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Below, Newsham Page Index  William Morris & Jane Alexandra
NewshamThomas and Mary
Louise Newsham's eldest child William Morris Newsham was born on 18th
August 1847 at New Plymouth. Mary's parents farmed on Carrington
Rd and her mother Louisa Lethbridge was likely
midwife. William was baptised 7 Nov 1847 by Rev H H Turton. The
following year in July Thomas proudly wrote home to tell his mother about her grandson's
progress. His childhood was spent on the farm at
Omata. In the 1850s provincial governments were given
responsibility for education but in Taranaki there was no organised
public school system in place. Children received basic learning, the
three R's under the tutelage of Mr Crompton and his wife in
their home and Miss Wakefield took classes in a cottage rented
from Tom Newsham - there would have been a fee charge for
parents. Reading was dependent on the books brought in by settlers used in
Britain and it was not until about 1867 that booksellers began to
import readers designed for a structured learning progression.
Promotion from class to class was based almost entirely on a child's
success in reading. The uncertainty of War in 1860 drove
settlers to apply for use of the stockade as a school, then came the
upheaval and for security, travel to Nelson. Much time passed before his
mother and her family could return to Omata to rebuild their
shattered lives and William would have assisted his father. Education
continued for the children of the area at the stockade
until a move in 1872 to a cottage used as a school on Waireka Road.
William enlisted in the N Z Militia at the age of 16 during
the 2nd Taranaki War and served first in a Rifle company
before transferring to the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers On his discharge from the military William went to the
Thames for the gold. "The Thames" was the greater area surrounding the
relatively new town of Thames , a combination of the two smaller townships
of Shortland and Grahamstown - it is not known what parts of the area
William prospected in.
Thomas Newsham died in 1874 and for a
time, William returned to farming on his fathers property at Omata
and then in March 1883, was employed as an 'assistant
surveyor'(chainman)on the Mokau route of one of several original
proposed routes for the Auckland to Wellington railway. At this time the rail had not entered the King Country from
the North and from the south had reached Marton. William assisted his
cousin, the well known Govt. surveyor Charles Wilson Hursthouse 1913 Evening Post, 21 April 1913: A memorial was unveiled in
the Upper Mokau Valley a few days ago to Kaahu Huatere. The inscription
read as follows "Kaahu Huatere, born 1850, died 10th October, 1911. He
fought in the Taranaki and Waikato Wars. He was a man of peace, yet he was
brave. He saved the late Wilson Hursthouse and Mr. Newsham, who were taken
prisoners and locked up in a whare by Te Manakura, as the result of the
prophet Te Whiti's teaching in 1882." William is recorded as taking up a mining lease in
Wairongamai near Te Aroha in 1889 - shortly before his
marriage in 1889 to Jane Finch.
Jane and William took up residence at
Wairongamai near the Public Hall in MacKays township
- it had a population of 52 and William is recorded on the electoral roll
as an "Amalgamator" The area where William had two gold claims
in Wairongamai was 3 miles SE from Te Aroha one under his own name
which grossed 936 and a more prosperous one, the "Premier", as a member
of a syndicate. The Premier yielded 2594. In 1890 he and partner
Jennings leased a stamper mill to crush their own ore and for others on
a casual basis. 1890 Waikato Times 26 Aug 1890: Newsham applies successfully to Piako County Council to have his name inserted on the valuation roll as owner and occupier of Section 22 Block 7 Gordon Special Settlement February 1892 a report from WAIRONGOMAI: "The new owner of the tramway has already commenced work, and it is to be hoped he will get plenty to do. Willie Newsham is always looking for quartz." By May it is reported "The battery at Waiorongomai is now running steadily, thanks to the late rain, and unless the supply of water should again run short, the work of crushing the quartz brought in from the various mines will be carried on for some time to come. Scott and party have at present about 40 trucks being treated and Gavin and party will be the next with about 100 trucks, and after them Newsham and party with from 70 to 80 trucks." Reported in December: "Newsham and party are sending about 9 tons of picked stone from the New Premier. mine, Waiorongomai, by steamer to Thames for treatment there. They expect a good return. We also learn Mr Newsham had 6 tons put through the Moanatairi battery for the handsome yield of 52ozs. He has left between 2 and 3 tons to be treated by the school of Mines after the holidays. 9 December 1893: Land - on Saturday there was a very lively bidding for the land in the estate of the late Thomas Newsham and under the Rating Act, every section selling on the hammer - it is believed at this time, the expense of running the mine occasioned the need for finance, so William sold at Omata. This understanding is born out by this extract
from the eulogy written at the time of the death of his wife: "Mr Newsham
was a Maori War Veteran who had some stirring deeds to his credit and was
afterwards a prospector. He was one of the last of the old band to give up
searching for a paying reef in the Te Aroha Hills. Mr Newsham owned
several mines, but the cost of the treatment of those of them near Te
Aroha was not compensated for by the returns to a sufficient extent to
work them thoroughly."
