The Hamraki Rag has at times said that Diane Garbutt's "Hampden Time Line" is available for perusal in the Library.
Aye, it is. But that doesn't necessarily mean the Librarian on duty will be able to locate it if asked for.
So here it is, complete with alterations, amendments and additions, and up-to-date as at the end of December, 2012.

                        The Way We Were
                     Hampden/Moeraki Time Line
Originally compiled in 2005 by late Diane Garbutt, updated and modified by the Moeraki Area
Promotions Society in association with the Hamraki Rag.
                                      (Up to date as at December 2012 ©)
1836
John Hughes establishes whaling station at Moeraki.
1852
Runs (i.e. sheep farms) are distributed - 7 W.S. Trotter, 8 Henry McHugh, 11 Alexander
and Thomas Fraser.
1852
Bagdad (note spelling!) bush and stream are named by Hughes, inspired by the Arabian
Nights stories.
1852
Accommodation House built by G.B Wright. Was the only accommodation house
between Dunedin and the Rangatata River.
1853
Run 10 transferred from John McCormack to A. and T. Fraser.
1857
Accommodation House purchased by T. Hastie.
1859
First auction of stock at Mr. Thomas Hastie's yard, Little Kuri.
1860
Moeraki Hundred proclaimed (November 30)
Survey commenced under direction of J.T. Thomson, Chief Surveyor for Otago, who
named Hampden after the English statesman, John Hampden (1595-1643). (Thomson's
Memorial is on Mt Charles in the Herbert Cemetery.)
Traces of gold are found along the beach. Gold retrieval operations extended over the
next ten years.
1861
Land survey of Hampden completed.
Hampden Hotel opened. Proprietor W. Murcott. It is a changing station for Cobb and Co.
coaches.
1862
Tenders let for bridges across Little Kuri and Kakaho Rivers.
Clyde Hotel opened. Proprietor John Prosser.
J. Young, storekeeper, was appointed Postmaster.
1863
Frederick Wayne - first representative of Hampden electorate in the General Assembly.
1864
Dunedin to Oamaru road officially opened (February 24).
First police station opened, under Waikouaiti district. Frank R. O'Brien, Postal Agency.
School opens with teacher Donald Munroe (June 21).
Presbyterian Church holds first service at the school (June).
Storekeepers and bakers - John Young, W.T. Kirby, Fisher and Co.
Butchers - Thomas MacKay, H.T. Murcott
Boot/Shoe Makers - John Freeman, Robert Watson
Carpenters - Archibald Weir, W.T. Spier
Blacksmith - William Stewart
Mechanics' Institute founded by Rev. C. Connor. He gave the first of many lectures to
be given at the Institute; this one was entitled “The Earth’s Crust”.
1865
Accommodation House history lost. Mrs. Margaret Hastie reputed to have planted first
gorse hedge in North Otago on slope opposite her premises, just north of Lancaster
Street.
Dr W.R. Hayne, MD arrives.
Hunter Stauchon died. His tombstone is the oldest in the cemetery.
There were 24 property owners in the town of Hampden
1866
First meeting of Hampden Roads Board (October 7).
Meeting to extend cemetery from five to ten acres.
Drapers - J. Arkle, M. Krakour
1867
Cabinetmaker/woodturner - A. Milne
Vice-Regal visit; Governor Grey stopped for lunch at William Murcott’s Hotel.
A Lecture by Mr Harper at the Mechanics’ Institute was entitled ‘The Solar System”.
Bank of Otago visits Hampden on Wednesdays.
Resident Magistrate for Oamaru, Mr T. W. Parker, also visits Hampden on Wednesdays.
Committee to control the cemetery - W.L. Leggett, William Craig, M.S. Gleeson,
Alexander Familton, William Reynolds Hayne MD, J. Young
1868
Land is set aside for the Hampden Mechanics' Institute.
Police administration transferred to Oamaru.
1869
Waianakarua Bridge (on the south branch of the river) completed.
Hampden Volunteer Rifles formed.
1870
Athenaeum Hall (Mechanics Institute) erected.
Presbyterian Church opens on London Street (R. A. Lawson of Dunedin-Architect).
Presbyterian Manse is built on Nicolson Road.
Mr Familton spoke at the Mechanics Institute on “What Was Man Intended For”
1871
Population of Hampden 170
1872
Church of Christ opened January 7 at the cost of £200.
1873
Construction of Oamaru to Moeraki railway line begins.
1874
Bridges at Waianakarua mill (north branch) opened.
1876
Opening of Oamaru to Moeraki railway line on November 4.
1878
Population 290 The first light is lit at Moeraki lighthouse on April 22.
Hampden Railway Station completed in June.
Coach overturns on Horse Range Road killing two and injuring 20 (on the day of the
inauguration of the first passenger rail service. Coroner found coach driver was trying
to race the train ).
First southbound train from Christchurch to Dunedin stopped for water at Hampden on
September 6. All subsequent through trains did this thereafter.
