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References to Great Barrier Island population For historical data before 1991 (mainly in hard copy books in libraries): Historical population sources. If any person has more information relevant to this page, please send it to me at:
Don Armitage
RD 1,
Great Barrier Island,
Auckland 0991.
1100
Nobody home. Last major habitable landmass yet to be discovered by humans.
1200
See introduction to the book Great Barrier Island.
1300
See introduction to the book Great Barrier Island.
1400
See introduction to the book Great Barrier Island.
1500
See introduction to the book Great Barrier Island. Also, there is evidence of a large tsunami hitting the east coast of the island about 500 years ago- we have little evidence to go on but it seems possible that people living on lowland areas of the east coast may have been effected, including fatalities.
1600
See introduction to the book Great Barrier Island.
1700
See introduction to the book Great Barrier Island.
1800
1827
Dumont D'Urville sails past Great barrier island and sees no evidence of humans.
20th February, 1827.—At daybreak the land which had been in view all night showed up at less than two leagues' distance to windward, and the whole of the island of Otea [Aotea, Great Barrier] was developed to its full extent. It is formed by a chain of elevated mountains, cut up by deep ravines, and is generally sterile. A small island situated on the N.E. of Otea [Rakitu], which we passed at about two miles and a half distant, offers a most arid aspect. On the whole coast of Otea we did not remark any indication of inhabitants; no smoke denoted the presence of human beings. By noon we were at a point precisely to the east and less than half a league from the north point of Otea. On that side the island is terminated by a peninsula, without vegetation, of a brownish colour, and the flanks of which battered by the sea, have something of a lugubrious though imposing appearance. It is also accompanied by some pointed rocks of singular shape, some of which are very slender on top. For this reason we gave to that part of Otea the name of Pointe des Aiguilles [still so called]. At the same time the soundings were 72 fathoms, hard yellow mud.
Source- coming
However, there were people there. Evidence coming.-dja
1845
In the New Zealand Gazette Issue 003, 8th Feb, 1846 p13 appears the ‘Return of the Population, and of the Marriages, Births and Deaths, in 1845’. The following information gleaned from within the table refers to Great Barrier Island: Whites ………………... 83 males, 35 females Aboriginal population ....134 males, 70 females Total .............................217 males 105 females Grand total ..................................................................323 persons
Barrier Island
Source: Letter from Peter Abercrombie on Great Barrier Island 19th January 1845 to Donald McLean in New Plymouth District. National Library- Object #1022316 from MS-Papers -0032-0141
1848 In ….‘A Statistical Account of Auckland, New Zealand, as it was observed during the year 1848.’ By Arthur S. Thompson, M.D., Surgeon of the 58th Regiment. [Read before the Statistical Society of London, 17th February, 1851.] …there appears under the sub-title ‘Population of the Town and Settlements around.’ information relating to the population of the [presumably European-dja] population on Great Barrier Island, which was taken from a census carried out in 1848 by Captain Aytkyns, Inspector of the Armed Police, and published in the Government Gazette during 1849.
Great Barrier Island ……males 13 females 9 total 22 1850 Refers at the end of July to about 40 Maories living in the north of the island.
In a letter to his father in England from Tryphena, Great Barrier Island dated 10th December, 1850, Robert Clapham Barstow, who farmed cattle here from 1844 to 1858, refers to other people living on the island. His letter was written over many months before being sent, and this particular reference was written on July 31st, 1850. …. “….I have made a rough sketch of the bay in which I am living: a high range of wooded hills encircle it.....[the sketch is of Mulberry Grove and surrounds-dja]. …there are two other excellent harbours on the island, but this is the only one much frequented: the natives in the island (now reduced in consequence of the abandonment of the mine and shipbuilding to some 40) live at the further/northern of extremity…..” Source- Barstow letters, Roger and Ann Beament collection. 1881
Referring to the Te Aroha News article 'The Census' of 1886 below, it says the population of Great Barrier Island and Cuvier Island was 307 and the increase since 1881 was 26, therefore the population of Gt Barrier Island and Cuvier Island was 281- [dja]
Source: The Te Aroha News Vol. III, Issue 157, 5th June, 1886, p5.
1886
The Census
The census enumerator Mr.King, has supplied us with the following particulars of the population of several electoral districts, the returns of which have been completed.
......Great Barrier Island and Cuvier Island 307, I 26, .... [I = increase since the last census in 1881- dja but noted in the article]
Source: The Te Aroha News Vol. III, Issue 157, 5th June, 1886, p5.
Report on the results of a census of the colony of New Zealand: taken for the night of the 5th April, 1891
New Zealand Registrar General's Office E.J.Von Dadelszen Publisher G. Didsbury, Govt. Printer.
1889
"...making in all on the island about 36 bona fide settlers [families], all of whom owing to the rough nature of the island live close to the sea. The whole population by the last census amounted to about 220.........Besides the bona fide settlers, there are on average between 40 and 50 gum giggers."
Source-From an article by Sydney Weetman in the Auckland Weekly News of March 30th, 1889. Note: It seems Weetman's reference to the census figure is different from the 1886 figure above.-DJA
1891
Population of 262 if the 1896 census returns mentioned below followed a five-yearly cycle. Needs checking.
1896
Refers to a rough census return for various parts of New Zealand, including Great Barrier Island:
Census Returns
(Per Press Association.)
WELLINGTON, May 7.
Additional to rough census returns:-
.......Great Barrier Island 307, an increase of 45;.. [since the last census in 1891?]
Source: Hawera & Normanby Star newspaper, Volume XXXII, Issue 3244, 8 May 1896, Page 2. (Papers Past).
Additionally, the "New Zealand The Great Barrier Island 1898-99 Pigeon Post Stamps" book by J.Walker has the following -
"In 1896, the population was 307, of whom 193 were males."
1899
And from the Times newspaper in England in 1899 is the following very informative article:....including a mention of Great Barrier Island's population:
Pigeon post in New Zealand. - Recent experiments in flying pigeons between the town of Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, and Great Barrier Island have resulted in the successful establishment of a pigeon postal service between those points. The population of Great Barrier Island having considerably increased lately, owing to the discovery of gold, silver, and copper in paying quantities, the need of a quicker means of communication between the island and mainland than that supplied by the weekly steamer was keenly and increasingly felt. The Government not seeing its way to make a cable communication with the island (the population now scarce numbering 700 souls), it was left to private enterprise to establish a speedy and not too expensive means of communication between Auckland and the island, at the mouth of the Gulf of Hauraki. The germ of the solution of the difficulty was found in the use of pigeons to carry despatches to Auckland on the occasion of the wreck of the Wairarapa, and accordingly a large number of birds have been trained for the service, and a daily post between the island and the mainland is now in successful operation. Each bird carries four “pigeon-grams,” or messages. These are written (or typed) on pieces of tissue paper, quarto size, and bearing stamps of the value of either 1s. or 6d. Four of these despatches being received, a mail is made up. That is to say, the messages are folded up tightly, addressed, and sealed with a stamp, an outer covering in the shape of a waterproof legging being put over them when wrapped round the pigeon’s leg, and all is fastened with a tiny india-rubber ring. The mails are made up and despatched as required daily between the hours of 9a.m. and noon from Auckland, and from 9 o’clock to 3 p.m. from the island. The difference both in the charges for the stamps and in the respective hours of making up the mails is explained by the fact that Great Barrier Island lies low in the water, and is often enveloped in haze; this renders it far less conspicuous than the main island, and, therefore, more difficult for the birds to see. The difficulty of reaching, and the risk of missing, the smaller island, being thus greater than the reverse journey, the birds are despatched earlier, and the charge for the postage is doubled. On arrival at the station at either terminus the pigeons enter a small box, the entrance to which is guarded by two wires, which being raised by the bird’s shoulders strike an electric bell on falling back. Thus warned, an attendant at once relieves the bird of its burden and allows it to enter its proper loft, where it can obtain food and rest after its 60 mile flight. 1901
From "New Zealand The Great Barrier Island 1898-99 Pigeon Post Stamps" book by J.Walker- a well researched book if ever there was one, comes the following-
"...In 1901, it [the population of Great Barrier Island] had grown to 510, including 357 males." This after quoting the accurate figures for 1896.
1910
see the Rev.Tigar Report - he travelled all around the island recording names of entire families wherever he went.
Tigar computes 80 Europeans, or at least, not Maoris, and estimates 60 Maories in the north of the island.
A total of 140 people.
1914
Population of about 270 for Great Barrier Island is mentioned in an article on the fate of Grace Palmer, who was associated with the hanged murderers of Taylor in 1886.
Old Murder Recalled
Great Barrier Tragedy
Death of the woman in the case.
(By Telegraph- Press Association, - Copyright.)
Sydney, 10th February.
Grace Palmer was today sentenced.....
(The Great Barrier Island is situated fifty-six miles north-east from Auckland, and has a population of about 270. It is twenty-five miles long....)
Source- Evening Post newspaper, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 43, 20 February 1914, page 7. (Papers Past)
1926 Census Great Barrier County Population including Maoris 1945 1951 Great Barrier Island County Great Barrier Island County Male 147 Great Barrier Island County Great Barrier Island County Total Population 1971 Total Population Great Barrier Island 1976 Total Population Great Barrier Island (Admin and Geog) 1981 1986 Male 393 Total 789 Male 603 Female 534 Total 1137 1996
The 1996 Census- the following 2001 census information indicates that the 1996 census count was 1131 persons.
2001 Census information on Auckland City website. Total count was 1017 a decrease of 114 on the 1996 census.
Last updated 23rd April, 2009.
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