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Deaf National Archive New Zealand
Deaf National Archive New Zealand
1969
Members of the Auckland Deaf Society and friends attend the annual picnic at Orewa Beach in March 1969.
2006
Footage and interviews from the final Friday night at Deaf Club at Auckland Deaf Society before its long-awaited re-development in 2006.
1987
2003
The ADS Badminton Club, well known for recognising its milestones, has a well-attended dinner at Auckland Deaf Society to celebrate its 40th birthday!
1958
The building of the Auckland Deaf Welfare Centre, followed by footage of the Balmoral Bowling Club, and the newly opened Auckland Harbour Bridge.
2003
Kathleen French, Auckland’s ‘Deaf Grandmother’ and a life member of Auckland Deaf Society celebrates her 90th birthday party at the Balmoral clubroom on 24 May 2003 with approximately 140 people attending.
1990s
The 50th birthday of Ivan Tamepo - a respected Deaf elder – is celebrated at ADS, with a karanga, powhiri, waitaia and celebrations in the back hall and upstairs clubroom.
2000
The Auckland Deaf Society Netball team celebrates their 25th Jubilee in April, 2000.
1990
The 34th New Zealand Games for the Deaf, hosted by Auckland, concludes with a prizegiving and social evening at Auckland Deaf Society 1990.
1981
1973
1970
An informal annual rugby game between teams of Deaf men, married and single, which was played on one of Kelston Deaf Education Centre’s fields.
1997
1990
Coverage of the Miss Deaf New Zealand competition, hosted during the 34th New Zealand Games for the Deaf social evening at Auckland Deaf Society, October 1990.
1969
A group of men from the ADS basketball club are seen chatting outside the Auckland Deaf Society Clubrooms.
1954
Deaf members of the Auckland Adult Deaf Society clear the Balmoral Road property before construction of the main hall.
1958
Fascinating footage from the Auckland Easter show 1958, including brief footage of Deaf visitors to the show.
1956
Friends of the Deaf prepare a float for the Auckland Carnival, 1956, along with some footage of the float parade.
1993
A farewell party is thrown for John and Laura Hunt at the Auckland Deaf Society, prior to their move to Melbourne. The farewell was attended by over 100 members of the Auckland Deaf community.
1990
Amateur footage of the Miss Auckland Deaf Beauty Queen Contest held at the Auckland Deaf Centre 1990.
1981
New Zealand team goes to XIV World Games for the Deaf in Köln, Germany in 1981.
1958
The Friends of the Deaf group man a fundraising stall at the Auckland Carnival in Western Springs, Auckland in January 1958.
2008
A 43-minute documentary taking you through the history of Auckland Deaf Society, the second home of the Deaf community of Auckland.
1990
The Auckland Deaf community gathers for the Miss Deaf Auckland competition, organised by Adrienne Killen. The top three are selected to represent Auckland in the upcoming Miss Deaf New Zealand pageant.
2015
Jeff Went talks about his involvement with Deaf sports and the 1989 World Deaf Games in Christchurch where he volunteered as an ‘international interpreter’ doing 12 hour days over 12 days!
1976
1990
Auckland Deaf Society’s annual picnic at Long Bay where members compete in the 100m sprint (and fake starts!) and the boys show off their bodybuilding moves.
2015
Saynab Muse, a Tu Kokiri student interviews Ngaire Doherty, ex-President of Auckland Deaf Society at the Balmoral clubroom.
2003
The first ever Wallace Williams Comedy Evening kicks off in 2003, as a fundraiser for Deaf Youth to attend the WFD Congress in Montreal, Canada.
1998
An action filled evening at ADS with a Deaf modelling show followed by an Auckland Deaf Drag Queen contest and finally a derby race competition!
1956
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.
2015
A Tu Kokiri student interviews Susie Ovens on her involvement with the infamous Deaf Sign Singers group.
1975
The Auckland Deaf Netball Club runs a social event to celebrate its first anniversary in 1976.
1990
Contestants practice their routine at the Auckland Deaf Society clubroom in preparation for the Miss Auckland Deaf competition.
2006
Auckland Deaf Society President Kevin Pivac gives a tour of the Club’s building prior to its demolition and rebuild.
2000
John McRae is filmed at his home in Napier where he lived with his wife Verna. John explains some highlights from his life story including his experiences at school, travelling the world for Deaf sports, and his involvement in the Deaf community. The video includes his commentary of various photos and objects in their house.
1956
Deaf adults enjoy ice cream, beer and dressing up in bathing suits, whilst observing HMNZ Tamaki navy recruits practise on Motuihe Island.
1958
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.
1951
Auckland Deaf community hold their annual picnic at Duders Beach, 1951.
2000
The Auckland Deaf Society Basketball Club celebrate their ‘Golden’ Anniversary, their 50th anniversary, at the ADS Balmoral clubrooms where people share their memories of being involved in the basketball club.
2007
Footage and interviews from the opening night of the newly redeveloped Auckland Deaf Society clubrooms late August 2007.
1986
1964
1958
The foundation stone ceremony for the Auckland Deaf Welfare Centre 1958.
1952
During one of the first New Zealand Deaf Sports Convention in Auckland 1952, a group of Deaf take a day trip to Orewa.
2003
A compilation of various footage where Wallace’s friends speak about their memories of Wallace including footage of Wallace at Auckland Deaf Society events.
2002
DeafTV from Denmark makes a trip to New Zealand to feature the country and its Deaf community on its ‘International Postcard’ series, with scenes from a normal Friday night at the Deaf Club, a trip to the Deaf Association office. The Deaf Danish crew are also welcomed onto the Rūaumoko Marae.
1960s
Deaf people get together at John and Verna McRae’s place before heading to Orewa, Auckland for the Annual ADS Picnic.
1981
New Zealand athletes stopover at Los Angeles on the way to the World Games for the Deaf in Köln, and make the most of the trip with a visit to Disneyland!
1952
Auckland Deaf Adult Society’s annual picnic takes place north of Orewa beach.
2002
A montage celebrating Wallace Williams’ life and his contribution to the Auckland Deaf community.
2015
Former Auckland Deaf Society President and life member, Owen Gibbons says that one of his best memories was travelling to the World Deaf Games as part of the New Zealand Deaf basketball mens team. His eyes “literally popped out at what he saw over there!”
1975
A glimpse into the Auckland Deaf Centre, showing Deaf people playing pool, badminton, reading, having coffee and talking in sign language.
2006
Auckland Deaf Society, about to close for a total building redevelopment, hosts a final social event: a Mardi Gras at the Deaf Club.