Research Grants
The closing date for 2026 applications is Friday 3 October 2025. See Research Grant Applications for further information
Background
The FoTL Research Grant was established in 2003 from income derived from two large bequests, by David Bilbrough and Wesley (Bill) Secker. Thanks to generous Centennial donations from members, the grant has been increased over time.
The grant for researchers who plan to make significant use of the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library and is intended to emphasise the distinctive contribution that a research and heritage library makes to public knowledge. It celebrates the significant role of ongoing research and publication based on the Turnbull Library collections and the knowledge of the staff.
Previous Recipients
2025
The 2025 Research Grant was shared between three researchers, with an additional researcher receiving a Travel Grant
Author of the 2004 publication “A Carved Cloak for Tahu”, Mere Whaanga has been awarded a grant to further her project “Conflict, Land and Leadership” which extends understanding of major conflicts in the greater Māhia/Wairoa area in the nineteenth century.
Dunedin researcher, Annabel Cooper has been awarded a grant to support her biography of the Hayward family and their contribution to entertainment and film in Aotearoa New Zealand through the twentieth century.
Australian-based Jo Oliver has been awarded a Research Grant to support her research towards biography of mid-twentieth century author, Rita Snowden.
In addition to these three Research Grants, Redmer Yska has been awarded a Travel Grant to support his research for a new biography of the library’s founder, Alexander Turnbull.
2024
In 2024 a Research Grant was awarded to Dr Jacquie Leckie, and a Travel Grant was awarded to Professor Kealani Cook
Otago historian Jacqueline Leckie is producing a book on “Indians over 100 years in Te Whanganui-a-Tara”, to mark the centenary in 2025 of Wellington’s Indian community.
Hawaiian researcher Kealani Cook is working on a comparative study of “Non-violent civil disobedience in Oceania”, in which he will consider non-violent resistance at Parihaka alongside the Samoan Mau movement, the Ma’asina Ruru movement in the Solomon Islands and Operation Homecoming at Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands.
2023
In 2023 a Research Grant was awarded to Wellington researcher Dr Hilary Stace for her project “Janet Fraser: Political Partnerships”.
Janet Fraser (1883-1945) was the political partner and wife of Prime Minister Peter Fraser. Both Scots-born, Janet and Peter met in Auckland and were active in the formation of the Labour Party. Later they moved to Wellington where Janet supported Peter through his imprisonment, his election as MP, before marrying a year later. Describing Janet as ‘a political feminist of the first post-suffrage generation’, Hilary plans to produce the first published monograph on her life.
Her research reveals a woman who fought for social justice all her life. With friends and colleagues, Janet Fraser helped found the Labour Party and worked throughout her life to further its activities. She lobbied for women’s right to stand for Parliament and then supported others to do so.
The FoTL Research Grant provides Hilary Stace with time and resources to continue to work through the substantial body of relevant material held at the Turnbull and beyond, and to publish a book.
2022
The 2022 Research Grant was shared between two researchers. Wellington biographer Sarah Gaitanos was awarded a research grant to assist her to complete a biography of Brigadier Reginald Miles, an important, heroic, largely forgotten New Zealand soldier, with a working title of “Now Cracks a Noble Heart”.
Dunedin researcher Dr Claire Macindoe was awarded a research grant towards her proposed book on Dr H B Turbott, who became an important and popular health broadcaster during his forty-year tenure as the ‘Radio Doctor’.
2021
The 2021 Research Grant of $20,000 was awarded to Pania Te Whāiti.
Wellington researcher Pania Te Whāiti (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitaane, Ngāti Toa, Kāi Tahu) was awarded the Research Grant for her project “Kaumātua Kōrero: The diaries of Iraia te-Ama-o-te-Rangi Te Whāiti”. She plans to tell the story of Iraia te-Ama-o-te-Rangi Te Whāiti, a kaumātua and rangatira of South Wairarapa.
The diaries begin in 1890 when Iraia, a 22-year-old farmer, is intent on developing a successful farming business and buying back his ancestral lands to provide for his hapū. Up until his death in the influenza pandemic of 1918, he recorded his activities and thoughts in notebooks – often in haste, on the road, early in the morning or late at night. This working record in te reo of the life of a busy farmer is now in the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library, supplemented with maps, whakapapa, photographs and letters.
Against the backdrop of the influential prophet Pāora Te Potangaroa, Iraia’s story tells of the alienation of Wairarapa land by the Crown, the alienation of the Wairarapa Lakes, the printing of the Te Puke Ki Hikurangi newspaper, the Kotahitanga Political movement, the Great War, and the illnesses that devastated the Māori population, ending with the 1918 pandemic.
