Ringing in the New Year in Cambridge

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We all have favourite memories of holiday celebrations.  Let’s find out how Cambridge residents have celebrated the New Year over the ages.

1876
Waikato Times 4/1/1876

New Year’s Day was ushered in with the usual tin-kettling and drunkenness.  A party of boisterous young fellows after having been regaled at one or two hotels, inspired by the potent fluid, carried their amusements a little too far, for not being content with the peaceful nature of their serenade they broke eight or nine panes of glass in the Manse and five or six elsewhere.  There is a generally expressed wish that these ruffians would be brought to justice.  I understand that they are not altogether unknown to the police.

Contrary to expectations the first day of the year was brilliantly fine so that the attendance at the races was very large, taking into consideration the fact of there being sports at Hamilton and Ngaruawahia on the same day.  The arrangements were admirable, everything passed off successfully; perhaps there was a little too much time lost between the races, but of course we always expect this at our amateur meeting and it should not be grumbled at.  A commodious booth was erected at which Messrs Laird and Kirkwood supplied meat and drink to the hungry and thirsty in their usual style.

Very little rowdyism was observable among those present.  One young man, however, who seemed to be in a very heroic mood and who was evidently under the influence of the “flowing bowl,” found a temporary residence in the lock up.

Two gentlemen tried very hard to get up a pugilistic encounter, but their intentions were frustrated by friends wiser than themselves.

1910
Waikato Independent 4/1/1910

In accordance with its annual custom, the Town Band, on New Year’s Eve, assembled at the Fountain and played out the old year and welcomed in 1910, a large number of people being present when the selections were rendered. Several hilarious individuals, as usual, also gathered on the scene, and created a certain amount of fun for the onlookers. Two or three of the principal performers in the midnight scene, not being quite capable of maintaining their equilibrium, were landed in the fountain and treated to an impromptu ducking.  There were a large number of people in the streets on New Year’s Eve, till a late hour.

1920
Waikato Independent 3/1/1927

New Year’s eve in Cambridge was noticeable for the large crowds which thronged Victoria Street during shopping hours. Constantly were greetings exchanged wishing one another “A Happy New Year.” One of the features of the evening was the rendering of music by the Cambridge brass band, under the genial Bandmaster Montgomery. The band played for some time in Duke and Victoria Streets. In most of the Churches watch-night services were held, and at midnight the bells of St Andrew’s pealed in the New Year. Forcibly they brought to mind the lines from “In Memoriam” —“Ring out the Old, ring in the New, ring out the false, ring in the true.” And thus was the birth of 1920 announced to Cambridge.

1927
Waikato Independent 4/1/1927

During the Christmas and New Year holidays the public bath was very well patronised, especially by the juveniles. A number of visitors attending the Christian Convention freely used the bath.

Local wireless enthusiasts have had the pleasure of receiving some very fine holiday programmes during the past few days. Last week the racing results were received “on the air,” and were greatly appreciated by keen enthusiasts.

The Cambridge parking place for motors, Victoria Square, is becoming increasingly popular with motorists as it becomes better known that this handy and suitable spot is available as a camping place. During the Christmas holidays quite a number of motorists put up there for a night or two, and there was an increased number camping in the Square for the New Year holidays.

During the recent holidays Cambridge maintained its reputation for orderliness and good behaviour. On New Year’s Eve a young woman was arraigned before two justices of the peace, on a charge of theft, and was placed on probation for six months. This was the only case that came before the Court during the whole of the holidays.

1929
Waikato Independent 28/12/1929

The vogue of the motor car was markedly manifest in the main streets of Cambridge on Christmas Eve. Victoria Street especially was lined with three rows of cars which reached from end to end of the principal business area, while a great number of vehicles were parked in Duke Street, Alpha Street, Empire Street, and nearly every side-street. It became necessary to have two rows of cars on the eastern side of Victoria Street, both stretching the whole length with a lane between.

The parking was regularly carried out under the direction of the traffic inspector, Mr F H Green, who informed our representative that the number of cars parked in the streets was just below 600. Thanks to Mr Green’s able supervision the cars were so parked that owners could move away when they desired, steps being taken to prevent the careless marking that in the past has caused so much annoyance and inconvenience.

1930
Waikato Independent 4/1/1930

New Year’s Eve passed off fairly quietly in Cambridge. Early in the evening the streets were lined with people, though the crowd was not nearly as large as on Christmas Eve. With the weather conditions rather gloomy there was not the holiday enthusiasm that might have been expected. There was little noise in the early parts of the evening, but as the Old Year hastened to its end, a goodly number of the more boisterous spirits gathered at the rockery in Victoria Street. To the accompaniment of hoots, whistles and the banging of tins, a beloved yet hated, an acclaimed yet despised, a praised yet browbeaten Old Year passed into oblivion and in its place was ushered the new 1930 with all its hopes and possibilities.

New Year’s Eve did not pass without a little unseemly conduct in the vicinity of the Town Hall, the services of Constable Fleury being required to put a stop to a bout of fisticuffs that might easily have developed into a nasty affair. Dances were held at the Town Hall and the Regent Hall, there being good attendances at both places. A very jolly time was spent by those at the Town Hall, the “talkie” equipment providing the music, and as the Old Year neared its end those present entered into the spirit of the occasion right heartily and “high jinks” prevailed until the early hour of the morning.

1960
Waikato Independent, January 1960

The commendable effort of the Cambridge New Year Committee added interest for those who were not away for the holidays, and the New Year Carnival created a good night of festival spirit.  However, people did not remain on the streets until a late hour, most preferring to celebrate the New Year in their homes.

An authoritative person provided the information that when the New Year was ushered in, there were two people and one cat in Victoria Street.

1970
Waikato Independent, January 1970

The Police and Traffic Officers report that behaviour in Cambridge over the holiday period was quite good and there were no incidents.

Traffic was heavy but orderly.  There were a number of nose to tail collisions, particularly at the roundabout but none were serious.

There have been more hitchhikers on the roads than usual this summer and it has been reported that motorists have not been generous towards them.  The general appearance of so many of them has been a deterrent to their chances of thumbing a ride.