Thomas Hansen (’s First Permanent Non-Missionary Settler)

and his links to

Kemp House

Eric Hansen On 22nd December 1814, the first Church Missionary Society settlement was established at Oihi, below the pa at Rangihoua. Most New Zealand history books have recorded that the mission was led by Rev Samuel Marsden, and that the missionaries were William Hall, , and John King. But seldom mentioned in these accounts of the Oihi mission station is the role played by Thomas Hansen.

Thomas was the son of Captain Thomas Hansen, master of the brig Active, which had transported the missionary group from Sydney, and his sister Hannah was married to the missionary John King. When Thomas disembarked from the Active on 22nd December 1814, and as he was not a missionary, he became New Zealand’s first non-missionary settler.

By May 1816, Thomas had built a cottage across the Oihi Stream from the mission station, and was living there with his wife Elizabeth. To earn his keep, Thomas worked for the missionaries, helping with building projects, bush and cattle work, and breaking in the land. Thomas later diversified to carpentering and bushwork.

A careful search of contemporary journals and documents has provided evidence of the work done by Thomas Hansen at the mission station, as well as his role in the building of Kemp House and the establishment of the mission station.

The Reverend John Butler employed Thomas as a carpenter, along with other missionary carpenters and Māori sawyers, when building the Kerikeri mission. An agreement between Thomas and Rev Samuel Marsden stated; On behalf of the Church Missionary Society at ten shillings per week and rations commencing 21st August 1819, which sum will be paid to him on the society’s account as long as the Rev Mr. Butler shall find his services necessary for the general benefit of the settlement and he the said Thos Hansen is willing to continue in the employ of the Church Missionary Society.

The journal of William Hall had a reference to Thomas Hansen at about the same time; Tuesday 17th August (1819) Mr Marsden Mr Butler Mr H and myself went up to the Kiddeekiddee in Shunghees Canoe for the purpose of examing the Situation for a new settlement.

By this stage, Walter Hall, the blacksmith who had accompanied the original missionaries in 1814, had departed, and the Mr H referred to in the journal entry is most likely Thomas Hansen.

Two days later on Thursday 19th August, Hall recorded that the sawyers were set to work to saw planks for the punt ordered by Marsden; 25 feet by 10 feet.( Pg. 133).

The timber used in the construction of Kemp House and other mission station buildings at Kerikeri was cut at Oihi. Logs were cut from stands of trees close to the water’s edge at sites elsewhere in the , and then rafted across to Oihi where they were cut into lengths of timber at a saw pit located just above the high water mark. The timber was then transported in the flat-bottomed punt built by William Hall, around the coast from Oihi to the Kerikeri Inlet.

An example of timber being cut by a pit saw Rowing the punt full of timber the 12 km from Oihi to Kerikeri would have been extremely hard work, and there were several references in the journals of Hall and Butler of the difficulties that they faced transporting the timber, and the assistance rendered to them from Thomas Hansen.

Butler, in a letter written on 10th October 1821 to the CMS about setting up the Kerikeri mission even complained about the refusal of his fellow missionaries to lend a hand; Mr King said he could not nor would he perform such work and labour and Mr Kendall pleaded incapability and pleaded to be excused. Bay of Islands – locations of Oihi and …I next applied to Mr Marsden for more Kerikeri Mission Stations strength and he engaged Thos Hansen and James Boyle, the sailmaker to assist me. …The punt being finished we took a quantity of sawn stuff for Kiddee Kiddee (Kerikeri) for the carpenter to build a blacksmith’s shop and storehouse.

There is a further reference in Butler’s journal referring to a trip on 19th October 1819; At noon, myself, Mr. Gordon, King, Carlisle and Hansen with three natives set off for Kadi Kadi with a load of timber for our buildings. The wind was very foul and we had hard work to make any progress. We laboured until the going down of the sun and then we drew to shore on a sandy beach. Our natives made a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together. We then proceeded to make some tea in an iron pot we had with us and to cook some pork.

An entry from Hall’s journal on P. 141 stated; Thursday 30th December - the Punt came down again, and I and Thos Hansen went up with the remainder of the Stores and the wind and tide being against us we were obliged to remain upon the water all night in the Boats, and were both cold and wet, but thanks be to God we sustained no material injury from it.

Even as late as 1822, Butler recorded that he was still employing Thomas Hansen to assist him in the transporting of timber to be used at the Kerikeri mission station. October 28. This morning I set off for the timber ground with my natives and a canoe beside which I hired for the journey. I proceeded to Tipoonah (Te Puna) to take with me Mr Hansen having engaged him to assist me in this heavy job. We made all speed to Tipoonah and arrived at the timber ground at about eight in the evening. We then made some tea, and got our supper and offered up our prayers and praise, moored our boat a short distance from land and lay down in it to rest. As our beds were rather hard, we did not sleep much. At four in the morning we rose, and after some little refreshment and prayer proceeded to barter for timber. In the course of the day I bought at different places fifty-four logs and we got them all into the water and rafted into two lots, one for the canoe and one for the boat.

….We continued rowing until next morning eight o’clock by which time there was not a man that was scarcely able to raise his arm We therefore let go our anchor and went on shore and got some refreshments and laid down on the beach until the turn of the tide. After about five hours had elapsed we again started and by great exertion reached Kiddee Kiddee about seven in the evening thankful for all mercies but most completely fatigued

Thomas Hansen’s work at the Kerikeri mission station was not confined to transporting timber and carpentry; he was also employed in assisting Butler with agricultural work. Following on from Butler’s entry on 30th June 1819, the next day’s entry refers to the quarterly committee meeting where Butler reported that he had sown about nine acres of wheat and four of oats and barley, but because he was unwell had been obliged to engage Thomas Hansen to assist him in putting in the greater part of the wheat; He [Hansen] has taught one native to hold the plough and another to drive.

Further evidence of Thomas Hansen’s agricultural employment at the Kerikeri mission station can be found in Butler diary entries in 1822. Over three days in April, Butler with the assistance of Thomas Hansen and some local Māori managed to corral the bullocks and other cattle that had been roaming free in the bush. Over the next fortnight, when he felt up to it Butler did a considerable amount of ploughing and harrowing. But he relied on Hansen to teach the natives to harness and drive a pair of bullocks, how to guide the plough, harrow in grain, trench and so on. April 25. This morning I sent a number of natives into the bush to see if they could get the bullocks down to the settlement. With my assistance and Mr Hansen we got them all into the yard with several young cattle. Caught two bullocks for the purpose of working them on the farm and I castrated three young bulls about twelve months old. WE had a great deal of trouble over this business but we got over it much better than I expected. I narrowly escaped being knocked down twice and several others also, as the young bulls, when let loose, ran at the nearest person that came near.

May 25. I have now about 5 acres of wheat sown on account of the weak state of my health I have been compelled to engage Thomas Hansen (a person long resident in New Zealand and brother to Mrs King) to assist me and to go out with the natives ….Natives go on pretty well in farming, sawing, fencing etc. Mr Hansen returned to Rangie Hoo this day: paid him six pounds fifteen shillings for labour and five pounds eight shillings for food.

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