In learning about Ann and Samuel Williams, I have now wondered what their children got up to. As some of the earliest settlers in the area, what was their life like. well... William's story turns out to be a wee ripper, resulting in great nickmanes as Flask Billy the Larikin.

William Williams, born in October 1856, holds the distinction of being the first recorded European baby born within the town of Timaru. His birth was a new chapter in Timaru and the regions's colonial story from a short-lived whaling station to a growing European settlement established for a huge sheep station.

His father, Samuel “Yankie Sam” Williams (1818–1902), was among the earliest documented Europeans to set foot in Timaru, arriving in 1839 as a whaler. (Sealers had been up and down the coast earlier, but there are little records to read to know what was going on in Timaru in the sealing days). Sam was part of the maritime workforce that frequented the South Canterbury coast well before land was cleared or surveyed for settlement. In the early 1850s, Sam left for the Ballarat goldfields in Australia, where he met Ann Williams (1824–1860). They married and had a daughter, Rebecca Williams (1854–1923), before returning to Timaru, New Zealand in 1854.

The Williams family were given a small beachside cottage near the landing site in Timaru by the Rhodes brothers, early runholders and pastoralists Brothers William and George Rhodes founded the Levels run in 1851. They used the sheltered shore at Timaru, the site of an abandoned whaling station, to land stores and ship wool. Maybe this was where Sam had lived and worked when he had been in Timaru earlier. Timaru’s first building was a cottage on the beach, and the first permanent inhabitant was Sam Williams, the whaler who introduced George Rhodes to South Canterbury. Sam worked for the Rhodeses and I'm sure his whaling experience and knowledge of the coast helped Sam to support of the Rhodes' coastal station. Ann is said to have ran an accommodation house from their humble home, providing food and shelter to passing visitors, traders, and settlers. This operation later grew into a small hotel, making Ann and Sam one of the earliest business people in the settlement. Timaru's first publican licence was granted to Sam.

In this daub coastal cottage, William Williams was born in October 1856, the first recorded birth of a European child born within Timaru’s boundaries. I like to imagine what like was like then, raising a family in a new colonial village, some of the first residents. You would need to work hard and be resourceful, which is probably why Williams cradle was a gin crate.

For context on who was in Timaru around then, Captain Belfield Woollcombe (1816-1891) moved to Timaru in 1857, his role was the governments magistrate which included officially recording the births and deaths. He held the office of Resident Magistrate until Sep 1878. He built his house 'Ashbury' overlooking the Waimataitai Lagoon, which is now the site of Ashbury Park. Captain Henry Cain settled a couple of years after the Williams, arriving in Timaru in 1857 to manage the first landing service at the foot of Strathallan Street for Henry Le Cren a merchant who moved to Timaru in 1858. Captain Cain was at sea from age 13, was one of Timaru's first settlers, he was the towns second mayor, and lived for his last 30 years, until he was allegedly poisoned by his son in law Thomas Hall. Captain Cain traded his bar in Sacramento, California for a schooner Pauline and his his first consignment was a ship load of Kauri which he sold to Henry Le Cren in Lyttleton. He also supplied diggers in the Victorian gold rush in Australia in 1852.

While this may be something of a tangent, it's fascinating to consider how the lure of gold and the promise of opportunity influenced people across the globe in the mid-19th century. The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was quickly followed by the Victorian Gold Rush in Australia, which began in 1851 and continued through the 1860s. These events sparked waves of migration and adventure, shaping the destinies of individuals and entire regions.

In New Zealand, the first known European discovery of gold in Otago occurred in October 1851 at Goodwood, near Palmerston. However, it failed to trigger a gold rush at the time. It wasn't until the significant gold strike at Gabriel’s Gully near Lawrence in 1861 that Otago experienced a full-fledged gold rush, drawing thousands of hopeful prospectors to the region.

The fever spread westward, culminating in the West Coast Gold Rush (1864–1867) on the South Island's rugged coast. More than a decade later, the discovery of gold at Kumara in 1876 marked one of the last major gold rushes in New Zealand, bringing a final burst of gold fever to the country.

Anyway... back the beach in Timaru...

