NZ's first school building opened on 12 Aug 1816 at the first Mission Station established in NZ at Oihi Bay in Dec 1814

Rev Samuel Marsden began lobbying CMS for mission station in NZ in 1806 & approval for it & a school was granted in 1909

Oihi Bay is a small cove (now known as Hohi) in the north-east of Rangihoua Bay in the Bay of Islands

The missionaries lived in temporary whare where schoolmaster Thomas Kendall began teaching until houses & school built

Excavations in Feb 2012 uncovered the school building's brick fireplace & artefacts including slate & slate pencils

The wooden school building was 10m x 6m & had a brick chimney for heating the room & cooking meals for the students

Schoolmaster Thomas Kendall was aided by assistant teacher William Carlisle; & opening roll was 33 & later peaked at 70

However, the roll fluctuated when food supplies for the students delayed from CMS to supplement local trade

Used 1st lesson book in te reo Māori written by Kendall aided by Chief Hongi Hika & nephews Tuai & Titere (1815)

Content: Word lists, numbers, phrases & religious instruction. (See image of title on left: 'A korao no New Zealand')

In Nov 1819, the school closed due to neglect by teachers' involvement in private trade; low roll & food supply issues

The school was used as a store until Oihi Mission closed in 1832 when Te Puna Mission opened 1 km away on flatter land

Samuel Marsden (Chaplain of NSW since 1800) became the Pacific agent for London's Society for Missions in 1804

Marsden resided at Parramatta in Sydney, NSW & also owned several acres of land which he farmed with crops and animals

Marsden befriended Māori sailors & visitors, & several stayed on his farm at Parramata & attended his church

He provided accommodation, arranged teaching of agricultural practices & trade skills to use in NZ, & taught English

Marsden met Chief Te Pahi from Te Puna, Bay of Islands who was visiting NSW Governor Philip King in Nov 1805-March 1806

Impressed with Te Pahu's regular church attendance & religious discussions, Marsden decided to request a NZ mission

In 1809, the Society initially chose 2 of the 3 laymen: carpenter (William Hall) & twine-maker (shoemaker John King)

Society arranged for King to learn flax-dressing, twine & rope-making; & Hall was sent to Hull to learn ship-building

In Aug 1809, Marsden, who was visiting London, left with Hall & his wife Dinah, & King for NSW

They sailed aboard the 'Ann' & arrived at Port Jackson in Feb 1810

On board was 22 yr old Ngāpuhi chief, Ruatara, who'd left Te Puna in 1805 hoping to see King George III

His wife Miki had stayed behind. She was the daughter of Chief Waraki of Ngāti Rāhiri who owned land at Waitangi.

Ruatara worked on whaling ships & was unwell after being mistreated by crew. Marsden invited him to recover at his farm.

Ruatara had learnt English whilst working on the whaling ships

After arriving back home Marsden received news of the 'Boyd Massacre' which had taken place at Whangaroa in Dec 1809

'Boyd' crew was attacked & cannabalised by Māori as young Chief Te Tara had been mistreated on its voyage from Sydney

Chief Te Pahi had been mistakenly blamed by whalers for the massacre & after being attacked died in April 1810

Te Pahi's Te Puna Pā was ransacked on 26 March 1810 and he died a few weeks later of his injuries

As Marsden had difficulties chartering a ship prepared to sail to NZ, Hall & King worked on his farm & attended church

Whilst in NSW awaiting to travel to NZ, Hall and his wife had a son, & King married and had a son

Ruatara with Marsden & learnt wheat farming, carpentry & other skills

In late 1811, 2 Māori friends from Te Puna visited Ruatara with a waiata from his wife which led him to return home

The waiata composed by Miki, which Marsden referred to as "Mike’s [Miki’s] song", was sung by one of the men to Ruatara

In Oct 1811, Ruatara & friends sailed to NZ; were abandoned at Norfolk Is; then rescued & taken to Marsden in Aug 1812

They'd left Port Jackson on whaling ship 'Frederick' & were rescued from Norfolk Is. by another whaling ship, the 'Ann'

In early 1813, Ruatara arrived home from Port Jackson & succeeded Te Pahi as Chief of Te Puna & Rangihoua

The voyage on 'Ann' took 5 months. Ruatara distributed seeds Marsden had given him & NZ's first wheat crop was grown.

