| This site is on the early history of Auckland and is | | | | cheaper. Fish was plentiful and cheap, (although they |
| particularly dedicated to those early auckland settlers | | | | complained about the quality, not having refined their |
| and pioneers who made the dangerous voyage from | | | | english tastes to our local varieties yet). Bread and |
| the other side of the world to settle in Auckland, | | | | Butchers meat were about the same price as in |
| New Zealand. In particular it is dedicated to my own | | | | England. Vegetables were abundant and Maori Natives |
| ancestors who were early settlers in Auckland and | | | | brought in huge quantities of produce via canoe - 20 |
| helped create the early history of Auckland. | | | | tons of onions, over 100 tons of potatoes, as well as |
| Pre-1840. | | | | corn, cabbages, kumera and peaches. (This trade |
| Auckland had a substantial Maori history and | | | | was brought to a crushing halt by the Waikato wars). |
| settlement prior to white settlement. Just walking | | | | For the gardener peaches, strawberry, apples and |
| around the many volcanic cones of the city one can | | | | figs, melons, plums, pears, gooseberries and cherries |
| see the many kumura pits, terracing and other signs | | | | could be grown easily. |
| of what were once substantial hill pahs (forts). By | | | | Living in the countryside was considered cheap, but |
| 1840 these no longer existed and the area was | | | | living standards were basic, a raupo hut (brought for |
| relatively vacant. In fact some local Maori invited and | | | | 10 pounds), a couple of pigs and chickens, wheat, |
| sold land to Europeans in the hope of obtaining | | | | potatoes, pumpkins and a house cow were |
| protection from further violent wars from tribes of | | | | considered sufficient to live on. |
| the North. The crown would later overturn these land | | | | In fact Auckland was considered a good place to live |
| deals for its own benefit. Prior to 1840 most | | | | with no beggars and the average citizen eating meat |
| Europeans settling in New Zealand lived in the | | | | at least twice a day. For the average settler, life had |
| Wellington area (approx. 1600) where a settlement | | | | become much better than back 'home'. If accident |
| was established by the New Zealand Company and in | | | | befell them their neighbours would pitch in to help. |
| Northland at Russell (about 600) and around the Bay | | | | Crime was considered rare and on reading the papers |
| of Islands. Few would have predicted that Auckland | | | | they regularly published the results of 'police court', |
| would become the pre-emienant city in New Zealand | | | | e.g. two persons charged with being drunk, one for |
| with only 2 white settlers in the Waitemata at this | | | | swearing, one for parking their cart as to block a |
| time. | | | | road, would be a standard weeks matters. Capital |
| Hobson's Choice. | | | | punishment was still available but rarely needed. |
| All that was to change when in 1840 Governor Lt. | | | | Local relationships with the Maori were considered |
| William Hobson chose the isthmus as the site of his | | | | excellent at this stage, being a healthy trade |
| future capital. With fertile volcanic soils, twin habours, | | | | between the two peoples, food as mention before |
| rivers to the North and South and a good climate it | | | | brought from Maori farmers (normally communal |
| was an inspired choice. 3000 acres were brought | | | | farms), and horses, boats, imported goods, flour mills |
| from the local Maori chiefs - the Ngati Whatua. The | | | | being brought in turn by the Maori. Further they |
| Crown paid £341 for the original land handed | | | | provided a source of cheap labour. It was not |
| over for the settlement (3000 acres). Six months | | | | uncommon to see numerous maori canoes in either |
| later, just 44 acres of that land was resold by the | | | | habour. Maori were seen to be "Good humored, ever |
| Government to settlers for £24,275. (not a | | | | ready to enjoy a joke, and a laugh, and always |
| bad profit and this same 'crown/state' expects the | | | | appearing self satisfied and contented." (THE NEW |
| tax payer today to fork out to settle Maori land | | | | ZEALANDER). Past battles and deaths were seen as |
| claims, the irony is not lost on this writer). Shortly the | | | | a thing of the past (how wrong they were). |
| first ship the Platina arrived from Wellington with | | | | One of the most important events was the arrival of |
