One such person who spent time on the Thames Goldfields, was CHARLES BLOMFIELD. The extended Blomfield family arrived in New Zealand in 1863 on the Gertrude.
"Samuel found work in the building industry, and Charles was employed by a house painter and was taught paint mixing, wood graining and other decorative skills. He was later to set up a business specialising in decorative art work.
By 1867 economic depression and unemployment had come to Auckland. Following the discovery of gold at Thames, Samuel took his family to live there; he soon found employment building houses for the hundreds of people who joined the goldrush. Charles Blomfield, with two of his friends, was among the gold-seekers, but their claim was very poor and after weeks of hard work they had only a meagre amount to show for their efforts."
Source: Muriel Williams. 'Blomfield, Charles - Biography', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 1-Sep-10
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/2b28/1
Charles BLOMFIELD is remembered today for his landscape paintings, including the one below of the 'pink and white terraces.'
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| Oil painting of the White Terraces, Lake Rotomahana, by Charles Blomfield, 1888 |
