IRONSIDE, SAMUEL (1814-97) was born at Sheffield, Yorkshire. In Sep 1836 he was sent to Hoxton Wesleyan College for theological training, where he distinguished himself as a linguist. On 24 Aug 1838 he married Sarah, daughter of William Eades, of Sheffield. They sailed for New Zealand by the barque James, 350 tons, on 20 Sep 1838 (the Revs J. H. Bumby and Charles Creed being fellow-passengers). They arrived on 19 Mar 1839.

With the assistance of the missionaries and of Tamati Waka Nene, Ironside studied Maori; in six weeks he read the morning service to the native congregation, and in five months was preaching extempore in Maori. He and the Rev John Warren accompanied the Hokianga chiefs to Waitangi to meet Captain Hobson, and he instigated the speech made by Nene in opposition to Hone Heke, as a result of which the chiefs signed the Treaty (6 Feb 1840). Ironside signed as a witness. He and Hobbs prepared for Hobson's visit to Mangungu, where on 13 Feb 34 Hokianga chiefs signed the Treaty. Hobson wrote a letter of thanks to the Wesleyan missionaries for their aid.

Ironside was appointed to open a mission at Cloudy Bay. While at Kawhia with Whiteley, Ironside and the Revs J. Aldred and G. Buttle, accompanied by Paul Mariwhenu led a party of liberated slaves to their ancestral homes, and on this journey (Jun-Aug 1840) Ironside selected sites for mission stations in the Taranaki and Wanganui districts. The schooner Hannah, 28 tons, chartered to convey him and Buddle to Cook Straits, was totally wrecked when leaving Kawhia. In Dec Ironside and Aldred left in the Magnet. Ironside was landed at Guard's Bay on 20 Dec, and Aldred at Port Nicholson on 23 Dec. Ironside selected as his headquarters Ngakuta Bay, at the head of Port Underwood, Admiralty Bay and Pelorus river. He planted native teachers at about 30 villages and sent preaching squads to the West Coast, Kaikoura and Banks Peninsula, and to assist Watkin at Waikouaiti. At the 16 churches erected in his station were 600 baptised natives and a great body of adherents. The church at Ngakuta (opened on 5 Aug 1842) accommodated 800 people. Ironside established causes at Motueka and at Nelson in 1842. At Nelson in less than three years he baptised 680 adults and 168 children.

In Apr 1843 he gave evidence at an important murder trial in Wellington, the result of which angered the natives and outraged Ironside's sense of justice. The natives were sore also about certain land transactions. Ironside warned Tuckett (who was surveying some Wairau lands) and Captain Wakefield that the consequences might be serious. Failure to follow his advice led to the Wairau tragedy on 17 Jun. Ironside at Ngakuta heard of it the next afternoon (Sunday), and early on Monday tried vainly to launch his boat in the teeth of a south-east gale. On Tuesday, aided by men from the whaling station, he set out and encountered Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata, who advised him to leave the dead to the wild pigs. At the scene of the tragedy Ironside buried some of the slain where they lay, and a dozen others in a large grave. Next day the Government brig Victoria arrived, and he handed over to St Hill, the sheriff, the pocket books, watches and money he had found on the various bodies. In Feb 1845 the residents of Nelson presented Ironside with a handsomely bound Bible in three volumes in appreciation of his heroic humanitarianism at the Wairau. The tragedy disrupted Ironside's plans, for the natives loaded their canoes and carried out their long-cherished purpose of returning to their ancestral homes in Taranaki. Ironside could not muster a native crew for his boat. He left the station in the temporary charge of Paramena, a native teacher, and later arranged for a catechist named Jenkins to supervise the work at Cloudy Bay and Queen Charlotte Sound.

Ironside settled in Manners Street, Wellington, near Te Aro pa. From 1843 to 1848 he shared fully in the life of the town. On 13 Aug 1843 he officiated at the opening of a native chapel at Te Aro flat. He was a member of the committee dealing with the sale of lands at Te Aro, and witnessed the signatures of the natives to the deed of sale in Sep 1844. In that year he was a vice-president of the Mechanics' Institute. On 5 Dec he preached at the opening of a brick church of which Governor FitzRoy had laid the foundation stone. He was a trusted adviser of both FitzRoy and Grey, and his counsel on native affairs was valued by the Attorney-general and the Colonial Secretary. In 1847 petitions were sent by the church members and by prominent citizens asking that he should not be removed from Port Nicholson. He was accordingly left undisturbed until 1849, and exercised a profound influence amongst excited tribes from the Wairarapa to Wanganui. He co-operated heartily with Hadfield and Wiremu Kingi te Rangitake in preventing a Maori attack on Wellington. After the earthquake of 1848 Ironside bore a worthy part in organising relief measures.

In 1849 he was transferred to Nelson. Upon his departure from there in 1854 the citizens presented him with a silver tea service in testimony to his Christian philanthropy and eminent usefulness. After serving at New Plymouth (1855-57), Ironside transferred to Australia, where he laboured at Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart and Melbourne. From 1875 to 1878 he was foreign mission secretary in Victoria. In 1878 he was superannuated and settled in Hobart. He acted as custodian of church property deeds in Tasmania (1885-89) and died on 24 Apr 1897.

M.A.R.P.

G.B.ap., 1844/556, 1845/131; N.Z. Gaz., 1843; E. J. Wakefield; Buller; Buick, Marlborough and Old New Zealander; C. A. Macdonald; Morley; Pratt; G. Smales in N.Z. Herald, 6 Jan 1894; Methodist Times, 1890-92; Nelson Evening Mail, 11 Dec 1926 (p).

Reference: Volume 1, page 231

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