| Hobsons pre-fab. house (Mannning Frame House) and | | | | a ship. Auckland habour was a center of trade and of |
| 3 days later the Anna Watson from the Bay of | | | | vital importance to the growth of the city. With the |
| Islands arrived with the first group of internal settlers. | | | | coming of a ship came the much appreciated letters |
| At 1:00pm on Friday 18th day of September 1840 | | | | from home and news of the world (abet already 3-6 |
| Captain Symonds, also a chief Magistrate raised the | | | | months old). Such was this anticipated that a large |
| Union Jack, both ships fired their guns and Auckland | | | | crowd would wait outside the post office for it to |
| was founded. | | | | open. Further with the ships came necessary |
| At first living in raupo huts and tents these | | | | imported goods and in turn goods were exported to |
| 'mechanics' (tradesmen) and officials (government | | | | the world, in particular wheat and wood to Sydney, |
| bureaucrats) began to build the beginnings of a town. | | | | Tin and whale products. |
| The other side of the world. | | | | With the arrival of further immigrants Auckland |
| Imagine now if you will you are on the other side of | | | | continued to grow. From the original settlers by 1860 |
| the world. You decide you are sick of living in | | | | there were 8,000 in the city and 14,000 in the |
| crowded impovised conditions in Scotland. Thanks to | | | | surrounds, by 1880 both those numbers had doubled, |
| the combination of many factors including | | | | by the turn of the century those numbers had |
| industrialisation, the throwing of people off lands, and | | | | doubled again to 38,000 in the city and 68,000 in the |
| increasing birth rate, there are now large | | | | metropolitan area. Merchants grew and with the |
| overcrowded slums. You hear of the opportunities | | | | finding of Gold in Victoria and then in Thames wealth |
| that exist on the other side of the world, new lands | | | | was brought into the region and back by gold miners. |
| with man eating natives. To get there you will have | | | | Imports and exports continued to grow as did the |
| to spend at least 3 months on a sailing ship and you | | | | importance of the habour and surrounding industries. |
| have no guarantee you will get there. Ships sunk on a | | | | Sailing ships of all sorts, brigs, barques, clippers and |
| regular basis and even if the vovage was without | | | | even the new steam ships made regular calls to |
| incident you had a 1 in 15 chance of not making it to | | | | auckland. |
| your destination (given on average on a ship of 300 | | | | Most internal transport was on dirt or metaled roads |
| persons approximately 20 died on the way, I don't | | | | via horse and cart, though eventually railways and |
| think many of us would get on a 747 if given those | | | | tramways were laid. |
| odds). Perhaps now we should have a greater | | | | Important structures like the customs house, post |
| respect for those early white settlers. Not only would | | | | office and others were made of stone and were |
| the trip be dangerous, on arrival only hard work | | | | multi-storied and gave Auckland the feel of a large |
| awaited. | | | | town. |
| Despite this 306 settlers got onto the Duchess of | | | | Merchants such as Samuel Cochrane who had |
| Argyle and 255 onto the Jane Gifford and left | | | | immigrated from the United States of S.Cochrane |
| Greenock Scotland for Auckland and an uncertain | | | | and sons build up business and spread into |
| future. They arrived in Auckland 16 weeks later on | | | | auctioneering, boat transport, mining and much more. |
| the October 8th 1842. The Duchess of Argyle arrived | | | | (Another early ancestor of mine). |
| first but got stuck on a sandbank and the Jane | | | | As Auckland continued to grow a multitude of |
| Gifford sailed past, it wasn't until the following day | | | | problems emerged. As can be seen in the above |
| with the high tide that the Duchess of Argyle's | | | | picture roads were dirt. Ineffective local government, |
| passengers made landfall. With the arrival of the first | | | | funding problems and a lack of basic planning meant |
| overseas immigration ship the settlement really took | | | | some of the basics we take for granted today were |
| off. Despite Sir Logan Campbells view that these | | | | not available. Early water came from what is now the |
| new arrivals with not of the rich capitalist class | | | | duck ponds in the Auckland Domain and then |
| Auckland needed for investment, in truth these were | | | | western springs, but it wasn't until the first dam was |
