A incredible find…

The announcement in the press that our history, New Zealand’s history will be taught in schools from 2022 is a joy to behold.

Without understanding and learning from our past how can we build a future?

On the subject of history I have uncovered a incredible find, not only of my personal history but of all the thousands of New Zealanders whose descendants arrived on the Bombay.

The photo above was taken by a Royal Navy officer, who was stationed here during New Zealand’s War, it shows the Bombay demasted in Auckland Harbour a short time after arriving from London. I believe the date to be either April or May 1865.

The caption on the photo reads ” The Commodores home in foreground, Auckland, New Zealand.

The panorama is taken from near the present day location of Auckland University and Saint Paul’s, of course the harbour at that time came much closer inland, in fact a short walk from the University to Parliament Reserve and you would be overlooking the beach.

The identified Ships are far right, the prison hulk used to keep Maori Prisoners of War at Kaweru, the HMS Esk, left with two funnels HMS Eclipse, and left of HMS Eclipse….. is our ship the Bombay.

It is incredible to think that just a few weeks before, four hundred odd souls of our forefathers and mothers had disembarked from that ship in this photo, to start new lives in a foreign land.

History is not a abstract thought or a text book exercise, it is real! surprising! heartbreaking! and inspirational! and I envy the children of today that will get a chance to learn ours.