The Editor, the Bulldog, and the Donkey

I love the Observer, and have done since Papers Past first put it up a few years ago. Now it's searchable, it's a great window into the life of Auckland and surrounds from 1880-1909. I wish it went further into the 20th century (the paper continued well into the 1900s) but -- I'll take what we can get with gratitude.

The following is the piece that first made me sit up and take notice of this quirky, gossipy Auckland newspaper: the incident with the donkey.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 7, 30 October 1880, Page 52
Ructions at the "Observer" Office.

MR. HOPKINS, HIS BULLDOG, HIS DONKEY, AND HIS FORTY MERRIE MEN— McMURDO TO THE RESCUE! - AN EXPLANATION — ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

On Monday evening last, it was my lot to experience some of those joys to which the editor of a Society journal who is not Jem Mace, Tom Sayers, and Heenan rolled into one is heir to. I do not wish to colour the story unnaturally, or to throw any opprobrium on my opponents. We all according to report behaved as well as possible, people invariably do in these cases. It is, however, only right that the facts should be known, and to that end I beg to place before my readers a plain unvarnished tale.

In the first place, then, let me tell you I weigh 8st. 7lbs., have only recently recovered from a very severe illness, which left a slight heart disease behind it, and can in consequence boast no muscle whatever. Any schoolboy of 14 or 15 possessing an average amount of "vim" could at the present time thrash me easily, and it is to this fact no doubt I owe so many courageous threats of horsewhippings, pummellings, and the like. I do not, however, edit the Observer to secure these blessings. Strange as it may seem my hope is to make the paper popular. Mistakes have occurred and doubtless will occur, till I begin to understand exactly what offends people and what does not, but, as time passes, they will it is to be hoped grow less frequent.

On Monday afternoon, about four o'clock, I was standing in the front office, when two gentlemen, armed with sticks and followed by a ferocious looking bull-dog, entered and asked for the editor. I saw at once there was likely to be a row, and that things would probably go hard with me, though who the gentlemen were, and what their quarrel with me was, I couldn't conceive. There appeared, however, no use in showing the white feather, so in as indifferent a tone as I could muster, I asked what they wanted. The bigger of the two (whose name I now know to be Hopkins) hereupon came round the counter, and advancing with stick upraised said menacingly, " I want you to come along outside with me."

What would have happened had no one interfered at this crisis I know not, but as luck would have it who should enter but Charlie McMURDO. He ran in rapidly, and pushing us both asunder, ejaculated melodramatically, "No Hopkins you shall not touch him. " On this Mr. Hopkins paused to survey McMURDO'S somewhat stalwart figure, and a barney ensued between the two re the right of the latter to interfere. McMURDO then explained that he wasn't going to see forty men set upon one without defending that one, and the two retired to the back to discuss the question.

The scene in the street at this time beggars description. Not content with himself, his bull-dog, and his friend, Mr. HOPKINS had collected about forty "casuals" to assist him, including one very strong man to hold the poor little editor on the donkey. His purpose, I may now explain, was to seize me bodily, and with the aid of these "merrie men" give me a ride up Queen-street. To witness this edifying spectacle well-nigh the whole town had collected. Messrs. Archibald CLARK & Sons (including the head of that firm), turned out en masse, all the prominent members of the Auckland Club were there, and so were numerous bank managers and lawyers. To not one amongst all this crowd of chivalrous Englishmen does it seem to have occurred that there was anything unfair in upwards of forty men (not to mention the bull-dog) setting on one weak fellow. Though magistrates many of them they stood there ready to applaud a breach of the peace, and to lend the light of their countenances to a deliberate assault. This too, be it understood, although it was known that I knew nothing of the cause of offence, and certainly didn't write the article complained of.

Whilst McMURDO and Mr. HOPKINS were discussing whether the assault should or should not be committed, it occurred to me to ask Mr. HOPKINS'S friend the cause of the commotion. I then learnt, for the first time, that the following sentence in the article on the Rink Ball was the casus belli.

"Messrs. DARGAVILLE, GREENWOOD, and HOPKINS were resplendent in the uniform of British officers. The costume suited the two former admirably, but the last-named looked, if possible, worse than he does when he walks about town in riding trousers."

Now, I did not, as I have said before, write the article in question, but I am responsible for it, and I readily admit my responsibility. The fact is, not knowing Mr. HOPKINS either by name, sight, or reputation, I thought my contributor was giving a rub to some counter-jumper masquerading in the Queen's uniform, and, seeing no particular harm in this, I let it pass. I how learn that Mr. HOPKINS wore (as he had every right to) the uniform of a militia regiment, to which he belonged in England, and was, as a matter of fact, as correctly costumed as the other military mummers. I am very sorry, indeed, he should have been insulted in these columns, and I trust he will accept my amende honorable.

But to return to the story. After a confab of some minutes, Messrs McMURDO and HOPKINS emerged, and we began to discuss the matter rather more amicably. A lengthy debate re my apologising ensued. Mr. HOPKINS, who gave up the idea of a jolly row with evident regret, wanted me to write an apology there and then, to be stuck up in the Clubs, but to this I politely, yet firmly demurred. The objectionable par had appeared in the OBSERVER, and it seemed to me {sufficient if its correction appeared in the OBSERVER too. After some further talk, the terms were accepted, and we shook hand.

Now the affair is over, I should like to ask Mr. HOPKINS whether it wouldn't have been better to have come to me quietly and asked me to put the matter right. He says he didn't mean to commit an assault, but, debilitated though I unfortunately am just now, he can scarcely suppose that I should have submitted to a gross indignity without a struggle of some kind, or that my manager would have stood by quietly and seen me outraged. Of course we should both have been overpowered, for what could two, or even half-a-dozen men, have done against such a mob. But even if Mr. HOPKINS had succeeded in dragging me out, and with the aid of a lot of roughs, stuck me on that donkey, how much the better would he have been? When one weak man succumbs to forty strong ones, where, I may ask, does the disgrace lie — with the forty who fall upon the one? — with the one who is fallen upon? or with the onlookers who would permit such an assault. Mr. HOPKINS himself could have reduced me to pulp with ease, and why he engaged a lot of bravoes to assist him, I can't think. For the despicable coward who egged on the two young men to this exploit without meaning to share a tittle of the risk, I cannot sufficiently express my contempt. His whole part in the affair is known to me, and if I suppress the facts, it is not for his sake. I comprehend perfectly the influences which were brought to bear, and can well understand why his face was livid with fury when the affair resulted in a "fizzle."