Ann’s life in New Zealand was brief but like the whaling chapter she make an important contribution to early Timaru, and as a wife to Samuel, mother to Rebecca, William. She had only been in the country for six years before her death. She died in doorway of their Timaru Hotel in 1860, aged just 36. Rebecca (later Hobbs) would have been around 4 and William 3 years at the time. After Ann’s death, Sam remarried in 1861 to Mary Ann Williams (Gardner) (1845 - 1888), born in Preston, Gloucestershire, England, UK. She died January 17, 1888 (42-43) Dunedin and was at one point Rebecca and Williams governess. Mary and Sam had one daughter, Emily Williams (later Emily Gibbs), born in Timaru in 1862. However, the marriage soon deteriorated, and by around 1865, Mary who was 25-years younger than Sam, left Timaru, taking young 2 year old Emily with her. Emily remarried Arthur James Gibbs (1862-1938) and became Emily Gibbs. The half sister of Rebecca Hobbs and William Williams died in Gore, July 23, 1942 aged 79.

Sam remained in the district with his two eldest children, William and Rebecca, and eventually relocated them to Birdlings Flat, near Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora) in Canterbury. There, they continued their settler life.

William was working as a carpenter in Christchurch in the 1870s. As a young adult left his job with some friends and travelled to the West Coast to join the quest for gold. He became part of a group of spirited young miners nicknamed “The Larrikins”, who, despite being mocked as greenhorns, soon struck gold near Kumara. He established a home there, married, and raised a family. His camp on Dillmans Road became well known for its youthful energy and social life.

William emerged as a local leader—serving on the school committee, the volunteer fire brigade, and performing in the town band. Known for his sharp dress and athletic prowess, wearing the Christchurch fashion at the time, which would have been in contrast to to the locals moleskins, he earned the nickname “Flash Billy”. He was the West Coast Running Champion from 1882 to 1884, defeating visiting Australian champion Tommy McLaughlan, and also won a rifle shooting medal the same year. Both his solid silver trophy and medal are preserved today in the West Coast Historical Museum in Hokitika.

Though William Richard Hornbrook, born in Temuka in 1854, is recognised as South Canterbury’s first European baby, William Williams holds the unique honour of being the first born in Timaru—a distinction tied not just to geography, but to the story of a family who helped build the early civic, domestic, and commercial life of the town.

William Williams died in 1947, aged 91, having lived through nearly a century of change—from whaling connections with his father, beign a part of Timaru's first pub, loosing his mother at a young age, and working in the goldfields, imageine the the change he witness and experienced. His life remains a testament to endurance, adaptability, and the quiet heroism of Eurpean settler families who laid the foundations of community from his early life sleeping in cradle once buit for gin.

Flash Billy and the Larrikins: William Williams and the Goldfields of Kumara

Born in October 1856, the first European child born within the boundaries of Timaru, he was raised in a rugged beachside cottage where his cradle was made from a repurposed gin crate. After losing his mother, Ann Williams, in 1860, William was raised by his father, Samuel “Yankie Sam” Williams, a whaler-turned-hotelier, and his older sister Rebecca (, in a life that carried them from Timaru to Birdlings Flat near Lake Ellesmere.

In 1876, the news of a potential gold field at Kumara resulted in the West Coast’s last major gold rush. William was working as a carptender in Christchurch, and left with his friends to join the hunt for gold on the West Coast. They walked to Kumara. Imagine the journey back then over mountain passes and through huge braided rivers, there was no sealed road or rail. 

West Coast New Zealand History (17th Dec 2022). Kumara from the air showing Goldfields and Dillmanstown and Larrikins.1959.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 12th May 2025 06:38, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/31706

Larrikins - one of the most prosperous gold-bearing leads in the Kumara district!

Our family visited the Larikins over the weekend, and found a pile of tailings on the side of the road. We chose a rock and brought it home. William and his friends had a gold claim here, and I thought a rock back in Timaru could be a nice way of sharing the legacy of the family?

The Larrikins was the name given to one of the richest gold leads on the Kumara Goldfield, located near Dillmanstown on New Zealand’s West Coast. It was reportedly discovered in the early days of the Kumara Gold Rush by a mischievous group of miners known for causing trouble in town, breaking windows and committing minor crimes. These antics led authorities (notably, the “Man in Blue”) to investigate them, but the group had fled to the bush, where they began digging for gold.

