A Pictorial and Written history by Len Watkins of the Watkins family in Hastings New Zealand. Follows a brief Genealogical line from 1800 in Hereford, England, to Melbourne; Australia and finally their subsequent settling in Hastings, New Zealand. The book covers his families development and includes the interruption of World Wars 1 and 2 on their lives, then centres on their working life in the steam industry giving details of steam traction engines owned and local properties worked on. Short excerpts of incidences happening and problems overcome make this an interesting read about events in Hastings. Their input at the time of the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake in removing rubble and their lives working with steam engines is of particular interest.