Inglewood, New Zealand

Inglewood is a town in the Taranaki Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is 16 kilometres (10 mi) southeast of New Plymouth on State Highway 3, close to Mount Taranaki, and sits 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level. The town services a mainly dairy farming region. History The settlement was founded in 1873 and was originally called Moatown. The name was then changed to Milton, before ultimately being renamed to Inglewood in 1875 to avoid confusion with Milton in the South Island. The railway reached Inglewood in 1877, connecting it with New Plymouth as part of the first extension of what is now the Marton–New Plymouth line. Until 1991, Inglewood was home to the Moa-Nui Co-operative Dairies factory (which was the fourth largest dairy factory in New Zealand) before it was shut down in favour of centralised processing near Hāwera. From 1949 until the late 1980s, Inglewood was home to Fun Ho! Toys, a manufacturer of collectible die cast metal toys and one of New Zealand's largest toy companies. The factory shut down in 1987 but a museum in the town still exists with over 3000 toys on display. Despite its small population, the town has gained notoriety from a string of violent crimes which tend toward the gruesome, bizarre and barbaric. A 2015 book by the anthropologist Michael D. Jackson refers to "Inglewood's violent past" and "the popular claim that Inglewood is the 'murder capital' and 'psychopathic centre' of New Zealand". Studies lend some support to this claim. While the national murder rate is about two per hundred thousand per annum, my hometown boasts a rate of twenty five per hundred thousand—not alarming by US standards (Inglewood, California has thirteen murders per thousand yet is safer than 25 percent of cities in the U.S.), but troubling for New Zealanders. It isn't just the discrepancy between the pastoral appearance of my hometown and its hidden history of violence that is so mystifying; it is the brutal and bizarre form that this violence takes. Historic buildings A number of buildings are listed by Heritage New Zealand. Inglewood Railway Station and Yard is listed as Category I. The Shoe Store Building on the corner of Rata and Richmond Streets and the band rotunda on the corner of Rata and Moa Streets are listed as Category II. Marae Te Kōhanga Moa Marae is located in Inglewood. It features the Matamua meeting house, and is affiliated with the Te Āti Awa hapū of Pukerangiora. In October 2020, the Government committed $817,845 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade it and Muru Raupatu marae, creating 15 jobs. Demographics Stats NZ describes Inglewood as a small urban area, which covers 3.18 km2 (1.23 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 3,970 as of June 2025, with a population density of 1,248 people per km2. Inglewood had a population of 3,801 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 246 people (6.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 546 people (16.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,845 males, 1,950 females, and 9 people of other genders in 1,497 dwellings. 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 38.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 789 people (20.8%) aged under 15 years, 645 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 1,623 (42.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 741 (19.5%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.7% European (Pākehā); 16.8% Māori; 2.1% Pasifika; 3.2% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori by 2.5%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 4.0%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 12.8, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 28.9% Christian, 0.4% Hindu, 0.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 59.3%, and 9.2% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 432 (14.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,794 (59.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 780 (25.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $38,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 189 people (6.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,509 (50.1%) full-time, 420 (13.9%) part-time, and 57 (1.9%) unemployed. Education Inglewood has a number of coeducational schools. Inglewood High School is a secondary (years 9–13) school with a roll of 554. The school was established in 1957. Inglewood Primary School and St Patrick's School are full primary (years 1–8) schools with rolls of 374 and 53, respectively. Inglewood Primary School was founded in 1875. St Patrick's is a state integrated Catholic school. St Patrick's was established in 1906 and moved to its current site in 1926. Rolls are as of March 2026. Notable people Inglewood has produced four All Blacks (John Major, Handley Brown, Dave "Trapper" Loveridge, Chris Masoe). Other notable people include: Fleur Beale (née Corney; born 1945), fiction writer Henry Brown (1842–1921), sawmiller and Member of the House of Representatives (1896–1899) Fiona Clark (born 1954), photographer Callum Gibbins (rugby union)Hurricanes (rugby union) Ben Hana a.k.a. Blanket Man (1957–2012), Wellington identity, famous for wearing only a blanket Harry Kerr (1879–1951), athlete Margaret Sparrow (born 1935), medical doctor and reproductive rights activist Bill Sullivan (1891–1967), politician References Further reading General historical works 125th anniversary of Fritz Reuter Polish settlers in Taranaki, 1876-2001, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Polish Genealogical Society of New Zealand, 2003 All about Fritz Reuter Place, 1875-2002, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Florinda Lambert, 2002 Heritage trail: Inglewood walkway, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Mainstreets Inglewood, c. 1996 Inglewood County, Wellington, [N.Z.]: New Zealand Historic Places Trust, 1982 Bade, David (2006), Nineteenth century West Prussian/Polish immigrants to Taranaki: identity, culture and impact on present-day Taranaki, Auckland, [N.Z.]: David Bade Brown, Robert W. (n.d.), Index to Te Moa: 100 years history of the Inglewood community, 1875-1975, n.p.: n.p. Brown, Robert W. (1975), Te Moa: 100 years history of the Inglewood community, 