Come for a stroll around the Port Chalmers New Cemetery and meet a few people who contributed to the town's history. As it happens they're all men, and all were born overseas, so it's a snapshot from a certain era.
This "New" Cemetery is over 150 years old now! But it's twenty years newer than the Port Chalmers Old Cemetery, where the first interment was the newspaper editor Henry Graham back in 1851.
The Port Chalmers Town Council approved this site for the New Cemetery (previously a Recreation Ground in the Town Belt) in September 1866. The first person interred here seems to have been James Angus in May 1871.
At each of the six graves you need to find a number. However, to make it more interesting, you will have to find that waypoint number from another grave nearby. Read the waypoint instructions carefully!
If you need extra help locating the grave plots, download the cemetery map here: Port Chalmers New Cemetery Block & Plot map
The final cache is a 2 litre snaplock a short walk or drive away at S45 48.ABC E170 37.DEF.
A. John Mill (1841 - 1926) UO Plot 134.
This grave has an impressive family mausoleum.
Look at Ernest's grave to the right, on the other side of the tree.
A = # letters in Ernest's wife's first name.
John Mill, born in Scotland in 1845, went to sea aged 11. He swam ashore when his ship arrived at Port Chalmers on New Year's Eve 1862 and found a job as a harbour pilot's boatman. He married Mary Wilson in 1863; they had five sons and two daughters.
After three years John bought the only stevedoring business in Port Chalmers. As trade increased this business became one of the largest in the country. By the 1880s he owned over twenty ships and storage hulks, and was a prominent businessman involved in wool, coal, and storage. John was also a well-respected community leader who served as Mayor of Port Chalmers for three terms, J.P., and on the Harbour and Hospital boards.
John is remembered for his connection with Antarctic expeditions, especially his free coal supply to Scott’s 1901 expedition.
John Mill
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B. David De Maus (1848 - 1925) UO Plot 10.
This grave has no headstone, only a large rhododendron.
Look at Walter's grave to the right, across a walkway.
B = # letters in Walter's middle name, times 2.
David de Maus (1847 – 1925) was born in Edinburgh; the surname is from his French father and is promounced “maws”. In 1866 David moved to Dunedin where his older brother James owned a photographic studio.
When James went bankrupt, David toured the West Coast as a comic singer before establishing his own successful photography business in Port Chalmers. In 1878 David married Anne Cooper from Ballarat. Sadly, four of their six children died young.
David was appointed official photographer for the 1889 New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition held in Dunedin. He was active in community organisations, including local musical productions for which he composed songs and sketches on topical subjects, and served four terms as Mayor of Port Chalmers.
David's photographic work, particularly documenting ships and the local landscape, remains a valuable historical resource.
Scott Memorial foundation stone laid with Masonic honours 13 Dec 1913 - commemorating the five men who died on the Second British Antarctic (Terra Nova) Expedition 1910 - 1913.
David De Maus standing bottom left
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C. Domenico Monti (1875 - 1841) UO Plot 169A.
This grave has an attractive headstone.
Look at Caterina's grave to the right. Her son Dominic was killed in action during WW2.
C = # words in the place Dominic died.
Domenico Monti was a fisherman from the island of Ischia, near Naples in Italy. The 24 year old was hired by a Marseilles cargo ship for a voyage to Port Chalmers. While the Italian-flagged Guiseppei di Abundo was anchored waiting for quarantine inspection and fumigation, did the crew chat with Deborah Bay fisherman Nicolas Azaretti, also originally from Naples?
On 15 May 1900 Domenico and four other crew members jumped ship and went into hiding. They were caught 2 1/2 weeks later and prosecuted under the Foreign Seamen's Desertion Act of 1852. However lawyer A C Hanlon got the case dismissed on a technicality - there was no proof the ship was actually registered in Italy. Domenico Monti, Rocchino Amalfitino and Christoff Iacona all settled at Port Chalmers.
Domenico fished with the whaleboat Val do Pompeii, and later the Garibaldi, New Pompeii and San Vito. In 1903 he was able to bring his younger brother Dionisio and his sister Caterina to live with him.
In 1905 Domenico visited Ischia to marry his fiancee Concetta Iacona. Concetta's sister Restituta (Rita) returned to Careys Bay with them and married Dionisio (Denis).
In 1906 Domenico's sister Caterina married a Sicilian fisherman Sam Poli, who had also jumped ship to live in NZ. During WW2 their son (also Domenico), a sergeant in the 26th Battalion, was killed in action, ironically against an Italian regiment.
Domenico and Concetta had six children. Since Italian was spoken in the house, their oldest son taught his parents English.
The two brothers were naturalised in 1919. In 1929 Domenico and Denis had the Rosina built for them by Miller & Tunnage which they fished until 1941 when it was passed on to Domenico's son Denis.
Domenico and Dioniso were noted wine makers and in 1939-1940 were selling Christmas wine from 75 Castle Street.
Domenico & Conchetta Monti's house in Careys Bay, #7 Macandrew Road, opposite Miller & Tunnage shipbuilders.
Dionisio (Denis) & Restituta (Rita) Monti's cottage is nearby at #5.
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D. Isaac Stevenson (1851 - 1946) UO Plot 236.
This grave is a concrete slab with only the surname Stevenson.
Look at the grave to the right, also with only the family name.
D = # letters in family name on the right-hand grave, divided by 2.
Isaac Stevenson was born in Maybole, Scotland. In 1857 during the Victorian goldrush his family emigrated to Ballarat, where Isaac apprenticed as an engineer. He moved to Otago in 1875 and spent a period goldmining on the West Coast.
