GREYTOWN & DISTRICT
15Oth ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
NEW ZEALAND'S OLDEST PLANNED INLAND TOWN
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Reverend G. B. Brough
('Reverend Mr. Bruff') An Anglican clergyman possibly a friend of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Moles. Upon visiting New Zealand from Melbourne decided to accompany the expedition over the Rimutakas. Conducted the first church service in Greytown on Sunday 26th March 1854, on the Kempton town acre. The Reverend Brough left Wellington for Melbourne in May 1854 on board the schooner "Marchioness" Samuel and Jane Moles Originally from Essex, England both arrived in New Zealand via Tasmania. Samuel grew wheat in their West Street property, whilst Jane became the first unofficial town schoolmistress. Samuel started a store in association with Dr R. P. Welch, which became an unofficial postal exchange in 1855. In 1858 he was gazetteted as post-master and the shop expanded to become Greytown's first regular store. Samuel was reappointed post-master in 1867, and Jane took over the running of the store as evidenced by an advert of June 17th, 1869: J Moles' Drapery, General, and Bakery Stores Near the Telegraph and Post Office Greytown. The store was sold prior to Samuel's death at the young age of 47 years on 18th July 1873. Jane returned to Essex and died in 1885. Benjamin Stevens ("Ben") Born in 1831, Ben Stevens married Maria Greathead in 1856. The Stevens' had two children, a son George Robert and a daughter Esther. Had the land next door to the Moles' on West Street. Ben was a farmer and brick maker starting the first brick yard in the township. There are rumours he came from England with a pocket full of acorns, he was attributed, apparently incorrectly with planting the two large oak trees on West Street which stand on his 40 acre section, although the Yew tree was almost certainly planted by him. Ben Stevens died in 1868. His son George married Elizabeth Ellen Kempton, the daughter of Thomas Kempton Junior, on 25 December 1889. Thomas Kempton Snr Born in London on 20th January 1807. Thomas married Mary Ann King in 1829. On the 18th September, 1839 Thomas, Mary Ann, Thomas Junior and Henry Kempton sailed for New Zealand on board the ship 'Adelaide' as part of the New Zealand Company's scheme which resulted in the establishment of Wellington, which the Kempton's reached on 7th March 1840. During his time in Greytown, Thomas was involved in a number of commercial enterprises including carrier, butcher, publican, and storekeeper. Became Greytown's first Mayor in 1879. Thomas Senior died at Greytown on 12th March 1889. Thomas Kempton Jnr Born in London on the 3rd September 1836. On the 7th July 1856 Thomas Junior brought the first bullock dray to travel over the newly completed Rimutaka Hill road right through from Wellington to Greytown. Later he served on the first Greytown Borough Council in 1879 and, for a second longer spell from 1888. He married Elizabeth Hodder and they had 13 children, they farmed at "Elm Grove" on Kempton's Line from 1860. Thomas Junior died at Greytown on the 29th April 1910, the last of that first group of Greytown's settlers. The Papawai Pa was once a cultural and political centre for the nation. The current meeting house dates from 1888. The Tipuna represented in 18 carved figures date from the 1980's watch over the marae grounds. Papawai is the site of the first Maori Parliament: Katahitangi Movement Parliament was established in 1897 Tamahau Mahupuka was the premier. The ground were used as a college reserve and' active mill. Cobblestones is situated on the site of William Robinson Hastwell's coaching stables established in 1857. In 1969 The Greytown Jaycees assisted by the Wairarapa Horse Drawn Society began the museum. Cobblestones has a collection of various important buildings. Greytown's original hospital, being the first hospital in the Wairarapa. Hart Udy's Methodist church built in 1865 from timber sawn at his Matarawa mill. |