For more than an hour previously, the person referred to, had been button-holing people in Queen-street, and sending them up to the Observer Office to witness the exhibition. He was also kind enough to lend his little brother for the occasion.

And now it becomes my pleasing duty to say, "Thank you — thank you very heartily," to Mr. McMURDO. L am told that had the affair come to a fight, others were ready to back me up, but as I don't know these gentlemen’s names and as they kept carefully in the background, I cannot thank them. To McMURDO, at any rate, belongs the kudos (if any) of having stopped the row. When he entered, Mr. HOPKINS was just about to begin, and only the knowledge that he would have to tackle McMURDO first, led to our talking the affair over.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 7, 30 October 1880, Page 51
The whole plot of the donkey business was laid in the house of a J.P., who is one of “our most respected citizens." This gentleman has a “down" on the Observer for publishing a caricature of him and saying he isn't popular.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 8, 6 November 1880, Page 57
Thanks to Mr. Hopkins and his projected donkey ride, the Observer's circulation last Saturday was larger than ever, in fact we only want another fracas of the kind for it to touch 5000. The extraordinary increase of advertisements has rendered it necessary to add two extra pages to the present issue. I am also able to announce that the paper will be permanently enlarged very shortly. Next week the opening chapters of a thrilling sensational story, entitled "Hunted Down, " will appear, and several other novel features are in contemplation.

With reference to the famous donkey ride business, Mr. Hopkins has asked me to explain that, though in the heat of the moment he said there were thirty or forty persons at his beck and call on that Monday afternoon, there were, as a matter of fact, nothing like the number. He certainly "shouted" for several fellows, and asked them to prevent interference, and to assist him in the event of the Observer staff proving obstreperous, but otherwise his intention was to carry out the affair by himself. I was glad to hear this, because the forty to one game was the one thing that seemed a little fishy. I could easily imagine a man pledging himself to a somewhat rough practical joke, and being egged on by mischief-makers to execute it, but the procuring backers seemed inexplicable.

Another thing re this matter and then I have done with it. On the night of the ball Mr. Hopkins wore the uniform of a militia regiment to which he belonged in England. It is not, he says, usual for officers to don uniform after leaving the service, but he received special permission from his Colonel Lord Somebody-or-other (I heard the name but I forget it) to use it for fancy balls, &c.

During the past week I have received a regular inundation of friendly letters, mostly from ladies, some of whom are kind enough to take the liveliest interest in the Observer's welfare. Here is a specimen : " Dear Mr. Editor, We have experienced great pleasure in reading your very amusing paper. It was just the thing that was wanted here to take some of the pomp and conceit out of the present generation. Awfully glad to see you came out so well out of the bull-dog-donkey business. Never mind your enemies. The ladies all stick up for you, and would have enlisted under Charlie McMurdo's banner. Hoping you will continue to give us plenty of town gossip and fun.—We remain, your especial admirers, Two Blonde and Brunette Sisters."

This is a life-like representation of Mr. Hopkins's bull-dog as he appeared when snuffing angrily around Charlie McMurdo's calves last Monday week. Mac's face just then was a picture, which only the pencil of a Frith or Millais could do justice to.



Observer, Volume 1, Issue 19, 22 January 1881, Page 188
If there was anything of a ludicrous nature in the two day's sports at all, it was the circumstance of the Stewards all turning out in white belltoppers. Many of them had never before aspired to such a dignity, and it certainly did not sit easy in some cases. I might mention names, but having no desire, if discovered, to take an impromptu ride on a donkey, I refrain.

Cyclopedia of New Zealand online

I've posted photos from out of Volume 2 of the set before -- now, I've just found out today that the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre have digitised volumes 1 (Wellington) and 6 (Taranaki, Hawkes Bay and Wellington Provincial Districts), with more to follow as time goes on.

This is great news for those who want to access a snapshot record of New Zealand, its organisations, government, industries and general history at the close of the Victorian era. Granted, it is a rose-tinted spectacles view, and not exactly hard-edged journalism, but treated as a guide to further research, it is a treasure.

Avondale's Riflemen

Edited and updated: 3 October 2014.

In 1890, Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Yelverton Goring (1846-1923), a grandson of the 3rd Viscount Avonmore, assumed command of the Permanent Artillery at Auckland. This post was a carry-over from the “Russian scare” period of our history, and Goring was in charge of both the forts established, and the volunteer units. In 1894, he instigated the establishment of the Avondale Volunteer Rifles at a meeting held in the district on 18 December – something which did not fit in with the best suggestions for New Zealand’s defence as described by the government’s inspector, Commandant Lieutenant-Colonel Fox.

A meeting was held at Avondale last night to discuss the advisability of forming a volunteer rifle corps in that district. Colonel Goring was in attendance, and explained what would be required of the men in the event of a corps being accepted by the Defence Minister. Mr Foley said that unfortunately it had not reached the ears of those signing the requisition that a meeting was to be held, otherwise there would have been a larger muster. Colonel Goring expressed a wish to see the men previous to any further action, so it was agreed to call a further meeting after the holidays, due notice to be given through the press. There seems to be every probability of this corps being successfully formed, and with the prospect of acquiring a much-needed rifle range of about 1,000 yards.

Auckland Star 19 December 1894

The adjourned meeting was advertised for 8 January 1895, convened by Michael Foley and J B Birch, at the public hall. There was an Avondale Rifles formed by April that year.


In July 1895, however – the Observer asked where they were, and why they weren’t on parade. n August, a number of the Avondale Rifles were cited for non-attendance.

An inspection parade of the Victoria Rifles and City Guards, joined as one company, was held at the Drill-shed last night ... At the close of the drill, Captain Robertson read to the parade a district order notifying that seven men (whose names were mentioned) belonging to the Avondale Rifle Volunteer Company were dismissed from the Volunteer Force of New Zealand for non-attendance at their duties (vide paragraph 48, sub section 1, New Zealand Defence Act, 1886). The officer commanding the company is instructed to take immediate steps to collect from these men all Government property on issue to them, and failing to do so to report to the officer commanding the district, when proceedings would be taken. Officers commanding companies are requested to note the names of the men dismissed.

