KENDALL, THOMAS (1778-1832) was born at North Thoresby, Lincolnshire, on 13 Dec 1778. Educated in the parish school, he was afterwards engaged teaching privately in a home near his birthplace. Later he was with a family which brought him under a strong religious influence and first turned his thoughts towards the church as a profession. While here he was interested in agriculture, and worked for two years on a small farm of 15 acres. Having married, he returned to his native village, and endeavoured to make a livelihood as a linen draper and grocer. A speculation in hops drew him to London, where he spent some years as a school teacher and became associated with religious organisations. His enthusiasm for the evangelical movement in the Church of England brought him in touch with the Church Missionary Society, to which he was highly recommended during Marsden's visit to England in 1809. The committee approved of him, but considered he should further qualify himself before entering the mission field. It was consequently not until 1813 that he sailed for Australia in the transport Earl Spencer. Kendall and his wife acted as schoolmaster and schoolmistress on board, and in consideration of remaining three years in the Colony were to receive the customary land grant.

When Marsden purchased the Active (in 1814), Kendall was free from his school duties and able to embark upon the first missionary voyage to New Zealand. He completely fulfilled Marsden's instructions and hopes, and prepared to accompany him to Bay of Islands, leaving his two daughters in Sydney. Prior to sailing he was gazetted a justice of the peace at Bay of Islands. Marsden established the mission at Rangihoua, Kendall being in charge, with John King and William Hall as assistants. The basis of the mission was to give instruction in European arts and crafts. Kendall was keenly interested in the Maori language, and suggested to the Society (1815) the propriety of sending out some person of talent who could assist in writing it down. His little volume A Korao no New Zealand; The New Zealander's First Book (published in 1815), was of great assistance to Professor Lee in compiling his Maori grammar. In 1816 Kendall opened a school at Rangihoua, at which in a few weeks 60 native pupils were receiving instruction. Already, however, there were signs of dissension amongst the missionaries. Kendall being a layman, his colleagues refused to acknowledge the authority vested in him by Marsden or the Society. Lack of discipline on the one hand, and constant alarms from warring tribes on the other, militated seriously against the success of the mission. The school closed after two years for lack of support; and the missionaries, forbidden to trade with the natives on their own account, were often in serious want. Marsden was vexed by many complaints which the missionaries made against each other. Though there were already signs of moral deterioration in Kendall's ardent and overbearing character, Marsden continued to repose confidence in him. In 1819, when he brought to Bay of Islands the Rev J. G. Butler, the first ordained minister for the mission in New Zealand, Marsden insisted that the missionaries should bind themselves not to engage in private trading. Before long Kendall was not only openly selling muskets to the natives, but he refused to acknowledge the authority of either Butler or the committee of missionaries.

Still interested in his Maori studies, he suddenly determined to go to England, taking with him his protector, Hongi, and Waikato to assist in putting the Maori language into writing. Hongi's private wish was to obtain muskets and other weapons with which to avenge himself upon the Ngati-Whatua and the Ngati-Paoa. Against the advice of both Marsden and the committee, Kendall sailed in the New Zealander (2 Mar 1820), leaving his wife and large family to care for themselves. The Society strongly censured him for leaving New Zealand without permission and for bringing Maori chiefs to England. It adjured Kendall to eschew private trading; to devote his whole time henceforth to the work of the mission; to extend cultivations and stock-raising, and to govern the affairs of the mission through quarterly meetings of the missionaries, schoolmasters and lay settlers, each taking the chair in rotation. Kendall's ambition of being ordained was gratified. The party returned to Australia in the transport Speke, and reached Bay of Islands in the Westmoreland (11 Jul 1821).

Before long not only was Kendall selling muskets to the natives, but he vigorously defended his action against the remonstrances of Marsden. Charges of immoral living were now made and admitted, and Marsden wrote suspending Kendall from the service of the mission. He arrived in person with Henry Williams (q.v.) in 1823, and conveyed the decision of the Society dismissing Kendall from its service. He refused to allow the erring missionary to remain in New Zealand, though he had the protection of Hongi. Kendall gained the day through the wreck of the Brampton as she was leaving the Bay in Sep. In Mar 1823 he removed to Kororareka, and later took up his residence under the protection of Pomare at Matahui. Living practically as a Maori, he continued his study of the language and customs and corresponded intermittently with Lee and with the Missionary Society.

In Feb 1825, seeking change, Kendall sailed with his family by the St Patrick for Valparaiso, where he spent two years as clergyman and schoolmaster in the service of the English community. In Jun 1827 he returned to New South Wales in the ship Elizabeth and received from Governor Darling (in consideration of his service in New Zealand) a grant of 1,280 acres of land at Ulladulla, in the southern district. There he engaged in the timber trade, for which he purchased a small vessel and commanded it himself. She overturned in a squall at Shoalhaven in Sep 1832 and he was drowned. His son Basil, who was in the business with him, had served for some years in the Chilean and Brazilian navies under Lord Dundonald. He was the father of Henry Clarence Kendall (1841-82), the Australian poet.

Marsden, L. and J., and Lieuts.; Ramsden; S. P. Smith; Carleton; Hocken, in Trans. N.Z. Inst., v, 33.

Reference: Volume 1, page 246

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