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The Maori hand club, or mere, was used both as a weapon and on ceremonial occasions. Made of stone, bone or wood, hand clubs were used for close-range fighting. This brass copy was one of 40 commissioned by the naturalist Sir Joseph Banks, as he prepared to accompany Captain James Cook for a second time on a voyage to find the fabled great Southern continent.
The mere is 36 centimetres long and 13 centimetres at its widest point. It is cast from a single piece of smooth brass and is paddle-shaped with a rounded blade. The blade is broad and flat, and tapers down to the handle. The handle flares out just before the tip to give the user a firmer grip. A neat hole is bored into the handle to allow a wrist thong to be attached. The golden colour of the brass has acquired a brown patina over time as the metal has come into contact with the air. This has left dark patches which are almost black in some areas, and in places the surface of the brass is scuffed and gouged.
Etched onto the centre of the blade and coloured white is the coat of arms of Joseph Banks: a shield 6 centimetres long, with a cross on it and four fleur de lys, one set in each quarter of the cross. Banks was later to be given a knighthood, but at the time this mere was commissioned, he styled himself simply Joseph Banks Esq. and the name, with Joseph shortened to J O S, runs along the top of the shield. At the base of the shield is the date of commission, 1772, the sevens elongated elegantly in the style of the time.
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We are after information about the pictured item that is made of brass and was found while diving at Niue Island.
Although I have found no similar items on the internet we thought it may be for placing an imprint on a wax seal?
The item is around 13 cm tall, 5 cm across the base and heavy for its size. Any indication you could give would be most welcome."
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 The DVD about our project looking at what remains of the Boyd is now finished and available to buy. We look at why the Boyd was here, what the Boyd may have looked like, and briefly cover the massacre but don't go into any detail as that is already covered in the DVD "The Tragedy of the Boyd" as our goal is to look at the remains as they are today. This is an on going project and during the process of making this one we created a few more questions that will need to be researched in the future. On this DVD we show the first video shot of the Boyd as it is today.
The DVD has a running time of 36 minutes. Copies can be purchased online in our Online Shop or an order form can be downloaded, order form here and posted in with a cheque. If paying by cheque, the DVD won't be posted until the cheque has cleared.
Paid up Underwater Heritage Group members can email
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to receive a coupon code to be entered when purchasing online to receive the member discount. |
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In 1773 the cutter from the Adventure was captured by the Maori at Wharehunga Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. They ate the crew. They also made pendants from broken crockery. I am trying to identify the crockery and have spent many hours of research on this. Perhaps someone out there may have some ideas on the origin of the crockery based on what can be seen of the pattern on this piece. |
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 Graeme Doherty, a relative of the sole survivor Arthur Doherty, is seeking information regarding the possible location of the scow Lena which sank in the Hauraki Gulf in 1957. An account of this sinking is in the shipwreck section. Additional information supplied by Graeme is below, that was in the National Archives when a fishing vessel fouled their gear.
This Department was informed by Mr Cole of Kia Ora Fisheries that on the 10th October 1957, that one of his Company’s fishing vessels, M.V.”Lister”, had Fouled part of her gear on an obstruction which they believed to be part of the “Lena”. The position given was South-East of the Tarakihi group of Islands and since the “Lena” was last seen just off Bass Rock, this position could possibly be correct.
Before any further action to be taken by the Department it wanted a Mr L.W. Subristsky of Auckland ,Skin Diver to complete an investigation of the area.
The Collector of Customs----16th January 1958
In reply to your memorandum of the 23rd December 1957.
I have to advise you that arrangements have been made with the Hydro graphic Branch of the Navy to carry out a sweep of the area with a survey launch.
You will be informed in due course of the result of the Navy’s investigations.
In the meantime it is not proposed to employ Mr L.W.Subritsky.
If anybody fishing or diving this area and suspect they have seen or snagged the remains, any information would be greatly appreciated by Graeme. |
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