Thomas Kendall had applied to Reverend Josiah Pratt to be a missionary in 1808

He lived in Lincolnshire & became an assistant teacher at 18, & a draper & grocer after marrying Jane in 1803

When visiting London in 1805, Kendall had heard Basil Woodd & William Mann preach at the Bentinck Chapel, Marylebone

Inspired, he moved to London, joined the congregation & became a schoolmaster

On 6 March 1813, Kendall wrote to Rev Pratt regarding his teacher's salary & provisions for sailing to NSW in May 1813

In Feb 1814, Kendall began learning Māori from Tohi (Tuai) who'd begun staying with Kendall's family for past month

Tuai of Ngare Raumati in the south-eastern Bay of Islands was the nephew of Ngāpuhi Chief Hongi Hika

Tuai was visiting Australia, met Marsden & had been staying on Marsden's farm since 1813

He'd chosen to stay to learn agriculture, attend church & to learn to read & write English before returning home to NZ

A vocabulary compiled by Kendall when in NSW is included in a book published by NSW settler John Nicholas in 1817

Nicholas published his book after accompanying Marsden to NZ in Dec 1814 - Feb 1815 to set up the Oihi Mission

After Boyd massacre, as Marsden unable to book a ship for less than £600, he bought the 'Active' for £1400 in March 1814

NSW Gov Macquarie wouldn't allow Marsden to join the first exploratory trip to Bay of Islands for safety reasons

If Marsden's ship 'Active' returned safely to Sydney, then the Governor would let Marsden join the next voyage

Marsden decided to invite Chief Ruatara to sail to Port Jackson to meet with him to discuss the mission site

Marsden arranged for Kendall, Hall & Tuai to sail to NZ (9 March - 22 Aug 1814) to visit Ruatara & give him a letter

Marsden also gave them gifts for Ruatara which included a flour mill to use with wheat from seeds Ruatara had sown

Marsden's letter to Ruatara asked him to sail back on the 'Active' & to bring 3-4 Chiefs to meet with Marsden

Ruatara & his uncle Chief Hongi Hika (Shonguy) agreed to meet with Marsden. Tuai's brother Korokoro also came.

Also joining them was Hongi Hika's oldest son Hāre who was 8 years old. (Image: Tuai on left & Hongi Hika on right)

During the return trip to NSW, Kendall began teaching Chiefs Hongi Hika & Korokoro the English alphabet

Kendall used 30 cards of letters and monosyllables, and gave a fish hook for every page learnt correctly

Kendall was conscious of his inability to transcribe words correctly as Māori did not have a written language

On 25 March 1814, Kendall wrote to Rev Pratt that Māori "instructed in their own Tongue...will take some years..."

Kendall wrote words according to the sound heard (eg"haere mai" as 'Iremi")

He listed words & their translation in a letter to Rev Pratt (15 June 1814) commenting he was aware of his shortcomings

Marsden met with Ruatara in Sept 1814 & accepted his offer to locate the mission station at base of his Rangihoua Pā

Ruatara said he would give the missionary settlement his protection & help with establishing friendly relations

Ruatara, Hongi Hika & Korokoro stayed on for five months with Marsden & also met Governor of NSW, Lachlan Macquarie

Ruatara studied agriculture & they received gifts (eg mare, cow, other farm animals, poultry, military uniforms & seeds)

Kendall wrote to Rev Pratt (6 Sept 1814) about the voyage & teaching the Chiefs the English alphabet on the return trip

He also described the meeting with local Māori in the Bay of Islands

Marsden, the Chiefs, Kendall, Hall, King, 2 sawyers & a smith set sail on the 'Active' for Bay of Islands in Nov 1814

On board were 35 people, including other settlers, & farm animals. Marsden wrote to Rev Pratt to keep him informed.

NSW settler John Nicholas asked Marsden if he could accompany him on the trip to NZ & back to Australia

Nicholas published his account of the journey in "Narrative of a Voyage to New Zealand... " in 1817

In ship's hold were a horse & 2 mares, a bull & 2 cows (gifted by Gov Macquarie), a few sheep, poultry, & seedlings

(Marsden kept a journal on each of his voyages which he sent to the Church Missionary Society to publish)

On 22 Dec 1814, Marsden's party arrived at Oihi (now known as Hohi) in the north-east of Rangihoua Bay

They were met in the harbour by local Māori in their waka

Going ashore, they met with Chief Ruatara & his family

Some stayed overnight in the village whilst others returned to the ship for the evenings

Also offloaded were the animals in the ship's hold (horses, cattle, sheep & poultry) & wheat seed & plant seedlings

The horses - a stallion & 2 mares - are thought to be the first to arrive in NZ. See DigitalNZ Story: First horses in NZ

The day after the Christmas sermon, Marsden sent his ship across the harbour for timber to start building the mission

The trees were 20 miles away & had to be felled, transported & sawn. Ground was also prepared for wheat & vegetables.