NZ Herald 21 August 1895

They were still rather scarce in September that year –

“Once again Auckland volunteers fare badly at the hands of Colonel Fox in his annual report on the defence of the colony. He passes some severe criticisms, and characterises the infantry as inefficient and unreliable. This, however, was only to be expected, and the few visits the colonel paid to Auckland must have shown him that volunteering was on the down grade. There are supposed to be three rifle companies in the City of Auckland, but of this number the Avondale Rifles have never yet been inside the Drill Shed. The remaining companies have run down so low that a joint parade is always necessary to make even a muster. For this state of affairs the colonel hasn't far to look for the reason, and whilst the artillery corps have received a little encouragement, those men in the infantry have simply been guyed out of the service. “

With the idea of military volunteerism languishing, Defence Minister (and future Premier) Richard Seddon’s ideas for re-organising the system were welcomed in October 1895. But Avondale seemed to be a non-starter.

“The volunteers of Auckland, and all others who have the interests of our citizen soldiery at heart, are anxious just now to hear that Defence Minister Seddon really intends to redeem his promise to come to Auckland and put the volunteer force, in this part of the colony, on a better footing. Some such action as this is an immediate necessity, if it is desired to prevent volunteering from becoming a mere memory of the past …

“As an antidote to the failing strength of the force in Auckland, the Colonel of the district went considerably out of his way recently to establish a rifle corps at Avondale, quite contrary to the principle already laid down by Colonel Fox that inland infantry corps were quite useless for the purposes of defence. But Colonel
Goring's enthusiasm broke out in the wrong place. Already, the Avondale Rifle Corps is almost as dead as the proverbial door nail.”

Perhaps this spurred the plucky Avondale riflemen on? By January 1896, they were on parade, and about to start a week’s camp at Avondale. They had another camp in in October that year. In March 1897 they were parading at the Drill Hall. Colonel Goring was obliged to retire that year and return briefly to England with failing eyesight. Archives New Zealand hold capitation records for the Avondale Volunteer Rifles at Wellington for 1896-1898. October 1898 is the last sighted record of them, a cricket match between Auckland Rifles v. Avondale Rifles. Then, nothing further.

(An update, 22 December 2008: The Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives in 1896, H19 p. 9, has the following information from Fox's report on the Avondale Rifles: 1 officer, 50 non-commisiomed officers and men, 38 qualified for capitation, 13 unqualified, 41 at inspection, "new company; promises fairly well.")

So far, I have one name of a member of the Avondale Volunteer Rifles – a Sergeant Turton who, the Observer said a year after his death in 1903, was the central figure of an inadvertent comedy at the old Drill Hall.

“He was illustrating to a squad of recruits, the method of "porting" arms with the Martini- Enfield rifle and for the purpose of better explaining himself, borrowed a gun from one of his men. He brought it to the "port," but noticing by the indicator (the Martini’s are provided with indicators), that the rifle was cocked, intuitively pressed the trigger. The result was hardly what he expected. There was cartridge in the chamber of the rifle and its explosion diverted the thoughts of the recruits to other channels than those of drill.”

The Observer went on to describe him:

“Belated recollections of Sergeant Turton indicate that he was not understood, and perhaps because of that, not popular with those thrown into touch with him. He was a soldier of the stiff, unbending sort, taciturn; and without great education. Nevertheless he could be trusted to do his duty, and with him duty dominated self. He had gained an active experience of the actualities of military life in the ranks of the British Army, and on settlement in the colony Turton devoted no inconsiderable portion of his declining years to volunteer work, serving as Sergeant of the old Avondale Rifles and later as Provost-Sergeant of the local infantry Battalion.”

Also:

“Sergt.Turton… was a well-known figure in connection with Auckland volunteering. He joined the Gordon Rifles on the formation of that company some five or six years ago, and was shortly afterwards transferred to the Battalion staff, with the rank of provost-Sergt. Before coming to thecolony, Turton had considerable experience in professional soldiering, and he was for many years a member of the Coldstream Guards.”

Could this have been James Turton, who featured rather unfortunately in the Observer in 1897? [Update as at 18 December 2008 -- yes. Link to new post here.]

“James Turton is a cordial manufacturer and hawker, who honours Avondale with his residence. And he has a large experience in the matrimonial line. He has survived two wives, and has quite recently been breaking in the third. But Mrs. Turton No. 3 does not like the breaking-in process. That is why James appeared before the beak at the end of last week, charged at the suit of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children with having on the 27th December, just by way of Xmas diversion, we presume, assaulted his wife by knocking her down, struck her with his hand and dragged her along the ground by her feet.

“The wife's story shows that it is much better to be housekeeper to some men than to be their wives. Mrs. Turton entered the cordial making James's service in February last as housekeeper, but he speedily popped the question, and a month later they were married. He thought so much of her that he insured her life. But that may have been James's provident way of making ready for the contingency of a fourth marriage, for Constable Brown at any rate understands that both the previous wives had been insured. However, the third wife soon found out matrimony was a very serious business in the Turton household. There were continual rows, and several forcible arguments from James’s fists, culminating in the affair which took the parties to Court.

“The magistrate inflicted a fine of 40s, with 29s costs, with the alternative of 21 days hard labour, and as James said he was unable to pay the fine, he is most probably just now taking out the alternative in the cordial factory presided over by Gaoler Reston. His effervescence will have time to cool down inside three weeks.”

The successors of the Avondale Volunteer Rifles, although not directly, was the Akarana Rifle Club. From 1901-1905, there was a piece of ground somewhere in Avondale used by the club for both their rifle shooting, and for meetings of the Auckland Rifle Club once the range at Mt Eden was closed in 1902. So far, I can’t say that anyone in the club was a resident of Avondale, but their lease expired in 1905 and they folded for a time, only to restart at a new range in Penrose from 1906.

From 1911 until World War I, at least, it is said that there was a practice range used by local school cadets at the end of today’s Holly Street, with some telling me of spent cartridges being found there and near the Avondale College grounds. Archives New Zealand appear to hold a record of a “miniature rifle range” at Avondale College, from 1948-1964.

Updated 11 February 2014 -- additional info.

Crack shots at Avondale, 1895-1903

In 1895, the Avondale Rifle Volunteers was formed. In 1896, they set up a series of camps at Avondale for instruction and practice, possibly on the original racecourse land near Wingate Street. “Yesterday (Sunday) was a red letter day at Avondale. The Avondale Rifle Volunteers who are in camp for a week held a church parade in the morning. The whole company, under command of Lieut. Potter, and headed by the Auckland Garrison Band, marched to the Anglican Church. The church was crowded to excess. The Rev. F Larkins, the vicar of the parish, conducted the service and preached an excellent sermon for the occasion. The service was bright and cheery, singing and music being exceptionally good. Several volunteer officers from town attended the church parade. During the afternoon a large number of people, including many ladies, visited the camp, where the band kindly played many appropriate and beautiful selections. In the evening the company attended the Presbyterian Church, which was also crowded to excess. The Rev. Mr McLean conducted the service.” Mr Ingram replaced Mr Potter as lieutenant for Avondale Rifles in 1898, but the corps disbanded later that year.

