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History columnist Judy Waters.
After seven years and more than 80 columns, Mahurangi Matters’ popular history columnist Judy Waters is taking a well-earned rest.Now in her 80s, Judy says she’s been given the orders to cut back on her activities, which includes her volunteer work in the archives at the Warkworth Museum.
“It makes me a bit sad as I’ve really enjoyed doing the columns,” she says. “People sometimes stop me in the supermarket to chat about what I’ve written about and I get enquiries both over the phone and by email. Because the columns are online, many of the enquiries even come from overseas.”
Judy believes that some of the popularity of the column stems from the number of people moving to the district.
“New residents seem keen to learn about the industries that have occupied the people of the district in the past, the history of the river and some of the pioneering families. And there are still plenty of stories to tell.”
Judy’s knowledge of the area is considerable, being a descendent of pioneering families on both her mother and father’s side – she has connections to the Grimmer, Taylor and Phillips families.
She was a teacher at Warkworth Primary before starting a family, and has also run her own businesses including a children’s wear shop and the Snells Beach postal agency and stationers.
The history column in future will be a shared column written by volunteers at the museum including Judy from time to time.
