Saturday, June 20, 2009

The Shoe Sheriff of Newmarket


I've seen this corrugated iron verandah and advertising sign for years, each time I visit Newmarket. The other day, I decided that digital camera + blog meant that I should post something about it.

The Shoe Sheriff shoe repairs store is run by Peter Croad. The NZ Herald wrote about him and his store, last man out in a sea of commercial redevelopment, back in 2007:

Four years ago the cobbler's shop - owned by Peter Croad - won a courtroom battle to stay on the premier retail drag opposite Westfield's 277 shopping mall, facing down a rich land owner who wanted him out.

The shop has held its ground as all the neighbouring buildings have vanished, including the Patel family's dairy, a toy store and a bookshop.

Those shops were pulled down to make way for Broadway Junction, a project on the leasehold land by award-winning developers Newcrest Group.

New shops have now been built on both sides of the distinctive rust-coloured shoe repair shop, thought to date from the 1930s.

"I'll be in a bank sandwich," Croad said, noting when ASB moves in his shop will be between that and the BNZ.

He's hung on, though. TVNZ covered the story on Close Up in 2006:
"We often hear stories of the small person trying to resist the big developer, and after putting up a valiant fight, eventually forced to cave in. Some say it's inevitable, that progress will always get its own way. But Rawdon Christie has a story where one man has stood up to the big boys - and won. Peter Croad's better known as the 'Shoe Sheriff' in Newmarket, Auckland. He's been running the cobblers shop for over 25 years - his father ran it before him. The shop's actually been in the same location, on Broadway, since the war. So when the landowners told him it was time to go, he said no."
And in April, there was a blog post about it on Wordpress.

I wonder just how long he can go on. It'd be a pity -- that old-fashioned corrugated verandah is one heck of a cool landmark, in the midst of more anonymous and generic chrome and glass.

Tait Park

I found out that someone painted over the sign for Tait Park, a small reserve at the corner of Community Lane (next to Highbury Flats and the local community centre) and Rosebank Road. I was appalled. Yes, I know, this is a small thing in the greatness of the universe, but dammit ...

I was talking to someone recently, asking them what they meant when they referred to "Highbury Triangle". They described this park. "Tait Park?" they said. "But in slang today, we say Highbury Triangle."

No.

The name is Tait Park. The sign may have been painted by hard-pressed, stretched-for-time anti-graffiti folk, but dammit -- the park is called Tait Park. With a reason. "Highbury Triangle" is a Council-sourced new bit of jargon invented for the latest incarnation of the district plan, to describe the total area including the park, the community centre, the library, and the Peace Gardens up at the corner of Great North Road and Ash Street. (Those date from 1995, the 50th anniversary of Hiroshima, and are formed in the shape of the peace symbol from the anti-nuclear protest days.) And "Highbury Triangle" doesn't make sense, unless they've just used the name of the pensioner flats (which Council no longer own, they're run by Housing NZ these days) -- today, none of Highbury Street is within that "triangle".

This has led to me asking to speak nicely to the Avondale Community Board at their meeting's Public Forum on Tuesday 23 June, to ask them if they wouldn't mind asking Council nicely to arrange to have the letters restored. A few dabs of white or yellow here and there to form the letters so they can be seen would be nice. It's also led to me compiling a brief history of the park, here.

So, here's some views of Tait Park. This is the part added to the park after the Ash Street extension went in behind it. It used to be part of Highbury Street.







What remains of a scoria wall and set of posts which went along two sides of the park.





I'll come back with an update after I've been to see the Community Board.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Scottish place names in Auckland (but not Avondale)

Ian Kendall from Melbourne in Australia has a page on Rampant Scotland.com on place names in Auckland. I found it by chance while ferreting for stuff about Henderson's Mill. The entry for Avondale, however, isn't correct.
"Avondale (Shetland Islands; also Avondale Castle in South Lanarkshire) but the name is found in England and Ireland as well as in Scotland. According to Dymock (1994, p. 17), this suburb was named in honour of the Duke of Clarence and Avondale, eldest son of King Edward VII. Like Albany (see above), Avondale is a Scottish title used by the British Royal Family. As explained in an article on the Duke of Clarence and Avondale, retrieved from Wikipedia in April 2009, this was the last royal dukedom to be created with two territorial designations. After the Union of the Crowns in 1603, the holders of the (English) title 'Duke of Clarence' were also given titles including Scottish place names, such as St Andrews and Avondale. The title 'Avondale' refers to Avondale Castle in South Lanarkshire, also known as Strathaven Castle - now a ruin and a Scheduled Ancient Monument accessible to the public (Wikipedia article on Strathaven Castle, retrieved in April 2009)."
As I wrote in an email to Mr. Kendall on 2 June:

"Dear Mr. Kendall,

The Auckland suburb of Avondale was not named after the Duke of Clarence and Avondale. Prince Albert Victor was granted those titles nearly a decade (May 1890) after Avondale was gazetted with its name (June 1882, a change from the Whau District). The name Avondale is most likely of Irish origin, not Scottish, as the Chairman of the Road Board at the time, John Bollard, came from County Wicklow, Ireland, near the Avondale Demesne and homestead of Avondale, Charles Parnell's home.

