GRACE, THOMAS SAMUEL (1815-1879) was born at Liverpool, of a Huguenot family which was driven from France and settled in Cheshire. Educated at a grammar school, he went into business early, and at the age of 20 had to accept part of the responsibility of maintaining his family. At 24, when he was principal in the business, he offered his services to the Church Missionary Society, and in 1842 he approached the Rev Mr Barker (afterwards Bishop of Sydney), at whose suggestion he went to Cromer. Being married in 1845 to Agnes Fearon, he volunteered to go to New Zealand, but owing to the war then prevailing was advised to study at St Bees. He was ordained in 1848 and sailed for New Zealand in 1850 with his wife and two children.

Bishop Selwyn decided that Grace should be stationed at Taupo, and he proceeded thither, reconciled Te Heuheu and Te Herekiekie, and obtained from the former land for the mission station. Other duties taking him elsewhere, it was not until Apr 1855 that he took up his residence at Taupo. His influence was so successful that the next year Te Heuheu forbore to carry on a war against his enemies; instead he went down the Wanganui river with Grace to conclude a peace. Grace was convinced that the constant pressure of the pakeha on the Maori to sell their land was the cause of uneasiness and of the King movement; and that the natives in the Taupo country were in a state of armed neutrality in which peace was only preserved by the power of the Gospel. He was accused of having convened the King meeting at Pukawa in 1856. In fact, he refused to be present when he heard that the King was to be discussed. His teaching resulted in the Taupo people raising £500 during 1858-60 to buy sheep, yet at a meeting at Taupo in Apr 1861 it was decided to enter the war on the side of the King. Te Heuheu (Iwikau) alone restrained them. His death in Oct 1862 removed this restraint, and shortly afterwards Ngati Tuwharetoa warriors joined in the fighting in Waikato. Before 1863 was out the Graces abandoned their home and left Taupo. In Mar 1865 Grace was at Tauranga when Volkner was murdered by the Hauhau. Grace was held prisoner for a short time, but eventually escaped to the warship Eclipse. He showed great courage in reopening work in the disaffected country. In later years he visited Taupo on several occasions and spent some time at Matata. He once narrowly escaped capture by Te Kooti, and his house at Taupo was plundered by Hauhau.

In 1868 Grace proposed that native chiefs and clergy should be consulted in the management of mission lands. Appreciating the underlying motives of the King movement, though he had no part in it, Grace realised that the proposal for the appointment of a Maori bishop of the Church of England was likely to be acceptable to them. He discussed it favourably with the Hawke's Bay chief Karaitiana, but it seemed then that no suitable native was available. Grace's ministry amongst the Maori was eminently successful in face of many obstacles, and was marked by a sympathy with Maori aspirations which was not always found in missionaries. He died on 30 Apr 1879.

A son was Lawrence Marshall GRACE (1854-1934, q.v.). Another, THOMAS SAMUEL GRACE (1850-1918), was educated at the Grammar School in Auckland and the Theological College in Nelson, ordained in 1876 and became Archdeacon of Marlborough. A third, ALFRED

Cycl. NZ, vi (p); Grace, A Pioneer Missionary (p); Stock, History of the Church Missionary Society; N.Z. Herald, 3 May 1879.

Reference: Volume 1, page 174

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