The missionary settlers lived in temporary homes (raupō whare) built by local Māori whilst awaiting timber houses

The whare were without flooring, a chimney or windows; & weren't wind-proof or rain-proof, which settlers found trying

In a letter dated 15 Feb 1815, King said, "We expect to have a good house before long, but I fear not before winter"

On 21 Feb, Hannah King gave birth to a boy & Dinah Hall gave birth to a girl in May - 1st known European births in NZ

On 24 Feb 1815, Marsden bought c.200 acres for 12 axes & Deed was signed by Chief Ruatara & Kendall & Nicholas for CMS

Two parchment deeds for CMS prepared by Marsden stipulated land between the sea, the stream and other features

As part of the land lay north of the Oihi Stream, it was owned by Chiefs Te Uri o Kanae (see image) & Waremōkaikai

Kanae was the brother-in-law of Chief Ruatara who'd married his sister, Rahu

Chief Hongi Hika signed the Deed with a drawing of Kanae's moko, & Waremōkaikai's moko was added as a witness

(Chief Kanae was also known as Turi o Kana, Turi-a-Kuna, Tor A Hoodee O Gunna)

Schoolmaster Thomas Kendall was encouraged by Marsden to begin lessons at his temporary whare raupō

Image: Kendall (on the right) with Chiefs Waikato (left) & Hongi Hika

On 13 Feb 1815, Kendall wrote to Rev Pratt there were several children but he only has room to teach six at a time

He said, "I doubt not but I can have a School full of them as soon as a room is built" & will need to feed & clothe them

By 8 July 1815, lessons were being held daily in three sessions

Lessons were given to the Māori children in the morning & evening, & to the settler children in the middle of the day

Chief Ruatara became unwell and following a month-long "raging fever" died on 3 March 1815

The Mission Station came under the protection of Ruatara's uncle, Chief Hongi Hika

The Settlers found the Mission's land unviable due to the steepness of the slopes & shallowness of the soil

They'd endeavoured to cultivate the land to plant wheat, corn & vegetables for food for themselves & the farm animals

On 14 May 1815, Kendall & Hall bought 50 acres for 5 axes at Waitangi from Chief Waraki (Chief Ruatara's father-in-law)

(The parcel of land later became known as the Waitangi National Trust Estate, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed)

Hall & sawyers Conroy & Campbell decided to move there. The sawyers went ahead; & Hall & his wife followed in Sept 1815.

The sawyers had gone ahead to erect a sawpit, start cutting down trees; saw timber & build the houses

All returned to Oihi by Jan 1816 as raids had begun by Ngāpuhi to claim Waitangi after Chief Waraki died during 1815

The sawyers left first & Hall & his wife stayed until Jan when they were attacked & rescued by frtends

On 16 Aug 1815, Rev Pratt wrote to Kendall with the expectation he was making progress in learning the Māori language

CMS wanted Kendall to start translating the scriptures in readiness for when a Clergyman is appointed to give help

In 1815, Kendall began writing a lesson book in te reo Māori with Chief Hongi Hika & his nephews Tuai & Titere

Kendall drew on his knowledge of  te reo Māori learnt with Tuai (Tohi) when living in NSW during 1814. (Image: Titere)

"A korao no New Zealand; or, the New Zealander's first book" was sent to Samuel Marsden for publication

The book included word lists, numbers, phrases, & religious instruction

Marsden sent the manuscript to Sydney for printing by George Howe, the Government Printer

200 copies of the 54--paged book were printed & shipped on the 'Active' to Oihi in Dec 1815 (Image: Book on left)

It was the first book published in te reo Māori & is listed in the bibliography "Books in Māori, 1815-1900" (2004)

The bibliography by Phil Parkinson & Penny Griffith was published by Alexander Turnbulll Library & digitised in 2015

The only known surviving copy of 'A korao' is held at the Auckland Museum since Feb 1894

It was offered for sale to Institute Council by Mrs C.M. Becke in Nov 1893 who received £1-15-0 from the Museum Director

