Cemetery Transcriptions

Volunteers from our society have transcribed and photographed many of the cemeteries in our area. Some of these are now available on the cemeteries webpage.

Photographs are available for most headstones, for a donation. Please send us an email, quoting the cemetery and the photo reference number. Any donations we receive are used to cover the operating expenses of our society. Thank you for your support.

Early Ships

The first English settlers to New Plymouth arrived on sailing ships in the 1840s.

  • William Bryan
  • Amelia Thompson
  • Oriental
  • Timandra
  • Blenheim
  • Essex

Click below for the passenger lists.

Genealogy Research

Check what records we have for your ancestors.

The New Plymouth Genealogy society has compiled a significant quantity of historical information to assist with genealogy research. Our collection focuses on records for the New Plymouth and Taranaki area. The society library also includes records of use to members, such as UK census and business directories.

A research service is available for a donation. Just send us an email, or contact our research officer.

Library

The library catalogue is available as a downloadable PDF file, primarily for our members' use. This catalogue is sorted into alphabetical order of book title within the various major subject areas used in the library. Use the find facility in your pdf reader to find the publications or topic that you are looking for.

More detail about each publication is available from the library program on the computer at the society rooms. Please note that not all of the publications are available for loan to members.

TBI

The Taranaki Biographical Index references over 900,000 records held in our library, or at Puke Ariki.

  • Cemetery records
  • Local history books
  • Published family histories
  • School admissions
  • Birth, death & marriages
  • Ship passengers
  • Early land records

The TBI is available for searching at the society rooms. Alternatively, a look up service is available from our research officer.