1971 - Lush, Vicesimus. The Auckland Journals of Vicesimus Lush, 1850-63 - EPILOGUE, p 259-260

       
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  1971 - Lush, Vicesimus. The Auckland Journals of Vicesimus Lush, 1850-63 - EPILOGUE, p 259-260
 
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EPILOGUE

[Image of page 259]

EPILOGUE

Vicesimus Lush resigned as Vicar of Howick in 1865 and was appointed minister to the Inner Waikato, with headquarters at Drury and his home at Ewelme Cottage, Parnell.

This was heavy work for a middle-aged man. His parish stretched from Drury to Port Waikato, and later to Raglan. It entailed hard riding in all weathers and comparatively little time spent with his family. He gave three years of service before a leg injury ended the long days on horseback, and in 1868, less than a year after the Thames goldfield was opened, he was sent there as its first vicar; the last clerical appointment made by Bishop Selwyn before leaving New Zealand.

The cure of the Thames goldfield was an important one. The Vicar was to see the twin settlements of Shortland and Grahamstown grow together from clusters of shanties and primitive public houses, of poppet-heads and romantically-named mines, and batteries, through the gold bonanza of the 1870s to undreamt-of prosperity.

His health failed in 1881; he was made Archdeacon of the Waikato and Vicar of Hamilton and died at Parnell on 11 July 1882. His grave is in the historic churchyard of St Stephen's Chapel on the green slope above Judges Bay.

Blanche, his wife, died in 1912, aged ninety-three. A granddaughter writes of her that, though a most capable pioneer, "she never became a colonial, remaining until the last a thorough Englishwoman - an Englishwoman always a little wistful for her England". To the end of her life she was cared for by her devoted daughter Blanney - Blanche Hawkins Lush - described on her tombstone beside the door of All Saints' church, Howick, as "the eldest sister".

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Of the other children, Charles died at an early age, unmarried; Anne married the Revd David Ruddock, and Martin married Caroline Ellen White. Margaret Edith died when sixteen, during her father's term of service at Thames. Canon Edward Lush, the youngest son, was ordained in England but returned to New Zealand and lived for many years in Auckland at the family home in Parnell.


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