More successful was the newly-formed Akarana Rifle Club for recreational shooters , which took up a lease from Thomas Ching in 1897 for part of his land in Avondale – through which Holly Street lies today, including Avondale Intermediate’s grounds. Virtually all the land bounded by Holly Street, Eastdale and Rosebank Roads, four sections of around 55 acres total, was bought for just £18 in July 1882 by Devonshire-born Ching. Ching had very little to do with his purchase, living in Remuera and leasing out the pieces of farmland he owned around the Auckland area for income.

There, a proper rifle range was set up, 700 yards long. The range was officially opened on 26 February 1898 by the Mayor of Auckland Patrick Dignan. Miss Essie Holland fired the first shot from 500 yards (a bullseye). The club operated their rifle range there until 1903, when moves were made by Ching to sell that part of his land to the Government for workman’s homes (a scheme incidentally promoted by Avondale’s John Bollard, in Parliament). At first the club thought the range would stay in place, with interest in taking up the settlement lad quite low. But, in December 1903, the range finally closed, and the site was subdivided for building purposes in what was called “Kitchener Hamlet” (and later, for the future intermediate school and Avondale College grounds). The road passing through the rifle range ground was called Kitchener Road, until it was renamed Holly Street in the 1930s.

Early Cricketers of the Whau

Thanks to the National Library’s Paper’s Past site, and the recent addition of searchability of their collection of the NZ Observer and Free Lance, a bit of trawling pulled up some hints of Avondale’s early cricketing history.

The first reports of a (Whau) Union Cricket Club appear in October 1880, with a Mr. A. Brett as captain, and Mr. Bollard (they never say which Mr. Bollard, but possibly it was Richard Francis) as vice-captain. Brett appears to have found fame over and above the sport of leather and willow the following month in walking championship challenges. He won a two mile match in Ellerslie in November 1880, then took on and defeated T. Fernandez in a £40 a side championship challenge of seven miles in February, winning by half-a-mile. The next month, he defeated a Canterbury champion over an 18-mile course from Auckland’s Choral Hall by three-quarters of a mile. By the end of December, he appears to have moved to the Wellington district, and fades from the record.

Meanwhile, the Whau Union Cricket Club won against Carlton Club in December 1880, but were defeated by the second eleven of the West End Cricket Club in February 1881, possibly in the absence of Brett. Later that month, a new vice-captain came onto the team, John Sinclair (known as an M.C. of local socials and functions, such as a ball held in a new building at the Riversdale Manufacturing Company in April 1882, and later in 1883 as the organising secretary of an Avondale sports day which was, according to the Observer, rather less than successful). Back in February 1881, however, the same paper describing his cricketing skills thus: “… an excellent long-stop, a good wicketkeep, and a first-class bowler. His action alone is enough to frighten twenty Australians.”

The Whau Club was reorganised in October 1881, possibly after a number of consecutive losses.

“The Whau Union Cricket Club has been reorganized under a new code of rules, and Mr. James Owen, an honorary member, has offered a complete set of cricketing requisites on condition that the club win not less than three matches during the season. There are two or three clubs who would like the same offer.” Owen’s offer worked, according to a report two months later. “The Whau Union has gained the prize of a set of cricketing material, offered to them by Mr. James Owen, on condition that they should win not less than three matches during the season. A match between the Union and United Cricket Clubs took place at the Whau on Saturday and resulted in a victory for the Union. The scores were, Union, 30, United, 21. The bowling was good on both sides, and accounted in a great manner for the smallness of the scores.”

The club were then defeated by the Alphas Club, but in turn downed the United second eleven later that month by seven runs.

January 1882: “The Alpha cricketers were badly beaten by the Whau Union last Saturday. Singularly enough, they have been very quiet this week …Wallace and Bollard bowled for Whau Union,, and scattered the Alpha's timbers. Finlay Hay made three splendid catches while fielding at long on in the … match.”

The Gordon Club defeated the Whau men in April 1882, but the (now) Avondale Union again defeated West End that December. The Avondale men went on to defeat Ponsonby. The following year, they fortunes seemed to change for the worse, and from 1885 until 1892, I could find no further mention.

There was a brief revival in 1892, with the entry of Loo Hoffman on the team. In October 1892:

“The Ramblers journeyed to Avondale last Saturday, and played a friendly game with that club. The ground is being worked up by the country players, and any club requiring a good afternoon's sport might do worse than communicate with them. The Ramblers were highly pleased, refreshments were provided, and a splendid day spent. One of the features of the Avondale-Rambler's match was the gallant efforts put forth by Loo Hoffman, and such attempts should have met with better success. I hope he won't get disheartened, but go in next time with even greater determination.”

Then, in January 1893:

“Loo Hoffman kept up his reputation last week at Avondale, and made things merry while he was at the wickets. The All Saints' team journeyed to Avondale on Saturday last, and defeated the local club by 15 runs on the first innings. Brookes and Mackie bowled so consistently against Avondale on Saturday last that they could only register 22 runs in their first venture.”

Cricket apparently was not Hoffman’s first love. He was a champion trick cyclist, and the Observer in 1894 described him as 6 foot 4 inches (whether this was comedic exaggeration on their part or not, I don’t know).

After this, there is no further mention.

The Avondale Cricket Club was founded again in the mid 20th century, although early teams were photographed between 1900 and 1920. Today, the club has their headquarters on the Avondale racecourse (possibly where the early at-home matches were held in the 19th century).

Tamahere Forum

Tamahere Forum is a beautiful Wordpress blog and forum on "News and events in Tamahere, Waikato, New Zealand". I bring the site to my readers' attention because the author has been so kind as to spot Timespanner and link back to my earlier post on Richard F. Bollard, in her post here.

More on the Andrews Andrew St. John headstone

Update from here.

Seems the headstone is incorrect -- which is a pity after waiting 106 years. (Update: 22 December 2008 -- Audrey Lange says the headstone is correct. St John gained the "s" at the end of the first Andrew while in the diplomatic service. See below*) This from Yahoo/Xtra:

American Civil War veteran Andrews St John may be turning in his west Auckland grave.

The old soldier waited 106 years for a headstone at the Waikumete Cemetery, only to have his name spelt wrong when it was dedicated today.

Tucked away in an overgrown corner of the country's largest cemetery the brand new marble headstone, sent from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs , is missing a letter in his Christian name.

