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Story: Football

Chatham Cup final, 1948

Video file

Since it was first contested in 1923, the Chatham Cup has been New Zealand football's most famous competition, played on a knockout basis between clubs throughout the country. This film shows key moments of action in the 1948 final between Christchurch Technical Old Boys in the V-jerseys and Wellington Waterside (or 'wharfies' as they were known) in the striped jerseys. The game was played before a good crowd at Wellington's Basin Reserve, and Lord Freyberg, the governor-general, was there to meet the players and present the trophy to the winning team.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Weekly Review 365. National Film Unit, 1948

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Neill Atkinson, Steve Watters and Alida Shanks, Football – Men’s club and provincial football, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/40920/chatham-cup-final-1948 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Neill Atkinson, Steve Watters and Alida Shanks, published 27 February 2013, reviewed and revised 7 June 2023 with assistance from Alida Shanks.