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Story: Rural recreation

Brancepeth library

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Brancepeth library

Brancepeth Station was a large sheep run in the Wairarapa. In 1884 the owners, the Beetham family, established a library for workers on the station. Many of the books were popular fiction, which the stationhands would have enjoyed on their days off.

Using this item

J. C. Beaglehole Room, Victoria University of Wellington Library

Reference: bea00183.jpg

by M. D. King

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Rural recreation – Making their own fun, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/17673/brancepeth-library (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 1 March 2009.