Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat, Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
Franz Josef History
summary of WALLACE family history:The Wallace family story focuses chiefly on a young Irish woman, Catherine Markey, born near
Dublin in 1854.Catherine immigrated at the age of 18 to
Melbourne, – then crossed the Tasman to Hokitika, and proceeded to Okarito by coastal steamer.There she lived with her sister (Mary) and brother-in-law until she (a Catholic) met and married James Wallace – a man many years her senior, and a Presbyterian to boot!Her whole family, with the exception of one sister, ostracized her for ever after.
In the early years of their marriage, James and Catherine lived at Okarito, and later at the northern end of
Lake
Mapourika , where James worked as a miner and a road builder.Then the lure of gold took the family to the
Waiho
Beach , where James took on the job of ferryman for the princely sum of fifty pounds per year; however it was the thought of gold buried in the black sands that was the real attraction for him.At the time of the move to
Waiho
Beach , Catherine had five children, four of whom were loaded into saddle bags on either side of a horse and conveyed to their new home! More children were born to Catherine and James.A young daughter died, and more tragedy was in store when James Wallace died in 1896 leaving Catherine with thirteen children – the youngest of whom was only six weeks old.Living on the south bank of one of the most dangerous rivers on the Coast, the family was truly isolated. Not to be defeated, Catherine provided for her family, living off the land in a way that would scarcely be considered possible today.They grew potatoes and onions, and ate wild berries, birds (Catherine was a good shot) and fish.Almost one hundred miles from the nearest doctor, Catherine relied on bush remedies to cure any common illnesses that her children caught. With her children now growing up, Catherine decided to leave Waiho.After packing their few possessions, she and her family moved to Swedes Mill (now known as Ruru) where the older sons were able to obtain work at the saw mill.Catherine, in her enterprising way, ran a boarding house, bakery and store.Before two years had passed however, the whole outfit burned down, and, with no insurance, again Catherine had to start from scratch.
The family moved to Kokatahi after that, where they rented a farm and settled into a new life - one Catherine might have hoped to be easier.Instead, she was in for more tragedy when four of her sons died – one killed by typhoid, one by drowning, one overseas at war, and another a victim of the black influenza epidemic.
This life of hardship took its toll on Catherine, but despite all the problems she faced, her courage never left her , and all of her descendants revere her memory today. Mark Wallace, second to youngest child of Catherine and James Wallace, is remembered as the man whose devotion to the West Coast and its people almost single-handedly brought development and progress to
Westland in its early years of industry.As a child living on Kokatahi farm with his family and widowed mother, Mark trudged seven miles to school in Hokitika, and back each day, until he left school at age 15.He launched into a career in the dairy industry as assistant in the old Arahura Butter Factory – then he went to Taranaki and became one of the first whey butter makes in New Zealand, and finally he went on to cheese making. Then came Word War One.Mark enlisted and was posted to and Gallipoli as the No.8 Southland Company of the Otago Regiment’s crack shot.After his war experience, Mark found it difficult to settle again after returning to
.He moved to the Hauraki plains, graduated an apprenticeship and became manager of a cheese making factory there.But after losing four brothers, Mark ended his involvement in the manufacturing side of the industry and returned to Kokatahi to run his mother’s farm.In 1924 he was appointed chairman and secretary of the Kokatahi School Committee, and from that time forward an amazing list of community work began.
Elected to the directorship of the old Kokatahi Cooperative Dairy Company in 1925, he was director for 11 years, and continued to be a leading figure in the dairy industry for decades after.He founded what is now the largest dairying manufacturing unit in the
South Island – the Westland Cooperative Dairy Company, of which he was a director for 38 years.He was founder-director of the Kowhitirangi Lime Company; the chairman and one of the original directors of the West Coast milk treatment station in Greymouth; founder-director, and for 25 years, chairman of the Westland Co-op Producers; founder-director, and for many years, chairman of the Westland Veterinary Service, of which he became an honorary life member.
He was founder-member of the Westland Herd-testing Association, and for 5 years a member of the now non-existent Westland Combined Board.He held the chair of the Westland Land Sales Committee for 4 years.
The longest serving chairman of the Westland County Council (13 years), Mark Wallace was a council member for 37 years.He was an executive member of the No.12 District Roads Council for 24 years.After 37 years with the Westland Savings Bank, he retired as the longest serving member of the 12 trustee savings banks in , and he was president for several terms of the trustee banks’ association.He is a past-president and life member of the West Coast Federated Farmers; past-president, life member, and land committee chairman of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association; and patron of the West Coast Agricultural Pastoral Association.
