The night was dark on the 3rd
of February 1896 when a splash was heard on the Wairoa River, and then a hat
and arms were seen to rise above the water. Mr Langley a passenger of the SS
Waitoa plunged into the deep and held the victim up above the water until a
dinghy was lowered to retrieve the pair. The rescued man was taken to Mr Barters
house for revival, and although he appeared to be breathing, did not regain consciousness
and passed away more than ¾ of an hour later.
Captain Hewson was last seen
standing below the bridge of the coastal steamer of which he was master. It was likely he was there to give instructions
to the engineer through the speaking tube which connected the bridge and the
engine room. The vessel had been brought up against Barters wharf about 4 miles
from the entrance of the Wairoa river in Clevedon, to wait until daylight to
clear rope obstructing the propeller. A
bruise on the Captains forehead suggests that he had held onto the handrail alongside
the steps and lept up onto the bridge as he usually did. The bolt
holding the railing was found broken, and it is thought to have struck him between
the eyes pushing him back into the water.
John Hewson was a seasoned
sailor, first coming to Auckland as the second mate of the Shaw Savill ship
Crusader. He had been trading in the Wairoa for 14 years and was reported to be
one of the most popular masters in the Auckland coasting trade. The coastal
steamers in port displayed their flags at half-mast out of respect to his
memory on the news of his passing.
 |
| Deaths,Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 30, 5 February 1896 Paperspast |
A widow and 8 children were left to mourn him. Johns body
was brought back home by his brother via the steamer Planet which had
transported a new master to navigate the Waitoa to Auckland. John rests beneath
a large pohutakawa with his mother and wife in Anglican division A, row 4.
 |
The Hewson Grave Photo Cathy Currie |
In Memory of
SARAH HAMLYN
HEWSON
Relect of the late
GEORGE HEWSON
Born at
Symons Town, Cape
of Good Hope
Dec 25th
1818
Departed this life
Nov 22nd 1893
Also
her son
JOHN CARRICK
HEWSON
Accidentally drowned
at Wairoa South
Feb 3rd 1896
Aged 52 years
(Headstone fallen and broken)
Also
Ellen C HEWSON
Beloved wife of J C
HEWSON
In her 66th
Year
Died 1st
January 1922
(Separate stone –
book ledger)
The Waikumete Cemetery burial book records:
HEWSON Sarah 75 years 23.11.1893 plot 1
HEWSON Ellen
Christina 5.1.1922 plot1/3
HEWSON John Carrick 50 years plot 3
HEWSON Clarence Adult 13.6.1901 plot 3 (re interred A 2
plot 59)
 |
| 29 June 1916. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19160629-36-16 |
Just over a year after John Hewson’s Passing, James Henry Langley’s unrecognised act of bravery on the fateful night of the tragedy was reported in the newspaper.
It was noted that during the
emergency the young builder lost his watch and spoiled his clothes, and it was
said that some influential individuals had promised to bring this honorable
deed to the attention of the humane society. It was unknown as to whether it had been done, yet he had not received any compensation or recognition for his
actions. James Langley was painted as a
real hero having previously risked his life on 4 separate occasions to save
others from drowning. Indeed at the time of the inquest into the tragedy the
jury felt his gallantry was deserving of great commendation and praise.
James Henry Langley 26/64 a
returned serviceman who served in both the First and Second World Wars died on
Valentines day 1954 at the age of 81. The noble hearted hero who put his life on the line for others was cremated at Waikumete.
Compiled by Cathy Currie using the following sources:
THE DROWNING ACCIDENT., Auckland Star, Volume XXVII,
Issue 30, 5 February 1896
DROWNING OF CAPTAIN HEWSON. NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME
XXXIII, ISSUE 10046, 5 FEBRUARY 1896
DROWNING FATALITY. AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME XXVII, ISSUE 29,
4 FEBRUARY 1896
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18960204.2.31
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18960204.2.31
NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 10047, 6
FEBRUARY 1896
PARS ABOUT, OBSERVER, VOLUME XVI, ISSUE 952, 27 MARCH
1897
Cenotaph data base http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C63524?n=james%20langley&ordinal=0&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch%2F
Image: Death notice, Deaths.,Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 30, 5 February 1896
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18960205.2.51
Image: Hewson grave, Cathy Currie
Image: James H Langley Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19160629-36-16
Image: Death notice, Deaths.,Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 30, 5 February 1896
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18960205.2.51
Image: Hewson grave, Cathy Currie
Image: James H Langley Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19160629-36-16
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