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Mark Pirie publishes NZ Rugby Museum article

Posted Thursday, March 14, 2019 by Mark Pirie
Archived as New Zealand Rugby Museum, Rugby poetry

The Winter 2018 issue of Poetry Notes, the newsletter of the Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa (PANZA), included my article on poetry archived at the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North.

The article covers a range of poetry kept by the museum from the turn of the 20th century up till the present day.

I am very pleased to have my article published. It involved a field trip to Palmerston North in June 2018 and some work uncovering the poems from folders stored away in boxes at the Museum.

In May I was also an invited contributor to the first NZ Rugby Jamboree held in the foyer entrance to the Museum. I set up a table to sell my rugby poetry and other sports poetry items.

The New Zealand Rugby Museum do a great job keeping the history of New Zealand’s game alive for the public.

Thank you to the Director, Stephen Berg, for his help locating the poems for the article.

Here's the link:
http://poetryarchivenz.wordpress.com/newsletters

NZ Rugby Museum article on Mark Pirie's grandfather

Posted Friday, December 21, 2012 by Mark Pirie
Archived as New Zealand Rugby Museum, Thomas Henry Lawn

Following a visit to the NZ Rugby Museum at Palmerston North, October 2012, the Director Stephen Berg published an article in the Manawatu Standard, 14 November 2012.

The article relates to the discovery of my grandfather's rugby career through an old photo I had in my possession. I had no knowledge of his career prior to the visit apart from remembered family stories which may be inaccurate. Thanks to Stephen for his help in identifying the photo.

My grandfather Tom Lawn (a tall forward) learned his rugby at Stratford District High School and after played for Sydenham Football Club and Technical Old Boys in Christchurch and College Rifles in Auckland, from 1919-29. He won Canterbury representative honours in 1925. The 1927 College Rifles team that he was part of included three All Blacks and a Maori All Black. He later received an invitation and coached North Shore Club to a good position in 1938 with Bert Cooke, a member of the 1924/25 All Blacks "Invincibles" team.

Here's a link to the article (which includes some of the information found):
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/7947872/Mysteries-solved-and-treasures-recovered-through-photo-library