Regards,

Lisa J Truttman
President
Avondale-Waterview Historical Society"
He responded by asking for the reference to this -- and I cited Heart of the Whau (2003). The part where all this is explained is online at Scribd. To date, he hasn't amended his page, but I'm sure he will in time.

It goes to show that while you can make an assumption in terms of history, it always pays to check out whether that assumption is correct. In this case, using tertiary sources wasn't a good idea (checking to see if there was a historical society for the area would have been!) Even if he'd checked the Wiki article on Prince Albert Victor against the early references to Avondale in Papers Past (July 1882), he would have seen the anomaly behind the assumption that Avondale's naming was in any way connected with royalty. But the first reference there is to land sold on an estate once owned by a son of Scotland: Robert Chisholm.

Update (6 July 2009): Ian Kendall has updated his page now, he's advised in an email to me. Looks great! Many thanks, Ian.

Pt Chevalier Times Issue 5

Fifth issue of the Pt Chevalier Times is out (better late than never ...)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Community Archive

Another link added to the list at the left: The Community Archive, a website collecting together the contact and holdings details of institutions up and down the country, replacing the older National Register site. According to the Wairarapa News, it launched just last week.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A couple of Google research tools

Google News Timeline. Enter a date and other keywords, and watch references come up from online sources which may help with research -- or just to have a bit of fun.

Google News Archive Search. This is very good, and also helps to present items found in chronological order, so that you can sort out the relevant from not so relevant.

Wooden headstones and footstones at St Peter's Cemetery, Onehunga


 Updated 19 December 2013.
LOSS OF H. M S. 'ORPHEUS.'

The Rev. Charles B Haslewood — In the Darlington Telegraph, of April 11th, appeared the following notice of this lamented young clergyman, who was last seen on board his ship, cheering and assisting one of the sick from below to a place of comparative safety:

"Among the families most nearly connected m the loss of H. M. S. 'Orpheus,' is that of our respected townsman, Dr. Haslewood. It is with profound regret that we have to record the death of the eldest son of this gentleman, the Rev. C. B. Haslewood, MA., chaplain, and naval instructor of the ill fated vessel. These are doubtless details in the life of the deceased which, in a merely ordinary acquaintance, many of our townsmen are unaware of. We therefore give them with high satisfaction, though scarcely enhancing the sterling nature of his character to those who understood him best. The rev gentleman was a first class man in the classical, and a fourth in the mathematical tripos in the University of Durham. He also gained several scholarships, as well as the distinction of Latin prose prizeman and Fellow of the University. He served as chaplain in the Royal Navy, in H. M ships ' Pearl,' ' Royal George,' and ' Nile,' and subsequently as chaplain and naval instructor combined, in the ' Cyclops, on particular service in the Red Sea ; and, lastly, in the ' Orpheus,' on the Australian station. As an affecting reminiscence of the love with which he was regarded on board the ' Cyclops,' we may mention that he was presented with a testimonial by the petty officers and seamen on the termination of that ship's commission. For a short time previous to his appointment as chaplain, he fulfilled the parochial ministration of St Cuthbert's, in this town , and it is no slight source of consolation to his afflicted relations to be assured of the grateful esteem in which those ministrations are remembered by the humbler classes of the parishioners The rev. gentleman has left a widow to mourn his loss, and a little girl, of a year old, born, subsequently to his embarkation in the ' Orpheus,' who will, we hope, prove the instrument of an all gracious Providence in soothing and comforting her widowed years."