| just the kind of people Auckland needed, average | | | | established in the Waitakere's in 1907 that the first |
| plebs, hard working tradesman, farmers, labourers | | | | reliable and quality water began to flow though the |
| and artisans, people with the neccessary skills to | | | | pipes. Likewise electricity began in 1908. |
| create a useful economy. (On the Duchess of Argyle | | | | Soon would come motor cars would come and they |
| a young 10 year old Robert Laing had arrived with his | | | | would change the face of Auckland. Roads and |
| mother Anne McDonell Laing COX and his step-father | | | | Motorways would turn Auckland from a city into an |
| to begin a new life and so one of my ancestors | | | | urban spawl, particularly after the second world war. |
| became a first settler and helped build Auckland. He | | | | Old Auckland continued to grow and to change over |
| would die in 1925 aged 92 during which time he had | | | | the years, old businesses went and new ones |
| lived to see Auckland become New Zealand's major | | | | started. In fact much of old Auckland would be |
| city.) | | | | unrecognisable to the modern Aucklander. Take this |
| These were the first of many more overseas | | | | view of Queen Street with the Town Hall taken in |
| immigrants who would help swell Aucklands | | | | 1923. Everything else in the picture has changed |
| population, along with the fact these early immigrants | | | | greatly. The Aotea square now fills most of this |
| themselves had large families. | | | | picture and the street going up the other side of the |
| What was early Auckland like? | | | | town hall is gone. Buildings such as the town hall and |
| By 1852 Auckland was a town with its own society. | | | | the customs house make more sense in their original |
| A population of 4,500 in the town itself and another | | | | context for which they were built. |
| 3,500 listed in the borough in surrounding farmlands. | | | | One should remember for the much of the last |
| Despite its relatively small size it considered itself as | | | | century much of Auckland was farmland. As seen |
| having a considerable society. As the seat of | | | | from this 1912 view from One Tree Hill passed |
| government it had numerous government officials as | | | | Manukau Road towards Hillsborough. This same scene |
| well as the seat of most of the churches, including | | | | now would be a mass of houses. What will it look like |
| Bishopricks of N.Z (Church of England) and of Rome | | | | in another hundred years time? (see original |
| (Catholic) and the Seat of the Missionary society's | | | | webpage) |
| pacific operations & the Wesleyan Mission as | | | | Short bio on some of my early Auckland ancestors |
| well. One should remember at this time in history | | | | and pioneers - |
| churches still had a tremendious influence over the | | | | Robert James LAING - arrived on the first immigrant |
| lifes of people and had large resources at their | | | | ship the Duchess of Argyle, became a sailor, |
| disposal to support missionary work throughout the | | | | ropemaker, Justice of the Peace, Lay preacher and |
| pacific. | | | | 'gentleman'. Buried amongst the earliest settlers in the |
| As well as these there was the army with its | | | | Symonds Street Cementary. |
| officers, artillery, engineers. At this time the New | | | | John McNEIL - He was recruited in 1823 at Inverness |
| Zealand fencible settlers were arriving in Auckland | | | | into the 91st Reg. at the age of 17yrs (underage) for |
| bringing in another 2,500 settlers between 1847 - | | | | one year without pay. From 1824-1831 the reg. |
| 1852 (these were retired soliders (721 in total) who | | | | served in Jamaica, the conditions resulting in constant |
| volunteered for New Zealand on the condition they | | | | deaths from yellow fever. The reg. was relieved and |
| gave part-time army service in return for a 2 room | | | | returned to England months before the slave rebellion |
| cottage and an acre of land, they are now estimated | | | | in 1831. On the 5th Jan 1835 John married Catherine |
| to have over a quarter of a million descendants). | | | | ColCLOUGH nee McGRATH. He was either Corporal |
| They were brought to Auckland to help defend it | | | | or Sergeant at this time. After another move to St. |
| against a possible Maori invasion from the strong | | | | Helena he was promoted to Corporal but was court |
| Waikato tribes. Fencible villages included Howick, | | | | marshalled and reduced to the ranks. The charge was |
