EARLY RUSSELL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 1 (Supplement)

EARLY RUSSELL

BY LONKHANDER

A REVEALING PHOTOGRAPH

A little thing sometimes is quite big enough' to bring back the past—not only the past that we know from actual experience, but also the reminiscences of others who have long since crossed over. The souvenir in this case if? an undated photograph marked " Early Russell," and it reminds one of much of the old settlement. Probably that which will first catch the eye of those who can remember seventy or more years ago will be the little island off the southern end of the bay, where the mill that never worked can be seen, with.' the cottage-like office near the northern end. "Judd's Folly" the old-timers called this venture at harnessing the w r ind. I was told that, when first started going, one of the wings gave way and was never replaced, so perhaps it was this lack of enterprise that earned the derisive title. Conspicuous at the southern end of the bay itself is the building which Bishop. Pompallier intended should serve as a convent; anyway, that was what I was told. But my earliest recollection of the historic building was when the lower part was used as a tannery, and it was there that I first saw hides turned into leather. A Mr. Calaghan was the tanner, and there must be many of his descendants who could tell quite a lot about old Russell. . However, now that the Catholic archives are available to the Auckland Historical Society, one can confidently expect the full story of one of Russell's well-known landmarks.

On the corner of the same block appears the Russell Hotel, where a bearded lady exhibited herself. The exhibit had a heavy black beard, fully a foot long, and a face equally at variance with one's idea of the feminine features. Still, the show must have been genuine, or it would have tripped before reaching such an out-of-tlie-wi.y place as the Russell of the early sixties. The Maoris generally, and Tarapa'ta, a Ngapuhi Rangatira, in particular, reckoned that no Avoman could grow a beard such as they had paid a shilling each to see that night. At that time the pakeha. and Maori were not running in double-harness, and anything might have happened if the Maori whaler had not been pacified. This the showman managed with a bottle of rum. Tarapata was the whaler that was lost, with his boat's crew, off the coast between Cape Brett and the Cavalli Islands, about sixty years back. This disaster to Ngapuhi was told in detail a couple of years ago. Stores and Wharves On the next block is where the courthouse and gaol can be seen. The latter building I remember seeing fully occupied when the whale ships were in port. Between the calaboose and where the Russell wharf now stands the picture shows three small houses, which will seem strange to most people, for they stand well seaward of the present line of road, and one is partly below high-water mark. This I know was a store and butchery; the next was a gum store; and the other housed the harbourmaster's equipment. This indicates a change somewhere, for I am certain that no such flimsy structure could have withstood the gales that have swept Russell beach during the past half-century. Just shoreward from the butchery is the house that the Government built for Tamati Waaka Nene, so I was told, but by the time that I came to understand things it had become church property and the old chief had moved further back. Russell in those days was a quiet place when the harbour was bare of shipping, as it was when this picture was taken. The two original wharves appear much as I first remember them. One runs out from Vilcoq and Quartier's store, the other from that of Mr. S. Stephenson. The first-mentioned two were Frenchmen, and they bought the business and premises from Mr. Davis, a Jew. When this took place I was just old enough to ask questions. I remember asking my mother what was in a black leather bag that I had seen in one of the bedrooms, and she told me that it was Mr. Davis' money. This old business-house changed hands many times. In 1876 the late Mr. J. B. Macfarlane was the proprietor, and it was he and the late Mr. E Ford that fitted the whaler Magellan Cloud. The little ship made two successful voyages and was then withdrawn from the business. Replacing the Flagstaff

Stephenson's wharf shows the crane which now does duty on Russell's new wharf, and its intimate association with the popular sport of deep-sea fishing has made it known the world over. Prized pictures of it will be found in the homes of the rich and the Royal, yet how many know its history? In my young days, if a boy funked a header from the top of the crane, he was considered a bit short of courage.

Now we are near where the camera viewed Russell, and in the foreground of the picture stands a small clump of ti-trees (cabbage trees). This is at the northern end of the beach, . and just there Ngapuhi had the first spell when carrying the spar for the modern flagstaff on Mpiki Hill. Usually it was the other way about —the pakeha put the staff up and the Maori put it down. Four times this was done. But by now the Maori vision had cleajed a bit, and the placing of a new staff on the historic hill was a friendly gesture of Ngapuhi, which was much appreciated. Whakakotahitanga, meaning "the making of one," Was the name the Maoris gave to their offering, and it was put up in January, 1858. The Old Church So far, the most sacred and interesting of Russell's historic spots has not been mentioned, yet it stands clearly out just as it appeared originally, and its nearest neighbour is the old schoolhouse. The Rev. F. Gould would be the schoolmaster- at this time. The next building is the manse, on the hill. Old-timers would have no trouble in repeopling the old settlement once they saw the reminder I thus have of old days. Recent pictures of Russell Church show little resemblance to the original. ]n fact, it would not be recognised without its neighbourhood. The roof has been altered and the sides buttressed, and in one picture 1 have there is a belfry. In the original the roof slopes at both ends and sides, and the belfry is quite apart from the church. When one is reminded that it was in this old building that Governor Hobson read his proclamations on January .'3O, 1840, it seems a pity that its original features were not preserved. Perhaps some day, when the sacred edifice again requires renovating, the original features will be restored. I have well in mind the Christian men and women (many of whom 1 know) through whose efforts the old church building was saved from being altogether with that past of which it now reminds us. The late Mr. J. C. Martin took groat interest in all that concerned the old settlement in which he had decided to spend the evening of his life. Ho was interested in Russell Church particularly. Now that more interest is being taken in old-time happenings, perhaps some qualified searcher will take up the task he was compelled to relinquish.