A newly published book, The Spirit of a Place: A New History of The Elms Te Papa Tauranga, by acclaimed historian and author Sarah Ell, was officially launched under the magnolia trees at The Elms in August – marking a significant moment in the preservation and sharing of Tauranga’s deep and complex past.

The launch brought together Ell, photographer Amanda Aitken, and their families, who were welcomed on to the historic property in recognition of their mahi (work).

The Elms’ previous comprehensive history was published by C.W. Vennell in 1980s with a book, Brown and the Elms. That book, with assistance from Duff Maxwell – the last of the Maxwell family to live on-site – focused heavily on the missionary period.

Broadened scope

“When I got the commission to write this book, I really wanted to broaden the scope,” said Ell. “I proposed a thematic approach rather than a purely chronological one – looking at the gardens, the families who lived there, and restoring the Māori history to the beginning of the story, which had been missing. That was really the thrust of it.”

The cover of ‘The Spirit of a Place: A New History of The Elms Te Papa Tauranga’. Photo / Amanda Aitken.

Ell, who describes herself as a “historic houses nut”, first visited The Elms 15 years ago and was captivated by its atmosphere and stories. “I do love a good historic place,” she said. “When I saw the opportunity to pitch this project, it was right up my alley.”

But delving into the history of Tauranga wasn’t without its challenges.

“The history here is quite gnarly to deal with, and quite confrontational,” Ell said. “Especially when it comes to the New Zealand Wars and land confiscation. It’s been a difficult and thorny topic for many years. But just not talking about it, not looking at it, is not helping.”

The book benefits from decades of new research since Vennell’s publication, Ell said.

“As Andrew Gregg said at the launch, since 1984, there’s been a lot more local historians contributing to different aspects of the story. The Treaty of Waitangi claims process uncovered significant Māori history. There’s been the Anglican Church’s apology, and the work of people like Dr Alistair Reese, who advocated for the return of confiscated land.”

Good timing

For Ell, these developments presented a timely moment to revisit and reinterpret The Elms story.

“With so much more discussion about the New Zealand Wars and our history now – and with it part of the school curriculum – the timing is good. We even have a National Day of Remembrance for the wars, which is helping bring this history into the public consciousness.”

One of the most striking features of the house is the curved staircase leading up to the attic, photographed for the book by Amanda Aitken. Photo /Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Ell was especially struck by the personal fallout from the military’s arrival at The Elms.

“Tauranga Māori weren’t originally part of the conflict. But they were supplying Waikato Māori, who were being fought by the Crown. So, the British cut off that supply line. For local Māori, it would have been a horrible shock. And a shock for Reverend Brown to have the army turn up and set up camp on his lawn. That trust he had built with Māori over 30 years basically just went down the drain.

“Brown hosted the British officers in the house the night before Gate Pā,” Ell said. “He did help to bury both British soldiers and Māori, but after the army camped at The Elms, things were never the same. When he died in the 1870s, no Māori reportedly attended his funeral. Many had been driven out of Tauranga. That relationship had been broken, and I suspect he felt very sad about that for the rest of his life.”

Women

Another revelation for Ell was the prominence of women in The Elms’ story.

“This was a female-dominated environment for much of its history,” she said. “In the 1850s, visitors even referred to it as ‘the convent’ – Brown’s daughter lived there, as did the daughters of other missionaries, seeking respite from war or illness elsewhere. Later, the house was left to a sister and nieces who never married. There was continuous occupation by women for a really long period.”

Despite financial hardship, those women – and later Duff Maxwell and his wife – never gave up on preserving the property.

“They could’ve sold it or walked away, but they sacrificed their lives for it. Duff felt it was his calling – to open it to the public, to make its stories and heritage freely accessible. That aspect of service was eye-opening.”

Chapter seven covers three generations of the Maxwell family who lived at The Elms. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Ell was amazed at how little the house has changed since the 1830s. “It’s almost completely intact. We grew up knowing about the Treaty House in Waitangi and the mission houses in the Bay of Islands, but here’s one in the middle of a major New Zealand city, and many people don’t even know it’s here.”

The book is also visually rich, with newly commissioned photography by Aitken.

“We developed a detailed shot list and Amanda captured everything beautifully – especially the small details. Her images have a special quality.”

Enduring taonga

At 328 pages, The Spirit of a Place is a substantial and enduring taonga (treasure), with potential to serve as a treasured keepsake for visitors – including international tourists and cruise ship passengers – and as an educational resource for BOP residents.

The book includes never-before-seen images, including a recently uncovered watercolour of British soldiers from the Durham Light Infantry, who arrived in Tauranga in 1864. The artwork, found in a UK museum, shows them training with Mauao in the background.

Ell returns to Tauranga next month as part of Tauranga Arts Festival, where she’ll speak at the Carrus Crystal Palace and participate in a series of school visits.

“We want to talk to local tamariki [children] about Tauranga’s history. The curriculum now encourages students to connect national stories to their own region – and The Elms is a huge part of that.”

She hopes the book helps fill a long-standing gap. “Tauranga hasn’t had a major heritage destination, and without a museum for many years, there’s been nowhere to really engage with the city’s past. The Elms offers that – a place where people can come, learn, and reflect on how local history connects to our national story.”

For Ell, the project was nothing short of a dream. “I love historic homes. I love uncovering personal and often forgotten stories.”