WILLIAM HOUGH: WESLEYAN CATHECHIST AND LAY PREACHER

William Hough: Wesleyan Cathechist and Lay Preacher by V. Mossong
WILLIAM HOUGH: WESLEYAN
CATHECHIST AND LAY PREACHER
At the time of his death William Hough lived at Collingwood Street (Nelson). He had
applied to the New Zealand Company, his Application 4604 from 11 Crown Court,
Dock Street, Hull in Yorkshire, and arrived with his wife, Ann, with their three
daughters on the Olympus at Nelson on 28 October 1842.
The Nelson Colonist death tribute of 30 January 1885 records William Hough as
"much esteemed,... passed away suddenly 29 January 1885. He arrived in Nelson 42
years ago and died at the ripe old age of 77 years".
A summary of the 1885 tribute follows:
"Hough had held important positions and served several years on the Provincial
Council. He had been particularly interested in mining enterprises and was
believed to be discoverer of auriferous country in Collingwood and at
Wangapeka. He also identified the pass into Karamea known as Hough's Pass.
"He was an earnest and consistent member of the Wesleyan Church and held
many offices within it. He was one of the first local preachers and often filled the
pulpit at the old brick Wesleyan Church that once stood on the Cock and Co
corner. Some still (1885) remember the beautiful and evocative discourses he
often delivered.
"William was a Trustee of the Church and staunch believer in Biblical truths and,
even up to just prior to his death, 'took up a pen to defend the Book'. He was
greatly respected - no man called himself his enemy. Further, he was cherished
among the Maories (sic). He laboured among the natives as a missionary until his
health became impaired, which brought about his return to Nelson. For twenty
years he acted as a native interpreter."
The searcher who located this obituary in the Nelson newspapers commented, "no
mention where he had been with the Maoris!"
June Neale, in her book Pioneer Passengers (1982) reported
".. .on 4 December 1842 William Hough, a devoted member of United
Christians, conducted one of the first services in their chapel. By 1845 he was a
storekeeper at Wakefield, Nelson, having drawn Lot 1 in that settlement. While
there he assisted in the building of St Johns Church. He made many prospecting
trips to the Aorere".
Still no mention of contact with Maori but according to Wesleyan Mission records, in
1844 the Mission Superintendent had, almost surely on the commendation of Rev.
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William Hough: Wesleyan Cathechist and Lay Preacher by V. Mossong
Samuel Ironside, then minister in Nelson, decided that Hough and his family were
suitable to send to the North Island.
In 1844 Rev. John Skevington reported to the Wesleyan Missionary Society that a
catechist had been placed at Patea among the Ngati Ruanui people. The Mission base
was at Heretoa/Waimate in South Taranaki. Skevington's untimely death in Auckland,
while attending the December 1845 District Meeting of the Wesleyan Mission in New
Zealand, thereafter added to Hough's work. He was directed to visit Heretoa on a
regular basis. When Rev. William Woon visited Patea he was much impressed by the
quality and effective work Hough was doing, "he is a holy, devoted hard-working man
worthy of higher office, but his health has failed and he intends to resign in September
at our next District Meeting".
Hough's health problem was noted as "advanced lung trouble" and 1845 Skevington to
Ironside, "Bro. Hough's wife is ill again".
During this period the Church Missionary Society placed their men at Patea. They
claimed their reason was that Hough was not an ordained servant of the Church. It is
suggested that Rev. Selwyn, in contrast to Rev. Samuel Marsden, had little respect for
the ordained missionaries of the Wesleyan Mission and less for their catechists. In
August 1846 the Woons stayed with Hough and family so that Mrs Woon could attend
Mrs Hough in a confinement.
A comment by Woon in a report, possibly after visiting there, was,
"His (Hough's) house stands on one of the most exposed positions I have seen in
the land, close to a high cliff. The wind, at times, blows with terrific strength and
I fear the cliff will fall on him and his family some day."