In his sporting days, Mark was captain of the Kokatahi-Kowhitirangi Rugby Football Club, and a touring member of the Minor Unions’ team.For many years also, he was a member of the
Westland branch of the Tramping and Mountaineering Club. Described once as “the only man on Earth, or otherwise, capable of ending parochial squabbling, and of bringing local bodies together” Mark Wallace influenced various other organizations other than the ones mentioned above.His great achievements and determination to see his homeland reach its potential, have earned him the deepest respect and affection from friends, family, and West Coasters in general.“On November 5 every year,” one family member said, “people all over New Zealand send off fireworks.Some people think its Guy Fawkes Day, but we know it’sbecause it is Uncle’s birthday.” Eleanor Wallace, daughter of James and Catherine, married Jim Green (the Greens being another founding family in these parts).They had nine children, and some of their grand and great-grand children still live in Franz Josef to this day. Marie Coburn (owner/manager of Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat), is one of her great-grand children.
summary of CONDON family history: The Condon’s were among the very first to arrive at Gillespie’s Beach in the mining days and another claim to fame is that Mr. T.A. Condon (Tom), of Franz Josef, born at Gillespie’s in 1884, claims to be the oldest identity in the whole of South Westland.His wife Mary, nee Patrick, was born at Okarito in the early nineties and she is also one of the very old identities of these parts.
Tom Condon’s father, also named Thomas, came out to this country in the heyday of the Otago Gold Boom.He was at Gabriel’s Gully in its bonanza days and from there he went to the
Five
Mile
Beach – just below Okarito.His next move was to Gillespie’s Beach where he established a butchery business supplying miners.At the time Gillespie’s boasted a population of over 3,000 and, having prospered, Tom Condon decided to branch out into farming.
As his first venture he took up a block of virgin bush at Mahitahi and this is still held by members of the family.He purchased various other blocks of land – land titles in South Westland are hard to follow as much of it is held in temporary grazing rights but the Condon’s claim that at one time they were running well over 30,000 acres all told.
Thomas and Mary Condon had two sons, Thomas Junior and Jack.Jack took over the property when his father died just after World War I.Jack Condon lost his life when crossing the Mahitahi River in 1947 when close on eighty years of age and his holdings passed on to his sons – Jack Jnr, Bill and Tom. Jack Jnr and Tom, the grandsons of the original Thomas Condon, ran the Mahitahi holdings together until the 1960s, when they were divided between them.Jack Jnr got the Mount McGloin Block, which, totaling 12,695 acres is the largest single property in
South Westland today. For half a century or more, the Condon’s were without road access and it was a battle against nature all the way, with the odds heavily against them.However, with the Haast highway now almost at their back door, the Condon’s – who between them are still running in the vicinity of 20,000 acres – are on the threshold of a new era.That they have earned it is beyond doubt.
summary of Gibb family history:Edward Gibb (also known as Ned) was born in 1839 in .He traveled via California and Australia (he was involved in the Bathurst Riots which appear to have been due to a gold rush occurring around 1851) to Otago, then on to Ross and finally Okarito.Everywhere he went he prospered. In 1872 he married Julie Henrietta Louisa Fredericka Eggeling, an Okarito barmaid.Edward and Julia settled at the mouth of the
Waikukupa
River (locally nicknamed the “Cuppy Cup”) and established on of the largest of the beach homesteads.As well as farming they had a store and Ned ran a carrying business taking stores to mining parties along the beaches or inland; and they kept a careful eye on both the Moonlight and Sandfly beaches for the gold bearing black sand. As well as bringing up twelve children, Julia Gibb looked after her father, Louis Eggeling, who had suffered a stroke a few years earlier.Tragically, Julia died of stomach cancer in 1898 at the age of just 45. Edward Gibb passed away in 1924. This was a notice in the Westland Church Supplement; “We received the news of the death of Mr. Edward Gibb, one of the pioneers of
South Westland .He was one of the best known figures on the Coast, having lived for many years on the beach near the mouth of the Waiho…He was more than half way between 80 and 90 years of age, and had been hale and hearty until within the last two or three years, when his memory failed him…He passed away quietly in his sleep, without suffering…He leaves behind him many friends and the memory of a long, strenuous and upright life.”
summary of Graham
family history: The story of the Graham family goes back to the beginning of pioneer settlement in
South Westland .In the late 1860’s, David Graham, a man of vigorous temperament, made his way into
South Westland in a manner that still stands as one of the sagas of pioneer settlement of his day.With three companions, he made an epic voyage in a whale boat almost round the coast, starting at Taieri Mouth in South Otago, and finishing up in a howling gale on the surf-battered rocks of
Jacksons ’ Bay. The timely aid of kindly Maoris saved their lives, and the castaways then set out on a tramp of over 100 miles up one of the roughtest, most dangerous coasts in . They came at last to the Five Mile, south of Okarito, where David Graham married and settled.When he died, his widow set herself with courage and devotion to the difficult task of bringing up five young sons single handed.