Convenor of the selection panel, Dr Robin Skinner, said that Pania’s project highlights the role of the Alexander Turnbull Library as a priceless research resource and a safe repository for Māori taonga.
2020
The 2020 Research Grant of $20,000 was awarded to Sarah Shieff
Literary scholar and writer Sarah Shieff received the 2020 research grant to assist her latest project, to publish a collection of the letters of poet Allen Curnow ONZ CBE (1911-2001). Noting that Allen Curnow is widely recognised as New Zealand’s most distinguished poet, Sarah aims to “tell the story of his long life in his own words”. She believes that publishing his letters will go some way to make up for the fact that he never wrote his own autobiography.
Sarah Shieff is Associate Professor of English in the School of Arts, University of Waikato. She has previously published Letters of Frank Sargeson (Random House, 2012), and her Letters of Denis Glover (Otago University Press, 2020) is forthcoming. For more information, see Literary Letters to Receive Funding.
2019
Two research grants were awarded for 2019.
Wellington writer and broadcaster Nick Bollinger – author of the acclaimed Goneville: a memoir, published by Awa Press (2016) – is working on a project to chronicle the development of the counterculture in New Zealand during the years 1960-1975. He says the term counterculture became widely used in the 1960s to identify a range of groups and individuals – from Baxter’s poetry to the music of Blerta, from Roger Donaldson (Sleeping Dogs) to Tim Shadbolt (Bullshit and Jellybeans) – broadly sharing a belief in an alternative society.
He will be drawing on the rich and diverse collections of the Turnbull Library to trace the roots of countercultural ideas, how they evolved and how they affected New Zealand society.
Co-recipient Dr Vincent O’Malley receives a second grant to continue his ongoing work on a book on the New Zealand Wars, aimed at a secondary schools market. He is the author of The Great War for New Zealand (see below).
2018
Wellington historian Dr Vincent O’Malley – whose fine book The Great War for New Zealand: Waikato 1800-2000, was published by Bridget Williams Books in 2016 – received a research grant to assist him to begin work on a book on the New Zealand Wars aimed at secondary school students as well as a general market.
Auckland dress historian Angela Lassig received a research grant towards the research for a history of women’s dress in nineteenth century New Zealand. Ms Lassig has drawn almost all her material from the rich and diverse collections of the Turnbull Library. She has been exploring letters and diaries, cartoons and advertisements, sketchbooks and photographs, to create an accessible social history for the study and enjoyment of New Zealand women’s dress and textile heritage.
2017
The 2017 grant was awarded to Ryan Bodman of Auckland, whose project was a history of rugby league in New Zealand.
Ryan’s research at the Alexander Turnbull Library included the oral history archives and the photographic collections. His focus was on aspects of social class and links with marginalised communities as well as sport.
His book, “Rugby League in New Zealand: A People’s History“, was published in 2023 by Bridget Williams Books. It won the Judith Binney Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction in the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.
2016
The 2016 grant was awarded to Dr Jarrod Gilbert of Christchurch, to research a book, “Murder: A New Zealand History”. He was planning to chronicle specific case studies to illustrate the crime of murder as a means of shedding light on New Zealanders’ relationship with violence.
2015
The 2015 grant was awarded to Dr Gerri Kimber, a UK researcher, who has produced a book about Katherine Mansfield, titled Katherine Mansfield: The Early Years. Dr Kimber was in New Zealand in August 2015 (see Public Programme).
2014
The 2014 grant was awarded to Lucy Treep of Auckland, who was working on a possible biography of Maurice Shadbolt.
2003-2013
No research grant was awarded for two years during renovations to the National Library but the grant has been offered each year since 2012
- Philip Norman, biographer of Douglas Lilburn
- Tim Beaglehole, biographer of John Cawte Beaglehole
- Alex Bremner, for work on his publication, Ecclesiology and the Colonial Church; Architecture, Empire, and High Anglican Culture in Britain and the British Colonial World, 1840-70
- Paul Diamond for his photo-essay on Maggie Papakura
- Jennifer Shennan for a biography of Poul Gnatt
- Joint award ($10,000 each) to Paul Meredith for his account of the Maori King’s 1914 UK visit and Philip Simpson for a study of the history and uses of the totara tree
- Charlotte Williams for a history of relations between Maori and the National Party, 1936-2006
- Doug Munro for a history of the NZ Opera Company 1954-71