On 27 September 1847 William and Ann suffered the grief of death of two sons in one
day. Reported by Woon in September,
"Today our Brother Hough was bereaved of his two sons, within a few hours, by
whooping cough. Our brother's health is precarious and [he] expects to be not
long after them".
In January 1848 Woon, again at Patea, writes, "Hough is completely broken down and
[to be] replaced by Skinner as catechist".
On the Nelson Circuit Plan of August-October 1851 W. Hough of Bridge Street,
Nelson, has taken up his Local Preacher role there again.
Further research has resulted in some other information about Hough prior to his years
as Catechist.
In Morley's History of Methodism the editor refers to a church service held "at the
corner of Hardy and Tasman Streets where Hough preached on 'there shall be no night
here'."
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William Hough: Wesleyan Cathechist and Lay Preacher by V. Mossong
The names of those remembered to have been present: thirteen surnames (and their
wives) are recorded at p. 276 Morley.
When in 1849 Rev. and Mrs Ironside arrived at Nelson Circuit they met "old
Yorkshire friends Mr and Mrs Hough". He mentions that Hough had been catechist at
Patea among Ngati Ruanui people and was now an interpreter at the Law Courts in
Nelson.
Although it does appear that poor health did cause his resignation Hough was
following gold trails with his long-time friend, George Lightband, another Wesleyan
church member. In December 1856 he had to return to Nelson in haste because of ill
health. Lightband carried on prospecting "with success and so began the gold rush to
Aorere".
In the 1856-7 Electoral Roll for Nelson, William Hough has his abode in Nelson as
storekeeper, leaseholder and householder at Waimea Road and at Brook Street, and
owned land also at Aorere.
The daughters who came with parents from England had married, Ellen to Joshua
Sigley in 1868; Mary Ann to Wm Bethwaite, a builder, 1863; Sarah died unmarried in
1902. The youngest daughter, Emily Eva, married Smith James Furness and the
youngest son, Charles Wesley Hough, died in 1877 aged 23 years. William and Ann,
with others of the extended family, were buried in the cemetery now known as
Fairfield Park in Nelson.
The eldest daughter, Ellen Susannah, had been baptised on 24 August 1836 at
Wakefield, Yorkshire. It seems probable that William Hough married Ann Ellerker as
second wife in 1839-40 at Wakefield, Yorkshire. It may be coincidence but as Hough
had Lot 1 in Wakefield, Nelson, and assisted to build the church there, it may have
been named by him.
Let us honour the life and service of William Hough, 1807/8-1889, as a Nelson Local
Preacher and a New Zealand Wesleyan Mission Catechist in South Taranaki, together
with his wife Ann (Ellerker), 1817-1889.
V. E. M.
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William Hough: Wesleyan Cathechist and Lay Preacher by V. Mossong
MR HOUGH'S MAORI PREACHERS PLAN
To Mr. Hough belongs the credit of having made the first
Maori preacher's plan, and as it applies to South Taranaki it will be
of interest to some readers. The following is a translation:—
"This writing is to direct the preachers of the Wesleyan
Church in Ngatiruanui, and the days also when they are to go. The
order of the work is this: To preach to encourage in the different
places as written in this document. The order of going; Let them go
two and two.
1846: Thus the preacher of Heretoa. The work at Waiaua to
Umuroa, Te Pukekohatu to Moutoti and Pungarehu. January 3: Let
them go together, James and Thomas, to those places. January
17th:Josiah and Jacob. The 31st: Josiah and David. February 14th:
Bumby and Abraham; 28th, Abso-lom and Joshua. March 14th:
Zachariah and Nicodemus.