Ironically, their rebellious escape led to the discovery of valuable gold, which sparked a mining boom at the site that came to be called Larrikins Lead. The troublemakers became folk heroes, and their mischief was soon forgotten.

The main figures associated with the claim were Frank Payne, Sam Deans, and Billy Williams. Their team, called “Payne and Party,” worked the site using substantial water power from Holmes’ water race. Mining operations at Larrikins Lead continued into the 1890s, although the workforce gradually declined from five men to three by 1896.

West Coast New Zealand History (6th Jan 2024). Map of Kumara 1891 including Larrikins. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 12th May 2025 06:52, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/31708

FOR SALE. ONE FIFTH SHARE in SHRIVES and PARTY’S EXTENDED CLAIM, at the break. For further particulars apply to WILLIAMWILLIAMS at the claim, or at bis residence, Hillmans Road.  - Kumara Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7916, 5 September 1896, Page 2

Larrikins

There were seven gold leads fanning out from Dillmanstown on the Kumara Goldfield: Shallow Lead, Shamrock Lead, Dunedin Flat, Ross Terrace, Scandinavian Lead, Mignonnette Flat and Larrikins. The richest leads were Dunedin Flat and Larrikins. The exact discovery of Larrikins Lead is hazy but on February 25, 1888 a travelling ministerial party were told:

"Larrikins was named simply because a party of Larrikins during the first of the Kumara Rush broke some windows and committed other depredations in the town, that caused the ‘Man in Blue’ to inquire after their welfare. They took to the bush for it and, for amusement in the day time, they commenced to sink a shaft, but owl-like, visited the town at night. Good gold was got in the shaft, hence the Larrikins rush. The band of Larrikins became heroes, the broken windows were forgotten and the memory of the ‘Man in Blue’ became a blank."

The ‘larrikins’ were Frank Payne, Sam Deans and Billy Williams. Frank Payne continued to work close to the Kumara township under the name Payne and Party. They sluiced with ten heads of water from Holmes’ water race (a head of water is equal to 1 cubic foot of water per second). Between 1891 and 1895 five men worked the claim. In 1896 the number of men employed there was reduced to three.

Williams involvement in local politics

Richard Seddon, Kumara, and the Roots of Labour Reform

Richard John Seddon arrived in New Zealand in 1866 and settled in Kumara around 1876, where he ran a store and pub before entering politics. Gold was discovered near his home on the terrace opposite what became his residence, triggering one of New Zealand’s last major gold rushes. He became the Member of Parliament for Hokitika in 1879 and later served as Premier of New Zealand from 1893. Seddon lived in Kumara for about 20 years and was deeply involved in the town’s community life.

A member of the Liberal Party, Seddon helped lay the groundwork for many social and economic reforms that would later influence the Labour Party’s ideals, including workers’ rights, old-age pensions, and state housing. The Liberal Party, especially under Seddon’s leadership, was New Zealand’s first major political party and the first to broadly represent working-class interests, effectively serving as a policy precursor to the Labour Party. The Labour Party itself was officially founded in 1916, ten years after Seddon’s death in 1906, through the merger of several socialist and workers' organisations, including the United Federation of Labour and the Social Democratic Party.

Given that Kumara’s population was only a few thousand at its peak, and that William Williams lived and worked there during the same era, it is quite possible that the two men knew each other or were at least acquainted within the small, close-knit community.

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS. Kumara Times, Issue 2549, 4 November 1884, Page 3 

Kumara: The Last Great Gold Rush and the Rise of a Premier

Kumara, a small West Coast town in New Zealand, was the stage for one of the country’s final great gold rushes, sparked in 1876. Though gold had first been discovered on the West Coast at Greenstone in 1864, it wasn’t until a dozen years later that Kumara's rich gravels came to light—entirely by accident.

According to local lore, two struggling miners, Dick Cashman and James Connor, were preparing to set up an illegal whiskey still in the dense bush opposite what would later become Premier Richard Seddon’s house. While clearing ground in 1874, they struck gold—coarse, nuggety, and plentiful. They managed to keep the discovery secret for two years, but when word inevitably spread in 1876, a full-scale gold rush erupted.

