QUEEN S REDOUBT POKENO 1863 1865 LETTERS GERALD J. ELLOTT MNZM RDP FRPSL FRPSNZ AUGUST 2017
Queen s Redoubt Pokeno 1863-1865 The Queen s Redoubt was the first Military Headquarters in the Waikato, situated at the southern end of the Maori village of Pokeno, close to the Waikato River and adjacent to the Mangatawhiri stream. Pokeno is about thirty four miles south-eastwards from Auckland, and seventeen miles from Miranda, and thirty miles north of Ngaruawahia. The construction of the Redoubt commenced on 9 June 1862, by excavating a ditch 20 feet wide and placing the spoil to form a parapet 100 yards square inside. Within the area of the Redoubt, the buildings included the Commissariat Stores, a Hospital and wooden huts for 450 troops, plus a tented encampment nearby. The Construction was carried out under the command of Colonel Sir James Alexander, 14 th Regiment, by 140 men of the 14 th Regiment, and 150 men of the 70 th Regiment, and was completed by January 1863. Queen s Redoubt Occupation In July 1863, General Duncan Cameron set up his Headquarters, together with nearly 2000 British Troops, in readiness for the move into the Waikato. In September 1863, the Redoubt was manned by two Companies of the 18 th Regiment under the command of Captain E. A. Noblett. The Officer commanding the Redoubt was Brevet Lieut-Colonel Murray 65 th Regiment, strength Commissariat W. Catill, one Field Officer, Three Captains, Nine Subalterns, two Staff, 24 Sergeants, seven Drummers, and 527 Rank & File. The Medical Officer was G. E. Will, and it is important to appreciate that Lister s work on antisepsis was not published until 1867, and the medical officers had never heard of bacteria and did not know the cause of sepsis. The only antiseptic which would have been available at this time was Condy s Fluid. 2
Advertising Poster Queen s Redoubt Allotments for sale On 15 August, the 65 th Regiment who were manning the Redoubt, received orders, to withdraw from the Front to Camp Otahuhu in preparation for embarkation to England. On the 22 August, the 40 th Regiment received orders to relieve the 65 th Regiment at the several outposts and redoubts. 3
It was not until October 1865, that the 65 th Regiment was withdrawn from the Waikato, and Queen s Redoubt was evacuated and reduced to a care and maintenance standard from 31 October 1865. Military Post Office With the large number of troops at Queen s Redoubt, it was necessary to establish a Military Post Office, and this was opened in July 1863. An announcement to this effect was published in the Daily Southern Cross newspaper, 22 August 1863. Corporal John Evans, 65 th Regiment was the first appointed Postmaster (Gazette Notice 7 October 1863), and was replaced by Corporal Henry Newman, 40 th Regiment (Gazette Notice 19 November 1863). Colour Sergeant John Callaghan, 65 th Regiment (Gazette Notice 15 March 1864). The Queen s Redoubt Post Office closed on 31 October 1865, when the 65 th Regiment was withdrawn, and Colour Sergeant No. 1305 John Callaghan was withdrawn at the request of the Military Authorities The Post Office was transferred to Pokeno village, with John S. Fry appointed Postmaster 16 November 1865, this was the first Post Office appointment. From the evidence of one surviving cover it appears that the QUEEN S REDOUBT Obliterator was used with the name excised. In the list of Postal Contracts, detailed in the Postmaster-General s Annual Reports there is a Contract for mail from Auckland to Queen s Redoubt for the year 1864, it changes to Pokeno in 1865, and reverts back to Queen s Redoubt in the 1866 list. The mail services from Queen s Redoubt to all the Posts and Redoubts in the Waikato, were carried out by Mounted Military Orderlies, eight times a week to Newcastle (Ngaruawahia), and three times a week to Miranda Redoubt, Cambridge and Te Awamutu. In 1865, the mail to and from Queen s Redoubt south was carried by Government steamers, six times a week, to Newcastle (Ngaruawahia) and Te Awamutu. 4
