Laying foundations at Auckland Deaf Welfare Centre

1958
  • Deaf Clubs
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.
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If you needed evidence that Auckland Deaf Society was built by hand with Deaf effort and commitment, here it is! Shot in 1958, this film shows a group of Deaf men mixing and laying the foundations of the Auckland Deaf Welfare Centre, including early footage of the property from the street view.

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Schischka

From Indoor Bowls to Indoor Netball: The Evolution of the Balmoral Hall

John Schischka reflects on the old Auckland Deaf Society hall on Balmoral Road. Originally used for indoor bowls and hired out to hearing groups, the Balmoral Road hall was often thick with cigarette smoke – a common sight back in the day. Later, the badminton and basketball clubs made use of the space, but as time went on, it became a bit of a ‘white elephant.’ The Board eventually leased it as an indoor sports centre, where indoor netball became popular. Deaf members would play on Friday nights, then head upstairs for Club night.
NZSL story – Taonga source: Kevin Pivac

The Rebuild of Auckland Deaf Society’s Balmoral Clubroom

Kevin talks about the rebuild of the Auckland Deaf Society building. The receptionist often received calls from people wanting to buy the property, but they were always given a firm no. A member survey was held, and the decision was made to go ahead with the rebuild. Angela Sew Hoy and Chris Blum oversaw the project. While the work was underway, Friday night gatherings were temporarily moved to the local Balmoral Bowling Club.
NZSL story – Taonga source: Kevin Pivac

A Night to Remember at Balmoral Hall

Kevin recalls how the Auckland Deaf Society’s Balmoral Hall was one of the largest venues in Auckland at the time. In 1970, it hosted the Halberg Awards. From the upstairs clubroom, Kevin remembers looking down at the formal dinner set-up with flash tables and decorations. That same evening, a protest took place outside in response to the invitation of a presenter from South Africa. Graffiti was sprayed on the Deaf Club’s exterior, and police were present at the scene.
Taonga source:
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Produced by:
Leslie Barratt
Reference number:
SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, NZFA05-03-DOC58
Note:
This item has been compressed and/or edited.