Location: Kaipara Harbour, Northland and Auckland Provinces, New Zealand

Surname/tag: new_zealand
The Albertlanders
To encourage further settlement north of Auckland, the Auckland Provincial Council took up the New Zealand Government's Special Settlements Scheme, purchased land on the Kaipara Harbour, the Otamatea Survey District, and had it surveyed into blocks. These blocks were offered to enterprising groups who would then appraise, survey and sub-divide a chosen block, recruit a good cross-section of British rural society, ballot the land, provide transport to New Zealand for their pioneering settlers, and pretty much leave them to fend for themselves thereafter. The surveyed blocks provided a grant of 40 acres [16 hectares] each for a man and wife, with 20 acres [8 hectares] for each child of between five and 18 years old; on the condition that the settlers fenced and stocked their property, built a dwelling and lived on their land for five years.
The Nonconformist Association, better known as the Albertland Special Settlement Association, was formed in Birmingham, England in 1861 by the Rev. William Rawson Brame to establish a non-conformist colony in New Zealand. They selected the Oruawharo block on the Kaipara Harbour, surveyed a port settlement there, and named their town Port Albert. The nearby Paparoa and Matakohe Blocks were subsequently taken up as more Albertland settlers joined the scheme.
Port Albert on the Kaipara harbour proved to be too isolated from the main centre of settlers in Auckland to be effective commercially. Compounding their isolation was their port situated on the dangerous west coast making coastal traffic difficult at a time when road and rail links were not yet established. Their consequent isolation and the poor quality of the soil contributed to the failure of Port Albert to became a major city as first envisioned.
- The Albertlanders : Launching the Scheme : Heralds of the Morning Sun Under Southern Skies : The Vision and the Plan : Wonderful Enthusiasm in England - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 138, 13 June 1925, Page 27 edited by Henry Brett
The first Albertland settlers arrive in Auckland from England on the 8th September 1862. The Matilda Wattenbach brought 352 Nonconformist, Protestant immigrants to Auckland; The Hanover brought a further 315 settlers a week later. More immigrant ships followed in the next few years. [1]
- The ships that brought the Albertlanders out from England to New Zealand -
- SHIP ------- PORT OF DEPARTURE --- DATE OF DEPARTURE --- DATE OF ARRIVAL
- Matilda Wattenbach - departed Gravesend 29 May 1862 - arrived 8 September 1862
- The Albertlanders - The Matilda Wattenbach - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 144, 20 June 1925, Page 27
- Hanover - departed Gravesend 29 May 1862 - arrived 17 September 1862
- The Albertlanders : The Hanover - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 150, 27 June 1925, Page 27
- William Miles - departed Gravesend 29 July 1862 - arrived 12 November 1862
- The Albertlanders : The William Miles - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 156, 4 July 1925, Page 27
- Gertrude - departed Gravesend 4 November 1862 arrived 9 February 1863
- The Albertlanders : The Gertrude - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 27
- Tyburnia - departed Gravesend 2 June 1863 - arrived 4 September 1863
- The Albertlanders : The Tyburnia - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 168, 18 July 1925, Page 27
- Annie Wilson - departed Gravesend 30 May 1863 - arrived 19 September 1863
- Ida Zeigler - departed London 3 July 1863 - arrived 5 October 1863
- John Duncan - departed Gravesend 11 October 1863 - arrived 23 Jan 1864
- The Albertlanders : The John Duncan - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 174, 25 July 1925, Page 27
- Nimroud - departed London 10 Aug 1864 - arrived 18 December 1864
- Victory - departed Gravesend 2 September 1864 - arrived 4 January 1865
- Caduceus - departed London 30 November 1864 - arrived 26 March 1865
- The Albertlanders : On Board the Caduceus - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 174, 25 July 1925, Page 27</ref>
- The Albertlanders - Bound for the Promised Land : Rough Road to Kaipara : Uncomfortable Journey Overland - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Bound for the Promised Land : Seventy Very Hard Miles : Covered in Boats and Bullock Tracks : Auckland Sixty Years Ago - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 186, 8 August 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Port Albert in its Infancy : A Severe Struggle - Mrs Judson Tells of the Early Days - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Mrs Judson Tells of the Famine : Reduced to Garden Vegetables : The Edger Homestead Burned Down - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 198, 22 August 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Brookes Narrative Continued : Top Hats Make Auckland Smile : Looking for Port Albert : New Chums Lost in the Bush - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 204, 29 August 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Settlers and Maoris - A Native Feast on the Otamatea River - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 September 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Marooning of the Baldocks : Adventures in Brame's Boat on the Kaipara : Mr Inger Loses his Passengers - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 September 1925, Page 27
