Wairau Massacre - Sat 17 Jun 1843 ============================================================================================= Copyright (c)2001 Carol Whyte Auckland New Zealand Rumours were rife at the time that a ship of war was coming with soldiers to punish the old chief, Rangihaeata, for burning down the surveyors huts. The government brig 'Victoria' at the request of Mr Thompson carried the party to Wairau with a warrant of arrest for arson of Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata for burning down Mr Cotterell's house. Of the party of forty-nine men, thirty-three carried muskets. The attempted arrest of both maori chiefs was a stupid idea from the start and tempers began to fray between Thompson and Rangihaeata. Both maori chiefs refused to go with the government party and Thompson ordered the armed men from across the stream to advance. The maori retired into the bushes. At this moment Capt Wakefield ordered the party across the stream to advance forward and one of the european fired a shot, to which the maori replied with a volley. During the affray numbers had been killed on BOTH sides but only the european found by the Rev Mr Ironside are listed. FORMAT: List of european present at the Wairau Massacre ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- last first name, name ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thompson, Mr HA . . . Police magistrate & county judge died Wakefield, Capt A. . . Magistrate died England, Capt R . . . Magistrate died Tuckett, Mr . . . Principal Surveyor Richardson, Mr JR. . . Crown Prosecutor died, gunshot to the hip Patchett, Mr . . . Land agent & merchant died Howard, Mr James . . . Company's storekeeper, Navy died Brooks, Mr John . . . Interpreter died Cotterill, Mr . . . Surveyor died Barnicoat, Mr . . . " " Bellairs, Mr . . . " " Fergusson, Mr . . . Passenger of brig Maling, Mr . . . Chief Constable died of wounds, body unrecovered Capper, Mr . . . Constable wounded, lost use of hand Coster, Mr . . . " " died Gardiner, William. . . " " Stokes, Edward . . . Special Constables died of wounds McGregor, James . . . " " died Burnett, Richard . . . " " wounded Gay, John . . . " " Maunsell, William. . . " " Noden, John . . . " " Bumforth, John . . . " " lost an arm Cropper, Eli . . . " " died Northam, William . . . " " died Bumforth, Henry . . . " " died Tyrrell, Thomas . . . " " died Smith, Isaac . . . " " died Warner, Richard . . . " " Pay, Thomas . . . Boatman died Goddard, Samuel . . . " Vollard, Abraham . . . " Kidson, John . . . " Bampton, George . . . " Burt, William . . . " Richardson, H . . . Men engaged on the surveys Hannam, Thomas . . . " " Chamberlain, W . . . " " Grant, James . . . " " Peanter, Richard . . . " " Morrison, William. . . " " Morgan, Joseph . . . " " Miller, John . . . " " Crawford, Robert . . . " " wounded Smith, John . . . " " wounded Clanzie, William . . . " " died Burton, John . . . " " died Ratcliffe, Thomas. . . " " died Wray, Henry . . . " " John Kidson and Rev Mr Ironside went to assist in the search for the dead at least THREE days after the fight. Mr Patchett was the first body found, wounded early in the fight, he died from the wound, but had been tomahawked three times to the head afterwards. The body had been stripped, the clothes ripped and lay upon it. Tyrrell's body was in the water, killed by a shot to the throat, ball passing out the back, just at the shoulder. Northam had been killed in a similar fashion. Ratcliffe & Clanzie were shot during the engagement, and their bodies were later found in athe stream after the arrival of the brig. All the rest were killed by tomahawk, even when wounded or killed by gunshot. Smiths body was found near the foot of the hill, Brookes, the interpreter, seems to have tried to escape as his body was some distance from the others, its features unrecognizable, and but for his clothes the pair would not have been able to recognise him. Capt Wakefield had been killed by a single stroke which cleft the front of his skull and destroyed his features. Under his head the maori had placed a piece of bread and laid his pistol to his throat. Mr Thompson, who lay on his side, with a lot of hair in one hand which he appeared to have pulled from his head the instant before he was tomahawked from behind. Capt Englands head had been cleft by a blow on his side, he lay on his back. Mr Richardson was doubled over and he lay on his side, but his features were not disfigured. Mr Howard had been cut about the face and struck below the mouth and was lying nearly on his face. McGregor was also badly cut up, but Mr Pay and Coster, not nearly as much. Mr Cotterell was the only one who had been struck on the body - a deep wound in the lower part of his back. Buried in one grave: Northam, Tyrrell & Smith Buried in second grave: Mr Thompson, Capt Wakefield, Capt England, Mr Richardson, Mr Cotterell, Mr Howard, Bumforth, Cropper, Gardiner, Coster, Pay, McGregor & Brookes Buried in third grave: Mr Ratcliffe & Mr Clanzie ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RESOURCES: ©Broad, Lowther., (1892)., "The Jubilee History of Nelson."., Bond, Finney, & co., 'Colonist' Office, Nelson., 1892. Auckland Central City Library (1998): 44-46 Lorne St, Auckland City, New Zealand, or PO Box 4638, Auckland 1001, New Zealand. -------------------------------- G E N E o N Z --------------------------------------------- t r a n s c r i b e d & c o l l a t e d b y Carol Whyte, Auckland, New Zealand 9 January 2001 http://www.geocities.com/wlorac/wairaum.txt ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR GENERAL VIEW OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITHOUT PAYMENT OF FEES OR PRIVATE MEMBERSHIP