Hocken Library holds the hand-written transcription by John Kenderdine (1860-1932) presented by his wife

Kenderdine (Auckland chemist & book collector) had transcribed Auckland Museum's copy

In 1957, Auckland Museum arranged for 100 numbered facsimile copies to be printed by Unity Press

Facsimile copy no. 44 is held by the Hocken Library, & the Alexander Turnbull Library holds copies no. 19 & no. 75

In 2014, Kendall's book was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register

Register was launched in 1992 to identify & provide access to documentary heritage items of worldwide significance

The roll fluctuated when rice & other food ordered from CMS delayed to supplement food traded for locally

Roll dropped during Nov-Dec 1815 when food consisted only of potatoes & some fish to eat at the school

Lessons were also disrupted by iwi visitors to the Pā wanting to see the school & locals trying to sell potatoes

When this occurred, lessons had to be repeated

Some of the students were also absent when assisting with sweet potato / kumara gathering

Girls would also be away while having a moko kauae. (Image: Kumara harvesting, Northland)

CMS had funded Samuel Lee to study at Cambridge Univ since 1813 to aid CMS with linguistic translations for Missionaries

School teacher Lee (b.1783) had been giving private lessons in Persian and Hindustani which came to the notice of CMS

After arriving in London in Feb 1818, Tuai & Titere collaborated with Lee on Māori grammar, pronunciation & vocabulary

Lee was aided by Kendall's "A Korao no New Zealand". (CMS sent a letter to notify Kendall, 12 March 1818)

However, meetings with Lee were disrupted as Tuai & Titere became unwell with bronchial infections

In July 1818, Lee graduated with B.A. & later in 1819 received an M.A. & became Cambridge Univ's Professor of Arabic

CMS expected Tuai & Tītere to study scriptural reading & writing to assist Māori back home, but they weren't keen

Tuai wrote a letter to Rev Pratt about his Bible readings, 26 June 1818

Tuai & Titere met teacher Francis Hall who'd applied to be a lay missionary in NZ & taught them to read & write

They dictated their letters to Hall who wrote down on slate, & they copied onto paper with a quill pen & ink

As a break from study, they joined Hall in attending church, visiting schools & homes, working on farms & sightseeing

Tuai shared their varied experiences in Shropshire in a letter to Rev Pratt, 20 Aug 1818

When back in London, Titere wrote to Rev Marsden (12 Oct 1818) of their countryside experiences & health issues

He added, "I got a Bible and Prayer Book...I can say the Lords Prayer all through, and begin learn the Commandments"

As well as writing letters, of which 19 were sent home, Tuai & Titere also drew 5 ink sketches of moko, waka & kites

Copies of their letters are held by ATL & Hocken Library. The ink sketches are held at Auckland Library.

CMS commissioned lay member James Barry to paint silhouettes & formal portraits of Tuai, Tītere & Hall

The silhouettes & portraits are now in the Alexander Turnbull Library

On 30 March 1819, taking matters into their own hands, Kendall, Carlisle, King & Gordon signed a private trade agreement

The Agreement was not signed by carpenter William Hall

On 21 April 1819, a copy of the private trade agreement was sent to Marsden who did not receive it until 26 Sept 1819

In his accompanying letter, Kendall disclosed to Marsden that there was friction with Hall

Meanwhile, on 20 July 1819, Rev Pratt advised Kendall that the settlers were not to engage in any form of armed trade

Implements of war were not to be "employed by the Settlers in this traffic, or supplied to them in any other way".

On 15 Dec 1818, the five 'laymen' & their families departed London on the 'Baring' to join Rev Marsden in NSW

Accounts of the voyage on the convict ship were provided by Rev John Butler to Rev Pratt. (See letter, 19 Dec 1818)

The journey was then delayed until 27 Jan 1819 after 'Baring' ran aground near North Foreland headland on the Kent coast

The 'Baring' had stopped at Sheerness to collect more convicts before running aground; then returned there for repairs

On board were James Kemp (a smith & Catechist) & William Puckey (a carpenter & boatbuilder)

Kemp was accompanied by wife Charlotte; & Puckey by wife Margery, son William (14 yrs) & daughter Elizabeth (8 yrs)

Clergyman was Rev John Gare Butler whom CMS also appointed as Superintendent designate in NZ, subordinate to Marsden

Rev Butler was accompanied by his wife Hannah, son Samuel & daughter Hannah

The two schoolmasters were Rev Butler's son Samuel & Francis Hall who was accompanied to NSW by Tuai & Titere