1875-1975, Inglewood, [N.Z.]; New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Masterprint Press Cornwall, Joyce (1993), Upper Durham Road : a Taranaki history, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Durham C.W.I. Denne, Carolyn (1991), Inglewood: an environmental area (B.R.P. (Hons.), Massey University) Lambert, Florinda Louise (Floss) (1991), All about Inglewood, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Florinda Lambert Pobog-Jaworowski, J.W. (1977), Polish settlers in Taranaki, 1876-1976, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Taranaki Polish Centennial Committee Smillie, Dorrie; Broadmore, Urban (1993), 100 years of Dudley School and district, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: The School Stewart, Derek W. (c. 1970), Inglewood and the Moa District in 1875, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Inglewood Borough Council Arts and literature 19 years of drama: Inglewood Dramatic Society, 1975, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Inglewood Dramatic Society, 1975 Inglewood: stories and poems of Inglewood, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: G. Gibson for the Inglewood Writer's Group, c. 2000 Mackie, Selina; Ertel, David (2006), Inglewood Dramatic Society Incorporated: celebrating 50 years of exceptional theatre, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Inglewood Dramatic Society Business history Brown, Robert W. (c. 1988), A collection of papers on the history of the Brown family, the Rev. Henry Handley Brown and the sawmilling firm of Henry Brown and Co. Ltd, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: R. W. Brown Gifford, John E. (1963), 100 years of timber: a history of Henry Brown, "the founder of Inglewood" and the company he founded, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Taranaki Newspapers Griffin, R. H. (1978), BNZ Inglewood: a century of service, 1878-1978, Wellington, [N.Z.]: BNZ Archives Churches Anglican All about St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Inglewood and, other Anglican churches in the outer Inglewood district, n.p.: n.p., n.d. Brown, Robert W. (1969), A short history of the parochial district of Saint Andrew's, Inglewood, Inglewood, [N.Z.]; New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: R. W. Brown; Taranaki Newspapers Catholic Julian, Pat (2000), A history of the Sacred Heart Parish, Inglewood, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: P. Julian Methodist Ashworth, John Cyril Robert (1946), Souvenir to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Inglewood Methodist Church, 1876-1946, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Taranaki Daily News Clubs and organisations Inglewood: stories and poems of Inglewood, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: G. Gibson for the Inglewood Writer's Group, c. 2000 Inglewood Fire Brigade & Ambulance: station opening, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Inglewood Fire Brigade, 1999 Dickson, T. H.; Hammonds, J. K. (1996), Lodge Moa No. 110 : 100 years, 1896-1996, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: The Lodge Mackie, G. Helen, ed. (1998), Inglewood United Rugby Football Club centennial, 1898-1998, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: The Club Mackie, Selina; Ertel, David (2006), Inglewood Dramatic Society Incorporated: celebrating 50 years of exceptional theatre, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Inglewood Dramatic Society Environment Franks, John A. (1980), Ngatoro Stream Catchment, Stratford, [N.Z.]: Taranaki Catchment Commission Maps New Zealand Department of Lands & Survey (1984), Map of New Plymouth, Oakura, Inglewood, Waitara (3rd. ed.), Wellington, [N.Z.]: Department of Lands and Survey, New Zealand NOTE: Scale = 1: 12 500 New Zealand Department of Lands & Survey (1987), Streetfinder New Plymouth: Oakura, Waitara, Inglewood (4th. ed.), Wellington, [N.Z.]: New Zealand Department of Lands and Survey NOTE: Scale = 1: 15 000 New Zealand Department of Lands & Survey (1995), Streetfinder New Plymouth: Inglewood, Oakura, Okato, Urenui, Waitara (5th. ed.), Wellington, [N.Z.]: New Zealand Department of Lands and Survey NOTE: Scale = 1: 15 000 People 125th anniversary of Fritz Reuter Polish settlers in Taranaki, 1876-2001, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Polish Genealogical Society of New Zealand, 2003 Bade, David (2006), Nineteenth century West Prussian/Polish immigrants to Taranaki: identity, culture and impact on present-day Taranaki, Auckland, [N.Z.]: David Bade Brown, Robert W. (c. 1988), A collection of papers on the history of the Brown family, the Rev. Henry Handley Brown and the sawmilling firm of Henry Brown and Co. Ltd, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: R. W. Brown Gifford, John E. (1963), 100 years of timber: a history of Henry Brown, "the founder of Inglewood" and the company he founded, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Taranaki Newspapers Lambert, Florinda Louise (Floss); Dobson, Mary (n.d.), Honours awarded to Inglewood people, n.p.: n.p. Lambert, Florinda Louise (Floss); Dobson, Mary (2001), Inglewood awards and outstanding citizens, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: New Plymouth Library Poletti, Margaret (c. 1998), The Inglewood Laurences, Papakura, [N.Z.]: M. Poletti Schools Inglewood High School 25th jubilee celebrations, 4–6 June 1982, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Jubilee Committee, 1982 Waitoriki School 125 years, 1880-2005, Waitoriki, [N.Z.]: Waitoriki School Jubilee Committee, 2005 St. Patrick's Convent School, Inglewood: 75th jubilee, May 29–30-31, 1981, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: St. Patrick's Convent School Jubilee Committee, 1981 Hunt, Janet (2007), Three cheers fifty years: Inglewood High School, 1957-2007, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Inglewood High School History Publication Committee Richardson, Diane (2000), Inglewood Primary School 125th jubilee : Easter 2000, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Inglewood Primary School Smillie, Dorrie; Broadmore, Urban (1993), 100 years of Dudley School and district, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: The School External links Inglewood - Community Website. Inglewood High School website Fun Ho! Toy Museum and Factory