This 148-page facsimile reproduction was published by the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust in 2012.

In 1911 Wanganui was marketing itself as being “Pretty, Prosperous and Progressive”.  The combined population of the four boroughs and town councils that made up “Greater Wanganui” was just under 15,000, more than both Palmerston North and New Plymouth at the time.  Local citizens considered Wanganui was destined to become a large city and the Borough Council was developing essential infrastructure such as the port, tram system, gas and water supplies to cope with the needs of a growing population.

The coronation of King George V and Queen Mary on 22 June 1911 was an occasion for celebration throughout the British Empire.  In New Zealand, the coronation was marked by an industrial exhibition in Wellington and the government provided grants to encourage local authorities to erect public facilities to commemorate the occasion.  As a result, memorial halls, libraries, gates and band rotundas were built throughout the country. In Wanganui, the Borough Council took advantage of the funds on offer to build a Coronation Band Rotunda on a prominent site at its newest public park, Virginia Lake, and published a pictorial Coronation Souvenir to promote the growing town.

The Coronation Souvenir was produced by the Wanganui Chronicle who proposed in March 1911 that the Council should pay for extra quantities so copies could be placed in all ships coming to New Zealand and in London.  While this did not appear to happen, it is true that copies of the Coronation Souvenir were distributed widely in New Zealand and overseas.  In 1912, an industrialist in St Paul, Minnesota wrote to a Wanganui contact:  “I want to thank you for the souvenir booklet gotten up in commemoration of the late Coronation.  It is needless to say that I was, indeed, surprised, as I had no idea that your city was as modern as same appears” and noted that he had put his copy on file for future reference.

The Coronation Band Rotunda at Virginia Lake features on the book cover.