(As stated in his letter to Rev Pratt (27 Dec 1817), Hall had begun applying in 1814 to become a lay missionary in NZ)

Tuai & Tītere were returning after staying in London since Feb 1818, sponsored by Marsden & CMS

Titere wrote to Rev Bickersteth (8 Jan 1819) of their activities at Brompton in Kent whilst the 'Baring' was repaired

On 26 June 1819, the laymen arrived at NSW & they stayed with Rev Marsden whilst he organised a ship to Oihi

Their voyage & arrival at NSW was reported by Rev Butler in a letter sent to Rev Pratt on 5 July 1819

On 24 July 1819, at Marsden's request, NSW Governor Macquarie appointed Rev Butler as Justice of the Peace (JP)

Marsden argued legal power was needed for the missionaries to deal with unruly sailors, deserters & criminal activities

During his 3 month stay, Marsden found the school & agriculture being neglected & the roll had dropped

The neglect was due to the increasing involvement of the Miission's staff in trade agreements

In Nov 1819, Marsden dismissed Kendall & Carlisle for neglecting teaching duties; & closed the Mission School

He also dismissed Gordon for neglecting agricultural duties & suspended King for refusing to make or mend shoes

The school building was used as a store by the Oihi Mission Station

Rev. Butler, who'd been appointed Superintendent designate by CMS, chose Kerikeri as his headquarters

He was the first ordained clergyman to reside in NZ and came under Marsden's supervision

In Nov 1819, Marsden arranged for Butler, smith Kemp, & carpenters Puckey & William Hall to set up the Kerikeri Mission

Twine-maker/shoemaker King & Kendall stayed near the Oihi Mission. Then Kendall moved to the Matauwhi village.

Kendall built a home at Matauwhi which lay in a cove.on the south side of Oihi. Chief over Matauwhi was Pōmare.

On 27 Feb 1820, Marsden arrived at Oihi; then explored Northland coast & overland as far as Tauranga until 5 Dec 1820

Accompanied by Māori guides, he visited the Waihou River, Firth of Thames, Tauranga, Auckland Isthmus & Hokianga

Marsden found Kendall was planning to meet with Prof Lee at Cambridge Univ's Queen's College & directed him not to go

Pratt had written to Kendall (20 July 1819) that Lee had raised queries about Kendall's Spelling book & Catechism

However, on 2 March 1820, Kendall departed with Hongi Hika & Hohaia Parata Waikato of Rangihoua for England

They sailed aboard the 'New Zealander' & after 17 weeks reached England on 3 July 1830 where they stayed for 5 months

They spent almost 2 months at Cambridge Univ with Prof Lee who wrote down sounds from the dictation of Hongi & Waikato

Kendall translated the sounds from material he'd collected, including his "The New Zealanders' Spelling Book" Pt 1 & 2

Both Chiefs were introduced to King George IV (crowned 29 Jan 1820) & Hongi was introduced as "King of New Zealand"

Their portrait was also painted by James Barry: Chief Hohaia Parata Waikato (left), Chief Hongi Hika, & Thomas Kendall

At the end of 1820, 'A grammar and vocabulary of the language of New Zealand' (30 pages) published by CMS (500 copies)

In the Preface, Prof Lee backgrounded the involvement of "Mr Kendall" & "two Native Chiefs" & book's purpose & layout

By developing written conventions for an oral language, the CMS was able to make scriptures available in te reo Māori

Reading the Bible would assist conversion of Maori to Christianity. However, missionaries needed to learn Māori.

On 12 Nov 1820, Kendall was ordained a priest by the Bishop of Ely James Woodford to preach only in NZ

He was restricted to preaching in NZ as he spoke neither Latin nor Greek

During his visit in England, Kendall met Charles H. P. de Thierry and agreed to buy land for him in Bay of Islands

De Thierry's plan was to establish an independent settlement & declare himself the "sovereign chief" of NZ

In July 1821, Kendall arrived back at NZ & bought 40,000 acres for de Thierry at Hokianga for 36 axes in 1822

The land was bought from local Māori chiefs, including Muriwai, Patuone & Waka Nene

The land purchase was later disputed by Patuone & Nene when De Thierry arrived in Nov 1837 & he agreed to 800 acres

However, de Thierry's plans for a French colony were ended by the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840