Isaac returned to Ballarat in 1879 and married Mary MacDonald. They had three sons and five daughters; one son died aged 11 from diphtheria.
In 1882, Isaac and his brother Jack found work with the engineering firm Morgan Cable in Port Chalmers. Isaac eventually took over the firm and in 1903 formed the partnership Stevenson and Cook. As well as high-quality shipping engineering, the firm specialised in gold dredge machinery.
Isaac served a term as Mayor of Port Chalmers and was a generous public benefactor. After his death, his house in St Leonards was gifted to the University and is now the Vice-Chancellor's residence.
The shell of the 1903 Stevenson & Cook Foundry building, originally the Maori Ironworks, has been saved from demolition and still stands under the cliffs on Macandrew Road.
Otago Cyclopaedia: https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20201108000000/https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc04Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d1-d36.html
Port Chalmers Foundry: https://www.pcfoundrytrust.co.nz/about-1
ODT 12 Deb 2017 Historic Foundry Building: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/fate-historic-foundry-building-uncertain
Isaac Stevenson
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E. Charles Bonner (1878 - 1901) REG Plot 232.
This grave has a white obelisk.
Look at Robert and Jane's grave opposite, on the other side of the walkway.
E = The number of the month Jane died (where Jan = 1 to Sept = 9).
Charles Bonner was one of two men who died during the British Antarctic Discovery Expedition of 1901-1904, Robert Falcon Scott's first Antarctic Expedition. Charles, born in London, was an Able Seaman in the Royal Navy. He joined the expedition when the Discovery stopped at Cape Town on the way to New Zealand. He was a skilled seaman and a popular crew member.
On 21 December 1901 the Discovery was departing Lyttleton Harbour. Charles was balancing on the railing of the crows nest, at the top of the mainmast, waving to the excited crowds on the accompanying ships. As the Discovery reached the swell of the open ocean Charles fell - maybe a rope gave way or maybe he just lost his footing. He had been drinking but witnesses reported he was quite sober at the time. He fell over 120 feet to the deck and was killed instantly.
The Ringarooma steamed ahead to Port Chalmers so that, when the Discovery arrived on the 23rd December with its flag at half mast, all arrangements had been made. An inquest was held and gave a verdict of accidental death. Charles was buried that evening with full military honours.
Charles was aged just 23 when he died. His only surviving family was his two brothers back in England.
Captain Scott loaded coal (donated by John Mill) and paid for the memorial stone before the Discovery left for Antarctica on 24 December. He instructed that "room should be left on the monument for the names of any of the Discovery's little band who may be so unfortunate as to perish in the perilous mission upon which they have embarked".
As it happened George Vince, a 22-year old seaman R.N. lost his life on 11th March 1902 after slipping on a snow slope during a blizzard and falling into McMurdo Sound. His body was never discovered. Although George is commemorated with a cross in Antarctica, his name has not yet been added to Charles Bonner's memorial.
Lyttleton Museum - Bonner: https://www.teuaka.org.nz/stories/te-tiri-o-te-moana-antarctica/an-able-bodied-seamans-tragic-end-charles-bonner-and-the-discovery
Herald article - Discovery: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/hands-on-history-step-aboard-scotlands-rss-discovery-ship/S2GWX4UETDXU3O3N3S3AELQYAE/
The Discovery leaving Lyttleton Harbour on the 21 December 1901, accompanied by the steam tug Lyttleton and the HMS Ringarooma; Charles Bonner Able Seaman R.N.
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F. Robert Curham (1843 - 1906) LO Plot 104.
This grave has a plaque showing Robert's American Civil war service.
Go three graves away on the other side of the block, and look at the grave with anchors around it.
F = Blanch Hilda died 19F2.
Robert Curham was born in Kildare, Ireland, where he trained as a draper.
In 1863, aged 20, Robert arrived in New York. He enlisted for a two-year term in Company B, 13th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment of the Union Army on 29 August 1863. He served under General Grant in Virginia and North Carolina and apparently was wounded at some stage. On 18 July 1865 Robert was transferred into Company I of the 6th New York Heavy Artillery (as shown on the plaque on his grave) before being honourably discharged on 24 August 1865.
After his war service, Robert went to sea for eight years. In 1873 he found employment with the South Melbourne Gas Company. From there he moved to Hokitika in 1874, constructing and eventually managing the Hokitika Gas Works. In 1882 he was appointed manager of the Wanganui Gas Works, also constructing the Palmerston North gas plant.
In 1885 Robert married Janet McFarlane (her first husband John Gilchrist had died in Scotland). They had six children.
In 1901 Robert was appointed manager of the Port Chalmers Gas Company, but was only in the job five years. He died of "paralysis" in 1906 shortly after early retirement aged 63; his widow shifted back to Wanganui.
Robert's name and birth date were used by his younger brother Rev Arthur Coram, who lived in the US, to fraudulently obtain the US Civil War veteran pension. Presumably this was with Robert's knowledge, since Arthur was an invalid while Robert was well-off.
Civil War Message Board - Curham: http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/gacwmb/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=14399
American Civil Wars Veterans of Australia & NZ: https://web.archive.org/web/20100917092726/http://acwv.info/1-files-veterans/C/curham-A.htm
NY State Military Mueum - 13th Heavy Regiment: https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/unit-history/artillery/13th-heavy-artillery-regiment
Otago Taphophile - Curham: https://otagotaphophile.blogspot.com/2018/10/curham-robert.html
Otago Cyclopaedia: https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20201108000000/https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc04Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d1-d38.html
Robert Curham
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