WHITELEY, JOHN (1806-69) was born at Edingley, Kneesall, Nottinghamshire, on 20 Jul 1806. He early evinced a religious disposition, and at the age of 20 was an accepted Christian. He was in the first instance a member of an independent church, but on removal to Newark he threw in his lot with the Wesleyans and became a local preacher. In 1831 he was accepted as a candidate for missionary work, and he was ordained to the Wesleyan ministry in Lambeth Chapel on 27 Sep 1832. He married, and took his wife to the old mission house in Hatton Garden, London. Two months later (5 Nov) they sailed in the Caroline to join the Wesleyan Mission Society's establishment at Hokianga. They reached Sydney in Mar 1833. Sailing again in the schooner New Zealander with the Rev Joseph Orton, they landed at Bay of Islands on 21 May and proceeded overland to Mangungu.

There Whiteley made a conscientious study of the Maori language, which he was soon able to speak fluently, thereby gaining considerable influence with the natives. In pursuance of a decision to open stations to the southward he left in Feb 1834, with White, and established a mission at Kawhia, where the natives had already erected a chapel and obtained books. Assisted by the influence of the convert Te Awaitaia (q.v.), this mission promised great results until, in accordance with an agreement entered into by the Wesleyan and Church Missionary Societies in London, it was decided in 1835 to close the stations in the south. With deep regret Whiteley retraced his steps to the Hokianga (Jun 1836), to open a new station (which he called Newark) at Pakanae, near the mouth of the river. During the next two years he made journeys with Turner and other missionaries amongst the northern tribes. He was strong and active, a fine walker, a good preacher and an exemplary Christian, who gained the confidence of the northern Maori as he had done of those of the Waikato. In Dec 1838 with his wife and four children, he reopened the station at Kawhia, where for the next 16 years he worked with conspicuous success. On various dates between 28 Apr and 3 Sep 1840 Whiteley and Wallis witnessed the signatures of the 10 Kawhia chiefs to the Treaty of Waitangi. In 1844, at the request of FitzRoy, Whiteley exercised his influence to soothe the hostility between the settlers of Taranaki and the NgatiAwa natives who had been manumitted by their Waikato conquerors through his influence and that of Wallis.

In 1855 he was chairman of the Auckland district. In the following year he was removed to Taranaki, where he laboured successfully for both races. He did much to smooth tribal feelings in connection with the Puketapu feud, and took a great interest in native education, especially in connection with the Grey Institution at Ngamotu. It was he who baptised Te Ua (q.v.) with the name of 'Horopapera.' Whiteley established the native chapel at Kawau pa (New Plymouth), and when that was taken over for war purposes he had another built at the Henui. For some time he was an unsalaried commissioner for native lands (with Parris and Cutfield), and in the early stages of the war he did conspicuous service to the government by reason of his great influence with the natives. He covered a very wide district on horseback to hold services for the natives; and it was while thus engaged, at the height of the Hauhau rising, that he met his death. On 13 Feb 1869 he rode out from New Plymouth to White Cliffs, where he intended to hold a service for military settlers on the following day. Disregarding the warning of friendly natives, who knew that some settlers had already been murdered and that the redoubt was in the hands of the enemy, he insisted on proceeding, and fell a victim to an ambush. His death practically ended the war in this district. Whiteley left a widow and several daughters.

G.B.O.P., 1847/837; Cycl. N.Z., vi (p); W. Brown, p. 264-74; Buller; Wells; Turner; Pratt, Minutes Conf. 1938; Wesleyan Record (Sydney), 9 Mar 1869.

Reference: Volume 2, page 252

🌳 Further sources