Katherine Mansfield's Thorndon: Guided Walking Tour 2024

Part of Wellington Heritage Festival 2024

"How hard is it to escape from places. However carefully one goes they hold you – you leave little bits of yourself fluttering on the fences – like rags and shreds of your very life.” Katherine Mansfield in a letter to Ida Baker, 1922

Explore the Thorndon that Katherine Mansfield knew and the traces of her legacy that remains in the landscape today. Beginning with a short introductory talk at Katherine Mansfield House & Garden, the guided walking tour will finish at the National Library for refreshments and a special viewing of 'A child of the sun: Katherine Mansfield's last year, an exhibition that explores the last year of Katherine Mansfield’s life through original manuscripts, photographs and the personal objects she treasured, including those left to loved ones in her will. There will also be the opportunity to get up close and personal with additional Mansfield-related objects from the Alexander Turnbull Library’s collection.

A collaboration between Katherine Mansfield House & Garden and the National Library Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa. With thanks to Old St Paul’s.

Please note: This is a guided walking tour which will involve approx. 30 minutes of walking on flat ground with frequents stops. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and bring appropriate protection from sun and rain. If you have accessibility requirements, please contact Katherine Mansfield House & Garden to discuss.

Bad weather postponement dates: The tour will go ahead if there is light rain, so please bring a raincoat. If there is heavy rain and/or strong winds the Saturday 26 October tour will be postponed to Saturday 2 November; the Tuesday 29 October tour will be postponed to Thursday 31 October. Participants will be notified by email and text message (if a mobile number is provided when booking) by 9am on the day of the tour if there is a postponement.

Image: Detail from the Katherine Mansfield Memorial photographed by Charles P S Boyer, c1930s. Wellington City Council Archives, 00157-99.