The Rowe Family

  Noted events in his life were:

• He appeared on the census in 1841 in St Agnes, , Cornwall, England.

• He worked as a Tin Miner in 1841 in St Agnes, , Cornwall, England.

• He worked under engagement by the Great Barrier Copper mining company. He was bought out from Cornwall by Sir George Grey in 1845 in Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand.

• He emigrated aboard the vessel Agostina to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23 Jul 1845 from Falmouth, Cornwall, England.

• He is mentioned in the journal Captain James Ninnis wrote while sailing from England to Australia, 27th Jul - 26th Nov 1845. Captain James Ninnis, with his wife and family, sailed from Falmouth, England on 27^th July 1845, arriving in Sydney, N.S.W. on 26^th November 1845. The following information is taken from pages 5 to 9 of a letter he had written. The other pages are missing.
"We weighed anchor at Cadiz, (after being there a fortnight), about 4 o'clock P.M. on Wednesday, 20th. August, 1845, accompanied for some distance out of the harbour by two English captains of vessels. On leaving they bid us goodbye and most heartily wished us a good passage. The pilot boat also soon left us and having a good breeze, which carried us at eight knots per hour we soon lost sight of land, leaving the broad ocean only to engage attention. The idea of not seeing land again, for the period of three months at least, caused a solemn reverence to pervade the whole of our minds, but we commended ourselves to Him who hath said "The hairs of your heads are numbered." Towards evening a stronger breeze sprang up which continued to blow steadily for three successive days, and which carried us, during that period, upwards of 600 miles in our true course. This, the captain observed, was a good beginning. The motion of the ship (after being a fortnight on land) again appeared new and strange. The heavy swell, which, tossed the ship in quick succession, caused us all (with the exception of the two younger children) to be more or less sick Priscilla and myself were obliged to remain in our berths two days, but the children's sickness continued only a few hours, at the same time playing at intervals as though nothing was amiss.
23rd.Having recovered from our seasickness we are all able to get on deck again. The ship goes on delightfully, making seven or eight knots per hour.
24th.Sunday. Wind is still fair and the weather fine. Priscilla and myself spent most of the forenoon on deck, and in the afternoon we had Divine Service, again in the cabin at half past two. I am truly thankful that we have such a youthful man with us as Mr Rowe. He preaches as a dying man to dying men. May the word so faithfully preached be instrumental in the conversion of some souls aboard this ship. Amen.
We are getting into a much more warmer climate now, just passing off the Canary Isles but not in sight of them. Saw today a great many of Mother Cary's chickens (birds about the size, and like a swallow) A great many flying fish were also seen near the ship. The captain says it is not unusual for some of the latter to fly on board. He also tells us that we may expect to see them more plentiful as we proceed on our voyage. I should also observe that we are in the N.E. Trade winds, in lat. 25. These winds are expected to prevail until we nearly reach the line. Have been very fortunate in having fair winds since we left Cadiz and the ship being a fast one we have made good progress so far in bounding over the ocean, it is astonishing how well all our dear children are. I believe none of them, (except Keturah) who has been a little poorly since we have been in the warm climate, were ever as well before. They generally rise about 6 o'clock and are in constant exercise throughout the day, They get their meals with us, breakfast at half past eight, dinner at two, and tea as supper at six and I am glad to say our provisions are good enough.
28th. It is now more than a month since we embarked from Falmouth, time passes swiftly away. This day has brought us into the tropics. The sun shines very hot but we have a covering of canvas spread over the deck under which we either walk or sit and spend our time very comfortably during the day and we are all well and feel no unpleasantness now from the motion of the ship. Our steerage party are also well and appear to be very comfortable It is a great mercy things go so well with us, surely God has been mindful of us. We have everything to be thankful for. May we never forget from whence all our blessings flow. Priscilla has lately been reading "Saints Everlasting Rest" which my mother kindly gave her with much interest and profit. She considered it an invaluable book. We have several interesting and useful books with us which we are in course of reading, one of which is "Book of Blessings" by the Rev. W. Young, which my most esteemed friend Mr McCann kindly gave me on leaving my native land. May we profit from what we read. We have given the captain, who, is a great reader, an opportunity of reading several of our books which never before happened to come into his hands.
31st. Sunday. W. Rowe preached again today as usual in the cabin and in the evening we spent some time in religious conversation and prayer to some profit, in the steerage department of the ship. The sailors, generally speaking, are spiritually blind and they have no relish for anything good. They are true specimens of the depravity of the human heart, and they are disposed to evil and that continually. Notwithstanding they are all civil and obliging to us. I trust however the instructions, reproofs, and examples given will not all be in vain.
1st. Sept, Several ships in sight today, spoke to one this morning. She is from London and bound for the coast of Africa. It is very interesting to see on our right and left ships with crowded sail wafting before a delightful and sheering breeze, us company.
6th. Sep. We are now feeling more forcibly the effect of the tropical heat; we spend most of the day on deck under the shade of the bamboo. We are often amused with the sight of large fish playing around the ship, as well as the sight of innumerable flying fish. Two of the latter have flown on board, one having two and the other four wings; they are about the size of small herring.