Postal services transferred to Railway Station. Stationmaster became Postmaster.
1879
Hampden proclaimed as a borough on September 8 occupying one square mile, with the
third smallest population as a borough in the country.
W. Murcott elected first mayor.
Borough councillors elected were A.C. Weir, J. Douglas, T.E. Watkins, J. Doreen, H.T.
Murcott, John Parker, N. Campbell, W. Familton and D. Peach.
Flour mill at Waianakarua opened.
Railway from Hillgrove to Moeraki closed due to land stability problems.
1880
Depression - gold searched for on Kitchener's, Culling's and Size's properties.
Slaughterhouse licences granted to H.T. Murcott and Thomas H. Watkins.
1881
Population of Hampden 326, increase of 36. Details are in the Library and at the
Statistics Department website. (A recent researcher puts the population figure at 539 {Anderson})
Police operations shifted to old Telegraph Building in the Square, second Police Station.
St Stephens Anglican Church opened on December 20. Rabbits become recognised as
a pest.
1882
Hampden Roads Board merges with Waitaki County Council.
1883
Waianakarua School opened. Arthur Tyndall teacher.
1885
Commonage exchanged for 150 acres of bush.
1886
Population 332
1890
Creamery opened, first owned by John Duncan Junior.
Port Moeraki public school established.
1891
Population was 301, decrease of 31 since the previous census in 1896 according to
the North Otago Times article.
Mrs Thomas Lefevre was appointed Mechanics Institute Librarian from 3 applicants. The
Library consisted of 600 volumes and the annual subscription was reduced to 5/- per
annum (previously it was £1.0.0)
1894
Catholic Church consecrated (Our Lady Star of the Sea).
1895
Mawhinney Drapery sold to Kerr of Waikouaiti.
1896
Creamery owned by Taeri & Peninsula Milk Supply Co. Ltd.
1900
NZ Farmers' Union (later Federated Farmers) branch established in Hampden.
1901
Hampden School becomes District High School (until 1908).
1902
Hampden Hotel expanded.
Six pairs of Australian Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) released by Otago
Acclimatisation Society.
Clyde Hotel closes.
1903
Tennis Courts built.
Bowling Green laid down.
1905
Prohibition in force in Oamaru district.
1906
Hampden Hotel closes.
1910
Hampden Volunteer Rifles disbanded.
The third Police Station to be built in Hampden is opened in Norwich Street.
1917
Plunket Society established. Hampden nurses visit out-stations regularly.
1918
Temporary hospital established to handle influenza epidemic cases.
1920
Church of Christ closes.
1924
Whittakers Omnibus and Service Car business established.
1925
Post and Telegraph Department opens a manual telephone exchange with 38
subscribers.
1927
BNZ leases a portion of the bank to the Post Office. All post and telegraph services now
carried out in the bank building, on the corner of London and Lincoln Streets.
1930
Hampden Women's Division of Federated Farmers (WDFF) formed.
1930
Road from Big Kuri to Hillgrove now with permanent bitumen surface.
Depression; gold mined at mouth of Big Kuri for a number of years.
Camping ground made available to the public.
S. Kerr's drapery closed.
1931
Post office is opened on the corner of London and Norwich Streets. The building was
originally the court house.
Hampden Returned Servicemen's Association formed.
1939
Waianakarua Mill ceased operating as a flour mill, but continued to process poultry feed.
1940
Home Guard formed in the Borough.
1944
St Stephen's Vicarage sold for £158.
1945
New school house built. Old one shifted to 73 London Street.
Home Guard phased out at end of the Second World War.
1947
St Stephen's Vicarage sold for £180 to Cliff Murcell.
Moeraki Estate divided for soldier settlement.
1951
Commonage of Hampden is sold to L. Caldwell for £2,145.0.0 on July 1.
1951
Population 285.
1953
Control of cemetery is handed over from the Cemetery Board to the Hampden Borough
Council.
All the assets of the Mechanic Institute were handed over to the Hampden Borough
Council to be used for the building of the Hampden Community Centre War Memorial
Hall. The Athenaeum property was demolished.
1954
Ivan Prain's bakery closes.
Foundation stone is laid for the Hampden and District War Memorial and Community
Centre.
1955
Hall opens.
1957
Population 308
1958
Waianakarua Mill and land is sold to NZ Boy Scouts Association.
1960
Prohibition ended.
1961
Oamaru Licensing Trust buys Hampden Hotel.
1962
Bottle store opens.
Water scheme is officially opened on December 1 by Mr J. H. George, MP for Central
Otago.
Dental Clinic built at school.
1963
Swimming pool opens at school.
1964
Original portion of the Hampden Hotel is demolished.
Centennial of Hampden public school
1967
Opening of new tavern (designed by Murray Cockburn) on March 11, by R E Proctor (as
last Mayor of the Borough). Built on the site of the old Hampden Hotel.
Hampden Borough Council merges with Waitaki County Council on April 1.
(The New Zealand dollar (equal to 10/- ) replaced the NZ pound on July 10. The decimal
system was introduced at the same time.)
