Old Napier Cemetery Part 7

The Williams family plot

comprising of 12 graves

I have decided to show you only the photos of the members of the family that I have been able to find out anything about

William and Jane Williams
William Williams  was the first Anglican Bishop of Waiapu and father and grandfather of to others. He led The Church Mission Society missionaries in the translation of the Bible into Maori.  He also wrote a dictionary.

His grandfather was a minister too.  William was only 4 when his father died.  His mother had a school for young ladies.  After school was completed he undertook an apprenticeship to a doctor.

In 1818 when he was 18 he was persuaded by a priest to become an Anglican, then he joined the Church Missionary Society (CMS).  He went to university.  In 1824 he became a deacon.  The year later he went to the  CMS college with the aim of following his brother Henry to new Zealand.  He also married Jane (a teacher at his mother's school) that same year.  Within a month they sailed to Australia then on to New Zealand.

The couple had 9 children.

It took another 41 years for the couple to get to Napier.  In that time the family worked around the North Island of New Zealand.  During that time he  taught and ran several mission schools with his wife Jane, he translated the Bible into Maori, became archdeacon of the East Cape and then the Bishop of Waiapu.  Here he set up a school to train Maori missionaries.  He tried to stop the government from getting so much Maori land.  He had a visit back to England.    Upon his return he set up another  Maori missionary training school . He made a Maori copy of the Treaty of Waitangi.    

 In 1867 William and Jane moved to Napier.  His nephew and son in law Samuel Williams  set up an estate upon which William established a Maori boys school.  21 years later a Maori girls school was opened.  Both of these school still operate today.  William continued as bishop until 1876 when he had a stoke, casuing him to resign.  He died 2 years later. 

Arthur E Turner Williams was the youngest son of Bishop W.L. Williams.

 As William Williams headstone says he was the third bishop of Waiapu (This area is around the East Coast of the North Island of new Zealand and includes the cities of Tauranga, Taupo, Gisborne, Hastings and Napier). 

He was the third child and first son of William Williams (the first Bishop of Waiapu) and Jane.  He was born and educated in New Zealand.  He attended university in the UK and became a member of the Church Missionary Society.  He commenced theological training at the Church Missionary Society College.  He was admitted to Deacon's Orders by the Bishop of London in 1853.  He married Sarah and they sailed to New Zealand.  A five  month journey in those days.     

In New Zealand he was put in charge of training Maori students into the church.  He was considered to be  the most knowledgeable specialist of maori culture.  He travelled around his area on horseback with two assistants.    

During his lifetime he twice upgraded his fathers book - a dictionary.   He also published his own book of Maori language.  He also helped in the study of New Zealand plants.  He was the third bishop of Waiapu in 1895 retiring in 1909 when he found the job too hard.  He died at home in Napier in 1916.

 

Sarah was one William and Jane 's daughter in laws.  She was married to (William) Leonard Williams   The couple worked alongside their father and father in law most of their lives.  There were 10 children from their marriage.

Another of Bishop W.L. Williams sons.

 The Williams sisters Maria, Kate and Marianne
These sisters were educationalists and Christian missionaries.  There were daughters of  Jane and Bishop William Williams.

They spent a lot of their childhood at the mission station and later mission farm.  They were all bilingual and knew first hand about Maori life and customs.

In 1859 their parents set up a mission station among the Maori.  The school did very well until 1865 when the family had to leave due to a disagreement between a certain Maori tribe and the government.  In 1868 they purchased land in Napier and built a house.  William Williams being the bishop gave a part of his property to set up a Maori Girls school (this is still in existence today).  This school did very well with the sisters teaching and over seeing its running.  The main aim of the school was to convert the girls to Christianity and to domesticate and civilise them.  There were about 50 girls, aged between 4 and 18.  They were dressed as Europeans.  They did very well in writing, masp drawing and needlework.  As well as the 3 Rs they also learnt domestic work, hygiene, drill, dressmaking and singing.   Maria organised them into small groups she believed that students learn better this way.  The girls were expected to help with the running of the school.  The school was so successful that students came from all over New Zealand.  The 3 sisters showed a great love towards their students and this helped with any home sickness that m,any have occurred.    

From 1878 to 1899 Maria was lady superintendent at the school.  She supervised the teaching program, the teachers and hostel staff.  Sometimes she helped in the classrooms however it was more usual for her to take part in the after school programmes which included praying and bible teaching lessons.  As well as being being able to speak Maori, she also was able to speak and read French  and was musically talented.  Kate and Marianne worked in the background and helped teach and run the school.  Marianne was very committed to the Hawkes Bay Children's Home and was on the committee for years.

Kate died in the 1931 earthquake from injuries, she had been attending a communion service at church.  When the earthquake occurred it made the church's roof which was supported by huge beams fall in  and the brick wall collapse.  Her sisters died of natural causes in later years.