Te Aroha Mining District Working Papers

 

This series of working papers focuses on the Te Aroha Mining District from 1880-1980, starting with the year when gold was discovered until when the environmental consequences of base metal mining were being tackled. Although the papers always contain a mining element, much more is covered, with background papers dealing not only with the geology and impacts on vegetation and the wider environment but also the consequence for iwi of the search for gold, including the sale of the Aroha Block. Interspersed with papers on the rise and fall of mining are others on some of the leading personalities of the time (and not just miners), which broaden the focus from being just about the Te Aroha district.

Supported by the Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato.


Click on each section below to see a full list of papers:

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  • Maori and Pakeha at Te Aroha: the context: 2: Maori in Hauraki in the nineteenth century

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    After the arrival of Europeans, the Maori population of Hauraki suffered a rapid decline. Some rangatira opposed Pakeha ways, whereas others adopted these for their personal benefit. Keeping ‘the peace of Hauraki’ required ...

  • Denis Murphy: a miner and farmer in the Te Aroha district

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    After the death of his father, Denis Murphy and his family settled in New Zealand in 1865, moving to Thames once the goldfield opened, mining there for several years. At Thames he was a director of one mining company and ...

  • Edward Gallagher: a Te Aroha coach proprietor

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    Edward Gallagher, who arrived in New Zealand at the age of two in 1844, fought as a cavalryman against Maori in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. His subsequent career was primarily based around horses, having pioneer coaching ...

  • Education in the Te Aroha district in the nineteenth century

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    Establishing a school at Te Aroha was delayed while the Education Board waited to see whether the settlement would become permanent. In the interim, temporary arrangements were made. Although some praised the building ...

  • Akuhata Koropango Lipsey

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    The eldest son of George and Ema Lipsey, Augie, as he was known, was most notable, and popular, as a sportsman. A good rugby player in his youth, he later became a keen golfer. As well, he owned and raced horses, an interest ...

  • Rewi Mokena: youngest son of Mokena Hou

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    The youngest child of Mokena Hou, Rewi Mokena moved from place to place when young, finally settling permanently at Te Aroha. Having received some education, he was fluent in English. Like the typical rangatira of the time, ...

  • Private lives in the Te Aroha district, mostly in the nineteenth century

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    This paper is based mostly on gossip – deliberately so, for gossip can reveal details of the private lives of people who are otherwise lost to history. Usually it is not possible to identify them, but even if this is not ...

  • John Watson Walker: a leading mine manager

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    After successfully mining in Victoria, in 1869 John Watson Walker was invited to report on Thames mines, and subsequently was asked to stay on as a mine manager. Despite his high reputation as both a manager and company ...

  • James Gordon: a ‘useful all-round man’ at Te Aroha and elsewhere

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    Some confusion over the early details of James Gordon’s life is unavoidable because his birth was not registered and there were several namesakes. Born to an Irish father and a Maori mother, after the latter reputedly ...

  • John Mcsweeney: labourer, miner, farmer, publican

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    John McSweeney was important in the history of Te Aroha mining because he assisted Hone Werahiko in the latter’s initial prospecting of the mountain. During the Te Aroha rush he invested in some claims, and later invested ...

  • Maori and mining in New Zealand and beyond

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    Before the arrival of Europeans, Maori had known of the existence of gold but did not mine it and had no understanding of its value. Once mining commenced in California in 1849 and Australia in the early 1850s, many Maori ...

  • Harry Kenrick: the first warden of the Te Aroha mining district

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    Because of his improvident father, Harry Kenrick left England for the Victorian goldfields before moving to the South Island of New Zealand. In 1865, he settled in the West Coast to begin a lifetime career of working for ...

  • ‘Pakeha Bill’: William John Mcclear, a Pakeha who lived at Te Aroha

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    Born in Ireland to a Scottish soldier named McAleer, McClear, as he would re-name himself, was uncertain of his age, his birthplace, and the spelling of his name – for, like his parents, he was illiterate. After his drunken ...

  • William Morris Newsham: a prospector and miner in the Te Aroha district

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    New Zealand-born William Morris Newsham fought against Maori without suffering any mishaps, but when aged 35 had the most perilous experience of his life. When assisting to survey a potential railway line in the King ...

  • Two Roycroft brothers and two of their brothers-in-law, all miners at Te Aroha

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    James and William Roycroft commenced their mining careers at Thames, where they were notable athletes, especially James. But James also became notable for being accused of theft, violence, and excessive drinking. Both men ...

  • Prospectors and investors in the Te Aroha mining district during the 1930s

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    This paper gives the ages, occupations, normal place of residence, mining experience, and other details that have been unearthed about all the men who acquired prospecting licenses and of five men who prospected for others ...

  • Robert John Michael: a Te Aroha labourer

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    An Irishman, Michael prospected at Waihi before settling in Te Aroha in late 1882, where he owned several worthless mines close to that settlement and also at Stoney Creek. He also acquired and developed farmland on the ...

  • ‘Revolting murder at Te Aroha’ in 1881

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    The brutal murder of Hamiona Haira, who had been mining with his two brothers and his father-in-law, shocked the new settlement. Being a member of Ngati Koi and Ngati Hako, these hapu threatened utu on the Pakeha responsible, ...

  • William Grey Nicholls and Rihitoto Mataia

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    The son of a Pakeha Maori, Nicholls had an illustrious ancestry on his mother’s side, and his wife Rihitoto Mataia also had a distinguished whakapapa. From the 1870s Nicholls farmed in Ohinemuri, and as a licensed interpreter ...

  • Thomas Gavin: ‘Tommy Chairman’, a mine manager and local government politician at Te Aroha

    Hart, Philip (Historical Research Unit, University of Waikato, 2016)
    After starting mining on the Thames goldfield at the age of 17, Thomas Gavin quickly became a competent miner. As later at Te Aroha, he was active in the wider community, especially as a rower and a Volunteer. After ...

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