A number of Europeans arrived in NZ from Australia who were either escaped convicts or had served their time in Australia and came to New Zealand as tradesmen or labourers. A number of other convicts worked as seamen under bond on various ships but ‘jumped ship’ in New Zealand, often being adopted by a local tribe. In other cases seamen simply deserted their ship when in New Zealand.
Many Maori tribes had a ‘resident’ European (a Pakeha Maori) who assisted the Maori tribes to negotiate trade with the increasing numbers of vessels visiting NZ. The first Europeans to live with the Maori were probably the 4 deserters from the Hunter in Thames in 1798. One of these was Henry TAYLOR.
The Sydney Herald estimated in 1837 that there were between 200 and 300 former convicts in New Zealand. Deserting sailors and ruffians also arrived, eager to escape the law
There were reports of a European, living with Maori in the Bay of Islands, who deserted from a whaling ship around 1800. A half caste child was seen there by John SAVAGE in 1805 and apparently the father used to hide whenever any ships arrived in the bay.
There is a record of a George BRUCE who left his ship in 1806. One account is that he was a ‘convict sailor’ who deserted ship but another states he was a sailor and volunteered to leave the ship at the request of Te Pahi. He left NZ in 1808.
In June 1806 a number of crew and convicts, hijacked the ship Venus and forced it to sail to New Zealand. Two males, Benjamin KELLY and John LANCASHIRE, KELLY’s partner Catherine HAGERTY and a Charlotte BADGER (other sources have EDGAR), who also had a small child, left the ship in the Bay of Islands. KELLY and LANCASHIRE were subsequently re-captured in 1807. (LANCASHIRE by the ship Brothers and KELLY by the Britannia.) Apparently HAGERTY died later in 1806 in the Bay of Islands. BADGER and her child lived in the Bay of Islands for a short time and Charlotte returned to Sydney in July 1807 via Norfolk Island. Her child must have died before this. It was reported that both Captain BUNKER of the Elizabeth and Captain BIRNIE of the Commerce offered to take BADGER and her child back to Sydney but in both cases she refused. Charlotte married in Sydney 4 jun 1811 to a soldier, Thomas HUMPHRIES.
After leaving the Bay of Islands the Venus with the remaining 6 hijackers (including pilot David EVANS, pvte Richard THOMPSON, Joseph REDMONDS, Thomas FORD, William EVANS and a Malay cook) traveled around the NZ coast. Reports of their final fate are mixed with some stating that they were probably killed by Maori as a result of their behaviour. Several reports have REDMONDS settling at Mercer. (see web site) However there are also reports that the Venus eventually arrived in Chile.
1809 a Tahitian known as Tom (or later aka Jem) deserted from the City of Edinburgh and lived for many years with Maori in the north of NZ. Also from the same ship a Lascar deserted and settled in the Bay of Islands. [2]
Two convicts stowed away on the James Hay when it left Sydney in July/August 1814. In the Bay of Islands they were handed over to the Active to be taken back to Sydney but they escaped. However on the next visit of the Active in November 1814 they surrendered and were taken back to Sydney in February 1815. In addition two males and one female (Mary) stowed away on the Jefferson about October 1814 and after 4 months in NZ waters were also transferred to the Active in the Bay of Islands 20th February 1815 to be taken back to Sydney. Also two male convicts stowed away on the Active in Sydney 28 November 1814 and one escaped 22nd February 1815 in the Bay of Islands. It would appear that 5 male and 1 female convict were taken back to Sydney on this voyage.
Other ex convicts came to New Zealand with Samuel MARSDEN as tradesmen. In 1814 Henry alias Patrick SHAFFERY, Walter HALL and SMITH came on the Active to the Bay of Islands.
In 1815, 5 convicts were in the Bay of Islands, having been left there by three visiting ships under the charge of KENDALL. They escaped on the Brothers which left for Tahiti.
1816, John RUTHERFORD and 5 others survived the sacking of the Agnes. RUTHERFORD lived with Maori until 1826 and then returned to England.
There were reports of three Europeans living on the East Coast around 1820. They were known to the Maori as Riki, Tapore and Punga.
1823, 4 convicts stowed away in Sydney on the Calder and the captain Peter DILLON put them ashore in the Bay of Islands
1827. 6 convicts from the ship Wellington escaped capture in the Bay of Islands. Possibly adopted by Maori tribes.
In March 1832 the crew of the Clarence all deserted in Otago and the ship returned to Hobart with a Maori crew.
1833. The 3rd mate and five seamen deserted from an American whaler (possibly the Harvest) in the BOI. The seaman were returned by Maori for a reward but the third mate was left in the BOI.
Not so well known was the transportation of convicts from New Zealand to Australia. From 1843 to 1853 around 110 convicts were sentenced in NZ for transportation to Australia, mostly to Van Dieman’s Land. [1]
References:
[1] Cleansing the Colony by Kristyn HARMAN.
[2] Kororareka and other essays by Ormond WILSON