| Onehunga, Panmure, and Otahuhu. | | | | over charging in the companys account book. In 1842 |
| (On the Inchinnan which arrived on 27th May 1852 | | | | the reg. served time at the cape of good Hope but |
| was a John McNeil and his family who settled in | | | | John was unfit on account of his rheumatism and |
| Howick, Auckland and so began another branch of | | | | respiratory problems, so his return to England was |
| my family tree, one of his sons would follow the | | | | recommended and he was duly discharged. Age. |
| solider tradition and fight in the Waikato War). | | | | 39yrs his heigh 5'7", dark hair, grey eyes and sallow |
| In this small society there were many comings and | | | | complexion. The couple settle in New Ross, Wexford, |
| goings. Soliders posted to elsewhere in the British | | | | Ireland where two children were born, Eliza.b.1839, |
| empire, new settlers, others who 'cleared out' | | | | Alexander b.1847. In 1851 they arrived in NZ with |
| deciding Auckland was not for them, visiting ships and | | | | baby John b. 1849 and settled in Howick in Waterloo |
| sailors, merchants and others who travelled the | | | | Road. John was granted his land in 1858 at Howick, |
| world. There was no landed gentry, not alot of old | | | | which he transferred to his widowed daughter Eliza |
| persons, and no old settled families and less formality | | | | STUART in 1879. John also purchase 6 arces near |
| as had been in England. In fact there was the | | | | pigeon mountain which he later sold. Catherine went |
| beginning of a new society, a classless society that | | | | to live with her sons at Coromandel until 1886 when |
| the whole of New Zealand was growing into, not | | | | she passed away. |
| they had fully realised this yet. Consider this quote | | | | THEY WERE FENCIBLE SETTLERS. |
| from the New Zealander "Pretension and assumption | | | | Samuel COCHRANE's Obituary |
| are quickly seen through, and valued at their worth. | | | | On Sunday Morning at 3 o'clock Mr Samuel Cochrane, |
| Rank, station, fortune, family connection, unless | | | | the well known auctioneer breathed his last at his |
| supported by character, ability, public spirit or liberality, | | | | son's residence, Remuera. Though not belonging to |
| receive but small respect." This was going to be a | | | | what may be regarded as the old identities the |
| city where who you were and what you did and | | | | founders of Auckland, Mr Cochrane was a very old |
| achieved mattered more than inherited wealth and | | | | resident in the Auckland District. He has reside |
| titles. Despite this servants were in great demand. | | | | amongst us about 21 years, and during that time has |
| One of the problems for 'ladies' was the difficulty in | | | | been an active and useful man of business. He was |
| getting and retaining trained servants. One of the | | | | born in New York in the year 1815 during a short |
| problems being with the lack of females in the colony | | | | residence of his parents in that city and was thus in |
| they were constantly poached away by getting | | | | the 6th year of age. On the return of his parents to |
| married and taking on new domestic duties. | | | | Ireland he was brought up in the vicinity of |
| Auckland was said to have no religious or political | | | | Londonderry and was there engage in the linen-trade. |
| bickering, and that any dispute could be aired in the | | | | He subsequently settled in Montreal and there carried |
| two local newspapers, the New Zealander and the | | | | on business for a number of years. Hearing of the |
| Southern Cross, which were published twice weekly. | | | | more genial climate of Auckland from some relatives |
| Fashion was very much as it was in England though | | | | of his who had settled here Mr. Cochrane was |
| 'delayed' somewhat, and the clothes whilst the same | | | | induced to cast in his lot amongst us in the year 1858. |
| designs tended to be made out of lighter fabrics like | | | | During the greater part of his residence here he has |
| cotton due to New Zealand's warm climate | | | | earned on the business of auctioneer and land agent, |
| (remember most of these people had come from | | | | and gathered an extensive business, which his sons |
| England, Ireland and Scotland), with other changes like | | | | carry on still. |
| straw hats. It must have been difficult to keep clean | | | | From 1860 to 1863 Mr. Cochrane took a very active |
| with all the roads being dirt. Houses were small | | | | part in developing the mineral resources of the |
