During one of the first New Zealand Deaf Sports Convention in Auckland 1952, a group of Deaf take a day trip to Orewa.
Students at Titirangi School for the Deaf are treated to a day trip to the Parnell Baths.
Fascinating footage from the Auckland Easter show 1958, including brief footage of Deaf visitors to the show.
Deaf pupils visit Auckland Zoo and enjoy group rides on an elephant at the zoo.
The Friends of the Deaf group man a fundraising stall at the Auckland Carnival in Western Springs, Auckland in January 1958.
Annual Parent’s Day at Kelston School for the Deaf, with rides (horses, fire tank and alike!), performances and end-of-year prizes.
The foundation stone ceremony for the Auckland Deaf Welfare Centre 1958.
Footage from 1955 – 1965 during the annual Christmas Picnics held by St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Island Bay. In New Zealand fashion, Santa arrives on horseback, bringing presents to the pupils who all take turns riding the horse!
Deaf members of the Auckland Adult Deaf Society clear the Balmoral Road property before construction of the main hall.
The opening of Kelston on a site in Archibald Road featured the infamous ‘Te Pakanga o Whau’ (The Battle of Whau) in 1959 where 86 deaf students acted in an outside play featuring a Māori-Pakeha battle near a big gum tree field.
Students from the Titirangi School for the Deaf visit the construction site of the future Kelston School for the Deaf.
Athletes and spectators take a day out from the sporting competition to have fun in Wellington, 1954.
The Deaf Sumner School for the Deaf marching team participate in a marching competition in Auckland, 1958.
During the 1955 Sports Convention hosted in Christchurch, a picnic is held at Motukarara, by Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury.
Friends of the Deaf prepare a float for the Auckland Carnival, 1956, along with some footage of the float parade.
Annual Parent’s Day at Titirangi School for Deaf, where students show their parents around the school and put on a performance – tumbling, boxing, puppetry, ball handing and ballet.
The Birthday Carnival held annually at Western Springs were a lucrative way of raising money in the early fifties. The Auckland Deaf Society via the Friends of the Deaf were raising funds for a new hall building.
The School for Deaf annual sports day is held at Kelston with athletics, long jumping, relay races and performances.
The 1953 New New Zealand Deaf Sports Convention is held in Christchurch, with sports, fun, and day trips.
Boarding students at Titirangi School for the Deaf are treated to a day out to Motihue Island (Te Motu-a-Ihenga) in the Hauraki Gulf, 17 kilometres from downtown Auckland.
Annual school sports day at the large grounds at Mt Wellington, with the school surrounded by farmland. The Titirangi children travelled to Mt Wellington by buses. Mt Wellington closed once the Kelston hostel block opened in 1960.
Deaf students dress up and parade around the back of Titirangi School for the Deaf at its annual Christmas party.
The building of the Auckland Deaf Welfare Centre, followed by footage of the Balmoral Bowling Club, and the newly opened Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Members of the Auckland Deaf community welcome friends and competitors from nationwide for the annual Deaf Sports Convention in Auckland 1952, and take a trip into Auckland City.
Auckland Deaf Adult Society’s annual picnic takes place north of Orewa beach.
A group of Deaf men busily work on laying the foundations for the new Auckland Deaf Welfare Centre, later to become the property of the Auckland Deaf Society.
Deaf adults enjoy ice cream, beer and dressing up in bathing suits, whilst observing HMNZ Tamaki navy recruits practise on Motuihe Island.
A group of Deaf friends are treated to a boat trip in the Hauraki Gulf on a boat called “Rambler”, owned by Laurie Schischka.
This footage appears to be an early attempt in creating an educational filming activity for deaf children at Titirangi School for the Deaf.
The Government’s National Film Unit follows the City District Health Nurse as she visits students at St Dominic’s School for the Deaf.
During the Sports Convention, Deaf people travel to Motuihe Domain, on Motuihe Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, for a picnic.
Auckland Deaf community hold their annual picnic at Duders Beach, 1951.
A group of Deaf people make a trip to the Helensville Hot Pools 1951.
The Battle of Whau: a drama by Kelston Deaf students for the opening ceremony of Kelston School for the Deaf, 7th November 1959.
Deaf Aucklanders make their way down to Wellington in a van for the Labour Weekend sports. Stopping on the way, they prepare for a day of sports and socialising.
A group of Auckland Deaf travel to and from Wellington for the New Zealand Deaf Sports Convention during Labour Weekend, 1951.
Kelston School for the Deaf had a rugby team that played in the secondary school Grade 2C division, coming third in the 1958 season. Kelston beat St Kentigern 16 to 0.
Black and white footage of a group of Christchurch Deaf men with their bicycles chatting to the camera excitedly before riding on the road, and signing at the same time!
Participants in the Annual Convention of the New Zealand Deaf Societies have a full-day picnic at Waihora Park Domain, in Motukarara with plenty of races!
Annual Parent’s Day at Titirangi School for Deaf, where students show their parents around the school and put on a performance – dancing, tītītōrea (short stick games) with end-of-year prizes.
The courtyard at Titirangi School for Deaf’s came in handy in events such as the Christmas parade with everyone in fancy dress!
Titirangi students and their families picnic at the Parau Camp House in West Auckland. The property was purchased in 1955 and groups of children, teachers and parents spent many a happy weekend here.
The National Film Unit visits Sumner School for the Deaf to report on progress in the education of deaf children and to check out the school's 75th Jubilee celebrations.
The 75th Jubilee of Sumner School for the Deaf in Christchurch, including alumni parades and marching girls!
NZ Deaf Sports Convention is held at Rugby Park, Christchurch in 1955.