Almost overnight, the bush gave way to a booming town. Kumara soon boasted over 40 licensed hotels, banks, a hospital, police station, courthouse, two schools, and its own newspaper, The Kumara Times. The town's cosmopolitan mix included Chinese miners and European settlers. Just east of Kumara, the satellite settlement of Dillmanstown also flourished with stores, hotels, a sawmill, and extensive water races for sluicing.

Among Kumara’s most influential figures was Richard John Seddon, affectionately known as King Dick. Having arrived in New Zealand in 1866, Seddon worked as a storekeeper and publican in nearby Goldsborough before relocating to Kumara with his family at the start of the rush. He soon rose to local and then national political prominence, serving as Member of Parliament for Westland for 28 years, including 13 years as Premier of New Zealand (1893–1906). Seddon's early life in the goldfields shaped his populist appeal and deep connection with working-class New Zealanders.

Though the gold eventually dwindled, Kumara endured. The timber industry and later the Kaniere Gold Dredge kept the town alive for decades. Today, with a population just over 300, Kumara is experiencing a quiet revival, spurred on by the West Coast Wilderness Trail and a renewed appreciation of its rich and colourful past.

Why Were So Many Children Named William? There Was a King William – Known as the Sailor King

Families often looked to the monarchy and public figures for inspiration when naming children, and William was seen as a name that carried stability and prestige and was popular within both working and upper-class families in the UK and its colonies.

One of the key influences was King William IV (the Fourth), was born on 21 August 1765 and died on 20 June 1837. He became king in 1830 at the age of 64 following the death of his elder brother, George the Fourth, and reigned until his death seven years later, after which his niece Queen Victoria succeeded him. Reigned from 1830 until 1837. William was the third son of King George III, making him an unlikely successor to the throne. He joined the Royal Navy at the age of 13 and earned the nickname “The Sailor King”. He fought in the American Revolutionary War and spent time in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. His time at sea was formed bonds ordinary sailors, and he was popular with the general public. In 1789, he was made Duke of Clarence and St Andrews, and although he retired from active naval service by 1790, his association with maritime affairs continued throughout his life.

William’s personal life was unconventional. He lived for many years with the actress Dorothea Jordan, with whom he had ten illegitimate children known as the FitzClarences. Following political and financial pressures, he ended this relationship and married Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen in 1818. They had two daughters, both of whom died in infancy. As he had no surviving legitimate children, his niece Victoria became heir to the throne. Despite lacking a formal education and royal refinement, William’s plain manner, dislike of court pomp, and openness to reform made him a relatable monarch. He walked unguarded in the streets, was approachable, and brought a new sense of modesty to the monarchy. His popularity and character likely helped solidify the appeal of the name William for a new generation of families.

Caroline is a name linked to Royalty too.

Queen Caroline, born Caroline Amelia Elizabeth of Brunswick on 17 May 1768, became Queen Consort of the United Kingdom in 1820 as the wife of King George IV, and died in London on 7 August 1821.

Queen Caroline was the wife of William IV's older brother, King George IV. Their marriage was highly dramatic and fraught with scandal, culminating in public trials and her exclusion from George IV’s coronation. Caroline became a household name throughout Britain, and the public largely viewed her as a mistreated and defiant figure. Her plight captured the imagination of many, and her name became symbolic of resilience and injustice. The widespread sympathy for Caroline added to the popularity of her name, and alongside William’s own rise to the throne, contributed to the enduring appeal of both names in British households during the early nineteenth century. There were many sailing ships named Caroline, and it is thought Timaru's Caroline Bay could be named after a whale supply ship Caroline.

According to the book "Samuel Williams Whaller/Publican, First Permanent Resident of Timaru, New Zealand, History and Descendants, written by Nola Towgoodm Samuel Willams arrived to New Zealand onbaord the Caroline.

"In the 1830s, when Sam arrived in Australia, he was engaged by Messrs Weller Brothers, shipowners in Sydney, a trading firm with extensive whaling interests in Otago. In 1838, Weller Bros. decided to establish a station at Timaru, and Sam, as part of the original party, came out in the firm's sailing vessel Caroline. A small party appears to have been operating there in 1839, but the main party brought over from Australia in the barque Sarah Ann Elizabeth did not arrive until April 1840. Octavius Harwood, foreman and clerk at Weller’s Otago Station, records Samuel Williams as being leader of this party and boat steersman and harpooner at the new station—a rather responsible position for one so young."