Mr St John's burial register spelled his two Christian names "Andrews Andrew" St John but his headstone said "Andrew A" St John.

"Someone's made a bit of a booboo there," said Phil McKenna, from the US Consul-General's office in Auckland.

He said there may be room on the headstone to add an extra letter and correct the spelling of the name.

"It is very unfortunate and I have got to say I was sort of hoping no one would pick up on it," Mr McKenna said after a service today to dedicate the headstone.

Cemetery manager Daniel Sales said the cemetery records spelt the name "Andrews but the stone says Andrew".

The American Civil War veteran is one of only eight Civil War veterans buried in New Zealand...

Winifred St John Chappell had always believed her grandfather died and was buried in Fiji and when she heard his grave had been found in Auckland and his Civil War service was to be remembered with a Veterans Affairs memorial stone, she was speechless and in tears, Ms Lange said.

"We have achieved something. It is an achievement to find this and do something about it. We have the family involved. In a way I have gone through their emotional journey."

She said after 106 years it was a special moment to see the headstone dedicated.

I wonder if they include among those eight Civil War vets one Charles Gallagher?

Some NZPA images (for the moment) here.

* The following was emailed to me by Audrey Lange:

"In the St. John's family history book, he is listed as Andrew Andrew St. John. Military records show his name as Andrew A St. John with same place and date of birth. When his son Burr Gould was born, he gave his name as Andrew Andrew St. John.

The name then used was Andrew Andrew St John until he entered the diplomatic corps, his name then became Andrews Andrew St. John. Adding the 'S' on Andrew, possibly used to save the problem of the same christian name twice. Reports written while in the Diplomatic Corps, gives his name as Andrews Andrew St. John, he is buried under the name of Andrews Andrew St. John.

Therefore the tombstone is correct. From what I understand, military tombstones are usually in the name they use when enlisted. Could be that when he entered the diplomatic corps, could it have been decided that having Andrew Andrew as his christian names could be questionable or confusing, he then became known thereafter an Andrews Andrew St. John.

All of this just adds more interest and intrigue to trying to understand this man."

The unveiling of a memorial to an American soldier and diplomat

After 106 years, a grave in Waikumete Cemtery finally received its headstone today.

Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland, is New Zealand's largest, started by the Auckland City Council in the 1880s and transferred to Waitakere City Council after local government restructuring late last century.

It is an intriguing place. I hope to be able to do some exploring amongst the history on its vast fields before my own earthly remains go up in smoke at the on-site crematorium.





I was invited to attend the unveiling of a memorial to an American who had been buried last century, but whose family then left the country, returning to the land of his birth. It was a good ceremony, on a fine sunny (and hot!) day amidst old gravestones and tall grass.

The following information comes primarily from historian Audrey Lange, who conducte the research into his story and first located the grave.

Andrew Andrews St. John (according to his headstone, although Audrey and the printed order of service for the unveiling of the headstone had his name as Andrews Andrew St. John), was born in 1835 in Connecticut, and enlisted as a private the Union Army during the American Civil War, mustering as a Corporal in August 1862. His time in the Army was short; after his regiment marched from Harrisburg to Washington DC, followed by postings at Poolesville and Falmouth, St. John received a disability certificate in December 1862, and was invalided out of the army.

His occupations over the next 20 years are indicated by service as a county clerk in 1870, and a return to his pre-war trade as a dentist by 1879. Next, he appears as the Commercial Agent in Fiji for the United States government in 1886, appointed initially as a “recess appointment” (one made by the U.S. President during the recess of the Senate) which was confirmed a few months later. He was posted initially at Levuka, already by then no longer the capital of Fiji (this had been shifted to Suva earlier by the British Government), but later he operated from Suva.

He left his post in 1893. According to John Desrocher, Consul General of the United States in Auckland (in his speech today at the graveside):

"It was in 1893, when the second administration of President Grover Cleveland turned its attention to what was called the ‘spoils system’ and, in particular, the salaries of U.S. representatives overseas, that St John left his post. Consular officers earning up to $1,000 per year could live off the fees they charged for their services, and also engage in trade locally. Those earning over $1,000 were no longer allowed to engage in trade. By Executive Order President Cleveland also required officers with salaries more than $1,000 to pass exams on consular regulations and foreign language proficiency. It was presumably this combination of more work for less money which prompted Andrews to leave Fiji after 7 years."

St. John took up another position in Batavia (modern day Jakarta), but ended up by 1894 in Australia and the New Zealand. He died here in 1902, and was buried at Waikumete without a headstone. According to John Desrocher, his widow and family returned to the United States in 1908.

Audrey has been in touch with the surviving descendants of St. John, who are happily overwhelmed that their ancestor’s gravesite has been located and will now be marked with a veteran’s headstone.

Early photographs of Levuka from the 1880s can be seen here. Actually, I think there should be a book done sometime about the American commercial agents/consuls in 19th century Fiji. They appear to have had a lively history. Aaron Von Camp was also a Civil War veteran (of sorts) – he operated as a spy for the Confederacy, yet was still appointed to the post in Fiji (and also Samoa). Another, William Henry Bruce apparently invested in land in Fiji, the majority of which he lost when the British Government changed the rules in 1892. It's a shame any archives on Fijian history are at present inaccessible.

An update here.

Further update (10 November 2009): Jim Gray, of the American Civil War Round Table of Queensland Inc, advised today (see comments below) that he was instrumental in the provision of St John's headstone at Waikumete Cemetery (and he's sent through documents via email to prove it). However (and here's yet another update, 4 November 2017) I've now been told by Robert Taylor, editor for the ACWRTQ that they did not authorise any action regarding the application for the headstone "...in fact we do not condone the erection of monuments for people outside of Queensland as we cannot supervise the procedure."

Audrey Lange passed away this year (2017).

Missing the station in 1904

Travelling by rail at night these days can be a disorientating experience, despite the 21st century's benefit of obiquitous neon/fluoro and streetlights. Losing track of exactly where you are on the Western Line is easy to do -- which is why some carriages these days have the helpful automatic signs which tell you which station you're leaving, and which one is coming up.

In the very early 20th century, with few streetlights and none of the techological help we expect today, confusion must have happened from time to time. Such as this occasion, reported in the Observer, 4 June 1904.

"Three business men on the northern suburban train one evening last week got into a heated argument on the population question, or the training of children, or something of the kind, with inconvenient results all round. One of the party, whose destination was Mount Albert, was so absorbed in the discussion that he failed to notice his station, and was over-carried to Avondale before he remembered home and family. Then he got out quietly and the other two, still occupied in their weighty problem, and never dreaming of the Mount Albert man’s mistake, reckoned there was still the distance to Avondale to be run.