(SC, 23 July 1863)

"H.M. steam corvette Niger, 13 guns, Captain Cracroft, has received orders to proceed from Manukau to New Plymouth forthwith, for which place she is to embark 250 officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of the 57th Regt., under the command of Major Logan. This will leave about 40 of this gallant corps behind. The 57th Regt. will parade this morning, in the Albert Barrack Square, at 8 o'clock, from whence they will march across to Onehunga, there to embark in the Niger, which will sail about 2 p.m. Commodore Seymour returns, by the same opportunity, to the seat of war. It is probable that the Niger will remain for some time off the Taranaki coast. Last week, a melancholy death by drowning took place in the person of one of the seamen of this ship named Griffith, a fine young man and a general favourite. He was assisting to anchor one of the ship's boats when he unfortunately fell overboard : it was at first supposed that he had been dragged over, and the anchor was subsequently weighed, but without effect. The body was recovered in about an hour, and interred in the Churchyard of Onehunga on Sunday last, amidst the general regrets, and followed by a large concourse of his sorrowing shipmates."
(SC, 23 February 1861)

The A.B. after his name could stand for "able seaman".


As for George Perry ... Nothing on the BDM database at all. A farmer named George Perry arrived in Auckland on the African, 1864 (SC, 6 September 1862) That's all I have to date. As a Captain of the Forecastle, George Perry, whoever he was, would have been the equivalent of a chief petty officer. But, he's "late" of the HMS Niger. Did he ceased to serve on her, and died in retirement?


NEGLECTED GRAVES.
(To the Editor.)
Sir, I noticed when in the Church of England cemetery, Queen Street, Onehunga, yesterday afternoon, three headstones (or headboards, I should say, perhaps, for I think they are made of kauri), erected by the men of H.M.S. Ringarooma to the memory of Rev. C. Haslewood, HMS Orpheus, drowned Manukau Heads, 7th February, 1863. This board has fallen down, rotted through at the base. James Griffiths, able seaman, HMS. Niger, drowned Manukau Harbour, 16th February, 1861, and George Perry, captain of the forecastle, HMS. Niger, 31st December, 1860.

As an old Navy man, I felt sorry that a more permanent memorial had not been erected to these men who, we feel sure, were faithful and zealous in the service of their country and Queen. These few lines I trust will catch the eye of some of the members of the Navy League and the Victoria League, which is doing such good work in looking after the old soldiers' graves, and I trust that they will be interested enough to try and raise enough money (about £15 would do it) to erect a permanent memorial to these men.

We bear a lot of talk about patriotism, and it is well to foster the true spirit of patriotism, and one way to do it is to honour the last resting place of those who have done their part to keep the dear old Union Jack flying over this part of our great Empire. —I am, etc., ANDREW MILLER. 


Auckland Star,  8 August 1913, p. 9

This bit was found by Liz Clark:

Some men of H. M.S. Ringarooma, under chief carpenter's mate, Mackenzie, paid an official visit to St. Peter's Cemetery, Onehunga, yesterday. Their object was a most commendable one., viz., to clear away bush and undergrowth from the graves of sailors who lay buried there. After removing an immense amount of rubbish, the following inscriptions were visible on the tombstones, which should be interesting: —(1) "To the memory of George Perry," late captain forecastle of H.M.s. Niger, December 31st, 1860,, aged 44. Weep not for me my comrades dear, I am not dead,' but sleeping hero; My soul lies here beneath the sod, My spirit enters rest' with God."—(2) "To James Griffiths, an able seaman, who was drowned in the Manukau Harbour, February 16th, 1861, aged 20. I was duty-called thus to attend, Which brought me to thisa sudden end, Dear friends, grieve not, but trust that I May live with God eternally." (3) "To Chaplin Hazeworth, of H.M.s. Orpheus, February 7th, 1863."

Auckland Star 1 October 1892

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Ken Maunder Park, by Phil Hanson

My thanks to guest contributor Phil Hanson for the following piece he put together on Ken Maunder Park in New Lynn, and the story behind the name.

One of my dog’s preferred walks is around Ken Maunder Park on the eastern edge of New Lynn where it meets Avondale, and surrounded on three sides by the Whau River. The park has for years been a well-known sports ground but lately, as Georgie sniffs from tree to tree, I’ve become curious about its history.


And what an interesting past this unremarkable-looking park turns out to have. It’s also had something of an identity crisis; Ken Maunder Park is its third name. Originally Binsted Road Reserve, it later became Rewa Park before assuming the present name in 1970.


The park enjoys a small connection to New Zealand’s early aviation history. In 1911 the syndicate backing the brothers Leo and Vivian Walsh and their American Howard Wright biplane Manurewa handed the aircraft after a disagreement to Australian pilot Frederick Sandford and his kiwi “business manager” Billy Miller. The pair substantially modified the aircraft and began trials at Avondale racecourse, where it promptly hit a fence on Feb 29, 1913. The book, The History of New Zealand Aviation (Ewing and MacPherson, 1986) reports, “ The second [flight] several weeks later, was even more short lived when a dog leapt into the propeller blades.”

