Frank Bartram Blackwell

Frank Bartram Blackwell was once a well known Paparoa local who was born on 11 November 1862 in Northamptonshire, England. He married Annie Allen Browne on 21 February 1900 - together they had 3 children; Annie, Frank William and Florence.

Mr Blackwell was a botanist and photographer who's photos were seen in the NZ Graphic Magazine. 

Interestingly enough the caption on the photo from the Auckland Museum collections says that he is charming a swarm of bees here on his property which was on the banks of the Pahi River.

An article from the Northern Advocate 22 April 1899 says this:

Mr Frank Blackwell of Paparoa who arrived in Whangarei yesterday on a visit with friends is (we believe) the first person to travel on a bicycle over the whole of the rough and broken countryside which lies between Whangarei and Paparoa. The distance by route is about 40 miles and the roads for the most part are pretty bad for cycling. It speaks well for the enduring qualities of both the machine and the rider that Mr Blackwell and his bike look as fresh as paint".

I lived in Mangawhai and Maungaturoto for nearly 20 years and know this part of Northland well. By today's standards there are 2 ways you can travel from Paparoa to Whangarei; one is via Taipuha which from memory takes about 45-50 minutes and the other way via SHW 1 (which probably wasn't there back then) is about 50-55 minutes depending on traffic. Mr Blackwell must've been extremely fit to bike all that way.

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