"Presently, one of them espied the reflection of the fire from the brick kiln at New Lynn, and worked himself into a fever of excitement over a supposed burning of the Avondale railway station.

"When they found themselves at New Lynn instead of Avondale, they bound each other by a dreadful oath to keep the adventure a close secret, and stole back to Avondale by back lanes, with their coat collars up and their hats over their ears. But the story of the over-carriage has leaked out, and they are now hard put to it to explain to fellow travellers how the mistake came about."

Cartoon on the Avondale Races (1900)

Originally published in the Observer, 19 May 1900. The caption reads:

After the Race
AN AVONDALE SKETCH

Mug: What's up with me? I've just had the "Dentist", and a strong pull has broken me up. What's up with you?
Tug: Just had the "Needle" very bad and fallen in. (Voice from lucky backer in the distance: "Hoo-ray.")

An early Avondale-inspired cartoon

This was published by the Observer on 6 January 1886, in response to the reports of our localised "earthquake" of December 1885. The caption reads:

"Groggins (who was in town for Christmas) says he distinctly felt the shock, on two occasions the road got up and hit him on the nose, and he had the greatest difficulty in keeping his feet, the whole landscape seemed "on the go", and the only steady thing in it was Groggins."

This may actually be the first ever cartoon loosely concerning happenings here in Avondale. I'm sure Groggins was feeling quite loose that Christmas!

Advertisements -- Mataura Ensign, 1900

The Mataura Ensign is still published, as the Ensign, in Gore.

Derby associated the joy of smoking with receiving a darn good spanking, having snowballs chucked in the face, and a shipwreck (or someone tossing the 'baccy overboard). A rather strange advertising campaign. A couple more ads of theirs here, via Australia. The brand was apparently Canadian in origin, manufactured by D. Ritchie & Co of Montreal, who also made "Old Chum" brand. The company was bought out early in the 20th century by Imperial Tobacco.

Mr. Craig was clearly a businessman who believed in diversification. Funeral Director, cabinet maker, upholsterer (all of which go together in the trade) -- and "first-class picture framer".

Charles Todd (1868-1942) lived in Heriot for 31 years before moving to Dunedin in 1915, starting his motor franchise career which ended up as the Todd Motor Co. Before all that fame and fortune, however, he was selling (as Todd Bros.) seed sowers in Heriot.

William Gawne (c.1830-1899) was a well-known sauce manufacturer in late Victorian times down in the South Island. The following comes from the Otago Witness, 6 July 1899, after Gawne's sudden death.

Mr E. H. Carew. coroner, held an inquest on Monday afternoon on the body of William Gawne, sauce manufacturer, who died suddenly on Sunday.

Margaret Gawne deposed that deceased was her father-in-law. He was taken with pain on Sunday morning on the way to church, and said that he wished he had not come. He had been suffering for some time past, and complained of pains in the stomach, and was frequently laid up. Witness did not know if he was asthmatic.

Walter Bull, fruiterer, stated that he knew deceased intimately. Of late he had been very unwell, and on several occasions while at church he had been seized with fainting fits, and had to be carried out. He did not always recover quickly, and sometimes he had to be taken home. On Sunday last he went to Trinity Wesleyan Church at 10 a.m. to attend the early service which was held in the lower hall beneath the church. During the first prayer witness heard a shuffling noise, and on looking round he saw deceased grasping the pew in front of him, while several gentlemen were supporting him. He assisted to carry deceased out, and they laid him down in the aisle of the church. Witness then went for Dr Roberts, who came immediately, but deceased appeared to be dead when they got back. Dr Roberts in his evidence said that he had never seen deceased before. When he was summoned he found that deceased was just dead. His face was flushed, but there were no unusual indications to suggest the cause of death. Taking into consideration the description of the attack, he thought it was caused by heart failure, probably of the nature of angina pectoris. The jury adopted this view, and returned their verdict accordingly.

Blockhouse Bay Murals

All along Blockhouse Bay shopping centre are a set of really attractive heritage murals. As I can, I'll take more photos and post them here.

Street Stories 5: the realignment of Maioro Street, 2008

Maioro Street has almost always been a busy road in my 45 years of existence here in Avondale and on this earth. It directly connects traffic from Boundary/New Windsor/Tiverton Roads with that from Richardson Road, one of Auckland's main arterial routes. Before 1932, this was simply East Road because, well, it headed east.

Today, I walked to visit a friend who lives off Richardson Road, and traversed the rocky battleground of Maioro Street's 2008 facelift and realignment. Maioro is no longer rifle-barrel straight, leading to and from Richardson. From now on, it has a kink, at the eastern end, designed to meet the upcoming State Highway 20 on/off ramps, and the planned tunnel through to the North-Western motorway.

I took this photo right where Maioro Street used to be. Before this year, I'd have been run over taking a shot from that angle. No more -- I was on the beginnings of a new footpath.

This is what remains of the Christ the King school and church. Steadily, carefully, it is being demolished, to be rebuilt/replaced by a new building further along Richardson Road to the north, after land deal arrangements with Transit NZ. The new motorway was a bit too close for comfort, and a chunk of the parish's land was required for the new road.

Update and correction (8 January 2009): No, the above is the southern half of the new complex. The crucifix sculpture, with a twin at the other (northern) end is complete, but they're still working on this bit.

Street stories 4: The 1929 and 1932 changes

See also Street Stories: 2 "Lucus a non lucendo"

Updated 30 December 2021.

Avondale Borough amalgamated with Auckland City in September 1927. In June 1929, a list of suggested changes in local street names was published under "Corporation Notices" in the newspapers. Primarily, the changes were to Maori or Maori-sounding names. After a round of submissions, further changes were made, and in 1932 the names were altered again in many cases and this time became official.

I've included here the 1929 name suggestions in green, while the 1932 names are in red. In addition (2021 update) I've added the 1939 changes as well.

Avondale
Aorangi Avenue - Ahiriri Avenue from 1939
Argyle Street – Arran Street (Scottish town on Firth of Clyde)
Beatrice Street – Ronaki Street – Beatrix Street
Blake Street (part of New North Road for a time, 19th century) – Paparau Street – St Judes Street
Bollard Avenue – Booth Avenue – Bollard Avenue (retained name. The Bollard Road in Pt Chevalier lost out, renamed Boscowen Street. Bollard Avenue in New Lynn later became Delta Avenue.)
Brown Street -- Kanuka Street – Brunel/Pembroke Street -- Rosebank Road

The 1932 list left the "e" off the name Brown Street, so the changes could have been for either the Avondale or Waterview Brown(e) Streets.

