Joseph Frank Laurie Rhodes

The Rhodes brothers (William, Robert, George and Joseph) were 4 of the 14 children of William Rhodes (1781–1869), a tenant farmer of Epworth, Lincoln; Plains House, the Levels, Yorkshire; and of Balby, near Doncaster, who came to New Zealand in the days before organised settlement and played an active part in the early political, business, and pastoral life of this country. They were men of shrewd judgment, bustling energy, and Yorkshire determination, and all of them amassed considerable wealth. Their descendants are numerous and concerned today principally with the land and the professions.

William Barnard Rhodes, the oldest brother, purchased approximately 830,000 acres, around the East Coast of the North Island in 1839 from the Maori and set up an early primitive trading post at Waipureku (Clive). This was all before the Treaty of Waitangi and the government moved to stop these sorts of dealings and in doing so overturned the original deal. However in compensation, he was granted 100,000 acres at Rissington (20km North East of Napier) 4,500 acres he called 'Clive Grange' (Between Haumoana and Te Awanga) plus 200 acres around the Trading Post at Waipureku (Clive). Barney never settled in the area but his young brother, Joseph, took over Clive Grange in 1854, plus the 200 acres at Waipureku.

Joseph Rhodes, (The youngest child by 7 years) ran away to sea as a youth aged 17 and joined his eldest brother William Barnard in NZ in 1843. He spent about a year on the Rhodes cattle station at Akaroa in the South Island. He then established himself as a Grocer and Butcher on Lambton Quay in Wellington where William was based; no doubt with William's backing.

It is said that he had a yearning to be a sea Captain, so while still a teenager, he bought a small costal Cutter of 8 tons called the 'Matilda' and so fulfilled his desire to be called Captain Rhodes. Unfortunately the 'Matilda' and her 2 crew members were lost in a storm near the Wellington Heads in 1848.

Joseph also operated the 'Parramatta General Store' and residence, 24km North of Wellington. A military stone redoubt and stockade (Fort) was built in the area in 1847. Not far away “Barney” & Joseph Rhodes had their General Store, located at the entrance to the Porirua harbour, on the site of the current Plimmerton Railway Station. In 1848 the Fort, Whaling Station and General Store were the only buildings in the area. (Porirua didn't develop for over 100 years, but in 2014 is home to 52,000 people.)

In 1848 Joseph sold up and departed Wellington and spent a number of years in Sydney Australia, where he acquired property. In 1853 he married Fanny Reed in St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney. Its believed that Joseph and Fanny met in Wellington and travelled to Sydney together. Its highly likely that Fanny was pregnant at the time, which possibly prompted the move to the larger city. It's noted that their first 3 children were born out of wedlock and baptized in the Sydney suburb of Balmain.

In Aug 1854 Joseph returned to New Zealand with Fanny and the children. It's understood that 'Captain Rhodes' sailed his family back to the Hawkes Bay in his own vessel, which he commanded himself. While the family were being ferried over a river to 'Clive Grange' their boat overturned. All the family were saved but sadly their girl servant was drowned.

Joseph and Fanny were to have 9 more children in New Zealand.

Joseph Rhodes was never a partner in the South Island land acquired by his brothers Robert Heaton Rhodes and George Rhodes, in Canterbury and South Canterbury; nor in the land and business interests acquired by elder brother William. He did however became a man of property in the North Island Provence of Hawke's Bay. In 1854 he took over 'Clive Grange' from William (about 4,500 acres at Haumoana/Te Awanga) in the Hawkes Bay. He built the first homestead and developed the land into an efficient Sheep Station. In 1856 'Clive Grange' had a flock of 3000 sheep and by 1872 this had risen to 6283.

