Spotlight on Hobson for Heritage Festival talk

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September 20

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Spotlight on Hobson for Heritage Festival talk

This month marks the 170th anniversary of the death of Governor William Hobson.

And in keeping with this anniversary, the NZ Historic Places Trust’s Auckland Branch Committee will host a lecture presented by Professor Paul Moon who will talk on Captain William Hobson’s role in the events leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and his role as Governor in the founding of Auckland.

The talk is part of this year’s Auckland Heritage Festival.

“Paul Moon is Professor of History at the Faculty of Maori Development at the Auckland University of Technology, and an acknowledged authority on the life and work of William Hobson,” says the Auckland Branch Committee Chair, Guy King.

“Professor Moon has written biographies on both Hobson and Robert FitzRoy as well as books on the Treaty of Waitangi. In addition to being an accomplished author, he is an excellent and lively speaker and attendees will enjoy a most informative and entertaining lecture.”

Hobson’s life was anything but ordinary. Born in Ireland in 1792, he joined the Royal Navy before his 10th birthday as a second class volunteer seeing service on the ship La Virginie on North Sea blockade and convoy duty during the Napoleonic wars.

As commander of the sloop Whim in the West Indies, Hobson and his crew were captured by pirates in 1821 but released after a week of ill treatment. He was captured by pirates again in 1823, though made a daring escape and continued his attack on pirate strongholds. During his West India service Hobson came down with yellow fever three times, and suffered recurrent headaches for the rest of his life.

Ill health was an issue for Hobson in New Zealand. Less than a month after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in the Bay of Islands Hobson suffered a stroke, though within a few weeks had recovered sufficiently to begin a diary to his wife.

On September 18 1840, Hobson raised the British flag on the shore of the Waitemata Harbour, oversaw the purchase of land and began preparations for establishing a capital there. The town was named after Lord Auckland who – as first lord commissioner of the Admiralty – had given Hobson command of the frigate Rattlesnake in 1834.

Hobson died on September 10 1842, and was interred in a brick vault at Grafton Cemetery which is still viewable today.

The public talk takes place on October 2 at 7.30pm at the Titoki Room in the Jubilee Building of the Parnell Community Centre (545 Parnell Rd) with light refreshments to follow. Admission is free, though bookings are essential – contact Jane Pidgeon on Ph 09-307-9920 or email infonorthern@historic.org.nz to book.

Paul Moon will be available to sign copies of his latest book A Savage Country: The Untold Story of New Zealand in the 1820s after the talk.

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