Church Street – Chalmers Street
Cracroft Street – Kura Street – Crayford Street (model town in Kent)
Elizabeth Street – Ripeka Street – Plane Street
George Street – Taramea Street – Aspen Street Taramea later used for another street on Rosebank Peninsula
High Street – Kotae Street – Highbury Street Now southern part known as Community Lane
Kelvin Grove Terrace -- Kelvinside Terrace (1939)
Kitchener Road – Puroto Street – Holly Street
Old Windsor Road -- Wingate Street (1939)
Princess/Princes Street – Pahure Street – Elm Street
Palmer Street – Ngaio Street – Donegal Street
Park Avenue – Patiki Road
Pine Park Avenue -- Pinewood Street (1939)
St Georges Road – Nota Street – St George’s Road (retained name)
Seaview Road – Taimati Road – Birch Street – now Saltaire Street
Sinclair Square -- Himikera Avenue (1939)
Station Road – Costley Road – Blockhouse Bay Road
The Avenue – Kopiti Street – The Avenue -- Astrolabe Street from 1939, now Mead Street
Victoria Road – Rarangi Road – Victor Street
Walton Street – Waenga Street – Walsall Street
Wharf Road – Kaupapa Road – Ash Street
Wicklow Avenue -- Wairau Avenue (1939)
Wolseley Road – Bancroft Street – Wolverton Street
Wilson Street – Seaforth Street – Larch Street

Blockhouse Bay
Ayr Street – Puanga Street – Alleway Street. Now a stopped road, part of a reserve. Alleway is a Scottish town in Ayrshire.
Bartley Street -- Barton Street from 1939.
Bedford Street – Hertford Street Town on River Lea, England
Boylan Street – Takau Street – Whitby Road -- Wade Street
Clifford Street – Colombo Street Now part of Blockhouse Bay Reserve
Connell Street – Paraki Street – Connell Street (retained name)
Dilworth Street – Tahapa Street – Ulster Road
Esplanade Street -- Esparto (1938) -- Endeavour Street from 1939
Exeter Street – Towai Street – Exminster Street
Gore Street – Makenu Street – Govan Street – Gore Street now stopped and part of Blockhouse Bay Reserve
Hill Street -- Heaphy Street from 1939
Karaka Street – Titongi Street – Bolton Street
Mackay Street – Mahara Street – Marlow Street – Crowther Street
Manukau Road – Wairaka Road – Blockhouse Bay Road
Marine Terrace – Koluga Terrace – Taunton Terrace
Matai Street -- Matata Street (1939)
O’Neill Street – Hinau Street – Connaught Street
Porter Street – Rakau Street – Kinross Street
Puriri Street – Puketea Street
Rangihoua Street -- Railway Street -- Rangihoua Street (1939). Part of Section 76, now stopped from c1947.
Richmond Street – Mamaku Street – Rathlin Street part now stopped and included in reserve
Taylor Street – Wharepape Street – Taylor Street (retained name)
Thomas Street -- Terry Street (1939)
Whitby Street -- Wade Street (1939)
Williamson Street – Haretu Street – Armagh Street
Wynyard Street – Karewa Street – Windermere Street now vanished, although there is a Windermere Crescent nearby. Part of Wynyard Street is in the Blockhouse Bay Reserve, part is close to Crudge Street, the remainder (off Donovan Street) now just an accessway to Exminister Street.
Wynyard Road – Manukau Road – Blockhouse Bay Road

New Windsor
East Road – Marangai Street – Munster Road -- now Maioro Street
Garnet Street – Takarangi Street – Tiverton Road
Glenside Avenue – Haunui Avenue – Leinster Street
Myers Road – Kakariki Road – Margate Road
Whittaker Street – Raumanga Street – Whitney Street
Willow Avenue – Mahora Avenue – Dundale Avenue
A formerly nameless road – Holbrook Street

Waterview
Albert Road – Mariwai Road – Alford Street after an eminent theologian and writer, Henry Alford Alexander Street – Alverston Street named after Richard Webster, 1st Viscount Alverstone, First Lord Chief Justice.
Argyle Street – Tutuki Street
Bedford Street – Pokapu Street – Hertford Street
Browne Street – Mamangi Street – Brunel/Pembroke Street -- Dale Street – Fir Street See above for Avondale's Brown Street
Cameron Street – Karamu Street – Middlesex Road
Dale Street – Manapau Street – Fir Street
Hillcrest Avenue -- Hadfield Avenue from 1939
Norman Street -- Saxon Street (1939)

From 1939, for at least 14 years, Mr. K. F. Haszard of Auckland City Council’s town-planning staff was the man behind the naming and re-naming of the city’s street names. He was interviewed by the NZ Herald 16 July 1953.

Unless he is requested to select a name of an incident or person, Mr. Haszard looks for pleasant-sounding names, names that conjure pleasant thoughts like Hazelmere, Heathcote or Meadowbank. He does not believe that commemorative names are of particular merit. In a very few years the names of most famous people and incidents become closely identified with streets, but their meaning conveys nothing to most people. “It can be comparatively simple to choose a name, but one must be careful,” he said yesterday. “It must be simple and euphonious, it should not duplicate or be closely similar to any other street name in the metropolitan area, and particularly in the case of Maori names, it must not have an objectionable meaning.” Changes of existing names are the second big group handled by Mr. Haszard. A name is not changed unless it is requested by an overwhelming number of residents in a street. Confusion with other street names is the chief reason. But Mr. Haszard likes the reason to be a good one. He is not in favour of the suggested change of Karangahape Road to Elizabeth Street. “It would be a great pity,” he said, “if we gave up our old Maori names, particularly those that have become worked into the fabric of the city. Karangahape is not difficult to say. We could learn from England, where half the charm of poking around the towns is in the odd little place name one finds. “Karangahape Road is in our tradition and background, and I do not see why it should be altered just for the convenience of newcomers.”

Sources: Auckland Star, 18 June 1929, p. 20 NZ Herald, 17 July 1953, p. 11 Auckland City Archives, file reference ACC 275/30/332

Whittaker's Musical Experience, Waiheke Island

While on Waiheke Island last July attending a weekend committee meeting of the executive of the NZ Federation of Historical Societies, a visit was made by the committee to the Whittakers' musical museum, the Musical Experience. Anyone interested in the heritage of musical instruments from all over the world would love this place -- and even for those with a casual interest, the visit is very worthwhile. Here are some photos I took during the visit.

