Today in History

1847 Gilfillan killings near Wanganui

A Maori raid on the Gilfillan farm at Matarawa, near Wanganui, left four family members dead. John Gilfillan − an able artist who provided a useful insight into Wanganui’s colonial history with his many sketches − and one of his daughters were severely wounded

This attack was a reprisal for an incident a few days earlier in Wanganui, when a young Maori was accidentally shot in the face by a midshipman from HMS Calliope. The town's military surgeon tended to his wounds and as his condition improved it was hoped that this was the end of the matter.

It was not. On the evening of 18 April six Maori men attacked the Gilfillan homestead. John Gilfillan escaped to get help, believing that he was the real target and that his family would not be harmed. When he returned the next morning he found his wife and three of their children dead and their house burned to the ground. Two younger children escaped unharmed, while another daughter was wounded in the attack.

Those responsible − all aged 14 to 19 years − escaped up the Whanganui River. Rivalry between Maori of the lower and upper Whanganui came to the fore when lower-river Maori from Putiki captured five of the culprits and handed them over to the British authorities. Military justice was swift. On 23 April four of the prisoners were found guilty of murder and hanged. The 14-year-old was spared, but banished from the district.

Fearing an outbreak of widespread fighting, many settlers in outlying areas fled into Wanganui and the town’s defences were strengthened. In May the Ngati Haua te Rangi chief Te Mamaku attacked with 300 warriors. Governor Grey arrived with additional troops and there were a number of small skirmishes over the next couple of months. The fighting ended after a rather indecisive battle on 19 July at St John’s Wood. Te Mamaku returned to his upriver stronghold near Pipiriki.

Image: John Gilfillan and his surviving daughter (Timeframes)