discuss document export feedback print share Geoffrey Fairfield Jessica WagstaffCollection Technician, IDEA Project Archaeology Auckland and its people Peterson, Olaf. (n.d) Geoff Fairfield, Hawera. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tamaki Paenga Hira. PH-1988-9-F111.11© All Rights Reserved Frank Geoffrey Fairfield (23 March 1906 – 15 November 1995) was an engineer, author, local historian, and collector. The maternal grandson of Colonel Arthur Morrow and Mariamne Buckland, whom he lived with during his early years, Geoff spent much of his youth in the area around the Tāmaki River. He discovered his first Māori artefact in a swamp near Buckland’s Beach while fishing, and it triggered a lifelong passion for archaeology. An outspoken opponent of the destruction of archaeological sites, he expressed dismay at early 20th-century quarrying of maunga such as Pigeon Mountain and the disregard shown for koiwi and tuahu at the site. Though he himself had collected both remains and objects from burial sites, he seems to have regarded himself as a preserver of history, and was instrumental in organising an archaeological survey on Maungakiekie before the monument to John Logan Campbell was erected. Fairfield’s 1938 paper on Puketutu Pa is regarded as a pioneering example of aerial photography, and he is the author of several books detailing the history of the Pakuranga area. He was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for Public Services in 1993 for his many years of work. Fairfield and his expeditions are the subject of photography by Olaf Petersen, his good friend and fellow tramping enthusiast, as they sometimes travelled together. Discuss this topic Join the discussion about this article by posting your response on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #amdiscuss. Support the collection Help us do more. Donate now and be part of your Museum’s journey to stimulate inspiration, learning and enjoyment. The Fairfield Collection In addition to the large collection of taonga and Pacific objects presented to Tāmaki Paenga Hira, the Fairfield collection also includes rock specimens, expedition photographs, research notebooks, and manuscripts you can find some of these highlighted below. print share remove reset export Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 records List Compact Grid Geoff Fairfield - Papers, 1862 - 1993 Description: Contains photocopied material. A collection of papers, photographs and press cuttings, largely relating to the archaeological research of Geoffrey Fairfield. Collection also includes documention and congratulatory letters regarding the award of the Queen's Service Medal (Q.S.M.) to Mr Fairfield in 1993. Collection: DOCUMENTARY HERITAGEDescription: Contains photocopied material. A collection of papers, photographs and press cuttings, largely relating to the archaeological research of Geoffrey Fairfield. Collection also… aho Description: cordage.miro, fishing line. Fagments of cord associated with stone sinker 18068.1. The cord was damaged but still attached to the sinker when found (as illustrated in the Fairfield article in the Journal of the Polynesian Society vol 42, 1933). It was described as multiple cords being wrapped around the sinker over the pecked groove in the stone, then the ends gathered together and secured in a tuft. Part of the Karekare Fishing Kit. Collection: HUMAN HISTORYDescription: cordage.miro, fishing line. Fagments of cord associated with stone sinker 18068.1. The cord was damaged but still attached to the sinker when found (as illustrated in the… stopper, wood Description: wooden stopper or bottle opener Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1971.121Accession Date: 1971Description: wooden stopper or bottle opener aho, miro Description: OLD RECORD - DO NOT USE (SEE REG NOTES) aho, miro. cordage, fishing line. Fagments of cord associated with stone sinker 18068.1. The cord was damaged but still attached to the sinker when found (as illustrated in the Fairfield article in the Journal of the Polynesian Society vol 42, 1933). It was described as multiple cords being wrapped around the sinker over the pecked groove in the stone, then the ends gathered together and secured in a tuft. Part of the Karekare Fishing Kit. Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1949.149Description: OLD RECORD - DO NOT USE (SEE REG NOTES) aho, miro. cordage, fishing line. Fagments of cord associated with stone sinker 18068.1. The cord was damaged but still attached to the… knife, pudding Description: pudding eating knife; possibly Torres Islands; two-toned wood, darker at the decorative grip end and lighter in colour at blade end; grip end of handle is decorated with two bands of chevrons and tapers into a rounded tip; handle is narrow and flares out into the blade before tapering into a rounded tip; decorative tip and blade area is rough in surface; two distinct markings one appears to be dark stain and other possibly white ink, on blade area; Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1971.135Accession Date: 1971Description: pudding eating knife; possibly Torres Islands; two-toned wood, darker at the decorative grip end and lighter in colour at blade end; grip end of handle is decorated with two… knife, pudding Description: flat, oval cross section pudding knife, made of wood, proximal end has notching along side edges with pointed ends this tapers to dull point. The end of notched section flares out to blade area, which then tapers to rounded point at distal end. Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1973.4Accession Date: 1973Description: flat, oval cross section pudding knife, made of wood, proximal end has notching along side edges with pointed ends this tapers to dull point. The end of notched section… implements, weaving Description: Oval wooden peg with square cross-section and pointed ends. Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1973.4Accession Date: 1973Description: Oval wooden peg with square cross-section and pointed ends. Weaving stick Description: flat, oval, wooden stick with pointed ends. Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1973.4Accession Date: 1973Description: flat, oval, wooden stick with pointed ends. knife, pudding Description: pudding eating knife, wood, oval in cross section. Proximal end has four diamond-shaped segments separated by notches with sharply pointed ends. From the base of this decorative section the flares out to blade section and then tapers to rounded point.[found in Carving Store with other Fairfield material and removed to B2 for storage with other Vanuatu pudding knives]. Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1973.4Accession Date: 1973Description: pudding eating knife, wood, oval in cross section. Proximal end has four diamond-shaped segments separated by notches with sharply pointed ends. From the base of this… Papers relating to Frank Geoffrey ('Geoff') Fairfield (1906-1995) Description: Material relating to Maori archaeological sites in and around Northland, Auckland, Manukau, Tauranga and the Canterbury area. Including original sketches of old Maori pa sites, notes on Maori fish hooks, maps and articles. Collection: DOCUMENTARY HERITAGEDescription: Material relating to Maori archaeological sites in and around Northland, Auckland, Manukau, Tauranga and the Canterbury area. Including original sketches of old Maori pa… Club Description: Club, wooden. Kite-shaped blade, distal edges curve inward and extend upwards to a point. Raised spine along one face of blade, blade tapers to a rounded grip area. Elongated conical butt protrudes from grip area. Cotton cord attached above butt. Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1973.4Description: Club, wooden. Kite-shaped blade, distal edges curve inward and extend upwards to a point. Raised spine along one face of blade, blade tapers to a rounded grip area. Elongated… We have more objects related to this topic. View them all. Selected works by Geoffery Fairfield. Fairfield, F. G., (1933). Maori Fish-Hooks from Manukau Heads, Auckland. Journal of the Polynesian Society, 42(167) p. 145-155. Fairfield, F.G., (1938). Puketutu Pa on Weekes' Island, Manukau Harbour. Journal of the Polynesian Society, 47(187) p. 119-128. Fairfield, Geoff., (1992). Pigeon Mountain = O Huiarangi : the birth and death of a volcano. Tamaki Estuary Protection Society. Fairfield, Geoff., (1995). Te Waiarohia o Ngaitai : the story of the Bucklands Beach peninsula. Tamaki Estuary Protection Society. Cite this article Wagstaff, Jessica. Geoffrey Fairfield. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira. First published: 6 October 2022. Updated: 9 November 2022. URL: www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/collections/topics/fairfield