph and short biography of successful nominees are displayed in the Hall of Fame, located in the Timaru District Council offices, upstairs beside the Council Chamber.
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The list is also published on the Council’s website.
Thank you to the Lion's club for erecting their sign on the bay hill. And Thank you to the Timaru District Council for maintaining the hall of fame and continuing to inspire and uplift us by sharing these peoples stories. This blog is written as a personal reflection and an invitation to think about whose stories we remember. Everyone in the Hall of Fame has achieved something remarkable and is deserving of recognition. My hope is not to diminish their legacy, but to ask whether there are others — particularly women we have missed, or maybe in less visible roles — whose stories also deserve to be told. Form me, this blog is is about honouring more people, broadening our understanding of achievement, and keeping our history alive in ways that connect us all. - Roselyn Fauth
https://www.timaru.govt.nz/community/our-district/hall-of-fame
Category One: Persons of Prominent International Standing: The Hall of Fame recognises in this category Hon Sir Basil Arthur, Cardinal Reginald Delargey, Lord Elworthy, Sir William Hall-Jones, Sir Charles Hamilton, Michael Houstoun, Colin Albert Murdoch, Rt Hon Norman Eric Kirk, Richard William Pearse, Air Vice-Marshal Siegert, Admiral Sir Gordon Tait, Sir Henry Rodolph Wigley, and John William Elder.
Category Two: International Sportspersons or Administrators: Those honoured for international sporting achievement or administration include Syd C. Ashton, Joseph Butterfield, Sir Cecil Cross, Bob Fitzsimmons, Colin John Hawke, Jack Lovelock, Clark McConachy, John Eaton Manchester, Richard John Tayler, Tomas Walsh, Jorja Miller, and David Thew.
Category Three: Nationally Recognised Notable New Zealanders: The notable New Zealanders category features Sir Hugh Acland, Trevor Askin, John Badcock, George Baker, Thomas Burnett, Frank Callaway, Sir Douglas Copland, James Craigie, Dr Margaret Cruickshank, Sir Peter Elworthy, James Forrest, Thomas Fyfe, (Owston) Paul Gabities, Trevor Griffiths, Mika (Neil Gudsell), Muriel Hilton, MG Lindsay Inglis, Sir Neil Isaac, Owen Jones, Dr Russell King, Sir Francis Kitts, Athol John Farmer, Murray Henderson, Sir Alan Low, Lancelot McCaskill, Sir Robert Macintosh, Jessie Mackay, Sir Roy Mckenzie, Ross Murray, Hon Sir Henry Ostler, Richard Price, LG Sir Edward Puttick, Dr Erihapeti (Elizabeth), Sir Ivor Richardson, Hon Francis Rolleston, Jack Shepherd, Kevin Smith, Robert Smith, Sir William Steward, Sir Desmond Sullivan, George White, Cecil Wood, Anna Richards, Alister Deans, Eoin Young, Gordon Hasell, Jordan Luck, Lindsay Crooks, Mark Inglis, Nicole Begg, William Thomas, John Hardcastle, Sir Roy Allan McKenzie, Sir William Maxwell Manchester, and John McBeth.