It is not unusual in these regions to experience very heavy rains, accompanied with, squalls, thunder, lightning, and occasional calms, but hitherto we have crossed the line without witnessing either. We crossed it on the 16th. The day previous we had some conversation (privately) between ourselves respecting the original practice of shaving on these occasions, and having reason to expect the operation would take place with us in the usual way. Our steerage party came to we stating they expected Neptune to come on board that evening, asked me to speak to the captain on the subject, and to propose giving the sailors a trifle rather than undergo the shaving operation.
On my speaking to him I was not a little pleased to hear him say there would be no shaving, that it is a most ridiculous practice and the sooner it is done away with the better. He also said there was no occasion, neither did he wish that anything should be given to the sailors but he himself gave the crew an, extra glass of spirits on the occasion. Thus ended very pleasantly the memorable day on which we crossed the line.
2Oth. We are got into the trade winds (S.E.) in the southern hemisphere, the sun now stands a little to the north of us and we daily experience a little less of the tropical heat. We live principally on poultry while in the hot climate. Have still grapes and plenty of melons which we took with us from Cadiz, which are still delicious. Having so much of the good things of this life, and being all in perfect health, time glides pleasantly away. Birds called the Cape pigeon are very numerous around us, as well as the Cope hen, and albatross. The latter is a large bird, which often measures from ten to twelve feet from tip to tip of its wings.
Oct. 2Oth. We are now in the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope and in lat. 45, but not in sight of land by several hundreds of miles. The captain tells us that the wind generally blows strong here but the ship still goes on delightfully. It is now exactly two months since we left Cadiz and only seven days short of three months since we embarked from Falmouth. We have about 6,000 more miles still to sail to reach Sydney. The captain anticipates we shall have a longer passage than usual in consequence of having a great deal of light winds, and having some calms since we left the S.E. trade winds. However, we have no cause to complain; our passage so far has been very pleasant, so much so that I have said more than once that I would not go quicker or slower, nor have it rougher nor smoother if I could, so it may easily be judged how comfortably we get on at sea. Contentment and resignation to this is a great part of our duty, and not at all to be disposed to quarrel with the Almighty for this or that, for God's ways are not our ways and whatever he does is always best. The Lord's name be praised for all his mercies towards us. Amen. The climate is getting much cooler, the temperature is now about 42', whereas a few weeks ago it was above 80. 26th. Sunday, this morning we witnessed a very interesting sight, a magnificent iceberg made its appearance, a little distance from our ship. It stood floating from one to two hundred feet above the surface of the water, about a quarter of a mile broad, its appearance was like a mountain of snow. It is unusual for an iceberg to be seen in this part of the South Atlantic.
Nov. l0th. We have made good progress, on our voyage since we passed the Cape of Good Hope. Some days we have had very strong winds and made as much as 230 miles a day. It is very grand and interesting to see the ship contesting with the heavy squalls and boisterous seas, making her way with amazing rapidity, raising her lofty bow one minute towards the Heavens, and the next as if descending to the bottom of the mighty deep. She rises, she falls, again and again, she surges, she creaks, she labours, she conquers, skipping like a feather through wind, water, and sky. She bids defiance to the threatening dangers, yesterday being Sunday we could hold no religious service as usual in the cabin from the tossing of the ship. We are now so much inured to the sea that none of us feel any effects from the motion of the ship, only it is not very pleasant to have the things pitched off the table while at our meals, which has sometimes been the case, but thank God we are all in the enjoyment of perfect health and were never happier than we have been amidst all the changes we have experienced in a sea voyage like the present.
16th. The weather has again been fine for several days and today we were again privileged with Divine service, then Mr Rowe gave us a very excellent discussion on the characters of "The Righteous and the Sinner". He is often called the Parson but not always out of respect, but he does not seem to care for what men do say, he preaches Christ to all as the sinner's friend, and pounds out in plain language the fearful consequences of a life of sin and open rebellion against God. The captain, who we have every reason to believe, is a strictly moral man and I hope in some measure fears God, is on our side and has always given us full use of the captain's cabin on Sundays for Divine Service, and he never neglected to join us himself. He tells us that he has been upwards of twenty years out but never before had preaching on board.
On the 26th. Made sight of New South Wales and am much pleased with the continued landscape moving along the coast until the Beacon a huge rock promontory. Reached the splendid harbour of Sydney soon after which Mr Taylor (an agent) came on board and accompanied our excellent captain and myself on shore where we comfortably spent most of the day together and having procured lodgings I bought the whole of our family on the shore the following day, in perfect health.
Sydney is a large place containing thirty to forty thousand inhabitants who are principally European the building are very good and of English fashion. It is now in the height of summer and very warm I am also most happy to tell you that Mr Taylor is a most agreeable gentleman and that we shall find a rich mine on the Island to which we are going. There has been some hundreds of tons of copper and antimony shipped to England and some iron ores now ready for shipment again. There are a great many people already employed on the mine and we have a crew now ready to sail from this place for the purpose of travelling from Kawau to Auckland. Priscilla and the children will remain at Sydney or at Auckland until our house, which is now building, is finished for their accommodation. It is uncertain when we shall leave this place for our destination as this entirely depends on the opportunities we may have. I shall probably write to you again before we leave."

