THE OLD GUM BOTTOM (By Woodpecker – AKA A.H.Meiklejohn) Provided by Kerry Moore Now when seismology is being discussed it would be interesting to follow the old gum bottom which in many places shows signs of seismic action, more or less violent. To carry on our study, perhaps no more suitable locality could be found […]

  BEFORE THE TEATREE By A. H Meiklejohn. SHELL THE TRAIL OF THE MAORI In places where the Maori had habitated, cultivated or worked on this Northern Peninsula, he has left an everlasting trail of shell, commonly known as pipi shell. We can follow him from the pipi bank as he wended his way up […]

A MIDNIGHT RUSE By Woodpecker Provided by Kerry Moore Thinking back seventy-four years memory brings to mind a little cutter that used to sail up and down the river in front of our home. About a mile up the river there was an illicit still of considerable dimensions. As evidence there still remains a little […]

AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT Author – Heber Meiklejohn In days gone by we occupied a house on a gentle slope near where the main river met a lovely harbour. For some reason our boat had been left on the far side of the river a little upstream from opposite. It was late in the evening when […]

The Pioneers Of Unionville – By Errol Jones   They sailed away one day in ‘fifty six To trade the seas with stars to give a fix They’d lived on Prince Edward Island five and twenty years Through a time of toil and laughter And…………….. A time of scalding tears Kate and James had brought […]

THE MEIKLEJOHN SAGA or Ballad Written by Errol Jones (great, great grand daughter of Captain James and Catherine Meiklejohn) who married Ross Darroch Jones (a great, great grandson) in 1946. This ballad was read by Humphrey Beale on Radio Pacific in 1988. In 1820 a young Leith lad left the pier at Peterhead A ship’s […]

On the death of R.P. died June 29th 1871   He’s gone and we will miss him here The Christian friend and husband dear He’s gone to join those realms above Have everlasting peace and love Awake the host across the flood Whose sins are washed in Jesus’ blood To bring them home the Lord […]

Loss of Twilight – near Cape Maria van Diemen – March 1871 Skipper – William Meiklejohn – loss of two lives   How blow you gentle breezes blow The Kiporas spacious bay The Twilight schooner loaded for Auckland bore away At 6p.m. the weather fine We set all easy sail On starboard tack we stood […]

From notebook – in use early 1870s: by John Meiklejohn My heart was light and free from care As I walked out one morning fair The sun rose up as from a shroud And clothed the sea with a silver cloud The Tueys sang from the Rata trees Those leaflets shook in the morning breeze […]

Over the years there have been many poems, books and articles written by or about the families and many have been submitted for release on our website.