REPORT ON GOLDFIELDS: WARDENS'
REPORTS. Appendix to the Journals of the House of
Representatives, 1894   1895 Thames Star, 11 Sept 1895 - WAIORONGOMAI: The
Palace is still getting good gold. Messrs Newsham and Jeffery secured 7lbs
of specimens last Thursday, literally clogged with gold. You can hardly
put a pin's point between the precious metal in some, and it was all sizes
up to duck shot. As all the stone from the leader. though not showing gold
in the solid shows it pounded, the shareholders are evidently in for
a good thing, and they deserve it, as they have been working for about
twelve months for nothing bar the fifteen pounds or so they got at
Christmas. The Loyalty intend crushing in a few days. A good return is
expected.
Leaving the isolation and to supplement the
income, Jane moved into Te Aroha and ran the old homestead
"Ivanhoe" as a boarding house and William lived during the working week at
Wairongamai on the side of Te Aroha mountain.
1896: Bay Of Plenty Times 22 July Mr Newsham, a
well-known Upper Thames prospector, lately operating at Waiorongomai in
the Loyalty claim, paid a visit to this district on Monday, and returned
to Katikati on Tuesday, where he intends remaining for a few days to
inspect the ground there.
November 1898: We are pleased to hear that Mr W.
Newsham, Wairongamai's sole prospector, is at the present time getting
some valuable stone. During the past few weeks Mr Newsham has been getting
small parcels of quartz which yield an ounce to the pound.
REPORT ON GOLDFIELDS: WARDENS' REPORTS Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1899  Ohinemuri Gazette, 5 May 1905 A PROSPECTOR RETIRES "W. Newsham, prospector, stated
that owing to the bad weather coming on he had abandoned prospecting for
the present. He thanked the Council for past assistance.
In 1911 Jane and William are living at Rewi St, Te Aroha. Courtesy of descendant John Newsham: (Src) Research paper
on William applied for several
rights over the years the last being with one Charlton in 1912
covering areas in the Te Aroha Karangahake region for 1912 /13. As late
as 1921, The NZ Gazette record William Newsham as a Privilege Holder, Tui Mine.
