[LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS]
[Image of page 7]
ILLUSTRATIONS
between pages 80-1
On the Thames Goldfield, 1868 (APL)
Vicesimus Lush (Foy, EL)
Blanche Lush (Foy, EL)
The Landing Place at Shortland (APL)
96-7
Blanche (Blanney) Hawkins Lush (Foy, EL)
Anne (Annette) Lush (Foy, EL)
William Edward Lush (Foy, EL)
The bridge over the Kaueranga River (AIML)
The old Maori church at Kirikiri (AIML)
Logs from the Shortland mills (Mrs J. Bockman)
A view of Shortland in 1869 (EL)
Nikorima Poutotara of Parawai (Foy, EL)
Catherine Harriet Poutotara (Foy, EL)
Rev. Wiremu Turipona (Foy, EL)
William Garden Cowie (H&H, EL)
144-5
Ellen Fox (Miss A. Solly)
Dr Alexander Fox (Miss A. Solly)
Celia (Mrs John) Kinder (EL)
Frances Haselden (H&H, EL)
Hunt’s Claim and the Kuranui Tramway (APL)
On the banks of the Kaueranga (Mrs J. Bockman)
A giant kauri, Mangauhu Creek (EL)
J. E. Macdonald (Foy, EL)
Kate (Mrs J. E.) Macdonald (H&H, EL)
Flora Macdonald (H&H, EL)
Warwick Weston (Foy, EL)
160-1
E. W. Puckey (H&H, EL)
Mrs Buckey (H&H, EL)
Dr Martin Payne (Mr W. Hammond)
Mary Payne (Foy, EL)
The first Vicarage at Hamilton (EL)
St George’s Church, Thames (EL)
Inside St George’s (Reed, Thames, EL)
The Lush family at Thames (W. Weston, EL)
ABBREVIATIONS: EL, Miss E. Lush collection; AIML, Auckland Institute and Museum Library; APL, Auckland Public Library; Foy, Foy Brothers, Photographers, Thames; H&H, Hemus and Hanna, Photographers, Auckland.
[Image of page 8]
[PREFACE]
[Image of page 9]
PREFACE
IN the editing of these Thames Journals of Vicesimus Lush the same method is used as in the Auckland Journals, notably no omission marks. The spelling, particularly of places and personal names, goes its uninhibited way though the random use of capital letters, noticeable in the earlier journals, appears to have corrected itself. In fact, the entire Thames diary is an interesting example of a certain infectious quality latent in the printed word; the style is less formal and obviously the writer has moved with the times.
Three newspapers were published in Thames during Mr Lush’s incumbency of St George’s Church and he annotated his journals freely with cuttings from them all; The Thames Advertiser and Miners' News (the first local paper), The Evening Star and The Thames Guardian all had their day, though the Guardian's appears to have been a short one. An occasional snippet from Auckland’s Southern Cross 1 is used in the earlier pages, also from The New Zealand Herald and (rarely) The Observer of which he disapproved strongly.
While the annotations were a saving of time and effort which might otherwise have been spent on reports of School Feasts, Spelling Bees, Church Bazaars and other functions that he believed would be of interest to his siblings on the other side of the world, they have somewhat complicated the editing of these journals. Though each cutting is neatly pasted on to the relevant page, in only one or two cases is the newspaper identified and dates are merely indicated by adjacent entries in Mr Lush’s clerkly hand. Fortunately he shows here less
[Image of page 10]
tendency to ignore the year of writing than in any other section of his diary.
Life on the goldfield revealed new facets of Vicesimus Lush's character. Howick had something of the atmosphere of a rural English parish though with certain marked differences. Forelock-pulling was not a custom of the military pensioners, and except among older women the gracefully dropped curtsy was becoming archaic; young girls who were candidates for domestic service were inclined to discard their caps once they felt the free air of New Zealand on their cheeks. These straws were no more than indications of how the winds of change were blowing and gave little notice of eventual gale strength. Mr Lush, conditioned by the three years he had spent riding through the wild Waikato, had acquired a wider experience of human nature and rough daily living that he found helpful in the unfamiliar atmosphere of Thames.
Speculation in mining shares was viewed as sinful gambling by only a small element; to most it was legitimate investment. Doctors were often paid for their services in scrip and even gently pious Lady Martin 2 rejoiced with the Lush family when their shares in the rich Caledonian mine helped to pay for the comfortable Parsonage--it would be called a social centre today--that the parish appeared to be unable to provide for them. "The Lushes are among those who have benefited", she wrote to a friend in England, "and we are glad for them." Vicesimus's youngest son, Edward Lush, quotes the following episode that illustrates his father's attitude:
"When the Caledonian mine was at its glory... one of the managers called on him and told him in strict confidence to sell out as the gold was nearly exhausted. He replied, 'No, I will not, it will only throw the loss on someone else'.... Of course he kept the confidence and in a day or two the crash came. I heard it all from an old Thames man over twenty years afterwards as being to him an ideal of honour and
[Image of page 11]
integrity. He said it did more for religion than all V. L.'s sermons!"
At this time the question of High Church or Low Church was a controversial issue; Mr Lush's outlook was scarcely the ecumenical one of today, though it must be conceded that whenever this became a matter of human relations his innate humanity always won. One episode that provoked some strong comment (both for and against) was his action in burning a collection of Moody & Sankey hymn-books and other "evangelical books" given to St George's Sunday-school by James Mackay.
The journals give a vivid picture of the hectic get-rich-quick atmosphere of a goldfield from an unusual angle. The Vicar and his family (and their many guests) found the process of producing precious metal from the earth intensely interesting, especially after his second son, the scientifically-minded Martin, became an assayer for the Bank of New Zealand at Coromandel. And they managed to retain in their meetings with the unfortunates in the community, as with those who were more fortunate though no less troublesome at times, the same practical performance of their duty towards their neighbour that was evident in their two previous spheres of operation.
My thanks are due to the late Mr W. T. Hammond (1869-1967) who combined an excellent memory with a comprehensive knowledge of the Thames goldfield where he was born and spent much of his long life. I filed and treasured his letters before there was any question of this second section of the Lush journal being published and they have been invaluable. As ever, the Auckland Institute and Museum Library and the Auckland Public Library have been most helpful, as have Miss Una Platts of Auckland and Mr John Webster, curator of Ewelme Cottage, and Mr A. M. Isdale of Thames.
For family letters, journals, records and unfailing and sympathetic help, I must record my gratitude to members of the Lush family, particularly Mr Arthur Lush of Wellington, his daughter Mrs Alison Williamson, his sister Miss Nell Lush
[Image of page 12]
and his niece Mrs Nancy Hughes of Whangarei. They have made a task which, because of the lack of supporting references I have occasionally looked on with a despairing eye, a pleasure and a privilege.
A. E. D.
Kawakawa Bay, Clevedon