The Sandford-Miller biplane above Avondale Racecourse. Photo from Weekly News, 6 November 1913,
p. 40, via Special Collections, Auckland City Libraries (N.Z.)


A number of successful flights were made, as covered in the Timespanner post of Sept 29, 2008. On August 31 (but said by the History of NZ Aviation to be August 20), with Miller on board as passenger, the engine failed at about 250 feet and the biplane made a forced landing at the paddock “against Binsted’s slaughterhouse”. (This from The New Lynn Reserves Management Plan 2004, pp.71-73) I’m not sure of the exact location of the slaughterhouse but it seems likely to have been on or very near the land that now comprises the park. After repairing the motor, Sandford successfully took off. Although this has been credited as the first “cross-country” flight in New Zealand, research in more recent times has cast doubt on the claim, according to The History of NZ Aviation.

There was another brush with aviation 54 years later when the park was considered as a possible heliport location. The proposal was rejected because, as the Western Leader reported in May 1967, “sports activities would have to be adjourned to allow landings and takeoffs.” Life was so much simpler in the days before OSH!

Not all of the park’s history has been as glamorous. In 1927, the trustees of the Binsted Estate were complaining to the council about the continued use of the site as a nightsoil dump. From at least the 1940s it was a council rubbish tip. In October 1951, the Binsted estate sold land to the council that allowed the area’s gradual transformation into a recreational reserve. The trustees wrote: “As the property has been in the Binsted family for over 60 years they would be pleased if your council could see their way to call the property Binsted Park.”

However, in October 1956 for a reason I have not been able to uncover, the name changed to Rewa Park. By then, the transformation to reserve was well underway, the New Lynn Municipal Election Supplement 1956 reporting levelling was being done for two football fields, and a mangrove gully was being reclaimed by dumping rubbish into it. By 1963, the now-closed bridge to Queen Mary Avenue was built. The bridge is due for replacement this year.



A three-stage development was proposed in 1968; construction of a soccer field; alternations to the main playing area and extra soccer fields; and roading and drainage. Two years later, the name was changed for the third time to Ken Maunder Park.
Photo: Ken Maunder – from the Western Leader via Waitakere Libraries.

So who was Ken Maunder? An obituary in the Western Leader 18.11.69 said he was a member of New Lynn Borough Council from 1955 to 1962 and from 1955 until his death in Middlemore Hospital, aged 57. He was president of the Auckland Local Bodies Association 1960-62 and the borough’s deputy mayor from 1959 to 1962. In addition to membership of the New Lynn branch of the Labour Party, he was widely active in the community, particularly sport and especially rugby and bowls. Mr Maunder was a president of the New Lynn Bowling Club, a supporter of the Suburbs Rugby Club, a rugby coach and a member of the New Lynn primary school.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

A surprise mural on the Newmarket Line


My apologies for the blurriness of the image -- I was able to take one shot from inside a moving suburban train heading back out west to Avondale this afternoon. I'll try to get a better shot if I can over the next few days.

I spotted this mural along the rail line between Newmarket and the Parnell Rail Tunnel yesterday. At least today, I've got something to show you.



We need more little treasures like this along the rail line. I do hope it's graffiti-guarded ...

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

A gift from an unknown draughtsman


In my work, I deal with early survey and subdivision plans a lot. I have a deep love of maps, and these types are no exception. Having downloaded a plan today from the Landonline site, I never noticed some of the finer detail until just now, when I had a breather, and could take a closer look.

The above detail comes from Deed S 26 (Crown copyright, Land Information NZ), the subdivision of J. C. Hill's estate in 1859, called Hillsboro and Queenstown (part of today's Hillsborough and Onehunga suburbs). "The Bluff" is today called White Bluff, between Granny's Bay and Hillsborough Bay, along the northern coast of the Manukau Harbour.

Some Lands and Survey draughtsman, perhaps thinking the plan needed that extra little bit of detail, added the sketch of a steamer with sails, puffing away from the bluff out across the harbour. Sorry, I couldn't find any reference as to who the artist was.

Matariki

Saw this interesting article by Paul Moon in the Herald today, on Matariki and just what it may be supposed to mean. I'm still not quite convinced, personally, that the modern incarnation isn't just some marketing mob's idea to take a Maori tradition and turn it into the counter-balance for the Western New Year and the Chinese Lunar one -- thereby creating another event to spend our money on. For me, it suddenly seemed to leap up into the calendar out of nowhere -- around the same time I was told by local Ngati Whatua that the tip or near to the tip of Rosebank Peninsula was once Rangi Matatariki, a late 18th century battleground as well as seasonal settlement. (Since then, I've seen the plan for our Matariki Settlement as well.)

