The JM Sherrard Award
This remains the only national award for local and regional history in New Zealand. Established by WJ Gardner and the Canterbury Historical Association in 1970, the first award was made in 1972. The Award was named in memory of a teacher and association member, JM ('Jock') Sherrard, author of an outstanding regional history, Kaikoura (1966).
The Sherrard Award now has a value of $1000, and awards are made biennially, or when sufficient funds have accumulated. No entry is required, as the panel of judges assess all likely titles appearing in the National Bibliography. The Award excludes biographies, urban histories, and small-scale parish or school jubilee publications. It was set up to recognise scholarly monograph-length local and regional histories.
Major Awards
15th judging, 2001 (for works published 1998-99):
Caroline Daley, Girls and Women, Men and Boys: Gender in Taradale, 1886-1930 (Auckland UP, 1999)
Chris Maclean, Kapiti (Whitcombe Press, 1999)
14th judging, 1998 (for works published 1996-7):
Rollo Arnold, Settler Kaponga, 1881-1914 (Victoria UP, 1997)
David Johnson, Wellington Harbour (Wellington Maritime Trust Museum, 1996)
Jim McAloon, Nelson: A Regional History (Cape Catley, 1997)
13th judging, 1996 (for works published 1994-5):
Erik Olssen, Building the New World (Auckland UP, 1995)
12th judging, 1994 (for works published 1992-3):
John Wilson, Cheviot: Kingdom to County (1993) Rangiora
11th judging, 1992 (for works published 1990-1):
Peter Tremewan, French Akaroa (Christchurch, 1990)
10th judging, 1990 (for works published, 1988-9):
Susan Butterworth, Petone: a history (Auckland, 1988)
Margaret McClure, The Story of Birkenhead (Birkenhead, 1987)
9th judging, 1988 (for works published 1986-7):
Dick Scott, Seven Lives on Salt River (Hodder and Stoughton, 1987)
Don Stafford, The Founding Years in Rotorua (Auckland, 1986)
G. Morris (ed.), Waiuta, 1906-1951: the gold mine, the town, the people (Reefton, 1986)
8th judging, 1986 (for works published 1984-5):
Mary B. Boyd, City of the Plains: a history of Hastings (Victoria U.P., 1984)
A. J. Dreaver, Horowhenua County and its people (Dunmore, 1984)
Darrel Latham, The Golden Reefs: an account of the great days of quartz-mining at Reefton, Waiuta and the Lyell (Pegasus,1984)
7th judging, 1984 (for works published, 1982-3):
D. N. Hawkins, Rangiora: the passing years and people in a North Canterbury town (Rangiora, 1983)
6th judging, 1982 (for works published, 1980-81):
No major award
5th judging, 1980 (for works published, 1978-9):
Evelyn M. Stokes, A History of Tauranga County (Dunmore, 1980)
4th judging, 1978 (for works published 1976-7):
A. G. Bagnall, Wairarapa, an historical excursion (Masterton, 1976)
3rd judging, 1976 (for works published 1974-5):
M.D.N. Campbell, The Story of Napier, 1874-1974 (Napier City Council, 1975)
2nd judging, 1974 (for works published 1972-3):
A. C. Begg and N. C. Begg, Port Preservation (Whitcombe and Tombs, 1973)
G. C. Peterson, Palmerston North (Reed, 1973)
1st judging, 1972 (for works published 1969-71):
Robert Pinney, Early South Canterbury Runs (Reed, 1971)
P. R. May, Gold Town (Pegasus, 1970)
L. W. McCaskill, Molesworth (Reed, 1969)
J.N.W. Newport, Collingwood (Caxton, 1971)