Literary Nelson – books and newspapers

One of the first bookshops in the country was opened in Nelson - by Charles Elliott, in August 1842. Since then bookshops have been an important feature of Nelson business and Nelson life; and one reflected across New Zealand, with the first British immigrants being working class and keen to educate themselves.¹

Mr. Robert Lucas: The Nelson Provincial Museum, Tyree Studio Collection, 39769/3Click image to enlarge

In the early days, bookselling was combined with general retailing; for example Charles Elliott "diversified into soap, candles, coffee, postage stamps, family medicine and even butchery".²  It was also associated with printing - Charles Elliott started the Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, as well as selling books.

Books were also sold by auctioneers. In Trafalgar Street, Oswald Curtis Bros. was auctioning books in the early 1850's³ and, later in the same decade, Alexander Aitken was listed as an auctioneer, bookseller and owner of a circulating library.

The number of bookshops in Nelson has decreased in recent times, with closures and mergers.

Timeline

• August 1842 - Charles Elliott (1811-1876) established the first newspaper within a few weeks of the New Zealand Company settlers arriving in Nelson: Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle - and opened the first bookshop
• 1857 - the Colonist newspaper founded by a group of Nelson residents (to oppose the dominance of the large landowners of the district).
• Early 1860's - Henry Jackson, William Darby (closed 1905) and James Tingle (closed early 1870's) opened book stores
• 1865 - Jesse Hounsell took over Jackson's shop
• 1865 - Robert Lucas & Son established, as a printers, bookbinders and stationers.
• 1866 - Lucas establishes the Nelson Evening Mail in Whakatu Lane (a replica of the bulding is exhibited at Founders Park)
• 1870's- W.M.Stanton opens a booksellers 
• 1871 - Henry Jackson opens Jackson & Co. , Trafalgar St., Bookseller & Stationer
• 1874 - Nelson Examiner ceases publication
• 1875 - Hounsell moves his shop to Trafalgar Street (he dies 1907 - the shop remained until 1989 under different owners: Ernest Hounsell, David Ollsen, Arnold Angelo and Jim Trathen)
• 1892 - Lucas family drop bookselling and focus on publishing - Nelson Evening Mail, a Nelson Almanac, and some literary supplements. 
• 1910 - Alf Robinson sets up a bookshop in Hardy St.
• 1921 - the newspapers, the Colonist and the Nelson Evening Mail merge
• 1943 - Gertrude Mellett and niece Noeli opened a bookshop beside Hotel Nelson
• 1949 - Cecil Page buys Alf Robinson's Hardy St shop, which becomes C. Page & Son Ltd
• 1957 (Nov) - Noeli Mellet's bookshop moves to 196 Trafalgar St (following Gertrude's retirement)
• 1964 - Bob and Jill Anderson open ABC Bookshop
• 1964 Dec - Mellett's bookshop  is sold to Whitcombes (which later becomes Whitcoulls)
  Nelson Evening Mail Office: The Nelson Provincial Museum, Tyree Studio Collection, 32964/3
  Click image to enlarge
• 1965 - Noeli Mellet sets up shop in Maxwell Road, Blenheim
• 1967 - Norman and Jacqueline Sparrow take over C. Page & Son Ltd and it becomes Pages Bookshop (249 Trafalgar St)
• 1970's - Noeli moves back to Nelson and opens Noeli's Book Nook in Hardy St
• 1973 - ABC bookshop transferred to John Acheson - in partnership with Jill Anderson
• 1980 - John Acheson starts The Bookmark (Buxton Square) and  Jill (Blechynden-)Anderson runs the ABC bookshop alone.  It becomes a "Nelson institution"⁴  with its neighbour Chez Eelco
• 1989 - Hounsell's bookselling shop closed (after Hounsell's death it had been run by son Ernest, then David Ollsen, Arnold Angelo and Jim Trathen)
• 1991 - Tim and Susie Blackmore take over ABC bookshop
• 1992 - ABC Bookshop becomes Blackmores (284 Trafalgar Street)
• 1993 - Nelson Mail sold to Fairfax media
• 1995 - Bookmark closes (having moved to Bridge St in 1994)
• 1998 - Pages and Blackmores merge to become Page and Blackmore - 254 Trafalgar Street

2009

Edited December 2020
 

Widow's Fund Life Office and Jackson's Bookshop, The Nelson Provincial Museum, Tyree Collection, T_180381Click image to enlarge

Story by: Compiled by Nicola Harwood

Books Booksellers Newspapers Publishing