It may indeed raise public awareness of our dual cultural heritage here. On the other hand, as Moon writes:
"Hopefully Matariki will endure, if for no other reason than because it is an instructive part of our heritage, and is something unique to our country. But without greater attention to issues of historical and cultural accuracy, it could become yet another state-sponsored Trojan Horse for the Maori renaissance that never quite got through the gates."

Monday, June 8, 2009

Coronation Bridge, Henderson

I think that this could be a "Beware of the taniwha" sign.

This is Coronation Bridge, Henderson, the pedestrian accessway from Henderson Valley Road up the southern side of Great North Road towards the Corban Arts Centre and beyond. With the frosty mornings we've had this last week, the surface iced up.


Why am I posting this? Well, it seems that the date when it opened has been incorrectly noted for posterity by various histories of the district. Easy enough to do -- given that all they had to go on was the bottom plaque. No date of opening -- just when King George V was coronated (hence, the established name of the bridge.)

But, because I am an Avondale history collector, and John Bollard (father of Avondale's name) was our most influential resident for most of the 19th century history of settlement here -- when I saw an article one time in the library about him, as MP, opening the Henderson bridge, I grabbed it and filed it. Only a chance comment by a West Auckland historian over the weekend dredged it back out again.

The bridge was actually opened by Bollard, as MP for Eden (where the site of the bridge was c.1909, when they first started thinking it was a good idea) on 14 November 1912. By then, the bridge was no longer in Eden, due to boundary changes, but that didn't seem to matter much; the other bloke, A. Harris the MP for Waitemata, was there as well, but Bollard did the formalities.

"The township of Henderson presented a very gay appearence on Saturday, when the new ferro-concrete Coronation Bridge was opened by Mr. J. Bollard, M.P. The bridge was prettily decorated with greenery and bunting, and a number of decorated carts and waggons filled with school children added to the gaiety of the scene. Practically the whole population of the township, and a large number of visitors from other districts, including the majority of the members of the Waitemata County Council, attended the ceremony." (NZ Herald, 16 December 1912)

The Great North Road was realigned to lead to and from the new bridge, and everyone went away quite happy.




I have but one, non-historical, bugbear: the bridge, you see, was designed for primarily wheeled traffic. Yes, pedestrians used it too, but it was to provide an access for drays -- and situated so the horses weren't alarmed too much by the trains. Today, it's just for pedestrians , the road has deviated again, and passes alongside. All well and good -- until you see what passes as a pedestrian access along Great North Road above the bridge today:


Yes, this is a carpark. It is also a footpath, of sorts. Walking up here in winter to meetings of the local historical society is a bit worrying.

The footpath starts up again at the end of the carpark. From here, you've got a clear path up to Lincoln Road and beyond. But -- why can't we have a footpath below??

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Mainline Steam open day at Sturges Road Station


Mainline Steam will soon have to move from their present base at Parnell, which is land owned by KiwiRail. The good news is that there's another site available, also owned by KiwiRail -- at Paremuka, beside Henderson's Western Heights. Some of the local residents, however, aren't all that keen. So, today, Mainline Steam held an open day at the Sturges Road Station, just up from Henderson. This included free rides in carriages drawn by Ja 1275, an oil-fired steam locomotive.

Sturges Road Station has relatively recently had an upgrade as part of the double tracking for the Western Line. Today, in the sun and with steam train sounds in the air, it looked great.





I think all toilets near railway stations should look like this, if not better. The roof architecture looks like a nod to the George Troup-inspired designs of early stations.

And now, a series of rail photos. My apologies -- I like trains. Quite a lot, it seems. Slightly larger versions available by clicking on them.






Ja 1275 steaming up, about to reverse out of the station to take another load of passengers to check out the proposed new workshops site.





And, here's a brief video of Ja 1275 coming back. Hopefully the sounds make up for the low-res result.


Thursday, June 4, 2009

Railway heritage links

It's a frosty morning here on the Avondale ridge ...

Waiting for my morning coffee to take effect, and spurred on by Jayne's latest entry on her wonderful blog, I've nicked the NZ Ghost Railways link from there ... and added a search page link to the NZHPT site regarding NZ rail stuff.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Auckland’s 19th century desperado: Isaac Robinson

Image from Wiki.