• He immigrated aboard Agostina from Falmouth, Cornwall, England on 3 Dec 1845 to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

• He emigrated aboard the Isabella Anna to Auckland, New Zealand on 31 Dec 1845 from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

• He immigrated Isabella Anna from Sydney on 14 Jan 1846 to Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand.

• He was a member of the Total Abstinenece Society on 26 Jun 1846, Kawau Island, Auckland, New Zealand

• He stood for Provincial Council in 1855 in Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand.

• He is mentioned in The Southern Cross newspaper Jury List for 1856-57, 5 Feb 1856 Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand.

• He is mentioned in The Daily Souther Cross newspaper in a letter on Mining to the editor by James Ninnis, 23 Jun 1857 Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand.

• He was elected as Member of the Provincial Council of the Provence of Auckland for the District of Newton in 1861/1868 in Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand. NZ Gazette 1861
Page 314

• He was elected as a member of the provincial executive in 1867/1869 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand.

• He worked as a Manager of the Kuranui mine circa 1867 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand.

• He relocated to Thames in 1868.

• He was employed as a Manager of the Caledonia Mine in 1871 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand.

• He worked as a Manager of the Caledonian mine until in 1871 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand.

• He retired from the position of Manager of Caledonian Mine on 12 Dec 1871 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand. William Rowe was presented with a gold watch and chain.
Inscription on Fob Watch:
Presented to William Rowe Esq. by the working men of the Caledonian mine as a mark of their esteem 12.12.71

• He worked as a Manager of the Moanataiari mine in 1873 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand.

• He was elected as Councillor of Thames in 1874/1875 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand. Election held on 14th September 1874

• He stood unsuccessfully for Mayoralty of Thames. Against Davis.

• He was returned with Sir George Grey for the House of Representatives in 1876/1879. 1879 - defeated; Invited to contest the Superentendancy but declined

• He appeared on the Thames electorial role in 1881 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand. No. 970
Page 18
Lambert Street

• He undertook a commercial exploration of Lord Howe Island.

