Above: The official opening of Katherine Mansfield House & Garden on 14 October 1988.
Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Society
The Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Society Inc. is a registered charity that owns and operates Katherine Mansfield House & Garden. It was formed by Oroya Day in 1986 to purchase, restore and care for the house and garden at 25 Tinakori Road. You can read the Society's 2023 Performance Report and Audit Report here.
Friends of Katherine Mansfield House & Garden automatically become members of the Society and can attend its Annual General Meeting, held in June each year. There are many benefits to becoming a Friend of Katherine Mansfield House & Garden, including free admission to the house and a discount in our giftshop - you can find out more here. Donations and bequests are also welcomed to help us to keep the legacy of Katherine Mansfield alive and ensure that Katherine Mansfield House & Garden remains a place of education, creativity and enjoyment for years to come.
The Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Society is led by a Board who generously volunteer their time, skills and knowledge. To contact the Board, please send a message through our contact page or by email and we will pass it on.
2024 Board members
Alexander McKinnon (Chair and President). Alex works in investment management in Wellington with Koau Capital Partners. He is also a writer with an interest in history and architecture, particularly historic houses. His essay 'Canterbury Gothic' won the Landfall Essay Prize in 2020. Otago University Press published his book Come Back to Mona Vale: Life and Death in a Christchurch Mansion in 2021 and it was longlisted for the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards the following year. Alex joined the Board in 2022 and took over as Chair and President from Nicola Saker in January 2024.
Victoria Spackman ONZM (Vice-Chair and Vice-President). Victoria holds governance roles across the creative, communications, export, technology and education sectors. Her executive background includes senior executive roles in screen production, visitor experiences, local government and tertiary education. She was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to theatre, film and television in 2016 and holds degrees and graduate qualifications across theatre, film, law, management and linguistics. Victoria joined the Board in 2021 and took over as Vice-Chair and Vice-President from Brenda Pilott in January 2024.
Graeme Kershaw (Treasurer). Graeme (BCA, ACA) was a Chartered Accountant for 15 years, then involved in investment management for 25 years. He is currently retired but acts as a trustee for a number of trusts and sits on the National Heart Foundation Investment Committee. Graeme joined the Board as Treasurer in 2020.
Michael Kelly (Board member). Michael is an historian and heritage consultant. A graduate of Victoria University, he worked for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and the Department of Conservation before going into private practice in 1997. He was president of the Professional Historians' Association of New Zealand Aotearoa from 2017 to 2023. Michael joined the Board in 2024.
John Rogers (Board member). John is a recently retired architect with a long career in large commercial projects and Historic Places work. As director of noted company CCM Architects (previously Craig Craig Moller), he gained a deep understanding of Wellington’s built environment and the local construction industry. John works collaboratively, seeking everyone’s ideas and inspiration, and bringing that together to develop strong enthusiasm for the outcome. John joined the Board in 2023.
Lynette Townsend (Board member). Lynette currently works at NZ Post as the Stamps and Collectables programme and content manager. Prior to her current role she was a senior historian at Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage, and a history curator at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa for sixteen years. Her research and publications have focused on a range of topics that explore Aotearoa New Zealand’s public history and stories that reflect everyday life. She is currently doing an oral history project focusing on Wellington buskers. Lynette joined the Board in 2019.