Having consolidated his 'Clive Grange' property, Joseph commissioned surveyor Henry Tiffen to lay out the first settlement of Clive, alongside brother Barney’s Waipureku Trading Post. Six hundred quarter acre sections with many reserves, all interlaced with streets named after prominent politicians and other notables of the time were surveyed. The town was given the name Clive, after the English Major-General Robert Clive, First Baron of Plassey (India) 1725-1774 and was to be the main centre of Hawke’s Bay. Napier was still a hill surrounded by swamp and Hastings not even thought of. Unfortunately the new township, being between two rivers, was prone to severe flooding and never really developed.

In 1869 Joseph retired from active work and moved residence from 'Clive Grange' to 'Milton Grange Estate' which he had built on Bluff Hill, Napier. In 1873 he sold the freehold/leasehold land (including the stock) of 'Clive Grange' (5000 acres) and the 'Matapiro Run' (22,700 acres) for £30,000. The combined flock was 24,000.

In the same year he acquired both 'Springhill' (5,800 acres freehold) at Waipawa for £7500 and also 'Edenham Station' (16,000 acres freehold) both in the Hawkes Bay; 'Edenham' sold in 1879 for £50,000. By 1889 'Spring Hill' was valued at £15,670. Sheep Numbers in 1876, were published as: Springhill 4,550; Edenham 11,104.

Joseph Rhodes was a JP and a man of important standing in the community. It was he who at a public meeting in 1857, moved the resolution which led to the separate formation of the Hawke's Bay Province in 1858. He became the elected representative of Clive on the Hawkes Bay Provincial Council for the whole period of its existence (1858-1875) and its Deputy Superintendent from 1863 to 1872.

He made an unsuccessful attempt in 1861 to be elected to the NZ House of Representatives. He was beaten by the Hon. John Davies Ormond who became the member for Clive from 1861 to 1881. He tried again in 1876 for the seat of Napier but was soundly beaten. This must have been a great disappointment for Joseph, who I imagine would have dearly loved to have followed his eldest brother into the NZ Parliament.

Joseph was a Captain in the Napier Militia from 1863 to 1866. He and his company of mounted riflemen took part in the fight at 'Omarunui' against the Hauhau group of Maori's. Joseph received the 'NZ War Medal 1861-66'.

He took a keen interest in the establishment of the Methodist/Wesley Church in Napier and brought his wide experience and business capacity to the service of the trust, of which he continued to be a member until 1888. Joseph was also on the boards of the Napier Gas Company, the Napier Grammar School and was a prominent member of the Hawkes Bay Jockey Club and Hawkes Bay Agricultural Society. He was also a member of the first Napier Harbour Board.

For leisure, Joseph enjoyed the occasional pig hunting with friends and was a keen amateur artist. Many of his works can be viewed on the National Library of NZ website.

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In July 1897 Joseph's wife Fanny died at Milton Grange in Napier, after being ill for several years. Joseph is not mentioned in Fanny's death notice; only her son Frank who was a Solicitor in Napier. Three months later in Oct 1897, Joseph married Laura Matilda Laurie in Sydney at St. Andrew's Cathedral, the same Cathedral he had married his first wife Fanny some 44 years earlier! Joseph was 71 and Laura was 36!

It's not known exactly when Joseph left Fanny (The Methodist Church records that "he continued to be a member until 1888, though latterly he resided at a distance"), or when and where he met Laura. After lengthy research it appears that he had been living with Laura in Melbourne for many years before their marriage, under the alias of Capt. Laurie.

After their wedding they relocated to Sydney and became Capt. & Mrs L M Rhodes. Their home was named "Omarunui" and located on Military-Road, Mosman. There is evidence that Joseph and Laura also possessed a home in Sandgate, Queensland, as there were many comings and goings recorded from both Melbourne and Sydney over the 1890's and early 1900's.

On the marriage of their mother, Laura's three sons were given the surname of LAURIE-RHODES. The Marriage Certificate records Laura as a 'spinster' and her maiden name of Tregilgas. After reading Josephs 'Will' prepared in 1902, it appears that Laura's daughter and sons were actually Josephs illegitimate children and that he and Frank Laurie (Laura's supposed husband) were one and the same person.

