Jane Williams (missionary)
Encyclopedia
Jane Williams née Jane Nelson (Nottingham
, 1801? - Napier
, New Zealand
, 6 October 1896), was a pioneering educator in New Zealand. Together with her sister-in-law Marianne Williams
and others she set up the first schools for Māori children and adults. She also educated the children of the Church Missionary Society in the Bay of Islands
, New Zealand.
, Nottinghamshire
.
In 1817 Jane became a teacher at the school for young ladies in Southwell
, Nottinghamshire
run by Mary Williams, mother of Henry
and William Williams
. Both Henry and William were members of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). In 1822 Henry and and his wife Marianne Williams
set sail to Aotearoa
, New Zealand to join the CMS mission in the Bay of Islands
. William Williams intended to follow his brother after completing his training. On 11 July 1825, Jane married William. On 12 August they embarked on the Sir George Osborne to sail to Sydney
, Australia
, then on to Paihia
, Bay of Islands, where they arrived on 25 March 1826.
, Jane and their family move to Waimate
where Jane conducted the school for girls and William conducted the School boys in addition to as his work on translating the Bible into Māori. On 23 & 24 December 1835 Charles Darwin
visited while the Beagle spent 10 days in the Bay of Islands
.
, Jane and their family arrived Turanga, Poverty Bay
on 31 December 1839 where Jane ran the mission during William’s frequent journeys conducting the work of the mission. William and Jane left Waerenga-a-Hika in Poverty Bay
in 1865, when it was threatened by a band of Hauhau
. They returned to Paihia for two years.
and Jane moved to Napier
in May 1867 were Jane was involved in the Hukarere school for Māori girls in Napier
. She died on 6 October 1896. Her obituary stated: "The treasure William Williams brought to these shores was that bright, intelligent, courageous and cheerful soul".
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, 1801? - Napier
Napier
-People:* Napier * John Napier -Australia:* Electoral district of Napier, a state electoral district in South Australia* Mount Napier, a dormant volcano in Victoria...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, 6 October 1896), was a pioneering educator in New Zealand. Together with her sister-in-law Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams together with her sister-in-law Jane Williams were pioneering educators in New Zealand. They set up the first schools for Māori children and adults as well as educating the children of the Church Missionary Society in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand...
and others she set up the first schools for Māori children and adults. She also educated the children of the Church Missionary Society in the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
, New Zealand.
Early life
Jane was baptised on 29 April 1801 and was the daughter of James Nelson and his wife, Anna Maria Dale of Newark-on-TrentNewark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
.
In 1817 Jane became a teacher at the school for young ladies in Southwell
Southwell
Southwell may mean the following towns in England:* Southwell, Dorset* Southwell, Nottinghamshire**Southwell Minster, historic cathedral**Southwell Racecourse, horse racing venue located near Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
run by Mary Williams, mother of Henry
Henry Williams (missionary)
Henry Williams was one of the first missionaries who went to New Zealand in the first half of the 19th century....
and William Williams
William Williams (bishop)
William Williams was the first Anglican Bishop of Waiapu and the father and grandfather of two others. He led the CMS missionaries in the translation of the Bible into Māori and he published an early dictionary and grammar of the Māori language.-Early life:Williams was born in Nottingham to Thomas...
. Both Henry and William were members of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). In 1822 Henry and and his wife Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams together with her sister-in-law Jane Williams were pioneering educators in New Zealand. They set up the first schools for Māori children and adults as well as educating the children of the Church Missionary Society in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand...
set sail to Aotearoa
Aotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
, New Zealand to join the CMS mission in the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
. William Williams intended to follow his brother after completing his training. On 11 July 1825, Jane married William. On 12 August they embarked on the Sir George Osborne to sail to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, then on to Paihia
Paihia
Paihia is the main tourist town in the Bay of Islands in the far north of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located close to the historic towns of Russell, and Kerikeri, 60 kilometres north of Whangarei. The origin of the name Paihia is obscure. One, possibily apocryphal, attribution is to...
, Bay of Islands, where they arrived on 25 March 1826.
The Paihia mission
Jane and her sister-in-law Marianne shared mission responsibilities, together they cared for and educated their families. They set up a boarding school for Māori girls in Paihia; and provided classes to the children of CMS missionaries in the morning with schools for Māori children and adults in the afternoon.Waimate Mission
In 1835 WilliamWilliam Williams (bishop)
William Williams was the first Anglican Bishop of Waiapu and the father and grandfather of two others. He led the CMS missionaries in the translation of the Bible into Māori and he published an early dictionary and grammar of the Māori language.-Early life:Williams was born in Nottingham to Thomas...
, Jane and their family move to Waimate
Waimate North
Waimate North is a small settlement in Northland, New Zealand. It is situated between Kerikeri and Lake Omapere, west of the Bay of Islands.Okuratope Pa was situated here and was the home to chief Te Hotete of the Ngai Tawake hapu in the late 18th-early 19th centuries...
where Jane conducted the school for girls and William conducted the School boys in addition to as his work on translating the Bible into Māori. On 23 & 24 December 1835 Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
visited while the Beagle spent 10 days in the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
.
Tūranga, Poverty Bay Mission
WilliamWilliam Williams (bishop)
William Williams was the first Anglican Bishop of Waiapu and the father and grandfather of two others. He led the CMS missionaries in the translation of the Bible into Māori and he published an early dictionary and grammar of the Māori language.-Early life:Williams was born in Nottingham to Thomas...
, Jane and their family arrived Turanga, Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
on 31 December 1839 where Jane ran the mission during William’s frequent journeys conducting the work of the mission. William and Jane left Waerenga-a-Hika in Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
in 1865, when it was threatened by a band of Hauhau
Hauhau
Hauhau is a Māori term that was applied to a branch of the religious movement Pai Marire, founded by Te Ua Haumēne of the Taranaki tribe in New Zealand in the 1860s. The movement inculcated that Māori would regain land that they had lost to Europeans during the colonisation process of New...
. They returned to Paihia for two years.
Napier, Hawkes Bay Mission
WilliamWilliam Williams (bishop)
William Williams was the first Anglican Bishop of Waiapu and the father and grandfather of two others. He led the CMS missionaries in the translation of the Bible into Māori and he published an early dictionary and grammar of the Māori language.-Early life:Williams was born in Nottingham to Thomas...
and Jane moved to Napier
Napier
-People:* Napier * John Napier -Australia:* Electoral district of Napier, a state electoral district in South Australia* Mount Napier, a dormant volcano in Victoria...
in May 1867 were Jane was involved in the Hukarere school for Māori girls in Napier
Napier
-People:* Napier * John Napier -Australia:* Electoral district of Napier, a state electoral district in South Australia* Mount Napier, a dormant volcano in Victoria...
. She died on 6 October 1896. Her obituary stated: "The treasure William Williams brought to these shores was that bright, intelligent, courageous and cheerful soul".