- Survivals of the Early Days : Mr Inger & Daughters with the printing press used to produce the "Albertland Gazette" 1863-1864 - (an illustration)Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 September 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Port Albert's Isolation : Mr Rushbrooks Long Walk : To Northcote Through the Bush : A Three-Days Tramp - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 216, 12 September 1925, Page 27
- Tent and 'Warrie' Days : Mr Hartnell's Roundabout Journey - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 216, 12 September 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - Pioneers' Letter : Correspondence of the Brookes Family : Telling of Settlers Early Trials Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 222, 19 September 1925, Page 27 continued - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 222, 19 September 1925, Page 27 (two full columns with illustrations, it would be best to look original page here)
- The Albertlanders - A Rose-Coloured Dream : The Brookes Letters Continued : Frugal Fare in the Sixties : What the Settlers Thought of the Maoris - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 228, 26 September 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - The Albertland Gazette : A Short-lived Journal : With an Enthusiastic Editor - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 234, 3 October 1925, Page 2
- The Albertlanders - Rough Travelling in the Sixties - Early Road to Maharani and Auckland : Some Albertland Anecdotes - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 240, 10 October 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - A Famine in the Land : Wreck of Cutter Advance Carrying Stores : Settlers Run Short of Food - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 17 October 1925, Page 27
- Tragedies of the Early Days : Several Settlers Lose Their Lives by Drowning - The Perils of River Work - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 17 October 1925, Page 27
- Jimmy Cock's Lonely Grave : First Birth and First Death at Te Wheau - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 17 October 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - The Maori Scare of 1865 : Escaped Prisoners Frighten the Settlers : Truculent Armed Natives : Oruawharo Tribes Remain Loyal - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 252, 24 October 1925, Page 26 and - Invasion by Maori Prisoners : Port Albert on Qui Vive : Rebels retire Disconcerted : Oruawharo Native's Loyalty - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 31 October 1925, Page 28
- A Brave Woman Kept Rebels at Bay with Hot Water - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 31 October 1925, Page 28
- Bugle Calls and War Songs : Mr George Nicholson's Reminiscences - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 31 October 1925, Page 28
- A Mysterious Escape : Flitting from Kawau Island : The Rev. William Gittos Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 31 October 1925, Page 28
- The Albertlanders - Mr. Gubb's Reminiscences : Sixty Years of Port Albert History : Memories of the 'Hard-Up' Times : Roadless, Butteries Days - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 264, 7 November 1925, Page 26
- Early Port Albert Music : A Marked Feature of the Settlement - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 264, 7 November 1925, Page 26
- The Albertlanders - After Wild Cattle in the Bush : Free Beef to be had for the Hunting : Sport on the Maori Scrub Land : Thrills of the Chase - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 270, 14 November 1925, Page 27
- The Albertlanders - History of the Opou Block : Much Coveted Gumland Attracts Many Eyes : Link Between the Rivers - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 276, 21 November 1925, Page 26
- The Albertlanders - Some More Pioneer Worthies : Helped to Build Auckland : Donor of the 'Trounson Park' - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 282, 28 November 1925, Page 26
- Albertlanders who attended the 35th Anniversary celebrations named - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 282, 28 November 1925, Page 26
- The Albertlanders - How the Fruit Industry Started : The Becrofts and other Pioneers : Port Albert Exports Apples and Butter - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 288, 5 December 1925, Page 31
- The Albertlanders - William Dawson Brame : Much-Criticised Founder of Settlement : Dies a Disappointed Man in Auckland - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 294, 12 December 1925, Page 31
- The Albertlanders - William Dawson Brame's Story - A Much-Criticised Man Dies Brokenhearted in Auckland - Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 300, 19 December 1925, Page 31
- local districts settled by the Albertlanders -
- Hoteo check - cat is for Hoteo North
- Matakohe
- Paparoa
- Port Albert
- Tauhoa
- Wellsford
- Wharehine
- cemeteries established by the early settlers -
- Hoteo Cemetery - Wayby cemetery
- Matakohe Memorial Cemetery
- Minniesdale Cemetery
- Port Albert Cemetery
- Tauhoa cemetery
- Wellsford Cemetery
- Links and Resources for Albertland -
- Albertland Museum: Albertland Heritage
- Wikipedia - Albertland
- Wikipedia - Port Albert, New Zealand
- Albertland Index and Records
- Albertland and District museum, Wellsford
- Albertland, History of Immigration, Te Ara Encylopedia, NZ
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