Dunedin settlement 1848

[TC]

I could not find anywhere really suitable to post this so I have used this general heading.  This will really only be of much interest to our members in Otago

The plaque is fixed to the outer wall of the old ruined kirk at Monkton and commemorates its history.  I had to fiddle with the pictures to make them readable.

It made me realise how relatively young a country N.Z. is.  The church is about 300yards from the main runway of of Prestwick airport.

If the congregation had left by Jumbo jet, (not possible, I know), it would have taken about 30 hours.  By ship, it took about 5 months.

You have to admire the courage of these people giving up everything to travel to the other side of the world.  From what I remember of my brief time in Dunedin, they made a good job of it.

[Maggi Young]

A poignant reminder of all the distant connections we share, Tom.

[Hoy]

A poignant reminder of all the distant connections we share, Tom.

True, Maggi. Seen this? (From this site: http://www.familytreedna.com/public/R1a/default.aspx?section=results )

[Maggi Young]

I had not seen that website, Trond... fascinating information there. Thank  you.

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you for your pictures Tom. It is amazing what little things pop up to remind the traveller from far away, of home. We know here of course, in Dunedin, of Thomas Burns and his relationship to Robert whose statue occupies a prime site in the city centre, the Octagon, but I didn't know whence he'd come, not the specific region I mean. Perhaps we here through the story, can claim a (very) tiny and distant connection with William Wallace.

When I was in London I saw a brass plaque on a building, I think in the Horse Guards Parade, but it could have been somewhere else, saying, in effect, that in this building a group of men had met on some date, to discuss the founding of the province of Canterbury in New Zealand. I lived in Canterbury at the time, and felt tears running down my face. I have a photo of the plaque somewhere but not digital. It was 1981.

And on the same trip, in a beautifully thatched church on the Isle of Wight, the pews inside had New Zealand names, some in Maori, and one of Timaru, the town I lived in. I could find no-one about who could tell me why this was.

[David Lyttle]

Hello Tom,

I can only echo Maggies sentiments; a poignant reminder of our shared history. Some of my mother's forbears travelled to Otago on the Philip Laing with the Rev Thomas Burns who as the plaque states was one of the leaders of the free church settlement of Dunedin. I believe that my Robertson ancestors came from Aberlady which at the time was a fishing village near Edinburgh. Here is a link to the Philip Laing passenger list. http://www.ngaiopress.com/lainglst.htm

When gold was discovered in 1861 Dunedin was transformed virtually overnight from a struggling settlement to the foremost city in New Zealand. Rev Thomas Burns was a model of Presbyterian rectitude unlike his famous uncle the poet Robert Burns.  However Dunedin honours them both; Robert sits in the Octagon " facing the pub with his back to the Kirk " (as he would because the " Kirk " is the Anglican cathedral) Here is a link to the biography of the Rev Thomas Burns http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1b52/1