1968
Waianakarua Mill converted to a restaurant and motel to become the Mill House.
1970s
School modified
Metric weights and measures were phased in
1974
Automatic telephone exchange is installed and set in operation on August 8.
1975
The last lighthouse keeper withdrawn from Katiki Point or Moeraki Lighthouse.
1980
Heating system installed in school swimming pool.
1981
Population: 275 according the census.
1982
The Fire Station was built in Lincoln Street by the brigade members and assisted by
many from the community. Waitaki County Council chipped in $1000 to kick start the
project.
1985
The pensioner flats in Lincoln Street built by Waitaki County Council were opened on
November 30 by Warren E Cooper, MP for Central Otago.
Hampden railway station was demolished.
1986
The Early Families’’ 150th Anniversary Memorial on Onekakara (Moeraki) Point was
consecrated.
The population of Hampden was 270, and the population of Moeraki was 87.
1987
The fourth Police Station for Hampden was built on the corner of London and Norwich
Streets.
1988
The Post Office closed. Mail operations were handled at the Bottom Shop.
Hampden School held its 125th Jubilee.
The Hampden Returned Services Association was placed in recess.
1989
Waitaki County Council merged with the Oamaru Borough Council to form the Waitaki
District Council.
1990
The first Hamraki Rag was published by Sue Sheat (February).
1991
The population of Hampden jumped by 17.6% to 317 according to the census. The same
census put the Moeraki population at 105, a 20.7% increase from the previous census.
The rate of increase in both places was extraordinary compared to the national average
of 3.4%.
1993
Moeraki Area Promotions Group Inc was formed to promote the area from Waianakarua
to Shag Point.
1996
Population 306 (Hampden, -3.8%) and 96 (Moeraki, -8.6%).
1998
A petition was raised against the proposed sewerage treatment scheme.
1999
The sewerage treatment plant for Moeraki opened at Hillgrove (August).
2000
The Katiki Point Penguin Trust was formed by Janice Jones.
Hampden's new police station, its fifth, was built on London Street.
2001
According to the census, the population of Hampden was 303.
2002
Moeraki Tavern opened on April 20.
Moeraki Millenium Walkway opened in May
Fleur's Place restaurant opened in Moeraki (October).
2003
Visit in January of Roy Bailey, emissary of the John Hampden Society of England.
Hampden Super Store (Bottom Shop) closed for business as a general store on June
29.
First visit to St Stephens Church by Rev. Penny Jameson, Bishop Of Dunedin, on
August 3.
2004
Population 304.
Gale force winds in February caused damage to property in the town, including the
bakery.
Major macrocarpa trees around Camping Ground felled for safety.
2006
Hampden Community Energy Society Incorporated is formed.
NEO Computing took over publishing Hamraki Rag from Sue Sheet (December).
2008
First energy expo organised by the HCE was held (June).
Severe flood cut off the highway (July).
Recycling trailer introduced for the service of residents and travellers (November).
2009
Population 297
Rising floodwater kept ten campers stuck for three nights at Trotters Gorge (February).
Rubbish transfer station at Herbert closed (July).
Hamraki Rag went online (June).
130th Celebrations in October. The Proclamation of Hampden as a Borough reenacted.
Derailment of freight train at Katigi (November).
Public debate held on exponential economic growth policies (November).
Critically endangered lowland longjaw galaxiid were released in the Waianakarua River

2011
Hampden School stages a fundraising Skyline Bike Ride in the hills to the West
(February)
The first trees in Waihemo’s Jim Dunkley Memorial Orchard planted in Lancaster Street.
(Sept)
Top Shop closes, Fine Fare Supermarket opens alongside - props John Dimelow and
Corrine Martin (Nov)
Hampden’s regular visiting medical practitioner, Dr Don McKirdy, retires
Moeraki celebrates 175th anniversary (Dec)

2012
Trotter Homestead demolished by fire organised by Hampden Volunteer fire unit (Jan)
Original Hilltop Store (or Top Shop) on corner of London/Lincoln Sts, and its many
additions is demolished (March)
The operation of the Waste Transfer Station in Pughs Road, contracted to Delta (of
Dunedin) is sub-contracted to Hampden Community Energy Soc Inc. Local labour is
employed, assisted by volunteers. (March)
Public performance in Presbyterian Church by Schola Cantorum (Christchurch) and
Canterbury/Otago Consort of Viols (May)
Waitaki District Council release a report by engineers Tonkin and Taylor about land
stability at Moeraki. (July).
Services at St Stephens Anglican Church cease. Parishioners meet monthly at Te
Kotahitanga Church, Moeraki.
Electricity supplier, Network Waitaki, upgrades the electricity supply line and builds a
new sub-station in Shrewsbury Street. (November)
Three bay shed is constructed (completed in December) by Hampden Community
Energy at the Waste Transfer Station. It will be used for the retrieval and sale of items
otherwise discarded as rubbish. Profits from sales will be used within the community.