The Elms Te Papa Tauranga now displays a rare, historic wooden toy with a unique link to the mission station, with the lady donating it being a descendant of early missionary William Williams.

Tauranga woman Alison Underwood – who is a tour guide at The Elms – has gifted her family's hand-crafted Noah's Ark after having it sit on top of a china cabinet in her hallway for more than 20 years.

The toy is thought to have been brought to New Zealand by William Williams, a member of the Church Missionary Society and close friend of Alfred Brown.

Alfred also served as a CMS missionary in New Zealand from 1829 to 1884.

The intricate details of each animal and person – thought to be hand-carved in Germany nearly 200 years ago – is breath-taking. Photo: Brydie Thompson.

The Brown family took up residence at Te Papa (Tauranga) in January 1838 – and it was on part of this land where the mission house stood and was purchased in 1873 by Alfred, to be named The Elms.

Alison, who wants the treasure to be enjoyed by the public, says: 'It seems appropriate for the Ark to be displayed in a house that was the Te Papa Mission Station”.

'I've had it about 23 years, and it was sitting in my mother's house for 20 years before that."

Good friends

Alison started guiding at The Elms Te Papa Tauranga in 2019 after being encouraged by a historian friend.

'For the last 15 years I've wanted to give the Ark to a museum – it was just a question of which one.

'When I started guiding at The Elms, I thought: ‘This is ideal'. The reason that cemented my choice is that William Williams was such a good friend of Alfred Brown. It is the right setting.”

The intricate details of each animal and person – thought to be hand-carved in Germany nearly 200 years ago – is breath-taking. Photo: Brydie Thompson.

Alison believes the toy is close to 200 years old.

'The reason I say this is because William Williams came out to New Zealand just under 200 years ago. Also, later versions of such a toy seem to be painted – this one has no paint.”

As such, Alison believes people who visit The Elms Te Papa Tauranga will appreciate the heirloom and the history behind it.

'It's so beautifully carved – it was probably carved by candlelight by German farmers – it's just absolutely amazing.”

Alison says the toy originally had 200 creatures – today there are 165 pieces.

'I've also gifted a list that comes with it, which identifies all of the creatures and the people.”

Grateful

The Elms Foundation Trust is extremely grateful for the donation.

From elephants to insects, the Noah's Ark toy is now on display for all to see at the Elms Te Papa Tauranga. Photo: Brydie Thompson.

'We are humbled that Alison has entrusted this precious family heirloom to The Elms Foundation," says general manager Andrew Gregg.

'The ark and collection of animals have been positioned on top of the piano inside the drawing room, where it can be seen and admired from behind the barrier rope.

'It seemed the appropriate place given there are other educational toys close by.”

Andrew says Noah's Arks were among the most popular wooden toys of the 19th Century and have been manufactured since the 1700s.

'It's virtually impossible to identify who made the Williams' family Ark, as it was largely a cottage industry centred mostly in Seiffen, Germany.

Andrew says William Williams visited the Te Papa Mission Station and regularly corresponded with Alfred Brown.

'The Ark is a good example of a toy in the 19th Century and was also known to be used by early missionaries to explain the biblical tale to Maori.”

The Williams family

William Williams came to New Zealand in 1826 and with wife Jane joined Henry Williams at the CMS mission station in Paihia where he was initially responsible for the Boys' school.

In the 1830s, Williams journeyed extensively throughout the Waikato, but by 1840 he had settled at the mission station at Tūranga (present-day Gisborne) and in 1859 was installed as the first Anglican Bishop of Waiapu.

The Noah's Arks toy has 165 magnificent pieces on display in The Elms' Drawing Room. Photo: Brydie Thompson.

Alison says the Ark may have come with him on his first journey to New Zealand, or sent out later.

She believes William Williams would have passed the toy down to his son William Leonard Williams, then to his daughter Margaret Ellen Williams, who married into the MacLean family.

Alison is the great grand-daughter of Margaret Ellen Williams – who married Christopher MacLean – and so the sixth generation to own the family heirloom.

To view the historical treasure, you can visit The Elms Te Papa Tauranga at 15 Mission St, Tauranga. The Elms Te Papa Tauranga is open 11am-3pm daily, via an entry charge.