In late 1821 - April 1822, Kendall had an affair with Tūngaroa (17 yr old servant; ex-pupil & tohunga Rākau's daughter)

Rākau (c.1740–c.1825) was a revered tohunga at Rangihoua Pā

On 22 Jan 1822, Wesleyan missionary Rev Samuel Leigh & his wife arrived unannounced which led to conflict with Kendall

Leigh stayed with Hall & aided Hall & King to hold religious meetings which Kendall found clashed with his services

When Kendall & Tūngaroa's relationship met disapproval locally, they moved to nearby village Kaihiki on Te Puna inlet

Disapproving were Rev Butler;; Tūngaroa's brother-in-law; & local Māori who didn't accept a missionary having 2 wives

On 4 April 1822, Kendall wrote to Marsden asking for the Wesleyans to remove Leigh who'd arrived without his prior leave

Kendall commented the separate meetings by Hall & King were at "the time of Divine Service upon the Lords Day"

On 26 Feb 1822, Kendall responded to Marsden on the Christian view of no guns stating guns aided protection from enemies

He stated trade was allowed with hatchets which could be used to kill; but a musket ball would be a more merciful death

On 7 Sept 1822, Marsden wrote to Rev Pratt he'd suspended Kendall over the gun trade & was awaiting CMS's final verdict

The CMS Committee held its meeting on 22 April 1823 & advised Marsden that Kendall was to be dismissed

On 9 Aug 1823, Marsden wrote to Kendall to officlally dismiss him for defending gun trade & selling guns to Hongi Hika

After being dismissed from CMS, Kendall & his family continued to stay at their home at Matauwhi

On 3 Aug 1823, Marsden arrived at Oihi to ask Kendall to leave NZ due to adulterous conduct, which Kendall agreed to do

In letters to Marsden during Aug 1823, Kendall retracted his improper sentiments or impressions to colleagues

He added he wished "to shew my readiness to forgive, as I wish to be forgiven" (See letter dated 30 Aug)

On 7 Sept 1823, Kendall & family left with Marsden but the ship was wrecked in harbour & he saw this as a sign to stay

Afterwards, on 20 Sept, Marsden wrote to Pratt that a gale had arisen & driven the ship 'Brampton' onto rocks

In Feb 1825, Kendall & family went to Chile where he became a clergyman attached to the British Consulate at Valparaiso

Earlier on 25 July 1824, Kendall wrote to CMS & confessed his past "errors"

In 1827, they relocated to Ulladulla, NSW where Kendall was granted 1280 acres; began dairying & cutting stands of cedar

Son Thomas bought the farm next door. They took cheese & timber by Kendall's cutter 'Brisbane' to Sydney markets.

Kendall also worked on an improved Māori grammar, but Marsden twice refused to publish it

Kendall also tried to publish it privately by subscription, raising funds by March 1832, but was unsuccessful

By 1832, Oihi was one of five Anglican & Wesleyan Methodist mission stations in the Bay of Islands & Hokianga area

Anglican: Kerikeri (1819), Waimate North (1820: James Shepherd), Paihia (Aug 1823: Rev Williams) & Wesleyan: Kaeo (1823)

In 1832, the Oihi Mission Station closed

The Oihi Mission Station was replaced by the Te Puna Mission Station which lay 1 km to the west

The land near Te Puna was considered a more suitable flat level for agriculture & crops were grown for mission stations

John King & James Shepherd & their families moved to Te Puna

Shepherd had been stationed wiith Ngāpuhi Chief Te Morenga of Tai-a-mai at Te Waimate Mission since 1820 by Marsden

King & James taught & held weekly church services

(Image: Mission building set in front of the hill, garden at the front, & outbuildings to the right, 1839)

KIng's wife, Hannah, & their daughters held school lessons & taught domestic skills to Māori women & children

During 1833-34, King & James were assisted by lay preacher John Wilson who'd arrived with his family on 11 April 1833

Ex-Royal Navy, Wilson had been appointed lay preacher by CMS in 1832. He later helped set up & worked at other Missions.

By June 1834, there were 200 Māori involved with the Te Puna Mission Station & by 1842 over 100 Māori had been baptized

(Image: Memorial to Rev John King who died at Te Puna on 6 May 1854 aged 64)

150th celebrations held on Christmas Day 1964

Rev. R.E. Marsden (Great-great-grandson of Samuel Marsden) conducted the service in 1964

Bicentenary celebrations held on Christmas Day 2014