Mr Reynolds said the generation of the post War-1950s era knew about their parents and the 1920s but it was “a mystery” to the generations that followed.
His research shows David McCool Nolan, born in Ireland, arrived in Auckland in 1866 after living in Australia for 14 years.
He had eight children with first wife Mary and three with second wife Ann.
Nolan’s oldest child James Wrey Nolan (1854- 1938) was the only one to settle in Gisborne meaning descendants from all over the country will attend the first Nolan family reunion.
James was a prominent lawyer, and his Nolan and Skeet firm held the Crown warrant in Gisborne for more than a century.
He played in the first-ever Auckland rugby team against a Dunedin-based side on September 22, 1875, in what is regarded as the first provincial match.
He captained a Poverty Bay XV, which lost 0-2 to the “Napier Club” in a match played in Gisborne in 1879.
James was a keen cricketer and was prominently associated with the administration of racing in Poverty Bay, occupying the position of president and, later, of patron of the Poverty Bay Turf Club.
“I would have loved to have met him,” said Mr Reynolds. “He was a fascinating character.”
The reunion organising committee has been busy and expects about 150 people to attend.
Most events will be held at the new Midway Surf Life Saving Club.
There is no cut-off date for registrations.
Go to www.nolanreunion2024.co.nz/ for more information.
David McCool Nolan
David Nolan served in the Merchant Navy (East India Service) and married Mary Burnside on June 29, 1852 in Derry.
When his father married for the fourth time, he set sail with his wife, three sisters and one brother for Melbourne, Australia.
He involved himself in pastoral pursuits in New South Wales before following his sister to Auckland in 1866.
He settled there with his growing family.
He continued to be involved in the pastoral industry and eventually joined Mr William Hunter in a wool broking and auctioneering firm. Hunter and Nolan became celebrated throughout New Zealand and Australia as leading bloodstock auctioneers.
The company was eventually sold to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company Ltd.
He died in 1901 and is buried at the Purewa Cemetery, Meadowbank, Auckland.
James Wrey Nolan
James Nolan was born in Bathhurst, Australia in 1854 and was educated in Auckland at Wesley College and Auckland Grammar School.
He was a versatile sportsman representing Auckland in both cricket and rugby.
He was a member of the first rugby team to domestically tour the country, but the Auckland side never won a match.
In 1888, aged 24, he left Auckland to strike out on his own in Gisborne.
He joined with a Mr Rogan to form the law firm Rogan and Nolan but Rogan died within a year.
James found a new partner in Mr Skeet and formed the law firm of Nolan and Skeet.
Despite the fact that Skeet died very young, the firm Nolan and Skeet survived for about 110 years before evolving into Nolans in 1998.
James was appointed the chairman of directors of the Gisborne Sheepfarmer’s Frozen Meat and Mercantile Co.
Under his administration a policy of rebuilding the works at Kaiti and consolidating the position of the company was completed.
He was a member of the Gisborne Borough Council and the Cook Hospital Board.
James married Ellen Julia Gould in 1881 and the couple had eight children.
In 1903 James and Ellen bought a property east of Gisborne where they built Otipi which became the family home.
Otipi is still owned by the family today.
