PUB-GOERS in the New Zealand area of Derby are this week celebrating the anniversary of the event which helped give it the name.
Regulars at the New Zealand Arms, in Langley Street, are partying to mark the signing of a historic agreement in a country on the other side of the world 173 years ago.
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on February 6, 1840 and established a British Government in the country of New Zealand, recognised Maori ownership of their lands and gave the Maori the same rights as British subjects.
Pub manager Ross Watson said the celebration he was planning had ignited local interest in the Derby area of the same name.
He said: "Over the past few days we've had lots of people bringing in old pictures of the area and we're all learning about its history.
"The events we've got going on to celebrate should be a lot of fun. As far as I know it's the first time the pub has had a celebration like this."
The New Zealand area of Derby – between Uttoxeter Old Road, Ashbourne Road, Kingsway and Slack Lane – was once farmland, owned by the Chandos-Poles family, of Radbourne.
The family, the owners of Radbourne Hall, named a farm on their estate New Zealand to mark the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The name came to apply to the area when the family began building there in the 19th Century.
Now the New Zealand Arms is celebrating tonight by replacing its usual quiz with a Maori and Marley themed event to commemorate the signing of the treaty and musician Bob Marley's birthday. It starts at 9pm.
And on Saturday the pub will host a New Zealand-themed beach party.
It is having three tonnes of sand delivered to make its own beach for the all-day party, where special Maori burgers will be served as well as New Zealand beers.
In the evening the Marv White Blues Band will be performing.
In the country of New Zealand, Waitangi Day, today, is a public holiday and fun day.
It will be marked with barbecues on the beach, sheep-shearing competitions and Gumboot (welly) wanging competitions.
In the first 50 years of the Derby area's existence much building took place, with many of the streets being named after local MPs, such as Bass, Heyworth and Plimsoll.
Windmills, a church and an orphanage were all built as well as three pubs – The New Zealand Arms, Cobden Arms and The Crescent.
The New Zealand Arms became a Stretton's pub in the 1890s but more recently has been taken over by Dancing Duck Brewery, based on Chandos Pole Street.
