GASCOIGNE, FREDERICK JOHN WILLIAM (1838-1926) was born at Cawnpore, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Manners Gascoigne, of the 8th Bengal Light Cavalry, H.E.I.C.S. (who served in both Sutlej campaigns and died in New Zealand in 1872).

Gascoigne was educated at Kumaon. He left India with his parents in 1852 in the ship Marlborough for Australia. At Melbourne, on the advice of John Tinline (q.v.) they took passage in the Belle Creole, arriving in Nelson in 1853. They settled on a farm at Paingatotara, Motueka. About 1856 Gascoigne junior became a cadet on the Hawke's Bay station of his mother's cousin Donald McLean (q.v.), and he remained there for three years. Returning to the South Island, he assisted in driving cattle from Marlborough to Otago and then spent two years on the goldfields at Collingwood and Motueka. In 1863 he was offered a commission in the Colonial Defence Force and joined a mounted unit in Hawke's Bay. On the outbreak of fighting with the disaffected Ngati-Porou (1865), he was ordered to Poverty Bay and served in the operations there, including Pakairomiromi, Pukemaire and Hungahunga-toroa (Aug-Oct). After the fight at Waerenga-a-hika he remained at Waiapu in command of the magistrate's guard. In 1867 he was engaged in the fighting at Wairoa and when the force was disbanded in the temporary lull his commission lapsed. On the return of Te Kooti from the Chatham Islands Gascoigne offered his services to Biggs and at great risk carried a despatch to Wairoa (Jul 1868). He was again commissioned to the force and stationed by Biggs at the fork of the Wairoa road, 20 miles from Gisborne, to watch for the return of the enemy from Urewera. Gascoigne urged that an old unused track should be watched but Biggs considered this unnecessary. It was by this route, however, that Te Kooti returned and massacred the settlers in the neighbourhood of Gisborne (including Biggs and his family). Gascoigne with great difficulty reached the opposite side of the river and, getting into Gisborne by boat, he at once assumed control, evacuated the women and summoned reinforcements. He took an active part in the operations under Whitmore in the Ruakituri valley and the actions of Patutahi and Makaretu. Reconnoitring the stronghold at Ngatapa he advised caution in attacking, and was prominent in the final assault in Jan 1869.

Being now recommissioned as captain (sub-inspector A.C.) Gascoigne proceeded to the West Coast and was present throughout the operations against Titokowaru, from Turangaika to the final action at Te Ngaere. Thence he went to Bay of Plenty and took part in the pursuit of Te Kooti into the Urewera. He was often mentioned in despatches and was recommended for the N.Z.C. As officer in charge at Ohinemutu he entertained the Duke of Edinburgh. He married in 1872, Marion, daughter of Henry Carr, and returned to his command at Tokaanu. He was successively stationed at Opepe, Tauranga, Tarawera and Rotorua, having charge of native labour constructing roads in the Taupo and Bay of Plenty region.

In 1880 Gascoigne was summoned to the disturbed area at Parihaka and during the operations in 1881 he was in charge of the prisoners and returning visiting natives to their tribes. He then returned to Rotorua and Waikato, where in 1882 he arranged the meeting of Bryce and Tawhiao at Ngaruawahia. Early in 1883, when a section of the King natives arrested Hursthouse and Newsham, he took strong measures to impress them, finally surrounding and arresting Te Mahuki and the whole of his force as they entered the town of Alexandra. Promoted major (1886), Gascoigne was put in command of the artillery at Wellington in 1887, but retrenched the following year and appointed sheriff at Auckland. In 1891 he became R.M. at the Chathams, where he did much for the social improvement of both native and pakeha people. He resigned in 1897 owing to ill-health and settled in Hawke's Bay, where he died (13 Dec 1926). (Gascoigne seems to have spelled his name Gascoyne after 1908.)

Cowan (p); Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Gascoyne; Soldiering in New Zealand, 1916 (p); N.Z. Herald, 29 Sep 1888, 12 Jan 1889.

Reference: Volume 1, page 161

🌳 Further sources