(Updated 8 September 2020)

Isaac Robinson was, in 1865, a 25-year-old (or 31 years old, the accounts vary) 5’ 8” tall Irish (County Tyrone) Roman Catholic ex-soldier, a twice-deserter from the 40th regiment, illiterate, with blond hair and blue-eyes. Nothing at the moment is known of his early life, but there is a first trace of Private Isaac Robinson of the 40th regiment, based at Birr, County Offaly, in Ireland (possibly the Crinkle Barracks) having deserted four years after enlistment, and been recaptured and sentenced on 23 August 1858 to 84 days imprisonment, stopped pay, and the brand of “D” for deserter seared into his flesh. 

On 29 May 1860, another trial for Robinson, for being absent without leave, “losing the necessaries” (his uniform, and other kit), and another charge which is hard to read on the record. For this, stopped pay, and 112 days in gaol.

If this is our man Isaac Robinson, the authorities clearly thought that although he clearly didn’t fit in with the military life, they were going to keep him on anyway, and so – he shipped out with the regiment to Victoria barracks in Melbourne, Australia in 1861. The 40th Regiment was the military unit who had suppressed the Eureka Rebellion of 1854 in Victoria, and also saw service in Taranaki and Waikato from 1860. Isaac Robinson tried to desert, but was captured, and court martialled yet again on 12 December 1861. Desertion, and losing his necessaries yet again, earned him 160 days in prison. (Source: Various UK naval and military courts martial registers, including records from Naval, Field General, Military, District and General Courts, via Fold3 online.) 

There is also a report from Melbourne that an “Isaac Robertson” of the 40th regiment “was remanded to headquarters,” in July 1862, “to be dealt with for breaking windows, being disorderly, and assaulting James Kelly and a constable.” (Melbourne Age, 8 July 1862) 

It is possible that he was shipped out to New Zealand sometime during 1863, and was based at Te Awamutu by 1864. There is a report of a “John Robinson” of the “14th regiment” being charged with desertion in November 1864 (NZ Herald, 21 November 1864) which could be him, but with details muddled by the newspaper. Indeed, Isaac Robinson does show up again in the military disciplinary hearing records – on trial at Te Awamutu 22 November 1864, for desertion and loss of necessaries. He was sentenced to stopped pay and 112 days in gaol, the prison stay likely at the Mt Eden stockade in Auckland. Robinson was by no means the only deserter from the 40th while in New Zealand. 

After this, it looks like the army had had enough of him. Probably after dishonourable discharge, Robinson was cast out on his own in the colony. In 1865, he was working on trial for Adam Chisholm on Waiheke Island, looking after the latter’s cattle and horses. After just three days, Chisholm apparently found Robinson wanting as an employee, especially considering Robinson had no experience around stock. On 2 September, he told Robinson that he’d better go. 

Robinson’s reaction was to demand £8 in wages: Chisholm had paid him a sum equal to 2s 6d per day for the three days’ work, and his response was that was all he’d pay. Robinson reacted by knocking Chisholm down with a stick, demanding that Chisholm hand over £14 that Chisholm had in his pockets at the time. Robinson took the money, a gun, pair of pistols, two powder-flasks and a box of caps, threatened one Charles Vinning that he’d shoot him if he didn’t clear out, and made his escape. A local Maori, Wiremu Marino, took off in pursuit of the robber, and located Chisholm’s gun at another house on the island. Robinson was caught by Constable Lane of Howick, still carrying most of the items taken from Chisholm’s house. He was sentenced in early December 1865 to three years’ hard labour in the Mt Eden stockade. 

On 3 January 1866, he escaped, and entered Auckland and Waikato history. 

"On the roll being called at the Stockade yesterday, when the prisoners were leaving the works at dinner-time, it was found that a man named Robinson was missing. Strict search was immediately made about the place where the prisoners had been working, as it was thought that Robinson might have concealed himself amongst the stones, possibly with the assistance of others of the gang. He was not, however, found, so that he must have got off unobserved by the warders, and very likely had had two or three hours' start before being missed." 
(Southern Cross, 4 January 1866) 

Reports came in of sightings of him at Mt Albert, going over towards the Whau. At this point, it was fairly easy to spot him – his only clothes were prison gear, boldly marked “M E G” for Mt Eden Gaol. This, however, he soon remedied. 

