In 1850 Alfred Buckland and his wife Eliza, both age 25, arrived in New Zealand from Devon in England. Their first child Susan was born only one month after their arrival. For a time the family settled with Alfred’s brother, William who was farming at Kohuroa, now the site of Middlemore Hospital. Soon they moved to a home behind the first Newmarket hotel and Alfred set up his cattle markets and auctioneering business. Market Road and Newmarket are named because of these markets.
In 1862, twelve years after they arrived in New Zealand, Alfred and Eliza, together with Susan, John, Mariamne, Blanche, Mary, Alfred and Catherine moved into their new home, Highwic. There had been another daughter born in 1852 but she only survived one month. Eliza had two more children; Frances was born in 1863 and Frank in 1864. Sadly Eliza died of pneumonia in 1866 leaving Alfred with nine children aged between two and 15 years old.
In 1867 Alfred remarried a woman 22 years younger than himself. His second wife, Matilda Frodsham was born in Mellons Bay and as was the custom for young girls of well-off families in those days, she had been sent to Highwic to be a companion-help to Eliza. Being in a large house in central Auckland meant opportunities to meet eligible young men as well as learning how to manage a big household. Soon Matilda was the mistress of Highwic and her life would have been very busy with nine step children and having children of her own. Matilda had 11 children in the end and outlived her husband by many years.
Alfred was father to 21 children, 18 of whom grew to adulthood. There were 14 girls and seven boys. The longest surviving Buckland child was Mariamne, who married Colonel Arthur Morrow in 1877, and lived to be 102 years of age. When they married their reception was at Highwic and their home “Simla” was on the other side of Gillies Avenue. Thirteen of Alfred’s children married and there were 51 children in the next generation.
Susan Buckland who was the first child, married Joseph Banks and they lived at Onehunga. A detailed account of a garden party given at their home, “Sefton” to mark the occasion of their daughter’s wedding was written in the NZ Graphic in 1896. “Susan wore black silk and a black bonnet relieved with heliotrope and her sisters were reported as follows: "Mrs Harry Tonks (Matilda Buckland) wore flowered muslin and a white high crowned hat with tuille. Mrs Seccombe (Florence Buckland) was in neat fitting flowered silk with a picture cream leghorn hat with pink flowers and a white silk ribbon. Mrs Morrow (Mariamne Buckland) wore pale pink fancy silk with black lace bonnet and pink roses. Mrs Robert Browning (Catherine Buckland) was in black silk with black bonnet and upstanding pink bows. Mrs Alfred Buckland wore black silk, the bodice relieved with pink tuille and a black bonnet with pink accessories.” The descriptions included four more members of the family and are very few of a published list which included many notable names from late 19th century Auckland.
With 12 daughters to find husbands for, Alfred Buckland must have become used to his home being a social centre for balls, parties, concerts and dinners. As well, the family would have entertained themselves and their friends in the usual Victorian manner of afternoon games followed by tea and concert. Many of the family continued the tradition that Alfred initiated by establishing themselves as respected leaders in the farming and business communities both in Auckland and the Waikato.
Sweet Villa of Highwic
Home of contentment, of joy, and of Love
Sweet villa of Highwic, it stands on the rocks
The sea in the distance around it that flocks.
With Newmarket village and sale-yards hard by,
And the evergreen trees, where the winds gently sigh.
Behind is Mount Eden, majestic and grand
That gigantic mountain of volcanic land –
In front stands Mount Hobson, from a Governor named.
To the right Mount St John, for pastures so famed.
On the left Rangitoto, so rugged and brown
Since the flames issued forth, from his crater or crown.
There the wild goats are climbing o’er its barren rocks.
And the base of the mountain, withstands Neptune’s shocks,
The guard of the harbour, long may it be.
To keep out foul weather, from our inland sea
So that nations when trading to this distant land,
May envy a port, that gives such command,
As the emigrant ships, from far o’er the main
Send their signals aloft, tell of country name –
Then thy house, pleasant Highwic, long may it prove
The home of contentment, of joy and of love,
Till the inmates are tenants, in the mansions above.
Curriculum Links - A Victorian Family
Social Sciences Curriculum Achievement Objectives
Social Studies - Levels 1-3
- Understand how belonging to groups is important to people. (Level 1)
- Understand that people have social, cultural and economic roles, rights and responsibilities. (Level 2)
- Understand how groups make and implement rules and laws. (Level 3)
- Understand how the ways in which leadership of groups is acquired and exercised have consequences for communities and societies. (Level 4)
Consider our Family pre and post visit resource material (pdf, 85 kb )