The Grey Statue Auckland City

NZGraphic 05 Nov 1904

The Statue of Governor Grey now in Albert Park is one of early Auckland's signature pieces of statuary. The 21st Century Aucklander is likely to view this artwork and George Grey's career in a very different light to their 19th and 20th Century counterparts.

Edward Bartley was involved in this project. So today we explore the history of the statue -while gingerly stepping around the sensitivities associated with the gentleman represented.

A memorial committee was formed in 1898 to organise events and tributes associated with Grey's memorial day on 18 February 1899. This was a national memorial day, coinciding with similar events in Australia and South Africa.
During the Auckland Industrial and Mining Exhibition,1 which opened that year, donations to a memorial fund were collected. A special Exhibition Day was also organised, from which a portion of gate takings were allocated to the fund. 2

AWN 24 Feb 1899

Afterwards subsciptions were requested to top up the fund. A more permanent tribute was planned. The statue was commissioned in 1903, to which the Government contributed £100. The remainder of the cost - over £1800- was raised by those public subscriptions. It was a considerable investment made by Aucklanders.

In 1904 Edward Bartley was engaged to design a base for the statue. Once the site was finally agreed on he recommended that something in the style of Dublin's Oliver Goldsmith statue was appropriate.3

The Goldsmith statue, Trinity College Dublin. Image Dublin Tales visit here

The statue itself was produced in England by Francis J Williamson of London for £1260 and shipped to New Zealand by the Wakanui in September 1904.

This was a conservative selection of sculptor by the committee. Williamson received regular commissions from municipal and civic clients in the United Kingdom. His bust of the mature Queen Victoria was replicated many times. Critics noted his work lacked any fluid vitality but it was certainly 'appropriate' and fulfilled the intended function of commemmoration.

The marble statue was 8' high (2.4m). The granite for both pedestal and base were sourced from Coromandel, rising 14'6". Plaques on each side record Grey's service to the Empire and the tributes accorded to him by northern New Zealand:

NZH 21 Dec 1904

On 21 December 1904 the work was unveiled. Part of the proceedings included a phonograph recording made by Grey in February 1891.

AWN 29 Dec 1904

AWN 29 Dec 1904

The elevated site - at the intersection of Queen and Grey St- was well chosen. The fire-bell tower was there in Grey's time and formed a rallying point for political gatherings and temperance assemblies.

That it continued to be so is clear from this image of M J Savage addressing Aucklanders in 1912.

AWN 26 Sept 1912. note the statue's position relative to the Town Hall.

The Grey statue  moved to Albert Park in 1922, where it may be seen today. The stepped platform has been removed. This alteration to the proportions of the whole assembly presents a less than ideal composition. The work was never intended to retire into a restful or contemplative park atmosphere.

Image APL E7-23 Albert Park

It may be that the intention was to more remove Aucklander's political gathering place.  In declaring the Governor's memorial a traffic hazard were the civic planners hoping to dampen the rallying leadership of strong personalities -by then more feared than in colonial days?

Certainly statuary encapsulates the values of the times in which they were made. Each generation views their own cultural- and sculptural- story through the lens of their own time and debates their erection or removal accordingly. Historian Grant Morris discussed these issues in a September 2017 interview recorded here. Enjoy.

1. see more information here
2. NZH 24 Jan 1899
3. AS 26 May 1904

Edmund Israel Matthews - Employer and Family Friend

One of the key early influences on the career of Edward Bartley was Edmund Israel Matthews.

Edmund Israel Matthews was born January 1810 at Queensborough, Isle of Sheppy. In 1842 he was Foreman of works, Department of Royal Engineers, Chatham, where his brother was also employed. He was sent out to Hong Kong in 1845 and promoted to Clerk of Works.

During 1848 he was brought to Auckland to replace Government Clerk of Works, George Graham. His first work was to supervise the completion of the Albert Barracks wall.[i] This wall enclosed an area just over 21 acres in the centre of the town.

Albert Park is now laid out on part of the Barracks enclosure. The two gates opened into what is now Princes and Symonds Streets.
Inside the wall was accommodation for 900 rank and file in wooden barracks.
A stone building known as the Grenadier Barracks, housed a further 100.

Image from Cyclopedia of NZ Sn 5 p 32

Facilities included a military hospital, sergeant’s mess room, commissariat, treasury and orderly room. The ammunition store was also of stone construction, surrounded by its own stone wall.

Officers of the 58th outside the newly completed barracks, including Matthew SLATTERY at extreme left, forebear of Wilma Amy Slattery, wife of George F Bartley. Original Image Ak Museum P660 with thanks.

The parade square was laid down in grass.
Although the citizens of Auckland had, thankfully, no cause to seek shelter behind the barrack wall, they did make use of the level green space for sports and public events.

Matthews designed and erected Wynyard Pier with the assistance of Royal Engineers and troops of the 58th Regiment.
Later he retired from service to conduct business on his own behalf as a contractor. His contacts and reliability ensured him the lion’s share of Government work. Edward was now 18 years of age.

In that year work began on the Mt Eden Gaol, under the supervision of architect Mr Reader Wood.
Matthews, with Edward under his wing, was one of the contractors involved in the construction.

Trading as Matthews and Bartley builders they were responsible for completing Rumsey's Supreme Court building in Auckland, which was originally begun by Amos and Taylor.

The Supreme Court Building with the Barracks visible in the left background BFA

Edmund Matthews was one of the original eleven who formed the first Congregational Church in Auckland, under Rev MacDonald.
His wife was Elizabeth Austin PIKE, christened 1 October 1812 Brixham, Devon, England. They were the parents of five sons and two daughters:

The eldest son was Seering Hall Matthews, was just a little younger than Edward Bartley. After working first in the departmental offices of the Colonial Secretary, he worked with Edward Bartley under his father. When Edmund retired Seering Hall Matthews and Edward continued the contract building business on until the depression of the 1870s.

Seering Hall Matthews married Amelia WALL 27 August 1862.
His son Seering Frederick Matthews ( b1870, Worcester), married Sarah Jane COURT, (b 1874, Birmingham, to John Court and Sarah BABINGTON.)
We know of two children born to Fred and Sarah- Rita May Matthews (b 12 December 1897 Auckland, d 1980) and Seering John Matthews (b 21 March 1900, d 1978)

Siblings of Seering Hall include: Frederick William Matthews was born 1845 in Hong Kong of Mangawhare; also Alfred James Matthews, of Auckland, who married Ellen POTTER; Edward Matthews of Auckland, Mrs A JOHNSTON, Mrs Rob MACDONALD of Sydney

Edmund ,Israel Matthews, his wife Elizabeth, and their infant son were interred at Symonds St Cemetery[ii]

More family information may be found at : http://www.myheritage.com/site-129822151/stewart

This clipping from the Auckland Star 13 June 1895 was found with Bartley family memorabilia.

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[i] Auckland Waikato Historical Journal Sept 1991 No 59 p16 G B Abel

[ii] NZH 14 October 1895 p5 col 13