William died 30 Jan 1921 in Thames Burial: 01 Feb
1921 Shortland Cemetery, Thames.
Jane Newsham died 27
May 1924 in Awatea Road, Auckland where she was cremated Waikumete
Cemetery, Ashes niche 22
A PIONEER PASSES. (New Zealand Herald, 1924-06-09)MRS. 'J. A. NEWSHAM. Old residents of the goldfields and Waikato will regret to learn of the sudden death in Auckland last week of Mrs.Jane Alexandra Newsham in her 60th year. The late Mrs.Newsham was. the very first white girl bom in the Alexandra (now Pirongia) district, at the time of the armed constabulary occupation. She afterwards lived at Waiorongomai, near Te Aroha, when the goldmine boom took place. "When Waiorongomai " petered out," Mrs. Newsham and her husband went to Te Aroha, where they lived until a year or so ago. Mrs. Newsham was predeceased by her husband about 12 months ago. Mr. Newsham was a Maori War veteran, who had some sterling deeds to his credit and was afterwards a prospector. He was one of the last of the old band to give up searching for a paying reef in the Te Aroha hills. Mr. Newsham owned several goldmines, but the cost of treatment of those of them near Te Aroha was not compensated for by the returns to a sufficient extent to work them thoroughly. The deceased leaves two sons, Messrs. W. and T. Newsham of Auckland, and three daughters, Mrs.J. Boles of Morrinsville, Mrs. W. C. Coote, of Matamata, and Mrs. A. N. Thompson, of Matamata.  William and Jane's children:
1. Jane Lethbridge (Tiny) Newsham (b: 15 Apr 1890 in Alexandra, Te Awamutu d: 01 Nov 1948 in Bank Street, Morrinsville Burial: Block V, Plot 9 Morrinsville Cemetery) Married: 1920 to Samuel Joseph Hislop Boles (b: 15 Jan 1882 in Thames, Father: John Boles Mother: Annie Hislop; d: 31 Jul 1933 in Morrinsville Burial: Block V, Plot 9, Morrinsville Cemetery) Their family:
2 Hilda Blanche Newsham (b: 27 Jun 1892 in Wairongamai, Te Aroha d: 14 Nov 1944 in Takapuna) Married: 17 Dec 1913 to William Charles Coote (b: 12 Dec 1882 in Paeroa; Father: James Might Coote, Mother: Jane; d: 13 Oct 1956 in 38 Vincent Av; Remurewa, Auckland, Burial: 15 Oct 1956 Purewa Cemetery
3 Thomas (Tom) Newsham (b: 27 Oct 1894 in Waiorongamai, Te Aroha d: 11 Dec 1963 in 28 Aldred Rd., Remurewa, Auckland, Bur: 13 Dec 1963 Waikumete Cemetery Soldiers Section, Blk K Sect 2A, Plot 23) Married: 1926 Daisy Alice Thorpe (b: 27 Oct 1905 in St Helena, Atlantic Ocean, d: 08 Aug 1995 in Auckland Crem: 11 Aug 1995 Manakau Memorial Gardens) Their son
4 Mabel (Puss) Newsham
(b: 07 Jun 1897 in Te Aroha d: 1
5 William Newsham (b: 05 Mar 1900 in Wairongamai, Te
Aroha d: 23 Jan 1958 in 4 Clifton Road, Takapuna, Auckland, Service at St
Mary's Cathedral, Crem: 24 Jan 1958 Purewa) mar: Ivy Lilian
Clarke b: Birkenhead, Auckland to Father: Robert Clarke Mother: Ellen
Louisa (Nellie) Mitchell) Mar: 20 Apr 1936 in St Andrew's Presbyterian
Hamilton Their son
William and Jane left for Auckland about 1919 with son
William and bought a house at Jervois Rd, Herne Bay for approx. 1250. Pound
William died in 30 Jan. 1921 at Thames while visiting his brother Charles
who farmed on land that is now the Thames Airfield. and was buried Feb 1st
at Shortland Cemetery, Thames. Jane died 27th May 1924 at Awatea Road,
Auckland aged 60 years and was cremated Waikumete Cemetery
Obituary: A Pioneer Passes - Mrs J Alexandra
Newsham
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was under fire in at
least 5 significant actions including the one at Ahu Ahu where Capt
Lloyd of the 57th Foot was decapitated by the rebel warriors. His head was
later paraded around the lower North Island as a trophy by the Hau Hau
leaders. For his services between 1862 - 1867, William was awarded the New
Zealand medal.
9 Sep 1943 in Hamilton Burial: 20 Sep 1943 Hamilton
East Cemetery) Married: 12 Mar 1918 to Adam Neilson Thomson (b: 1883 d: 12 Jul 1948 Hamilton, father -
David Moncriff Thomson; mother Lucy Shaw; Bur: 14 Jul 1948 Hamilton East
Cemetery agd 63yrs) Their sons: