Kate Campbell (b.1872)

This chapter is dedicated to the matriarch of the Priestley and Carrington families, Kate (Rangikahiwa) Campbell. It is based around the information, research and recollections that Bill Paku has gathered over the years.

These priceless memories give us an insight into her lifetime achievements of fostering, bearing and raising children. The number of young lives she directly contributed to can not be understated; and how she held everything together with so little, is a testament to her astute and caring manner.

Any corrections, additional information, pictures or stories relevant to this chapter can be submitted via the contacts in the footer section of this page. Accreditation is given, where applicable. Many thanks to all those who have contributed.

Kate (Rangikahiwa) Campbell

Recollections by Bill Paku

Kate Campbell's maternal (female) maori heritage lies firmly with the Rongowhakaata iwi based around the east coast district of Manutuke. Her paternal (male) heritage is Scottish and English

Her parents were Sarah Mackey (Manutuke) and Duncan Campbell (Scotland).

Her grandparents were James David Mackey (England) and Hokokai Kawakawa (Manutuke). We have no information on the Duncan Campbell's ancestral line apart from the fact that he was born in Scotland.

Kate was born 4th Mar 1872.

Not a lot is known about Kate's childhood apart from the fact that it didn't last long because her mother Sarah passed away (aged 31) during the birth of her last child. Therefore, at the tender age of 13, but with the responsibility as the eldest child, Kate was left to look after her 9 younger siblings and half siblings.

Placed in such a difficult situation, Kate not only managed deal with all the challenges that this brought, but by all accounts, she handled them with a maturity well beyond her years. It is thought that it was around this time, she was given the name Rangikahiwa (which can affectionately be translated as "watchful heaven").

The Priestley whare at Waiomoko

By the time of her marriage to William A Priestley, Kate was still caring for the two youngest of her Cooper siblings, Kaa (Katerina) and Hone (John). The old photo of the Priestley whare at Waiomoko has Katerina and John on either side of the married couple, with the first-born Priestley, Wi Kepa, on his father’s knee.

Her husband William always kept a daily diary and these were all lined up in an old bookcase at the family home. His writings indicated the nature and devotion of Rangikahiwa. She was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother who dedicated her whole life to her husband, children, and grandchildren. A real matriarch.

I was one of the grandchildren to spend part of my early years in her care. She brought up three granddaughters from babyhood and from time to time other children from either side of the family.

Rangikahiwa was briefly married, before she met William Priestley, to Gaine Carrington, a farmer in the Makaraka area. They had one son, Chris "Karaitiana" Carrington (b. 1892), Kara or Chris as he was commonly known. Kara was brought up mainly by the Waipara side of the family. He regularly visited his mother and to his Priestley brothers and sisters was always regarded as their eldest brother.

Kate and William were blessed with 11 children, in order:

1. Wi Kepa Priestley, b. 23 Jan 1896

2. Amelia Priestley, b. 21 Apr 1898

3. James Patterson "Pat" Priestley, b. 12 Jul 1900

4. Harry Jones Priestley, b. 8 Apr 1902

5. Sarah Harriet "Sally" Priestley, b. 25 Apr 1904

6. Pani Priestley, b. 4 Jul 1906

7. Rangi Priestley, b. 17 Jul 1908

8. Katharine "Kitty" Priestley

9. William Augustine Priestley, b. 19 Apr 1913

10. Maraea "Marie" Priestley, b. 7 Dec 1915

11. Charles Priestley, b. 28 Aug 1918

My memories are of grandmother starting her day with the stoking of the old wood range in the large kitchen – dining room of the family home in Cochrane Street, and the preparation of breakfast and the cutting of school lunches, all the while delegating her wards to their various chores. My chores, aged 8 or 9 was to milk the two house cows, hand fill the troughs, separate the morning milk and wash the separator before breakfast.

These were in the years after grandfather’s death, and I often wondered how she managed to provide for so many on her meagre pension. Family members turned up occasionally with meat or such and I’m sure when they could with financial help. We all helped in the garden and orchard and we had fowls etc, but it never failed to amaze me at how well we were provided for, not only in food, but clothing and other needs. I can’t remember sitting down to dinner with any less than 6 or 7 others.

At the quiet time of the day when cleaning and cooking were finished you would find her sitting, mending clothes, darning, knitting, and on some fine days after the washing was done she sat in the sun on the back porch with her cut flax making kits.

She always had a job for someone, and one of mine was to walk up the railway line and pick up coal that fell off the tenders from the Motuhora Express. The bunkers were always loaded leaving town and I would usually get a ½ or ¾ of a bag which subsidised the wood for the stove. Grandfather’s two brothers continued to send a truckload of firewood every so often, so something to cook on was never a problem.

In the Second World War years the local aerodrome was made a training base for pilots and the grandstand at the Park and the area behind were made a camp for the airmen. As children we befriended quite a few of the airmen coming and going past the house and if we were talking to anyone when lunch was ready, Kate always invited them in to share what we had. Quite a few of these lads came to admire her and often turned up with treats and supplies from their canteen for her.

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Kate Campbell Stories

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Kate Campbell Documents

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Kate Campbell Timeline

> 1872 - Born: 4 Mar 1872

1881: Parihaka community forcibly broken up by troops.

1886: Mount Tarawera eruption

1887: Reefton becomes the first town to have electricity

> 1892 - Child Chris Carrington b. 1892 (20 years)

1893: Women granted the right to vote. New Zealand

> 1896 - Child Wi Kepa Priestley b. 23 Jan 1896 (24 years)

> 1898 - Child Amelia Priestley b. 21 Apr 1898 (26 years)

> 1900 - Child James Patterson Priestley b. 12 Jul 1900 (28 years)

> 1902 - Child Harry Jones Priestley b. 8 Apr 1902 (30 years)

1903: New Zealander Richard Pearse flew his home constructed aircraft 150 yards

> 1904 - Child Sarah Harriet Priestley b. 25 Apr 1904 (32 years)

1905: New Zealand rugby team tours England and becomes known as the All Blacks

> 1906 - Child Pani Priestley b. 4 Jul 1906 (34 years)

> 1908 - Child Rangi Priestley b. 17 Jul 1908 (36 years)

1908: New Zealand's population reaches one million

> 1910 - Child Katherine Priestley b. 12 Oct 1910 (38 years)

> 1913 - Child William Augustine Priestley b. 19 Apr 1913 (41 years)

1914: Start of World War I

> 1915 - Child Maraea Priestley b. 7 Dec 1915 (43 years)

> 1918 - Child Charles Priestley b. 28 Aug 1918 (46 years)

1918: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918

1918: End of World War I

1927: World population reaches 2 billion

1931: Napier earthquake

> 1945 - Died: 24 Mar 1945 (73 years)

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Kate Campbell Media

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Kate Campbell Whakapapa