" … yesterday morning Mrs Griffiths, wife of James Griffiths, residing at Little Muddy Creek, walked in from that place and stated that her husband had been knocked down and severely injured, and that his clothes had been stripped off him. It appears that on Thursday evening Mr. Griffiths was returning from Onehunga to Little Muddy Creek, when, near the Whau blockhouse, he met Robinson, who suddenly struck him a severe blow on the head, which felled him to the ground. Robinson then stripped off Griffiths' clothes, even to his white shirt, and quietly dressed himself in them, first throwing off the prison dress. After he was completely attired he walked briskly away. Mr Griffiths describes his clothes as consisting of a lavender-coloured coat, moth-eaten at the back, dark trousers, and a round felt hat. After recovering himself, Mr Griffiths put on the gaol clothes considerately left for him by Robinson, and managed to walk home, where he is now confined to his bed. Policemen have been despatched by land and water in pursuit of Robinson." 
(Southern Cross, 6 January 1866) 

Robinson then doubled back, walking along the Manukau coastline. He passed through Onehunga at night, and headed for South Auckland. At Flat Bush, among settlers who were none the wiser, he found work with a man named Clow – all while Auckland’s constables were searching the Titirangi bush looking for him far to the west, and towards the Kaipara District. 

Later in the month, two constables, King and McCaffrey, on their usual duties went to Flat Bush, having no idea Robinson might be in their neighbourhood. They recognised him though, at a house belonging to a Mrs Coyle, and immediately seized him. He was returned to the city on 16 January 1866. At the trial, as Griffiths gave his testimony about the attack with his head still bound up, Robinson was reported to have “laughed very heartily at his lugubrious appearance.” Robinson was sentenced to 6 years’ penal servitude on 1 March 1866. 

During this period, it appears Robinson had issues with a former Melbourne policeman, then superintendent of Mt Eden Stockade, Joseph Tuckwell. In September 1866, Tuckwell (according to Robinson) took away his tea and tobacco privileges, and had him gagged with a horse’s bit as a punishment for being too loud. Robinson later claimed that Tuckwell had been corrupt in Melbourne. After an inquiry, the Auckland Provincial superintendent sacked Tuckwell in April 1867, and he returned to Melbourne, setting himself up as a private investigator.

On 17 October 1866, Robinson escaped again. From March up until a few days before his escape, he had been kept under heavy irons, the authorities careful not to just let him walk out of the prison as had happened last time. But, Robinson promised he would be on his best behaviour, and so was relieved of the irons by order of the Visiting Justice. At around 8.30am, while he was working in the mason’s department of the prison work detail, Robinson just slipped away, taking a stone-breaker’s hammer handle with him. In his own words: 

"I was told by Mr Saunders (overseer of labour) to go and split a stone. I went over, and with one blow knocked the head off my hammer. I held it up, and said to one of the keepers that I would have to go to the smith's shop to get another handle. He said, "All right," and I went. I slipped between two lines of clothes that were hanging to dry, and passed beside the prisoners that were washing the clothes. They, of course, made no noise about it."
(Southern Cross, 12 November 1866) 

He hid by an officers’ quarters to the right of the gate, got to the wall, dropped from a height of 10 feet, and legged it out across the paddocks at Khyber Pass. The guards then spotted him – but with women and children nearby, and as Robinson ran close to surrounding houses, only one shot could be fired. The chase was on. 

Several warders took off after him, heading for the Domain. There, Robinson took off his hat and coat, and turned his prison shirt inside out, to conceal the tell-tale marks. He then reached Parnell Road, and began to head for Orakei Bay. Then he veered south, to the Harp of Erin Hotel (where he somehow obtained a glass of water), reaching the Tamaki Road near Panmure Bridge by 11.30 am. 

From there, he doubled back out west on 19 October, on the road from Big Muddy Creek to the Whau district, chatting to a young man and telling him all about who he was, what he’d done to be put in prison the first time, and that he’d like “to get clear of the country”. Swearing the young man to silence, Robinson moved on. The constables found out the following day, and began to track him. 

Robinson met up with a former prisoner from the stockade, and walked with him along the road for a while, chatting – before knocking his companion to the ground and stealing his boots and jacket. These boots, however, didn’t fit – Robinson therefore needed another source of footwear. 

Four miles from Henderson’s Mill, Robinson came upon a house owned by John Lawson, at Lawson’s Creek. After asking a young boy there for bread, he asked where the master of the house was. On being told Lawson was at the stockyard, Robinson headed for that building. A short while later, the boy found his master lying senseless on the ground, bludgeoned about the head. Boots and trousers had been stripped off. The young boy raced to raise the alarm at the nearby saw mill, and Mr Bishop who worked there rode into town to inform the authorities. By the end of October, however, Robinson was still on the loose, last seen heading for bush 12 miles to the south of the city. It is possible that he got a ride on a boat to Maraetai, and headed south from there. 

