Tamati, known as Thomas, was born in the Bay of Islands in 1861. He was a chief of Ngāpuhi and a cousin of Hone Heke (M.H.R). Thomas attended Te Aute College. He entered the civil service at a young age and worked in the Native Land Court Office both as a clerk and an interpreter.
Thomas was also a member of the Polynesian Society and his translations of Māori legends were published in their journal. He was a member of the Wellington Cricket and Football Clubs and a Sunday School teacher at St Mark’s.
In 1895, he married Jeanette Jenkins at the Wesleyan church in Lyttelton. She was the daughter of George and Mary Jenkins. On Thomas’ return to Wellington, he was called to the office of Chief Justice Davy where the officers of his department presented him with a cruet-stand, toast-rack and set of carvers as a mark of goodwill on the occasion of his marriage.
The couple lived in Mt Victoria where Thomas purchased several sections. He built a house on one of them named Rāhiri, presumably in honour of Ngāpuhi’s founding ancestor who was a descendant of descendant of Kupe, Nukutawhiti and Puhi. The couple had two children – Leonard Rāhiri and Airini Tui, born in 1896 and 1897 respectively.
In February 1897, Thomas submitted a paper to the Maroi Students’ Conference at Te Aute called “The employment of Maoris after leaving school”. He argued that the present system of education did not go far enough. That young Māori need to be taught how to make use of their land or how to use their hands and brains to the best advantage.
By July Thomas was unwell. He underwent an operation for cancer in his shoulder but it did not prove successful. He died on 26th November, aged 36. In July 1898 a headstone was placed on Thomas’s plot and the cost was covered by subscriptions from his friends in the civil services, St Mark’s Parish and by local athletes. The stone was the work of Thomas Miller of Victoria Street.
Jeanette remained living at Rāhiri until 1929. She took an active part in St Mark’s church and the Society for the Promotion of Health of Women and Children.
Jeanette died on 10th December 1944 and her ashes were interred with Thomas.
Plot: *Ch Eng/N/2
By Julia Kennedy
Thank you! That is my great great grandfather !