Stratford
Country:	New Zealand
Population:	5,225 (Stratford town) 8,610 (territorial) (2005 estimate)
Urban Area
Extent:
Territorial Authority
Name:	Stratford District
Mayor:	Brian Jeffares
Extent:
Area:	2163km²
Website:	http://www.stratford.govt.nz
See also:	South Taranaki, New Plymouth
Regional Council
Name:	Taranaki Regional Council and part of Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons Regional Council)
Websites:	http://www.trc.govt.nz http://www.horizons.govt.nz

Stratford is the main town of the central Taranaki region, aptly named as the 'Stratford District'. Situated directly inland from Mount Taranaki, Stratford is a rural service centre with a 2001 population of 5225. The surrounding rural area has a 2001 population of 3661. This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including independent states (both those that are internationally recognised and generally unrecognised), inhabited dependent territories and areas of special sovereignty. ... Image File history File links Location map of Stratford, New Zealand File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Statistics New Zealand defines New Zealand urban areas for statistical purposes. ... Brian R Jeffares is in his third and final term as Mayor of Stratford, Taranaki, a position he has held since 1998. ... New Plymouth is the port and main city in the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. ... Regions is the formal term for the top tier of local government in New Zealand. ... View of Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont from Stratford, facing west. ... Manawatu-Wanganui is a region situated in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand, around the city of Palmerston North and the central city of Wanganui. ... View of Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont from Stratford, facing west. ... Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont [1] is a dormant stratovolcano located in the Taranaki region on the west coast of New Zealands North Island. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Stratford District represents about one quarter of the Taranaki Region with a quarter of the District comprising the Egmont Ring Plain which is predominantly dairying and the balance being rolling to hill country supporting dry stock farming and bush (57,300 dairy; 42,000 beef cattle; 281,300 sheep). View of Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont from Stratford, facing west. ...

Geography & Economy

Stratford District is the gateway to two National Parks - the Egmont National Park with its spectacular mountain and the Whanganui National Park with its vast areas of virgin rain forest and walkways.

The energy and tourism activities are both of growing significance to the Stratford District.

History & Culture

The Patea River flows through the town, and its supposed similarity to the River Avon in England led to the town's name, which before its current name was Stratford-on-Patea. The William Shakespeare 'connection' is played upon by the naming of 67 streets after Shakespearian characters from 27 of his plays, and New Zealand's only glockenspiel clocktower plays the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet three times a day. The Patea River is located in Taranaki in the North Island of New Zealand. ... The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the midlands of England. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Most orchestral glockenspiels are mounted in a case. ...

The town was formally classified as a town in June 1878, and on 31 August 1878 an auction of 455 sections saw the first sections sold. By 1881 the population was 97, comprising 56 males and 41 females, with 22 houses. By 1891 this had grown to a population of 342 and by 1896 1,256. 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ...

Local Government

See also: Stratford District Council

Territorial authority administration is carried out by the Stratford District Council, led by Mayor Brian Jeffares and CEO Michael Freeman. The headquarters of the Taranaki Regional Council are also located in Stratford. One of 74 territorial local authorities in New Zealand. ... One of 74 territorial local authorities in New Zealand. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Brian R Jeffares is in his third and final term as Mayor of Stratford, Taranaki, a position he has held since 1998. ... Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the job of having the ultimate executive responsibility or authority within an organization or corporation. ... Michael Roy Freeman Born 9 December 1960, London, England and migrated to New Zealand in September 1967. ... The Taranaki Regional Council was formed as part of major nationwide local government reforms in November 1989, for the purpose of Integrated catchment management. ...

Schools

There are two secondary schools in the area, Stratford High School, a co-educational state school with a roll of 550, and St Mary's Diocesan School, an integrated Anglican girls school with a roll of 200 day and boarding students. There are three primary schools: Avon School, St Josephs School and Stratford Primary School. Stratford is surrounded by several smaller primary schools including Toko School Stratford High School is a secondary school in Stratford, Taranaki, New Zealand. ... St Marys Diocesan School is an all girls Anglican secondary school in Stratford, Taranaki, New Zealand. ...

Stratford's view of Mount Taranaki (facing west). Fanthams Peak can be seen to the left of the main peak. Note the cow in the foreground; Stratford is a service town for the many dairy farms of Taranaki.

Picture of Mount Taranaki taken from Glanville Road, Stratford, Taranaki, New Zealand. ... Picture of Mount Taranaki taken from Glanville Road, Stratford, Taranaki, New Zealand. ... Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont [1] is a dormant stratovolcano located in the Taranaki region on the west coast of New Zealands North Island. ... COW is an acronym for a number of things: Can of worms The COW programming language, an esoteric programming language. ... View of Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont from Stratford, facing west. ...

Born in Stratford

Sportsplayers

• John Edward (Ned) Shewry (1889), World champion woodchopper
• Arthur Collins (July 19, 1906), All Black
• John Graham (January 1, 1935), All Black, NZRU president, NZ cricket team manager, Auckland University Chancellor, Auckland Grammar School headmaster, businessman
• John McCullough (January 8, 1936), All Black
• Lane Penn, Representative rugby footballer, coach, All Black selector and NZRU President
• Alan Smith (December 10, 1942), All Black
• Dave Loveridge (April 22, 1952), All Black
• Christine Arthur (August 26, 1963), New Zealand field hockey player
• Mark "Bull" Allen (July 31, 1967), All Black, TV host
• Mark Robinson (January 17, 1974), All Black
• Brendan Haami (December 4, 1974), Rugby representative for Taranaki, Wellington Hurricanes and NZ Maori
• Johnny Weston (September 5, 1977), Rugby sevens representative for Otago, Taranaki and Scotland
• Shayne Austin (October 19, 1978), Rugby representative for Taranaki, Waikato Chiefs and NZ Maori
• Jeremiah Trueman (Born 19 May, 1987), New Zealand national basketball representative

John Edward (Ned) Shewry was a world champion woodchopper born in Stratford, New Zealand in 1889, one of 11 children to John and Elizabeth Shewry. ... Arthur Harold Collins, fullback for the All Blacks (1932,1934) and for Taranaki (1927-1937), was born in Stratford, New Zealand on July 19, 1906. ... David John Graham CBE (born January 1, 1935, in Stratford, New Zealand) is the current president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and a former All Black loose forward who played 22 Tests between 1958 and 1964, including 3 as captain. ... John Francis McCullough, All Black and Taranaki rugby football representative, was born on January 8, 1936, in Stratford, New Zealand. ... Jeff Lane Penn was a representative rugby football player for Taranaki (1957-1963) and Wairarapa-Bush (1965-1966), and coach of a highly competitive Wairarapa Bush side 1983-1987. ... Image:Smith A E.jpg Alan Smith, All Black Alan Edward Smith, All Black lock, was born on December 10, 1942, in Stratford, New Zealand. ... Dave Loveridge, All Black David Steven “Trapper” Loveridge was an All Black great of the late 1970s and early 1980s, known in his time as the greatest halfback in the world. ... Christine Arthur (born August 26, 1963 in Stratford, New Zealand) is a former field hockey player from New Zealand, who was a member of the national team that finished sixth at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. ... Mark Richard “The Bull” Allen, All Black, Taranaki Rugby Football representative and TV celebrity, reached iconic status on the New Zealand sports scene in the 1990s. ... Jeremiah Kloeten Trueman, New Zealand national basketball representative, was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand, on 19 May 1987 to Marty and Cathy Trueman of Stratford, Taranaki. ...

Literature, Art & Culture

• Sylvia Ashton-Warner (December 17, 1908), Novelist, autobiographer and educational pioneer
• Michele Leggott (1956), Poet and literary scholar
• Greg Whyte (1958), Author
• Michael Hight (1961), Artist - painter
• Cheryll Sotheran, Founding CEO of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa 1993-2002
• Dominic Sheehan, Author of "Finding Home" - novel that illustrates growing up in Stratford

Sylvia Constance Ashton-Warner, New Zealand writer, poet and educator, was born on December 17, 1908, in Stratford, New Zealand. ... Michele Leggott, poet and literary scholar, was born in Stratford, New Zealand, in 1956. ... Greg Whyte, author of Fatal Traps for Helicopter Pilots and So, You Want To Be A Helicopter Pilot, was born in Stratford, New Zealand, in 1958. ... Michael Hight, prominent New Zealand artist, was born in Stratford, New Zealand in 1961. ...

Medicine

• Dr. John (Jack) Bergin (January 17, 1921), Distinguished physician and neurologist, Catholic pro-life apologist
• Dr. Graham Gordon (December 10, 1927), Surgeon, St John's officer, NZMA Council Chairman (1977–1988) and NZMA President (1990–1991)
• Dr. Mel Brieseman, Missionary to India and Canterbury Medical Officer of Health

John Daniel (Jack) Bergin, MB ChB NZ MRACP MRCP FRACP FRCP, distinguished neurologist and Catholic pro-life apologist, was born in Stratford, New Zealand on January 17, 1921, to Martin Bernard Bergin and Minni Bergin (nee Hignett). ... Dr. Graham Rothwell Gordon, Surgeon, St Johns officer, NZMA Council Chairman (1977–1988) and NZMA President (1990–1991), was born in Stratford, New Zealand on December 10, 1927. ... Mel Brieseman is a New Zealand public health guru, surgeon, obstetrician and former missionary to India. ...

Law, Government & Politics

• William Malone (January 24, 1859 - 8 August 1915), Famous New Zealand Military Leader
• Percy Thomson (1884-1962), Mayor, lawyer, and art patron
• Venn Young (February 19, 1929), Cabinet minister for Rob Muldoon's National Party-led government & homosexual rights activist
• David Walter (1939), Taranaki Regional Council Chairman, Stratford District Mayor, Stratford County Chairman, and local historian
• Captain Peter B. Arnold, Captain Naval Reserve, New Zealand Navy 2005-
• Grant Coward, Police detective on cases such as the murder of German hitchhiker Birgit Brauer in 2005, and the police shooting of Waitara man Steven Wallace in 2000

Lieutenant Colonel William George Malone (born 24 January 1859 in London, England, died 8 August 1915 at Chunuk Bair in Turkey) served as a soldier in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. ... Percy Thomson The late Percy Thomson, a lawyer in Stratford, Taranaki, and a former Mayor, left a significant bequest to be used and applied towards the establishment and maintenance of an arboretum and herbarium of the native flora of New Zealand and an art gallery. ... Venn Spearman Young (19 February 1929 - February 1993) was a New Zealand politician. ... David Walter is Chairman of Taranaki Regional Council, past Chairman of Stratford County Council, and the first Mayor of Stratford District Council. ...

Academics

• Alice Copping (May 14, 1906), Senior lecturer in nutrition, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London
• Dr. Alan Kirton (1933), Notable agricultural scientist

Alice Copping, Senior lecturer in nutrition, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, was born at Stratford, New Zealand, on 14 May 1906. ... Alan Kirton Alan Henry Kirton MBE (1933 - July 25, 2001) was a noted New Zealand agricultural scientist. ...

Other

• Emily Stevens (September 3, 1900), Wholesale florist, nurserywoman, iris hybridiser
• Stephen Hoffman, Gallagher Animal Management General Sales manager
• Sebastian Bradley (February 2. 1990) , World Champion Martial Arts teacher to the poor dieng infants of Guadumma

Emily Jean Stevens was a world leading iris hybridiser in the 1940s and 1950s, famous for creating the Pinnacle iris as well as a number of other outstanding amoenas. ...

Residents of Stratford

• Michael Freeman (Born December 9, 1960), New Zealand chess player

Michael Roy Freeman Born 9 December 1960, London, England and migrated to New Zealand in September 1967. ...

References

• Tourism Taranaki

External links

• Stratford District Council
• Stratord Information Centre
• Stratford High School
• St Mary's Diocesan School
• Toko Primary School
• St Josephs School

Coordinates: 39°20′S, 174°17′E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...