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Postal Markings The Queen s Redoubt Post Office was issued with a datestamp and an obliterator. The datestamp was the Type I - NEW- ZEALAND Circular double arc type, first issued and used in 1840. The obliterator was an oval with the name QUEEN S REDOUBT set between three horizontal bars. Province of Auckland numbered circular datestamps were issued to the other Military Post Offices, with only three Offices having been identified. Whilst it has now been established that mail was cancelled at point of posting at Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Hamilton, Alexander (Pirongia) and Newcastle (Ngaruawahia), the mail from Te Rore Post Office was cancelled at Queen s Redoubt, and due to the paucity of surviving letters, this also may have been carried out for mail from the other Offices. QUEEN S REDOUBT Obliterator NEW ZEALAND Type I Datestamp Letters 30 April 1863 Letter written by Private George Tatler 65 th Regiment, while he was in Hospital at Queen s Redoubt. 6
List of recorded Covers Non-Laver covers shown in Blue 1864 30 January Private Thomas Jones 14 th Regt. 1 February QM Robert Laver 12 th Regiment 5 February QM Robert Laver 11 February QM Robert Laver 25 February QM Robert Laver 27 February QM Robert Laver 30 February QM Robert Laver 4 March QM Robert Laver 4 March QM Robert Laver 12 March QM Robert Laver 14 March A. Surg. Hooper 1 st Waikato 20 March Manuscript Marking Waikato Volunteer Redirected 6 July QM Robert Laver 7 July QM Robert Laver 13 July QM Robert Laver No Image 20 July QM Robert Laver 27 July QM Robert Laver 30 July Addressed to Captain Lawson, Edinburgh. 6 August QM Robert Laver 13 August Captain John Petley 58 th Regt. (Adhesives removed) 13 August QM Robert Laver 24 August Private William Moore 18 th Regt. 29 August QM Robert Laver 5 September QM Robert Laver 15 September QM Robert Laver 23 September QM Robert Laver 27 September QM Robert Laver 13 October QM Robert Laver 6 December Addressed to Miss Wesely, London. 1865 31 May QM Robert Laver 26 August QM Robert Laver 10 October QM Robert Laver Transit Covers 1865 18 March QM Robert Laver 17 March Ngaruawahia 22 September QM Robert Laver 21 Sept. Ngaruawahia 17 October QM Robert Laver 16 October Ngaruawahia 24 October QM Robert Laver 23 October Ngaruawahia 31 October 1865 Queen s Redoubt Post Office Closed Excised Queen s Redoubt Obliterator 1 October 1866 Addressed to Thos. Neston, Solicitor, Auckland 7
ILLUSTRATIONS OF RECORDED COVERS 30 January 1864 8
1 February 1864 5 February 1864 11 February 1864 9
25 February 1864 27 February 1864 10
30 February 1864 11
4 March 1864 4 March 1864 Cut down cover 12
12 March 1864 Sketch of the Sections for sale 17 June 1863 G. J. Ellott 1977 13
14 March 1864 14
20 March 1864 Queen s Redoubt Manuscript marking 15
6 July 1864 7 July 1864 13 July 1864 Ex J. Holdsworth No Image 16
20 July 1864 27 July 1864 17
30 July 1864 18
6 August 1864 13 August 1864 19
13 August 1864 This is a prime example of why the adhesives should have remained intact 20
24 August 1864 This letter was probably over the maximum ½ ounce 1d Concession Rate. 21
29 August 1864 5 September 1864 15 September 1864 Lot 227 RL Auction 9/3/60 22
23 September 1864 27 September 1864 13 October 1864 23
6 December 1864 24
31 May 1865 26 August 1865 10 October 1865 25
18 March 1865 No image 22 September 1865 26
17 October 1865 24 October 1865 27
31 October 1866 Comprehensive Details of the recorded covers, appear on the next five pages 28
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We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. Winston Churchill " Believe nothing that you hear, a quarter of what you read, and only a half of what you see, and check and recheck your facts" Percy de Worms I accept full responsibility for any errors Please send me comments and far more importantly details of covers not illustrated and if possible details of additional covers or corrections etc. Originally researched in 1977 Site visited in 1980 August 2017 Gerald J. Ellott 34