Journal of the Nelson and Marlborough Historical Societies, Volume 1, Issue 6, September 1986
[the family Life of an early settler]
The Rev. and Mrs Thomas Bowden arrived in Nelson 6 May 1855 by the ship John Phillips. They were accompanied by their children, Benjamin aged 6 years, Minnie 5, Emily 4, Ernest 2 and Caroline's sister Louisa Treacher.
Thomas had been brought up and and educated in London. He spent two or three years in his father-in-law's office, but decided against being a lawyer. He went to Oxford University in 1842, obtaining a BA degree in 1845. He married Caroline Treacher, who had also lived mainly in London, in 1848, and in the same year was ordained priest in the Church of England on 29 October. Thomas retained some doubts of a theological nature and he determined to never accept a permanent position as a priest.
After seven years of married life in England Caroline was finally persuaded to emigrate to New Zealand. Thomas had been suffering from Colonial fever for some time. Sister Louisa agreed to accompany them. The pattern of the future had been set by this time as Thomas alternated between positions as clergyman and teacher. They had moved house frequently as the family grew and as the type of Thomas' work changed.
They set sail from England January 8 1885. On arrival in Nelson Thomas bought 75 acres covered with manuka, toi toi, flax and bulrush in the Upper Moutere area.
Thomas, Caroline and two of the children were landed at the Bronte jetty at the foot of the Moutere hills from a boat from Nelson with all their possessions. They spent their first cold night on N.Z. soil in a tent, after Thomas hauled their goods above the high tide. They tried to eat a bird shot by Thomas for their tea. Caroline's reaction to this adventure is not recorded, but her granddaughter says of her, "I never saw her smile."
The next morning Thomas set off to engage the help of Mr Bensemann to move them and their goods. Caroline and the two children stayed alone at Bronte. Curiously they had a visit from a Mr Eban and a little girl, the only people living near. Thomas returned late at night with a loaf of bread and next day Mr Bensemann and his drays arrived to take them to their own property. Next Aunt Louisa and the other two children had to be fetched from the ship by another neighbour with horse and cart.
A little house was built with Mr Bensemann's help and the tent was still used as a bedroom. Thomas now set about becoming a farmer with the assistance of a neighbour, Mr Hewetson. Not all his ventures were successful, but the gorse he obtained in Appleby grew very well where he planted them to protect the vegetable garden. The gorse was obtained by Thomas travelling on foot as he also did if he wished to go to Nelson. On one occasion his wife decided to walk to Nelson with him, but they found the Appleby river in flood. The bullock dray which could have been used to put them over the river was away for the day with the owners, so Caroline was carried across on Thomas' back, fortunately safely. Rivers were one of the serious hazards of the time, and took many lives.
page 20After the family had been in Upper Moutere for a few months a deputation of men came to ask Thomas to become the minister for Wakefield, Waimea West and Spring Grove. There were two churches but there had never been a resident minister.
Once again the household goods were packed on bullock drays. One dray rolled over, not an unusual occurrence for travel of that period, and Ernest was alarmed to see his little bed tumbling off. In Brightwater they lived in Wooten's cottage until the parsonage was built. The faithful tent was used for services till the church also was built. This was St Paul's church. Brightwater (Spring Grove), dedicated 1857.
In 1856 Louis was born and Mary in 1859. Louis was baptised in the tent while Mary was one of the earliest to be baptised in the new church.
By 1858 there were more clergy in Nelson. Thomas resigned and returned to farming, but he did not return to the Moutere. At Mr Dickenson's suggestion Thomas rented the Dickenson farm and the family lived with the Dickensons. This arrangement enabled Thomas to be instructed in farming by Mr Dickenson. The Moutere farm was for a short time in the charge of young Benjamin aged 10, which he apparently enjoyed.
After this farming episode the next move was into Nelson to become secretary, librarian and school teacher for Bishop Hobhouse in 1859 or 1860. Here "Mud Hall" was the name of their fourteenth home since their marriage. It was near to the Bishop's residence (then in Milton Street), but Caroline was far from happy with the cramped conditions. Thomas was skilled enough now in carpentry to add a two storied wing, but they soon moved to another house. Another little mud building was used to start a school, and this was the commencement of the Bishop's School with about six boys and one girl. The school moved into a brick building formerly used as a school by Mr Butt. They then made provision for boarders with Aunt Louisa looking after them.
During the stay in Nelson two more boys, Edwin and Nelson, were born and the eldest, Benjamin, died of diptheria.
In 1864 the family went to the Taylor Valley, Marlborough, where Thomas had a school for the boys of that area. Ernest helped his father with some of the teaching. Caroline did the cooking for the family and the pupils now as Louisa was visiting friends elsewhere. The girls were also able to help with the housekeeping.
Thomas next collaborated with two other teachers in what was the origin of Wellington College, at that time on Clifton Terrace. He was the headmaster of this school for five years 1868–1873.
Another position held at this time was the honorary one of Inspector of the Lunatic Asylum at Karori.
In 1873 Thomas established the N.Z. Educational Depository to sell school books, with a small printing office and a school called the English High School on the site in Featherston Street. Louis, Edwin and Ernest were employed in their father's business. Ernest opened a branch of the Depository in Christchurch in partnership with a Mr Whitcombe and eventually this business became Whitcombe and Tombs (now Whitcoulls).
By 1878 the businesses were thriving so Thomas took Caroline and 12 year old Walter for a year to England to visit relatives and to seek a health cure. Emily had married in 1869, and Mary lived with her in the Orinoco-Dovedale area. Aunt Louisa had her own home in Wellington and other members of the Bowden family were boarding. Unfortunately the businesses did not do well without Thomas and on his return they all had to be sold.
Thomas took a succession of relieving positions for clergy in Nelson, going first to Greymouth church for one year, then to All Saints, Nelson, and back to Wakefield. During his stay at the Wakefield parsonage he was also tutor to the students at Bishopdale College and commuted by train.
For a short time Thomas had a private boarding school at Brierly Farm, Wakefield, which had formerly been the Wakefield Arms Hotel, and then he retired. His last thirty years were a great contrast to the preceding thirty as he and Caroline stayed in the same house in Wakefield. The family continued to come and go and eventually Minnie and Edwin settled at Brierly Farm. Emily, who was married to farmer and school teacher Edward Burrell, lived in Orinoco. Mary, who like her father, was a school teacher, also eventually married and settled near her sister in Orinoco. Ernest went to Wanganui but he, Walter and Louis, all were in Nelson in the latter part of their lives. Nelson went farming and gum digging in Auckland and mysteriously died there while still a young man. Aunt Louisa remained in Wellington. Thomas died in 1906. Caroline survived her husband by eight years and she died while still living at Brierly farm.