More on the Waikato Saurian, 1886

Further to the previous post of the Great Waikato Saurian Hunt of 1886, I found some notes from the time out of the Auckland Star.

30 September 1886

Considerable amusement was caused in Hamilton last night on the arrival of the Herald containing an account of a "saurian reptile" chasing two boys. The boys in question, who are the sons of Mr. Castleton, who keeps a dairy farm near Frankton, received a fright on Tuesday morning on the bank of a creek on the farm, but nobody supposes that the creature was anything but a lizard or a pig, though the boys described it as a crocodile. It is expected now, since this species of animal is known to live in the district, that there will be a demand for land for rice-growing and sugar-cane culture.

30 October 1886

The Saurian Bosh:-- The people here (in the Waikato) are getting sick of the saurian bosh, though some few credulous people stick to theory.

9 November 1886

Touching that "saurian" it is now believed to have been a "tuna tuhoro", a large eel which the natives say will come out of the water and attack men. Eel or saurian, the people here are getting "full up" of the yarn, and want a new excitement.

25 November 1886

Paeroa, this day -- A rumour was current here at an early hour yesterday morning that a saurian animal was seen in the river near its confluence with the Waihoa, and quite a number of natives started off in pursuit of the taniwha, which was chased up stream to Thorpe's, where three shots were fired at him without any perceptible effect other than to increase his speed. Towards noon the excitement intensified, and at four p.m. Sheehan's bridge was lined with people, whose curiosity was gratified by a view of the head and back of the monster, which rose to the surface of the water immediately under their gaze.

All sorts of theories are advanced with regard to its identity, but from a casual glance which I got of it, I have no hesitation in pronouncing it a seal measuring about six feet in length. From here the chase was continued for a considerable distance down stream, and when last seen our saurian was making its way down to its natural habitat as quickly as possible.

A headmaster’s suicide: the death of John Gurr, Onehunga, 1886

On the morning of 6 October 1886, a painter named Joseph Tingey who lived in Onehunga went to fish off the Mangere Bridge. He became intrigued by a length of clothesline tied to the bridge’s railing, and wondered if there was a basket of fish at the other end. He proceeded to haul on the line, but didn’t find fish – instead, he ended up retrieving the body of John Gurr, headmaster of Onehunga School.

Gurr had tied one end of a clothesline around the railing, and then looped and knotted the other around his waist. He had been wearing his usual attire when he went into the water, and had written a farewell note, given to one of his children, addressed and delivered by the child to the Rev. William Edward Mulgan of St Peter’s Church.

“Onehunga, October 6, 1886. Rev. and dear sir, -- I can no longer bear the living death. My brain is on fire, and at times I don’t know what to do or think. If anything happens to me please break the news quietly to my children, and help them all you can; also send letter to Mrs. Gurr. I am struggling, but oh, what will the end be? I have been a faithful teacher in the Onehunga school, and may my innocence be laid bare, for the sake of my dear ones. Good-bye. – From the unfortunate John Gurr. P.S. – Look near the little bridge.”

John Gurr worked as a teacher in Canterbury and Featherston before arriving in Auckland in 1885 to take up the position of headmaster at Onehunga school. His name is missed out by Janice Mogford in her book The Onehunga Heritage, where only the names of Alexander Grant (1876-1885) and R. D. Stewart (1886-1896) appear, but at the time of his death he was also President of the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute. He had seven children in all, two grown to adulthood and living elsewhere in the country at the time of his death.

Complaints about improper behaviour around female pupils at Onehunga were taken up by the local school committee as charges “of a flagrant character” with the Auckland Board of Education on 24 September 1886. The Board suspended him, pending a full inquiry to be carried out by the committee and a report back to the Board. The brief news report about the matter, in the NZ Herald offering no details as to the charges, was republished in the Evening Post in Wellington – and one of Gurr’s sons living there sent a copy up to his parents in Onehunga. On top of the local community whispers, Gurr now faced apparent nationwide ignominy, and the pressures rose within his mind.

He had tidied up the school, and had undeniable ability as a teacher and disciplinarian, but the school committee felt that it was best that he leave. “This,” according to the Auckland Star, “was in the face of the fact that the charges on investigation proved to be by no means so serious as at first appeared.” Gurr tendered his resignation, but the Education Board refused to accept it, instead simply suspending Gurr and demanding from the committee the full details of the charges. This, the committee declined to do, stating that they felt the details should not be made public, and that their informants had been promised confidentiality. The Board, however, were adamant – they demanded the details, and also a copy of Gurr’s letter of resignation. The committee responded on 2 October that they would “forward the information asked for in a few days”, and advised that Gurr had applied for leave to withdraw his resignation. Initially, he’d said that he wanted to leave to take up other employment. Now, four days before his death, he seemed keen to take matters to court.

The papers at the time, however, described him as lacking “moral courage” to see this sordid affair through. His friends and doctor noticed his decline. Dr. William Robert Erson advised him the day before his death to write to the Board proclaiming his innocence, and offered to help him do this. A day before that, his solicitor, William Wasteneys, found him lying on a couch in the dark at Wasteneys’ home, answering in response to Wasteneys’ enquiry as to how he was, “I am as bad as at the worst of times.” A day later, he made out his will with Wasteneys. The next day, Gurr was dead.

His death, at the inquest, was put down to temporary insanity. The Board received a report from the school committee on 8 October, which still maintained that there were charges against Gurr. The Board blamed members of the Press for publishing even the reference of the charges against Gurr, and there was discussion as to whether their meetings in future should be held in private and away from reporters. They maintained the status quo, however, and moved that with regard to the correspondence received relating to John Gurr, that no further action be taken. A Dunedin paper apparently headed up their report of the events as “Death before dishonour.”

The New Zealand Tablet on 15 October 1886 opined (in relation to the still quite-heated debate over religious versus secular education in “godless schools”:

“The facts attendant on the suicide of the unfortunate teacher Gurr, at Onehunga, give us another warning concerning the dangers of the godless schools. Either the man was guilty of the disgraceful conduct of which he was accused, although of this there seems to be strong doubts, or else the girls who accused him showed themselves capable of foul and disgusting lying as well as of a good deal more. In either case parents should perceive how considerately the law acts in compelling them to submit their innocent children to polluting influences, whether those of an infamous teacher or those of abandoned schoolmates — the choice between the two being rather a difficult one to make.”

We’ll never know for certain exactly what happened at Onehunga school or whether John Gurr had been guilty or innocent of the charges laid against him.