Joseph Barnard Rhodes

Joseph Rhodes (JB's father) acquired Spring Hill sheep station, 6km North of Ongaonga, Waipawa in the Hawkes Bay in 1873 for £7500. The town of Waipawa was first established in 1860.

Joseph Barnard was educated at Napier Grammar School and when he came of age, he became the Station Manager of Spring Hill. In 1881 he built a house at the property for his new wife Eliza (Laila).

Hawke's Bay Herald, 9 January 1882. RHODES - BIDWILL.— On the 4th instant at Pihautea, by the Rev. H. Vere White. Joseph Barnard, eldest son of Joseph Rhodes, of Napier, to Laila, fourth daughter of C. R. Bidwill, of Pihautea, Wairarapa.

The Bidwill family were large pastoralist's and very prominent early colonist's of the Wairarapa.

JB and Eliza had their 3 children while living at Springhill. All 3 were cared for by their Governess a Miss Miller who appears in all the family group photos. The station comprised 7,000 acres of freehold, good healthy sheep farming land and by 1889 Springhill was valued at £15,670. By 1898 the Springhill Station carried 7725 sheep.

Joseph and Eliza became very much part of the Hawkes Bay Landed Gentry. They were members of the Hawkes Bay Provincial Hunt Club and very much involved in and often hosted country hunts at Springhill. Riders and hounds chased down a hare, as fox's were never introduced into NZ. They were very keen tennis players at the Waipawa Tennis Club and also enjoyed a round of golf.

Joseph was a Committee Member of the Waipawa Racing Club and a member of the Onga Onga Rifle Club. He was also on the Waipawa Council and the Chairman of the Waipawa licensing committee.

In 1902 JB's comfortable life changed forever. It must have been a great shock to him when Eliza died in Wellington in Dec 1902, at the age of 40. Then in September, 1903, Albert Laurie-Rhodes (JB's half-brother) came over from Australia and started as a farming cadet at “Springhill.” In the same year JB relocated to Masterton in the Wairarapa to investigate a new Poultry farming venture at Manaia. It was there in a remote cottage he ended his life in Aug 1904.

It was reported at the time of JB's suicide in Aug 1904, that he was a well known resident of Napier. It's believed that he and Eliza may have moved into the Milton Grange Estate in 1897 after his mother Fanny died, (until 1902 when Eliza died), as his father Joseph sold the property in Oct 1904 only two months after his sons death.

It is hard to understand why Joseph took his life, as he left 3 children (ages 22, 20 and 15) to fend for themselves. It is clear from a copy of Josephs 'Will' in 1902, (in which young Albert Laurie Rhodes is named as an executor!), that JB would inherit neither 'Springhill' or 'Milton Grange Estate' on his death, but would only receive an heritance of £100! As Josephs eldest son he should have been entitled to both or at least one of these properties, but he appears to have lost the confidence of his father. Perhaps Joseph felt that JB had not made the most of his opportunities at Springhill when he had the chance. This disinheritance, combined with the death of his wife probably destroyed him? We will never know.

By 1904 “Springhill” wool realised the top price in the Napier market. The stock comprised 5,000 Romney Marsh pure and cross-breds, of which 4,000 were breeding ewes, and 1,000 ewe lambs. Up to 9,000 sheep were carried, and when fully improved the property carried two sheep to the acre; 300 head of cattle are also depastured. Two teams of horses were employed and a considerable area was put under cultivation. Many improvements were made to the property, including additions to the dwelling house, the erection of a large grain shed, men's Whare, Maori quarters and upwards of five miles of fencing.

In 1905 JB's NZ estate was valued at £1229 (A$1.2M in 2013).

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