"ONE HUNDRED GOLD SOVEREIGNS" BY JACKIE STODDARD

painting re my pioneer anscestors Rusts etc
Rust (Sir James Douglas Link) , Mearns , McDowell, Gummer , Stoddard's , Spence , Turnery , Rowlandson, Booth, Moginie were all pioneering anscestors.
painting the Douglas Tartan a hard task! the crest and sheild there also.
this painting is called "One Hundered Gold Soverigns"
is 1650 cm x 1250 cm (painting blurb below)

"ONE HUNDRED GOLD SOVEREIGNS"
BY JACKIE STODDARD

One Hundred Gold Sovereigns Is based on the Pioneering days and my genealogy ,
The stories passed down or in history books .
My son being of Ngapuhi descent , Plus my love for Northland , it feels like home
living in Northland 20 years ; and discovering the genealogy / pioneering roots were here.

In the early 1850s my ancestors arrived from Scotland , England , and Ireland on the old sailing ships often after 3 months voyage during which many caught small pox amongst other life threatening diseases ; one ship load of passengers being quarantined on Rangitoto Island for one month !
They then faced a rather rugged life on the allotted 40 acres blocks the Government allowed them . Cutting down trees unfortunately often kauri to build houses .
3 pioneering G G Grandfathers had close relationship with Maori
All spoke fluent Maori , they either traded , taught Bible , or worked with teams of Maori .
John Rust in Whangarei had close ties with Chief Manihera , the Chief nicknaming him ’ Waikura ’ .
Rust lost one hundred gold sovereigns (a years hard earnings) climbing off a cutter ship
William Gummer architect , G Granduncle restored Waitangi Treaty House in 1933.
His grandfather pioneered at Paparoa ..first building a house from wrong type of wood then A kauri sacrificed for wood , but finding Paparoa / Mungaturoto too difficult a life the 3 sons moved to Auckland and took the Kauri to make a flag pole in Birkenhead as a reminder of their first pioneering years in the north. GG grandfather John Gummer is buried at Mungatoroto cemetery where he preached.

Sam Spence worked with Maori and his nickname was “Sammy Penneha”

The Douglas tartan across painting as I’m descended form the Scottish Chieftain “The Black Douglas” who carried Robert the Bruce’s heart . In 1200’s

The painting is meant to have an aged appearance representing 150 years ago