Albert Victor Laurie-Rhodes, arrived in New Zealand in 1902 and in Sept 1903 started as a cadet at “Spring Hill”. He subsequently took over the management of the property in October 1905, when Joseph, died.

After the suicide of his eldest son, Joseph Barnard Rhodes, in Masterton NZ in Aug 1904, Joseph sold 'Milton Grange Estate' in Oct 1904 and subdivided the land. It's believed that Joseph Barnard and his wife Eliza had been living at 'Milton Grange' since Fanny died in 1897 until at least 1902 when Eliza died.

Baker & Tabuteau have been instructed by Joseph Rhodes Esq to sell by public auction at their rooms in Tennyson Street, Napier on Monday October 17, 1904, Napier suburban sections 58, 59 and town section 423, to be subdivided into 14 residential sites. The allotments have frontages to Roslyn, Lincoln and Milton Roads. J H Coleman's property borders Milton Road, which in turn borders nine sections for sale. J H Vautier's property borders Roslyn Road, next to three sections for sale. The Mansion, consisting of 2 1/4 acres at the junction of Roslyn and Lincoln Roads, Bluff Hill, is to be sold as one lot.

(The Mansion has been beautifully renovated and still stands today (2014) at 16 Lincoln Road, Bluff Hill, Napier, NZ. The property is best viewed from Roslyn Rd.)

Joseph visited NZ for the last time in 1904, accompanied by Laura, and the Evening Post newspaper published a brief interview with him on his arrival in Wellington. He died in Sydney in 1905 and the following death notice appeared in a Sydney Paper: June 13, 1905 RHODES - at "Omarunui," Military-road, Mosman, Sydney, Captain Joseph Rhodes (beloved husband of - Laura Matilda Rhodes), formerly of the Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, in his 80th year.

Joseph is buried in the C of E Section of the Gore Hill Cemetery, Mosman, Australia. He must have also been a member of the 'Free Masons' as their symbol appears on his gravestone.

On Josephs death the Springhill Station became the property of Laura Matilda Rhodes and was managed by her son Albert Victor Laurie-Rhodes. The station comprised 7,411 acres of freehold country, but in 1906 Mrs Rhodes sold 1,200 acres.

In 1913-1914 a drought hit the Hawkes Bay and the Government bought 'Springhill' from the Rhodes family in 1914 for £54.984. (A$33,680,000 in 2013) The remaining 6211 acres was subdivided into 15 farms and sold off. According to Veda Rhodes, the proceeds of the sale was distributed between the sons of Joseph Barnard Rhodes (Athole and Lionel), and Joseph's Australian son, Albert Victor Laurie-Rhodes, who had managed and developed the station since 1903.

Due to Josephs move to Australia and second marriage, most of the wealth Joseph amassed in the Hawkes Bay went with him and the Rhodes family in NZ derived very little benefit from his early colonial endeavours. In 1905 his NZ Estate was valued at £9832. (A$9,462,000 in 2013).

When Laura Matilda Rhodes died on November 2 1922 (17 years after Joseph), she still left an estate of £60,298 (A$26,240,000 in 2013) with a net value of £55,824; to the benefit of her children and grandchildren.

Josephs total accumulated wealth in 2013 terms would have amounted to some A$66 Million.

Josephs life was definitely one of two halves, two very different halves.

(NB The descendant's of JOSEPH RHODES in New Zealand, owe much to Beatrice Laurie-Rhodes, the wife of Louis Melbourne Laurie-Rhodes. In 1978 she donated all of his photographs, paintings, maps, personal records and other items which are now held by the National Library of NZ and the NAPIER Museum.)

This short Biography was compiled by Great, Great Grandson, David Halse Caradus

GEDCOM Note

death notice states he is Captain Joseph Rhodes ????

GEDCOM Source

see Notes: death Notice

GEDCOM Source

see Notes: Funeral Notice

GEDCOM Source