“How Much I Have to be Thankful for.”1 The Story of Catherine Hadfield (née Williams)

Abstract

Catherine (Kate) Hadfield was born into one of the most highly regarded Church Missionary Society (CMS) families in the early days of the CMS mission New Zealand. She was baptized Catherine (Kate) Williams, the eighth child and third daughter of Henry and Marianne Williams, at Paihia on 24 February 1831. By the time of her birth, Catherine's parents had already been in the Bay of Islands for eight years and the mission station was well established. Catherine's mother, Marianne, was fully engaged in mission work from the time of her arrival in New Zealand. The first mission school was begun at Paihia in 1823, where Marianne taught the Maori women and girls. She had agreed go New Zealand as Henry's partner in mission work, as he explained the CMS Committee before their departure for New Zealand, With regard Mrs Williams, I beg say, that she does not accompany me merely as my wife but as a fellow-helper in her work. (2) Marianne was a strong role model for her daughters as they observed her bringing up the family, offering hospitality, teaching in the schools and exhibiting to the Natives the instructive example of a happy Christian (3) Kate grew up fluent in Maori. Later, one of Kate's daughters noted in her account of her mother's life that she spoke Maori freely. Kate learnt courage as a young girl when it was decided that the family should remain at the mission station during times of unrest, rather than take up the offer of the bishop's wife stay with them in Auckland. In 1851, at the age of twenty, Kate left for Otaki help her cousin and sister-in-law, Mary Williams, who was recovering from a severe illness. It was here that Kate met and married the Revd Octavius Hadfield at the Rangiatea Church on 19 May 1852. She was twenty-one years old; Octavius was thirty-six. They had a long and happy marriage until Kate's death on 8 January 1902. Her life was a full and busy one. Like her mother, Kate had a big family--ten children, nine of whom survived. (4) The family lived at Otaki until 1858 when they travelled England visit Octavius' family. The family returned Otaki in 1859 and lived there until 1870 when they moved Wellington in order for Octavius take up the position as the second Bishop of They remained at Otaki during the troubled times of the 1860s when others withdrew from isolated situations. In 1884 they paid one last visit England visit family, including their fifth son Ernest who was about enter the University of Cambridge. In 1890 Octavius was elected Primate and retired three years later, in 1893, at which point the family moved Marton where they lived until Kate's death in 1902. Kate was loved by many and her influence and personality extended many places. (5) The CMS Committee passed a Resolution expressing their sympathy Kate's husband at the time of her death. (6) The Girls' Friendly Society also passed a resolution of sympathy, That this Council desires place on record its grief at the death of Mrs Hadfield, one of its earliest friends, for many years Vice President of the Girls Friendly Society in Wellington. (7) A letter of sympathy from Bishop Abraham, while very much writing of Kate as the wife who fulfilled her husband's needs, acknowledged her independent interest and service, You so exactly shared alike the great interest of your lives, and she was able advise and cheer you in the trials and difficulties of the trying Maori ordeals. (8) Kate's daughter testified at the beginning of her account of her mother's life that, My father told me that my mother's work among the Maoris was equal anything he had done. (9) This was an honest assessment of Kate's life and work by her husband her daughter. As we examine the life and work of Kate Hadfield it shall become evident that she was not only an indispensable partner for Octavius but also a mission worker in her own right. The single years and independence The 21 May 1850, when Kate was still living with her parents at Paihia, was a profoundly sad day for her family. …