Thus the preachers above are to work at Ohawe, Pukeoha,
Puketi, Turangarere, Ohangai, Manawapuu, and Taumaha. January
3: Let them go together —Matthew and Titus of Manawapou ; 17th,
Timothy and Richard Watson (Taurua of Patea) ; 31st, Joseph and
Luke of Patea. February 14th: Matthew Mataii and Peter; 28th,
William Naylor of Manawapou and Brother of Taumaha. March
14th : Brother Matthew of Taumaha and Enoch of Turangarere;
28th, John and David of Turangarere. April 11th: Paul of
Turangarere and Titus of Manawapou, Brown of Puketi and
Solomon of Pukeoha. May 9th: Thomas Raynor, of Ohawe, and
Waterhouse, of Turangarere; 23rd, Bartholomew and James, of
Ohangai."
A similar plan of work done from Patea to Wangaehu is in
existence, and reflects the greatest credit upon the organising ability
of Mr. Hough.
It also shows the religious condition of the people at the time
mentioned—1846. It is evident Christianity had become the religion
of the people. Every place of importance was visited, and the work
was largely undertaken, as the names indicate, by the best born men
from the various hapus or families along the coast. The name of
Richard Watson occurs among the number of lay preachers, better
known in after life as Taurua, of Patea. Taurua was net the man to
occupy a false position, and the fact that he journeyed up and down
preaching to the people is sufficient proof of his sincerity. He was
one of the finest men the Maori race ever produced —a man of
luminous mind, who could state his reasons for any position he took
up, as few men can to-day. He had carefully thought out for himself
the claims of the Gospel, and as an exponent of evangelical truth had
few equals. Under all circum-stances, Taurua was a gentleman
whose wo'rd was his bond, and perhaps no Maori on this coast was
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William Hough: Wesleyan Cathechist and Lay Preacher by V. Mossong
more bitterly misrepresented, or more shamefully robbed than
Taurua. He was a grand man when
1 first made his acquaintance in 1887, though but a moral
wreck as compared with what he had been. in the days when he
joyfully journeyed up and down, assisting in maintaining the
ordinance of religion among his people.
Mr. Hough contracted chronic bronchitis during his work on
the coast, and consequently retired from the active work of the
mission. He entered into business in Nelson, where, as a useful
citizen, he acted as interpreter in the courts, and under-took some
work of exploration in the unknown and mountainous country
between Nelson and West-land. His farewell sermon to the Patea
Maoris gained for him the reputation of a prophet. He spoke from
Paul's words on leaving Ephesus, Acts 20-28 and 29: "Take heed,
therefore, unto your-selves and to the flock over whom the Holy
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which
he hath purchased with His blood. For I know this, that after my
departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the
flock; and also of yourselves shall men arise speaking perverse
things to draw away disciples after them.” These words in
themselves prophetic, but Mr. Hough evidently enlarged upon them,
drawing upon his knowledge of the people to indicate those things
likely to transpire. The effect of this parting discourse upon the mind
of Taurua was to convince him that Mr. Hough enjoyed in no mean
measure the prophetic vision, for his predictions were fulfilled to the
letter in the unhappy history of the Maori people during the dark
days of war and apostasy.
From In the Beginning, by Rev. T.G. Hammond, 1st ed. 1915, 2nd ed. 1940 published
by the Methodist Literature & Colporteur Society.
OLYMPUS
SAILED 16 JUNE 1842
Barque Olympus, 500 tons, Captain John Whyte commander,
Dr Henry Manning surgeon superintendent. Emigrants
embarked at Deptford 13 June 1842, vessel sailed from
Gravesend 16 June 1842. Arrived Nelson 28 October, 1842.
Examiner 29 October, p. 134
Hough, William
Hough, Ann
Hough, Ellen Susannah
Hough, Mary Ann
Hough, Sarah
NZC 34/2, pp. 367-77
M 34 Millwright, Sawyer
M 24 Wife
C 5
C 1
C 1 month
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William Hough: Wesleyan Cathechist and Lay Preacher by V. Mossong
Adapted From Pioneer Passengers by June E. Neale, Nelson 1982.
In New Zealand Company List/s.
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