Founding & Early Landscape

• The West Coast of New Zealand's South Island was originally untouched forest and river systems rich in eels, whitebait, and birdlife.

• Glacial activity and river floods laid down gold-bearing alluvium and greenstone.

• Māori settled along river mouths, living lightly off the land and using natural resources with spiritual care and minimal environmental impact.

Gold Discovery & Rush Era (1860s–1870s)

• The Hokitika gold discovery (mid-1860s) launched a wave of prospectors into the West Coast.

• Kumara’s gold was discovered by sly-groggers near the Teremakau River in the 1870s.

• News spread quickly, drawing thousands from Australia, Otago, and Canterbury, including Māori war veterans.

• Kumara rapidly expanded from a handful of diggers to a population of nearly 5,000.

• Richard John Seddon arrived early, establishing a store and hotel, and would later enter politics.

Infrastructure & Expansion

• Kumara’s survival depended on supply routes from Hokitika; a tramline to Greymouth was built but roads remained rough and unreliable.

• The town was planned with a grid layout, wide streets, and public amenities such as hotels, dancing halls, and business centres.

• Surrounding settlements—Dillmans, Cape Terrace, Greenstone, and Westbrook—contributed to a thriving local economy.

William Williams & The Larrikins

• William Williams and his group of young miners, dubbed “The Larrikins,” were initially mocked but later struck gold and established a small settlement.

• Williams married, raised a family in Larrikins, and became a local identity.

• His group contributed to Kumara’s early growth and community spirit.

Sporting Achievements

• William Williams became known as “Flash Billy” for his fashion and athletic skill.

• He defeated an Australian champion runner and was widely celebrated.

• Won the West Coast Running Championship (Kumara, 1882–1884) and a medal for Rifle Shooting in 1882.

• Both his cup and medal are housed in the West Coast Historical Museum in Hokitika.

Richard John Seddon’s Political Legacy

• Seddon became a strong advocate for miners’ rights, holding regular meetings and representing their grievances.

• Elected MP for Kumara in 1879 and later Premier of New Zealand (1893–1906).

• Secured grants for infrastructure—roads, bridges, water races, dams.

• Supported the eight-hour workday, pensions, and suffrage—ideas that grew from Kumara’s political culture.

Social Life & Decline (1900–1906)

• By the turn of the century, Kumara had visibly declined.

• Shops were shuttered, homes were unpainted or abandoned, and entertainment halls were empty husks.

• Town life had shifted from youthful excitement to domestic routine.

• Remaining residents faced poverty, and no visible wealth remained from the gold boom.

Domestic and Family Life

• Families lived in small cottages, often too cramped for their size.

• Interiors were modest, usually featuring one multipurpose living room, a fireplace, and a shared dining table.

• Men spent evenings at the pub; women managed the home and children under kerosene lamp light.

• The living room was the cultural and emotional centre of the household.

Roads, Dillmans, and The Break

• Kumara was well laid out, with main streets designed for longevity by the Provincial Council.

• The road to Dillmans was critical during the boom, with constant traffic from miners, horses, and carts.

• Dillmans declined by the early 1900s, overrun by tailings and abandoned huts.

• Children watched hydraulic nozzles undermine hillsides; water races and flumes were common.

• The narrator’s family lived at The Break, midway between Kumara and Dillmans, with access to the Teremakau River and a panoramic view of the mountains.

Cultural Diversity and Environmental Impact

• Greenstone was the most culturally diverse suburb, including Portuguese, Italians, Australians, and a large Chinese community.

• Chinese miners lived in separate areas, used traditional methods, and made efficient use of natural resources.

• They reprocessed abandoned claims meticulously and were known for their frugality and community rituals.

• The gold rush devastated native bird populations, especially tui and pigeon, which were hunted for food.

Kumara’s Identity and Legacy

• Kumara was a unique blend of rough frontier life, civic ambition, and social egalitarianism.

• It had a strong cultural identity, merging hard labour with public celebration, sport, and community leadership.

• Richard Seddon remained deeply connected to the town, and his returns were treated like royal visits.

• Kumara fostered progressive social values long before they became national policy.