Thomas - 9781638123651

Synopsis "Thomas" (a working title) covers the life of Thomas Kendall, one of the earliest missionaries to settle in Aotearoa. While I would describe the work as a novel, the great majority of characters and events are historically based - with occasional tweaking (e.g. dates around the battle of Moremonui, the saga of the Venus and the execution of John Cashman). Because the story covers 82 years, information tends to be collapsed into scenes or events; e.g. much of the quality of Thomas' early childhood is to be inferred from a shopping expedition he and his mother make to the local village. The flow starts from p.16 where Thomas is engaged as a tutor in London. He falls into sin, then into depression, recovers, meets Jane Quickfall (Historical) and is manipulated into marriage with her. He moves with Jane and the beginning of an eventually large family to Thoresby, becomes disenchanted, has an epiphany at the Bentinck Chapel where he meets Basil Woodd (H) and resettles in London as a schoolteacher. Through Woodd he makes a connection with the Church Missionary Society, hears the call and is engaged as a missionary. In 1813 he and his family cross to Port Jackson and then on to Rangihoua where he becomes part of the mission settlement. His time in the settlement is marred by conflict with the other settlers and with Samuel Marsden (H). However, unlike the others he becomes fluent in te reo, develops an intense (though rather twisted and naïve) understanding of Maori belief systems and forms a close attachment to Hongi Hika (H) and Rakau (H), tohunga at Rangihoua pa. His domestic relations deteriorate after Jane has an affair with Richard Stockwell (H), their convict servant. He becomes more unsettled and later 'flees' to London with Hongi and Waikato (H). This earns him more of Marsden's wrath - already in place through Thomas' (and the other settlers') trading muskets to Hongi.

• | Author: Barrie Allen
• | Publisher: Pen Culture Solutions
• | Publication Date: Mar 01, 2023
• | Number of Pages: 618 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 1638123659
• | ISBN-13: 9781638123651