Samuel Ironside (9 September 1814–24 April 1897) was an English Methodist missionary in New Zealand, where he became a supporter and signatory of the Treaty of Waitangi."Samuel Ironside in New Zealand", W. A. Chambers, His brother

Isaac Ironside Isaac Ironside (17 September 1808 – 20 August 1870) was an English Chartist and socialist politician, whose activities were centred in Sheffield. Early years Born near Masbrough, Rotherham, Ironside grew up in Sheffield, the son of Samuel Iron ...

remained in Sheffield, becoming a notable Chartist.

Biography

Ironside was born in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, England on 9 September 1814. After studying at a Wesleyan theological college, he left England to seek missionary work in the South Seas and arrived at Hokianga, New Zealand, in 1839. Within a few months, Ironside became fluent in the Maori language and was a witness to the Treaty of Waitangi which established British sovereignty over New Zealand. In the same year, he established what was called the Cloudy Bay Mission at Ngakuta Bay, at the head of Port Underwood, on 20 December 1840. During 1842 he established Wesleyan centres at Nelson and Motueka. In 1843 his warnings about Maori unrest failed to avert a massacre at Wairua near Nelson. He sailed to the site of conflict to bury the dead. Ironside then moved to Wellington and became active in public life. He was a member of the committee which arranged the Te Aro land purchase of 1844 and witnessed the Maori's signatures to the document. He advised the government on Maori affairs, at the same time retaining the respect and admiration of the Maori population. He worked at Nelson from 1849 to 1854 and then at New Plymouth. After moving to Australia in 1857 he worked as a missionary in Sydney, Adelaide and later Melbourne, where he was also secretary to the Victorian foreign mission. He retired to Hobart in 1878 and remained there until his death.

References

1814 births 1897 deaths English Methodist missionaries Clergy from Sheffield English emigrants to New Zealand Methodist missionaries in New Zealand 19th-century Methodists {{NewZealand-reli-bio-stub