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Kōrero: King Country region

Ron Cooke

Ron Cooke

Taumarunui historian and publisher Ron Cooke has been instrumental in telling the stories of the King Country's history. He published a monthly journal, Roll back the years, which covers the history of the central and southern districts, between 1980 and 1987. In the early 2000s this was republished in six volumes. Cooke has also written or published a number of local histories in conjunction with community groups. He is pictured in his office with two of his books, Patients first: the proud tradition of Taumarunui hospital(2005) and volume one of From low gear to overdrive (2011), a three-volume history of trucking in the Taumarunui district.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Janine Faulknor

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.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Kerryn Pollock, King Country region – Arts, culture and heritage, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/34924/ron-cooke (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Kerryn Pollock, i tāngia i te 6 December 2011, updated 1 March 2015.

Comments

Florence Karaitiana
15 July 2023
Kia Ora Ron do you have any info on the Pou inside Te Tikanga Nui A Nohi Marae our focus is the Pou of Tamatakutai please if you could email very much appreciated Flo
Linda Thompson
02 April 2020
Kia ora Ron, My name is Linda Thompson. My parents (both now passed away) Lorna and Joe Thompson lived at 38 Makere Street in Matapuna, Taumarunui from the 1960's until both passed in the mid-late 1990's. My mother had a framed photograph of her grandmother (our great-grandmother) taken (stolen) from her around the years 1970- - 80's in Taumarunui. By a person (male) supposedly posing to her, as a historian. He asked questions about the framed photograph of our tupuna and then (unwittingly and trustingly) our mother let him take it as he said he would write something about it and return it to her - he never did. We assumed from then that he had stolen it. Do you have any information of such a person and more importantly, our framed photograph of our great-grandmother that was never returned? Just curious to know what happened to it and if anyone today can shed any light on the matter? Linda.