The pioneering Graham family of Waiho went on to become almost as well known as the West Coast glaciers that have attracted tourists and mountaineers for more than a century.David Millar Graham, a Scotsman, had led a very exciting life – having run away to sea as a boy and traveled many parts of the world.His wife Isabella was from
Dublin .She was orphaned at the age of three, taken into the care of an Uncle and Aunt, and with them later immigrated to
Melbourne where she became a governess.
The two youngest Graham boys, Alec and Peter, began their association with the mountains after moving to Waiho Gorge, below the Franz Josef Glacier, from their family home at Three mile, near Okarito.Inspired by a local doctor and the
South Westland vicar, the brothers began to explore.Peter moved to Mt Cook to guide at the Hermitage under mountaineer Jack Clarke, while Alec built up a guiding business on the Franz Josef Glacier.Between them, many first ascents were made on the
Southern Alps and in the Mt Cook region.
As a natural progression of the brothers’ guiding work, the Graham family took over the Glacier Hotel at Franz Josef in 1911 and it remained under their control until 1947 when it was taken over by the Government Tourist Department.
They went on to win awards for the services to guiding and tourism in .
summary of maccormack family history: Peter MacCormack arrived from
Melbourne in 1866 on the s.s. Gottenburg.He made his way to the Five Mile,
South Westland and prospected there for most of his life.
MacCormack’s son, also Peter, was born in Hokitika in 1880.He left school at the age of 15 and began trucking for a mine for $2/day.At 18, he joined his uncle in gold prospecting at
Galway beach.He later helped initiate the company responsible for gold dredging at Gillespies beach.
Third generation west coaster, Peter MacCormack, was a very well known glacier guide.His mother was the first baby born in Franz Josef and her mother was born at the mouth of the Waiho river. Peter worked as a
glacier guide for 35 years and was successful in lobbying for helicopter access to the ice, in the 1980’s.Thus began heli-hiking at Franz Josef, which originally cost $35 per person. The emergency shelter hut at Luncheon Rock, beside the glacier was named after MacCormack.
summary of Patrick family history: William and Ellen Patrick owned the Caledonian Hotel in Okarito.Apart from having a large land holding on which he ran cattle and sheep, Mr. Patrick was also the town blacksmith. Below is an excerpt from writings by Peter Graham (another pioneer name in these parts) William and Ellen had seven children, one of whom was a very influential teacher according to Mr. Peter Lucas, who wrote an article about one of the original schools in Okarito.He wrote:“…when State schools started there were mostly schoolmistresses.The most outstanding of these in my experience, was Dolly Patrick, later Mrs. Authermann.She had the glorious and rare ability to impart to her pupils a greater percentage of what she herself knew, then any other teacher I have known, which is much more important for education that having high academic attainments and being able to transmit only a fraction of knowledge to their pupils.”
Three of their children married into other local pioneer families – Eva became Mrs. Donovan, Mary became Mrs. Condon, and Maurice Patrick married Kate Condon.
summary of Wombat jack (John Irwin): As told by Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon M.P.: “Jack was an ardent supporter of mine (I wonder if candidates ever know what reasons or arguments cause electors to support them).He (Jack) was an ex-navy man who bred game cocks.He followed reports of every sport.Running and boxing were the subjects he read keenly and talked about in his hut on the banks of that glacier fed
Waiho
River . …In August, icicles hung from the banks of that track from Waiho to Weheka.However, Peter and I were heavily coated and well mounted and fortified with a generous potion that Wombat Jack had prescribed, three game hens’ eggs beaten up with milk and an undisclosed but delectable stimulant.”(Interestingly, it is said that Wombat Jack’s face was stained blue from gunpowder – a reminder of his navy days)
summary of Johnny Schilling: Johnny Schilling was one of the most colourful and interesting characters to arrive in Franz Josef.He was a German remittance man that was send over by his family and given no money so he could never return.Very little is know of his past life, he was a high educated man that spoken 5 languages a In 1919, Johnny Schilling approached the Chairman of Westland City Council, Thomas Duff, about improving the channel in Okarito .Schilling felt that this would assist with local shipping and upgrade the facilities, making them more suitable for exporting local products.He proposed the building of a training wall from the wharf to high water mark inside the river, a scheme earlier suggested by a late resident engineer.This would have been a relatively inexpensive venture and would assist greatly with the development of the district.
