An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse undated (J. Newland, Taranaki Vol.) locally engraved naming, very fine and an important medal to an original settler of New Plymouth £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866.

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John Newland (junior) served seven years and fought at Waireka 28 March 1860, Mahoetahi 6 November 1860, and Kaihiki 11 November 1860. He arrived in New Zealand with his parents John (senior) and Francis, and his siblings Francis Agnes, Susan, and William, landing at New Plymouth on 3 September 1841, from the barque Amelia Thompson (477 tons, 187 passengers), Master William Dawson, having departed from Plymouth, England, on 25 March 1841. She was one of the six ships of the New Plymouth Company before its merger with the New Zealand Company in 1842. John (senior) kept a journal of the voyage (now in the Taranaki Museum - ref The Establishment of the New Plymouth Settlement in New Zealand, 1841-1843, Compiled and Edited by J. Rutherford and W.H. Skinner). Together with George and Henry, the four Newland brothers served with the Prussian mercenary Von Tempsky and in private letters described him as being 'quite, quite mad', and 'not fit to be in charge of men'.

Sold with research including documents of the Newland family, of whom William, Henry, and George also served in the Taranaki Volunteers; photographs of John, George, and John's parents, also John, and Francis; and service records of all four brothers.