In April we received a lovely gift of the miniature trowel which was presented to Prime Minister Massey at the laying of the foundation stone for St Margaret's in 1914.
The miniature trowel has been with Patricia Oldham, the daughter of PM Massey's youngest daughter, since her mother's passing. Patricia, now in her mid-90s and living in the UK, entrusted her nephew, Sam Knowles, PM Massey's great-grandson, with a special task. She asked him to contact the Head of St Margaret's College to see whether we would be interested in having this historical artifact returned. Of course, the answer was yes! The trowel was then couriered to Dunedin, where Sam's niece, Meghan DeBlanc, PM Massey's great-great-granddaughter, received it. Meghan personally brought the tiny trowel to St Margaret's College and handed it over to Head of College, Liz Koni.
We are thrilled to announce that this miniature trowel, measuring just 45mm in length and 7mm in width, is currently being mounted at the local Gallery De Novo, and will soon be displayed on the College walls. Its meticulous engraving commemorates the laying of the foundation stone, adding a tangible link to our past. Stay tuned for more details about when and where you can view this fascinating piece of history!
