VENERABLE PIONEER PASSES

Northern Advocate, 20 November 1931, Page 4

VENERABLE PIONEER PASSES

MR RICHARD COSSILL

A VARIED CAREER

One of the most outstanding figures of the old-time North breathed his last at the Whangarei District Hospital at 8 o’clock this morning, in the person of Mr Richard Cossill, who had attained an unusually advanced age, his 95th birthday being due on March 12 of next vear.

The immediate cause of his demise was blood-poisoning, caused i by a cut in one of his feet by the slipping of a tomahawk about two months since, and necessitating his removal to the hospital five weeks ago. Bluff, hearty, bearded and bronzed by the suns of many summers, plus a dash of good native blood, Mr Cossill looked a typical old sea captain. His appearance did not belie his principal calling, for in ship, schooner and steamer he had seen many parts of the world.

The deceased gentleman was born in Kaikohe in 1837, being the only son of the late Mr Charles Cossill, of Suffolk, England, who came out to New Zealand in a. brig to load spars at Hokianga for the Imperial Government. While in the North the adventurous sailor fell in love with a native lady, ami the marriage which followed is said to have been the first to take place in New Zealand between the two races under European law and Christian ceremony. The late Bishop Williams was the officiating clergyman.

Familiarly known as “Dick,” Mr Diehard CossiU had not long breathed the balmy air of the North before trouble came. Hone Heke became “busy,” and wdien “Dick” was three years of age the family removed to Sydney on account of the outbreak of war. At the age of seven years Mr Cossill returned to this Dominion and landed in Whangarei. The salt blood of the English sailor who was “Dick’s” father was evidently handed down to his son, for the young man soon took to the sea. Windjammer or steamer, it was all the same to him, and he worked his way up the ladder from seaman to mate, and finally to his captaincy, and ho was on the two first boats brought into Whangarei, viz., the schooners Isabella and Ivanhoe, both of which have since been wrecked. He was also mate on both the old Ruahina and Clansman.

He was for some time engaged' in coastal work and then tried his iluck abroad, and he became familiar with the Islands both as master, mate and seaman of trading ships in those waters. “Dick” was there in the stirring days of island development and knew the famous “Bully” Hayes well. He was in the Sandwich Islands and landed in the Bay of Karokokua, whore Captain Cook was slain. But in all his early associations with the islands he never “struck trouble” with the natives.

The “rim of the beyond,” however, continued to call, and the young sailor was not satisfied with his Island experiences, He "went twice to America, spent, nine years on a whaler and even visited the arctic regions. Good luck followed him in all his travels, for he was never once wrecked.

When the spirit of adventure cooled down the young colonial began to long for his native land, and he returned once again to Whangarei, where he followed various occupations, contracting, hotel-keeping—anything that came to hand. He drifted North and at Mangonui fell a victim to the charms of Miss Sarah Wells, the daughter of some well-known northern identities.

Finally Air and Airs Cossill made their home in AVhangarei, where “Dick” was for a long time the best known launch-owner on the harbour.

There Avere eight children of the marriage—Alessrs Charles, William, Louis, Henry and Andrew Cossill, Airs W. Aliddleton, i Airs J. Johnston and Airs J. Boguo.

In the course of reference to the Heke War and his departure for Sydney, Air Cossill stated that he returned to AVhangarei in the same vessel as Air E. Dent, the grandfather of Air J. *B. Dent, of AVhangarei. Airs Cossill, who was a splendid helpmate to her husband, predeceased him some years ago. The sympathy of the whole North wdll be extended to the many relatives of Air Cossill in their bereavement.