| wooden cottages, or raupo huts. Few stone buildings | | | | Coromandel district, in connection with Mr Keven, |
| of note yet existed and transport was by boat or | | | | Michael Wood and others. With this object in view he |
| horse. | | | | purchased from the goverment the steamer sandfly, |
| Aucklanders didn't see a great city taking shape | | | | after better known by the name of the Tasman |
| before them at this stage, Auckland only 12 years old | | | | Maid, which he ran in the coromandel trade for a |
| and was seen as a watering hole to replenish ships, | | | | number of years. He was also the principal owner of |
| supplies, people, etc. | | | | the steamer Waitemata now known as the |
| In such a small town one of the greatest activities | | | | enterprise no. 2, which was at first intended for the |
| was 'gossip' as this quote from the New Zealander 2 | | | | purpose of opening up regular steam communication |
| 6/1852 states "New comers, especially those who | | | | with the North shore, whau, hobsonville, etc. His |
| have had no experience of the "tittle-tattle", | | | | other and last enterprise in connection with steam |
| common, all the world over, in small communities, are | | | | was the SS Jane, in the early days of the Thames |
| struck with the prevalence of "gossip". But finding | | | | Goldfields. Mr Concrane's object in these various |
| that it is "neighbour's fare" - that it is no respecter of | | | | ventures was the advancement of the auckland |
| persons - thats its equal pressure in all directions | | | | district and to secure fast and regular steam |
| destroys its force - they soon become almost as | | | | communication between this city and the various |
| unconscious of its existence as of the air they | | | | districts. In political life Mr Cochrane took little part. |
| breath". | | | | For a short time he ahd the hnour of a seat in the |
| In Summer once a week the Regimental Band played | | | | Provincial council, but he seemed to delight in more |
| on the well kept lawns of government house (now | | | | practical work than conducting debates in the council |
| site of Auckland University) for a couple of hours. | | | | chamber. On one occassion we think in 1863 he |
| Society had 3 to 4 balls. And once a year to | | | | recieved a special vote of thanks of the provincial |
| celebrate the Queens Birthday (Victoria), the | | | | council for his offer to provide them with |
| Governor would throw a ball and invite 200 of the | | | | accomodation in which to carry on the business of |
| most important people. Families went on picnics, with | | | | the province. He was chosen in connection with Mr. T. |
| boating, bush walking, horse riding being the favourite | | | | Cheeseman as a commissioner to settle the |
| outdoor activities, and for the more adventuress trips | | | | compensation claims which arose in regard to the |
| to the Island of Kawau, or to the the Waikato and | | | | auckland and drury railway. |
| the lakes of Rotorua awaited. Also popular were | | | | In reference to the political which Mr. Cochrane |
| school feasts, lectures, and stitcheries. For the | | | | occupied it may be meintioned that he was a |
| sporting minded there was an annual race meeting | | | | member of the first harbour board that was selected |
| and cricket matches. Of great importance was the | | | | for Auckland. Advance of the Drury Coal mines. He |
| Auckland Regatta (still going strong) in which sailing | | | | also started a wool-scouring establishment at the |
| craft of all types took part, there was even a races | | | | whan and he owned the prince alfed battery, |
| for native canoes, one for no more than 12 natives, | | | | grahamstown. During a short visit back to Ireland he |
| and one for unlimited numbers. | | | | was granted the post of NZ emigration agent for the |
| Regarding living standards Auckland was considered | | | | north of Ireland. He selected many colonists for NZ. |
| an expense place to live with rents being double of a | | | | He died of cancer of the bladder. The great fund of |
| similar sized place in England. However wages were | | | | humour which he possessed was often times |
| somewhat better, particularly servants wages which | | | | exhibited while discharging his duties as an auctioneer. |
| were double. There were no rates, taxes or dues of | | | | He was altogether an exemplary and energetic |
| any kind (what happened?!). Clothing was more | | | | citizen. |
| expensive, but wine, spirits and groceries were | | | | |