Digitised Books
These are online, full-text versions of significant early publications relating to Wellington, as well as more recent publications that illuminate our history.
Wellington Recollect
Explore Wellington's digital treasures!
Discover more recently digitised books on Wellington Recollect — these are full page scans and fully searchable. A Wellington City Libraries' project.
The Streets of My City, Wellington New Zealand
By Fanny L. Irvine-Smith
An invaluable resource which records and explains street-names, preserving pioneer ships and their captains, early settlers, Māori places and people. Originally published in 1948, this is the 1967 reprint.
The Land of Tara and they who settled it
By Elsdon Best (1919)
"The Story of the Occupation of Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara(the Great Harbour of Tara), or Port Nicholson, by the Maoris".
Reprinted in 1919 from the Journal of the Polynesian Society of New Zealand.
The Rosanna Settlers : with Captain Herd on the coast of New Zealand 1826-7
By Hilda McDonnell (2002)
"In 1825 a group of Scottish settlers, though some were said to have been from Cumberland, sailed on the barque Rosanna from London with Captain Herd. They were part of a New Zealand Company venture planned to last three years."
Art. III. — Notes on Port Nicholson and the Natives in 1839
By Major Charles Heaphy (2002)
In Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 12, 1879.
Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 11th October, 1879.
Twelve Months in Wellington
By John Wood (1843)
A damning critique of the New Zealand Company that aimed to warn those who were considering emigrating of the likely difficulties and hardships.
Māori Te Whanganui-a-Tara pages
There are more digitised books in our Te Whanganui-a-Tara pages, including Māori deeds of land purchases.
Image references
"Charles Heaphy" by Archives NZ is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
[Brees, Samuel Charles] 1810-1865 :Petoni Road, with Wellington in the distance, 27. Engraved by Henry Melville. Drawn by S C Brees. [London, 1847].. Ref: PUBL-0020-09-2. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22300348