Summary of BATSON's Family history: Mr.W.H. Batson opened an Accommodation Hotel in the Waiho Gorge for tourists visiting the Franz Josef Glacier and
South Westland .It presented all the comforts of home as well as a dark room for photographers..Batson was an experienced guide and took groups of travelers on tours of the glacier as well as provided information on other guided tours in the area, such as mountain tours for more experienced climbers.Mr. Batson’s “hostelry” was supervised by Mrs. Batson and offered “every attention to the wants of travelers”.
When Mr. Batson was first building his new Accommodation, he had some help from local residents.After a hard day of work Mr. Batson invited the locals in for an evening meal.At the end of the meal they were presented with the bill, making them the hotel’s first paying patrons!
Donovan Family summary: (summary of various articles written about the Family)
Son of gold miner Michael Donovan, John Joseph Donovan (also known as Jack or Rooney) was born at
Gillespies
Beach ,
South Westland , in 1880.He was educated privately at Mapourika and was involved in gold sluicing for a period before he went on to be a farmer in Franz Josef in 1894.Mr. Donovan was an enthusiastic gardener but most enjoyed filling his time with farming. He had three grazing licences passed to him in 1927 but in the period of 1931-1943, most of his land had been dredged over.Donovan tried to sell, but in 1947, the Land Settlement Board declined the transfer of the licences from Donovan to a miner by the name of Christianson.The original tentative sale price was £150 but the board had estimated improvements at £81.Through the 1950’s, Donovan was both unable to work the property or sell it so the licence was cancelled in 1957.In July 1958, E. Black, who had applied for the land, was granted a grazing licence over Donovan’s old blocks. John Donovan lived in
South Westland his entire life.
Please note that information above is based on news articles and other historical information gathered from various sources and therefore may or may not be perfectly accurate but is, to our knowledge, correct.
To the Waiho Settlers (Air:“The Mountains of Mourne”) 1. Oh!
Westland ’s a wonderful and glorious place, Where Nature’s grand scenes are all over the place, With mountains and rivers and lakelets galore, Where mighty Franz Josef stands out to the fore. The bushlands and … the world cannot beat, The like has been trodden by few human feet, But what pleased us most were the scenes we did see, Where the wild rushing Waiho rolls down to the sea. 2. We started from Greymouth as nightfall came down, Jack Tonkin was driving – the best in the town – Fred Higgins was with us, and everyone knows No better companion to
South Westland goes. So into the darkness our good old car sped, And mile after mile very soon we had fled. When we asked “Jack, why rush it?” he said “You will see, Where the wild rushing Waiho rolls down to the sea. 3. We landed near midnight at Graham’s Hotel, Were startled to hear a wild Irishman’s yell, I said to Fred Higgins “What is it at all?” Says Fred ‘Oh the bushfolk are having a ball, And that’s Rooney Donovan setting the pace, I’ll bet there’s a smile now on Tom Condon’s face, I’m sure his accordion’s now on his knee, Where the wild rushing Waiho rolls down to the sea.” 4. We went to the hall then, the sight to enjoy, I felt that I was once again but a boy, For there as Tom Condon the music-box squeezed, The good folks of
Westland our hands at once seized. Of course at that time we had just met the men, The hand seizing had not got further just then, But as we grew bolder, well, it will do me, Where the wild rushing Waiho rolls down to the sea. 5. The folks there were gathered from near and from far, Some came in on horses, and some came by car, And really how far they had come I can’t tell, But one lass I saw was a
Stillwater belle. Gus Hevelot was there all the way from the Forks, And Billy McCluggage left bottles and corks, Gus brought all his girls and his boys to the spree, Where the wild rushing Waiho rolls down to the sea. 6. Mick Carroll was in just to keep the road straight, Mick Kelly had gone off to bed, it was late. I think he was sorry for what he had done, When he heard next morning that we had such fun. Jack Schilling was missing that night, so they say; We met him next morning going back from the Grey, Oh! How we did miss him, for Jack, don’t you see, Loves the place where the Waiho rolls down to the sea. 7. We met Charlie Donovan down at the dance He’s just like a young one when he’s on the prance, (missing the rest of this verse) 8. So I went in dancing with comely Miss Green, A neater young dancer I never have seen, And there was Fred Higgins and Bob at the door While
Tonkin and I with the Greens stepped the Floor; I felt then as if I was floating on air, And thought “Oh! If Kelly my luck could now share,” While Charlie Glass played the old tunes dear to me, Where the wild rushing Waiho rolls down to the sea. 9. So no fare-thee-well our good
Westland friends, We hope our acquaintance with you never ends; When Bob Condon comes with me down to this Coast Again, I am hoping the Grahams will be hosts, With Peter MacCormack attending the bar, And Harcourt, the guide, not to take us too far; And I’m hoping the Greens in the same place will be, Where the wild rushing Waiho rolls down to the sea.
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