• His obituary was published in the Thames Advertiser on 2 Jul 1886 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand. Article "Death of a Thames Pioneer"

• He is mentioned in Thames Diamond Jubilee Souvenir 1867-1927 book in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand which was published in 1927. Page 151

"...The manager of the Caledonian mine at the beginning of its brilliant period was Mr. William Rowe, afterwards the representative of the Thames in Parliament. While the rich gold was coming to hand, Mr. Rowe was replaced by Captain S. E. Richards, who had just previously been manager of the Golden Crown."

Page 152

"...Mr. John Rowe, still of Thames, the respected secretary of the Oddfellows' Lode, is a son of Mr. William Rowe, and worked in the mine, both under his father and for a time under Captain Richards' management. He remembers one particularly sensational breaking-down, in which three shots dislodge two tons of specimens, and these yielded 25,000oz. gold - upwards of 65,000 worth. Part of this haul, 150lb. in weight, was sent to the international exhibition being held in London, and was eventually bought by the Bank of England at an assay value of 11 oz. troy to the pound avoirdupois. Mr. Rowe and one of his brothers had charge of the company's specimen-crushing, and he never saw richer stone anywhere than this exhibition parcel."

Page 156

"...At the time he was working at and below the tunnel level, in the latter case by means of a shaft sunk from the surface on the northern bank of Moanataiari Creek. This predecessor in management, the same Mr. "Billy" Rowe who had previously directed the Caledonian operations, had sunk a winze from the tunnel level on No. 9, by had found nothing of value"
Page 157
"Another of ironies of mining, illustrating he narrowness with which great wealth can be missed, occurred in connection with No. 9. It has already been mentioned that Mr. "Billy" Rowe sank a winze on the reef from the tunnel level without any notable result. Old workmen in the mind - Mr. John Rowe and Mr. Trembath among them - aver that had he opened out from his winze and drive only 15 or 20 feet, he, and not Mr. Comer, would have had the satisfaction of winning the great 1977 bonanza."
Page 159
Photo of "The Late WM. Rowe"
Page 198
Old-Time Mine Managers.
William Rowe: Caledonian, and Moanataiari.
Page 270
"Representation in Parliament.
1876-79 - Mr. William Rowe."
Page 272
"The Borough of Thames.
On 14^th September, 1874, there was another election, which resulted: - Mayor: William Davies. Councillors: John Butt, John Brown, Duncan MacNab, William Rowe, James Renshaw, Louis Ehrenfried, John Wilson, Arthur Anthony."

• He is mentioned in A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography book in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand which was published in 1940. Pages 260 , 261 and 423

ROWE, WILLIAM (1819-86) was born at St Ann's, Cornwall, educated there, and was em ployed for many years in the Cornish mines. He came to New Zealand in the forties under engagement to the Great Barrier Copper Min- ing Co. Later he engaged in carrying in and about Auckland, and was for a few years em ployed in the Waikato coalmines until the opening of the Thames goldfield (1867). Rowe stood for the Suburbs seat in the Provincial Council in 1855. In 1861 he was elected for Newton, which he continued to represent until 1868, when he moved to Thames. He was a member of the provincial executive during 1867-69. Rowe's first appointment at the Thames was as manager of the Kuranui mine, and he was afterwards a promoter of the Thames Gold Mining Co. He helped to float the Thames Investment Co., and for some years (to 1871) he managed the Caledonian mine when it was entering upon its most prosperous phase. He also managed the Moanataiari from 1873. Rowe stood for the mayoralty of Thames against Davies without success (1875), but in the following year he was returned with Sir George Grey for the House of Representatives, Vogel being third on the poll. In Parliament his authority on mining matters was recognised. He sat until 1879, when he was defeated. He was invited to contest the superintendency against Grey in 1875, but declined. Rowe later engaged without success in various mining ven-tures, and in 1882 made a commercial explora- tion of Lord Howe island. He was a strong Wesleyan, and owed much of his education to the Wesleyan Sunday schools. In later life he was a local preacher. Rowe died on 1 Jul 1886.
Auckland P.C. Proc ; Parltry. Record ; Weston (p) ; Thames Advertiser, 2 Jul 1886. Portrait Parliament House.

VOGEL: .....At Thames, a few days later, he was defeated by his most dangerous antagonist (Grey, 984 ; William Rowe, 862 ; Vogel, 685). ...

