In Motueka we have a memorial that many people pass by and see - but I am sure that most don't know the story of the memorial.
It is called the Tarrant Memorial.
Leonard Tarrant was born in Brightwater. He moved to Motueka as a small boy.
When he was older he went to the Coromandel in search of gold. Whilst there Leonard had joined the Coromandel Mounted Rifles - he had the rank of Sargeant and his serial number was 71.
In 1899 Prime Minister Richard Seddon offered to send New Zealand troops to help the British fight the Boers in Africa.
This was the first time that New Zealand had sent troops overseas. There was a lot of pomp and ceremony before the 210 strong First Contingent departed on the 21st October 1899 on the Waiwera from Wellington to Capetown.
The first Contingent saw a number of actions against the Boers. Leonard Tarrant was taken prisoner at Kroons Spruit. Whilst at the prisoner of war camp he caught enteric fever ( typhoid). Thus Trooper Leonard Tarrant became the first New Zealander to die in a POW ( prisoner of war ) camp.
His date of death was recorded as 15th April 1900 in Pretoria. He was buried in the public cemetery close to the town.
Harry Moffat a wharfinger at the Old Wharf in Motueka led the local movement to erect a memorial to Leonard. The cost of the monument was 40 pounds.
Incorporated into the design was a water trough for horses and dogs, a water fountain for humans and an oil street lamp for ships to use as a guide as they came into the wharf, as well as a tablet marking peace in South Africa and the coronation of Edward VII, King of England.
So it was an all purpose memorial, unveiled on 8th July1903 by the Mayor Mr J S Wratt with the local Mounted Rifles in attendance. The memorial was made by Miller and Sons of Nelson.
Over the years, as the once bustling centre of activity moved to a new wharf, the memorial was neglected and vandalized, the lamp went missing and the memorial to Leonard removed and placed elsewhere.
A group of locals with fundraising and grants had the monument repaired - with the repairs being done by the same company(Miller and Sons) that made the original monument.
The repaired monument was re-dedicated on the 8th July 2017 - 114 years from the original dedication.
The original marble plaque had been removed and placed on the Motueka Cenotaph sp was replaced with a lead lettered plaque.
The horse trough and dog water bowl had been refurbished. A small wall has been built around the monument to protect it and the ground within the wall scattered with marble chip making it similar to Trooper Tarrants grave in South Africa.
I hope you enjoy the memorial and it's surrounds.
Logging requirements: 1 question to answer.
On the roadside of the monument there is a small plaque - what is the last word on the plaque
Please send your answer via e-mail or a message through the message centre.
There is no photo requirement - but you are welcome to put photos with your log :-)
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