He was finally recaptured in November in Ngaruawahia, and was quite keen to relate the excitement of his bid for freedom to the newspapers. (Southern Cross, 12 November 1866) By now notorious, Robinson was compared in the press to Jack Sheppard, the 18th century English robber and five-times prison escapee. The public gallery at the court was packed for the 3 December Supreme Court hearing. He was sentenced to four years prison for escaping, and six years for assault and robbery. So far, he had totted up 19 years’ prison sentence in total. 

It wasn’t until 20 March 1872 that Auckland came to hear about Isaac Robinson again. With 16 years to go on his cumulative sentences, he escaped again. Yet again, bizarrely, all the best circumstances for him to flee the prison were offered to him. He was placed at a new part of the gaol, where the securities against escape were slightest and incomplete. He was employed as cleaner-up, with greater liberties – and simply left the prison behind. This time, he was armed with a six-barrelled revolver which had belonged to one of the warders. Within a few hours of his escape, he was sighted at the Whau, and by 21 March it was thought he was sighted in the Waitakere Ranges. 

"A new surmise has arisen with respect to the mysterious disappearance of the escaped convict Robinson. 

"It was between three and four o'clock on Thursday afternoon of the 21st ultimo that Detective Jeffery came upon Robinson on a track leading to a gorge which comes down from the Waitakere range. At this time Robinson was about 35 yards in advance, but seeing the detective on him he turned off in the direction of the bush. Before however he had moved many feet Jeffery raised his revolver, and, taking a deliberate aim, fired at Robinson's body. The next instant Robinson had plunged into the bush, which is here very high, dense, and overgrown with scrub and creepers. Jeffery immediately followed, but was unable to trace the direction which Robinson had taken. 

"From that hour to the present Robinson has never been seen by any one. It is now inferred that the shot fired by the detective took effect, and that after struggling for some time the escaped convict has fallen and died. Any person who is at all acquainted with the character of the Waitakere bush where Robinson was shot will be well able to understand that, if he has crawled into the bush and there died, it would be next to impossible to discover where his body lies. 

"The solution of affairs is a very melancholy one but there is every reason to think it is the correct one. Although not taken, had Robinson been alive he certainly would have been seen and spoken to by some-one as his person is peculiar, and his features strongly marked."

 (Southern Cross 1 April 1872) 

Indeed he would. Which was why the stories of sightings of Robinson sprang up again in August 1872, when the Thames Guardian is said to have reported “on very reliable authority” that Robinson was still very much alive, and had made it to Hokianga. (NZ Herald, 19 August 1872) 

Perhaps, but in April 1873, a somewhat more credible report by the Auckland Star related that instead of heading west, Robinson actually had found refuge at the hotel at Maraetai (the publican knew him) and when two Howick-based constables heard that he was back in the locality, they were put off the scent by the proprietor telling Robinson off for being slack in his duties around the hotel, and for being drunk. After that, he headed back to the Auckland wharves, and boarded the Bella Mary bound for Tasmania, pretending to be a seaman with American whalers. His identity, the report went on, was fairly well confirmed by his visible tattoos. 

"It is satisfactory to know that the province has been relieved of one useless unit of its population, and has been saved the expense of his keep."

(Star, 1 April 1873) 

So, either he lies somewhere in the expanse of the Waitakeres, or ended his days somewhere in the wilds of colonial Australia. Here one minute, gone the next, Isaac Robinson is now just a faded memory in our history.

Thomas Henderson, and his brother David

You know, when I saw so many details were out of kilter in Anthony Flude's two editions of Henderson's Mill, you'd think I would have considered his statement about Thomas Henderson having a brother as just as flawed as some others I've picked up on. Well, no, I thought, he must surely have been right when he said in his email to me:
"One further error was found regarding David Henderson. He was NOT Thomas' Henderson's brother, he had only sisters, but was another member of the family who came out from Scotland."
I even altered my post. But -- he wasn't right at all. Thomas Henderson did have a brother -- David, born two years after him in 1812, one of the keepers of the Whau Hotel. And, to top it off, David, along with his own son, Thomas Henderson's nephew, were at the funeral in Auckland for Thomas in 1886. (Evening Post, 5 July 1886)
"Leading the procession of mourners were Mr. T. Henderson, Mr. H. W. Henderson (sons), Mr. G. Von der Heyde (son-in-law), Mr. David Henderson (brother), and Mr. David Henderson, jun. (nephew of deceased), the other relatives being Messrs. John Marshall, Heath, J. B. Hay, and J. B. Graham."
My thanks to a family history website I found tonight, which pointed me in the right direction. So, of all the "errors" Flude pointed out in my original post on Henderson's Mill, none were in fact errors after all.

As for the post ... I've restored it to the way it was before.