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The Town of New Plymouth in the Year 1843

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Sketch taken by Mrs Wickstead, of John Tylston Wickstead Esq. The Company's agent on Mount Eliot. Reference: "Early History of New Zealand"  published 1890.

                                                                                           Pare Tutu or Sugar Loaf Peak         Matu-o Munanja Island of Flight

Mr Rundell                                                 Mr Newland          Mr Sheperd                         Mr Lewthwaite                  Moturoa or Tall Island 
Labourers Residences, commonly called Devonport

New Plymouth

Hucker, Graham. Glimpses of New Zealand in the nineteenth Century, a  textbook for Form 7 students.  Examines the impact whalers and sealers had on the Maori and finishes with a close study of the important issues that faced the NZ population late in the 19th century and includes an extract from a 1842 diary by Anne FLIGHT, immigrant off the TIMANDRA, describing  life in the New Plymouth settlement. Here are a  a few snippets from from that diary. Spellings are hers, and surnames are capitalised.
Feb. Mon 28th....Did not get wet coming ashore. Took tea in our tent. (Fried potato & pork) and we found we must place our mattress on the floor (sand).  Did so, annoyed to be so exposed.   Messers GROUBE, TAYLOR & DEVENISH, CLARE and his wife GALLOP's wife and two children all to sleep in the tent....Annoyed with fleas but considering all things slept soundly.
March Tue1: Altered a few things in the tent.  In the centre a number of boxes are placed to form a table with some boards on top.
Mon 7: Began trading with Maori
June Sun 5th.  The rats destroyed all the nuts in a raisin box.
Wed 29:  Gladdened by the sight of a ship (VANGUARD)
July Thur 7:  SHEPPARDs whare blown up with gunpowder, himself and ALLEN much burnt
Friday8:  Much alarmed at the Maori of Waionganui disturbing the BAILEYS and burning the Whare of PAINTER and PEARCE, two settlers in the neighborhood.
Saturdy 9:  Maori coming up to see Mr WICKSTEED. We all feel very anxious.
August Sun 7:  First Whale caught.
Thurs 11:....my birthday.  Mr & Mrs GILLINGHAM took tea and supped with us. Horticultural meeting....this day forcibly reminds me of past days, past birthdays spent in happy England, both before and since my marriage.  The like of which can ne'er return again.