We're all Marlburians
By Lance Dodd, Editor - The Marlborough Express
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Opinion
OPINION: What is Marlborough? Or, more importantly, who is Marlborough? Those were the questions we asked when coming up with ideas for the special 150th commemorative cover that is wrapped around today's edition of The Marlborough Express.
Marlborough has changed a lot in 150 years. The population has changed too, not only in numbers but in many other ways as well.
The 2006 census put Marlborough's population at 42,549. A council housing study in 2007 found that 38 percent of the region's population arrived since 2001. The population is expected to reach 53,000 in 20 years.
Our aim was to capture the face of Marlborough today. Using census figures and other information we broke the population down into age, ethnicity and gender and sent our photographers out into the community to photograph the people of Marlborough.
The 150 faces on the cover represent what our province looks like today. And, judging by the smiles on the faces of the people, we live in a vibrant, happy place.
For the inside pages of the wraparound we decided to look at the past and present generations of Marlborough. Deputy editor Anna Wallis came up with the right people.
At 87 years old, former Marlborough Express editor Harry Turvey certainly has seen a lot more of the past than many of us. Harry was born in 1922 and has lived in Marlborough since 1953, certainly making him a true Marlburian.
Young Dylan Marra is only three weeks old and represents the future of Marlborough. He is one of an estimated 580 children who will be born here this year, many of whom will no doubt still be living here when the province celebrates its 200th anniversary.
That's the thing about Marlborough – once you've lived here it's really quite hard to imagine living anywhere else.
There is often debate around what constitutes a "true Marlburian". Is it the amount of time you have lived here that makes you a local? Is it where you were born?
I have lived in Marlborough for six years and nine months. I wasn't born here and I have certainly not lived here for as long as most Marlburians. But Marlborough is my home now. It is where I have chosen to bring up my children and make my life.
Marlborough is a great region with many wonderful people of all ages, genders and ethnicities. It is – as our cover's smiling faces suggest – a vibrant and happy place and one that I am proud to call my home.
Happy 150th birthday Marlborough!