• He is mentioned in A History of Gold-Mining in New Zealand book in Coromandel, New Zealand which was published in 1963. Page 160

"... 1881 the largest single group to arrive at Hokitika direct from Canton - a total of 700 - dis- embarked from the Kenmure Castle. Three years before this Richard Reeves had expressed West Coast sentiment in the matter when he moved in Parliament for the restriction of Chinese immigration. On this occasion two other goldfields representatives, Rowe of Thames and Pyke of Dunstan, opposed Reeves, and the bill was dropped"
Page 188

"… Thames Investment Company with William Rowe and W. C. Wilson, and bought into the Caledonian Mine, owned by Frederick Packard and H. H. Adams. The Caledonian had changed hands several times in the year following its registration in 1867. After their purchase of the claim, Packard and Adams found traces of the lead from the Golden Crown to the south, and became wealthy men from the interest they retained in the new Caledonian Company. In the second half of 1870 the Caledonian shaft, then at a depth of go ft, followed the steeply inclined reef to a point where it widened to as much as 3o ft. Here the gold was found in richer concentration than in any other quartz deposit known in New Zealand. At times there seemed to be more gold than quartz in the spoil brought to the surface, and the precious metal was reported to be clogging the machinery of the crushing battery. ¹39,577 ^Oz of gold were won from the Caledonian from May 1870 to June 1871, most of it in the second half of this period. William Rowe was the manager of the Caledonian at this time. He was successful as miner, financier, and politician, holding a seat on the Auckland Provincial Council in the years 1861-68 and representing Thames in the General Assembly from 1876 to 1879. In the second year of the Caledonian bonanza production increased by 6o per cent under Rowe's direction, but after 1872 the rich patch was exhausted and the shares fell suddenly from £75 to £20. The managing directors of the company during its success were Reader Wood, Charles Heaphy and Captain Hutton."
Page 202 and 203

... the year progressed new difficulties arose. The Thames Advertiser, supporting Mackay's personal feud with Williamson, became increasingly severe in its criticism, while the decline in the prospects of the independent miner resulted in a large number of unemployed men in the town, amounting, some said, to as many as 1,500. Finally, the 1869 election campaign brought all these issues to the public eye. This affair had an Eatanswill atmosphere. It was the last election before the introduction of the secret ballot, and the polling was the signal for widespread rioting. The rival factions coerced electors or prevented them from voting. Even in Auckland William Rowe, an ardent supporter of Williamson was pelted with eggs. Gillies, the country candidate, defeated the city and Thames interest, but in Thames itself, despite the bitter criticism of the former Superintendent, Williamson polled nearly twice as many votes as his opponent. Gillies had been engaged as legal counsel for the Thames Investment Company barely a month before the election, and to the small independent miner he appeared merely the greater of two evils.
... Mackay's report also declared that his authority was restricted and unsupported. He had been given authority in Maori affairs, but he held no warden's warrant. It was not until he had adjudicated in a celebrated claim dispute between William Rowe and John Butt, and the Supreme Court had ruled the proceedings invalid, that his powers as a warden were gazetted. He had been relieved of this authority at the time of the financial crisis in August, and invited to derive advantage by carrying on private business and securing personal interests in mining claims. The commissioner repudiated the suggestion that he had been a claimholder while acting as warden, but admitted that he had owned a land agency office constructed by his friend Taipari, and managed by a European named Hogg. He concluded his report with an appeal to posterity:
"Hoping that you will also excuse the course I have taken to vindicate myself from what is undeserved censure; and trusting, whatever may be the opinions formed by some political agitators about my proceedings, that the day will arrive when the public will judge rightly both as to my merits and demerits."

• He is mentioned in The Hauraki Herald, Link with Happier Past article, 25 Nov 1989 Te Aroha, Waikato, New Zealand.

William married Susannah COCKING, daughter of James COCKING and Susanna LETCHER, on 20 Nov 1842 in Truro, , Cornwall, England. (Susannah COCKING was born in Mar 1823 in St Agnes, , Cornwall, England, christened on 30 Mar 1823 in St Agnes, , Cornwall, England, died on 7 Nov 1898 in Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand and was buried on 8 Nov 1898 in Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand.). The cause of her death was Nephritis; Morbis cardic chronic.