Background:
An excellent article by David Wilton, comprehensively covers Captain Cook's visit to the area in 1769, Cook Landmarks at 'The Thames' (New Zealand), November 1769 is in The Treasury Journal.
"Cook named the Waihou as 'River Thames' as it reminded him of the Thames in England. He regarded the Firth of Thames as part of the river. The name 'Waihou' came back into common use during the 20th century, but the name for the firth has endured."
Above: Part of Captain Cook's map, showing the charting of the River Thames.
Ref: PUBL-0037-25. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22751427
During the 1800s, the whole area became known as 'The Thames' including the Firth or Frith as its was more commonly named.
The first use of name The Thames:
1. 20‐21st November 1769: "The river at this height is as broad as the Thames at Greenwich, and the tide of flood as strong; it is not indeed quite so deep, but has water enough for vessels of more than a middle size, and a bottom of mud, so soft that nothing could take damage by running ashore. About three o’clock, we reimbarked, in order to return with the first of the ebb, and named the river the THAMES, it having some resemblance to our own river of that name."
From the official record of the voyage written by John Hawkesworth and published in London in 1773.
2A. In Cook's journal on the 20th November 1769, he makes mention of the similarity with the River Thames in England.
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| Captain Cook |
"Monday 20th Moderate breeze at SSE and fair weather. At 2 PM the Boats returnd from sounding not haveing found above 3 feet more water than where we now lay; upon this I resolved to go no farther with the Ship. but to examine the head of the Bay in the boats for as it appeared to run a good way inland I thought this a good oportunity to see a little of the Interior parts of the Country and its produce: Accordingly at Day light in the morning I set out with the Pinnace and Long boat accompaned by Mr Banks, DrSolander and Tobiaupia. We found the Bay inlet end in a ^fresh water River about 9 Miles above the Ship, Into which we enterd with the first of the flood and before we had gone 3 miles up it found the water quite fresh. We saw a number of the natives and landed at one of their Villages the Inhabitants of which received us with open arms, we made but a short stay with them but proceeded up the River untill near Noon, when finding the ^face of the Country to continue pretty much the same and no alteration in the Course or stream of the ^River or the least probillity of seeing the end of it, we landed on the West side in order to take a View of the lofty Trees which adorne its banks, being at this time 12 or 14 Miles within the entrance and here the tide of flood run as strong as it doth in the River T^hams below bridge."
2B. Captain Cook: Tuesday 21st "After land as above-mentioned we had not gone a hundred yards into the Woods before we found a tree that girted 19 feet 8 Inches, 6 feet above the Ground, and having a quadrant with me I found its length from the root to the first branch to be 89 feet. it was as streight as an arrow and taper'd but very little in proportion to its length. so that ^I judged that there was 356 solid feet of timber in this tree clear of the branches. We saw many others of the same sort several of which was half as long again were taller than the one we measured and all of them very stout; there were likewise many other sorts of very stout timber trees all of them wholy unknown to any of us we brought away a few specimans and at 3 oClock we embarqued in order to return on bioard with the very first of the Ebb ^ but not before we had named this River the Thames on account of its bearing some resemblence to that River in england."
NB. Dave Wilton, (author of the first article mentioned above), reminds us that the ship's day starts at midday, not midnight, so he's talking about the same 'day' in our terms.
NB. Dave Wilton, (author of the first article mentioned above), reminds us that the ship's day starts at midday, not midnight, so he's talking about the same 'day' in our terms.
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| Joseph Banks |
3. In Joseph Bank's Journal 20th Nov: "Weather still thick and hazey. We had yesterday resolvd to employ this day in examining the bay so at day break we set out in the boats. A fresh breeze of wind soon carried us to the bottom of the bay, where we found a very fine river broad as the Thames at Greenwich tho not quite so deep, there was however water enough for vessels of more than a midling size and a bottom of mud so soft that nothing could possibly take damage by running ashore. About a mile up this was an Indian town built upon a small bank of Dry sand but totaly surrounded by Deep mud, so much so that I beleive they meant it a defence. The people came out in flocks upon the banks inviting us in, they had heard of us from our good freind Torava;.....As far as this the river had kept its depth and very little decreasd even in breadth; the Captn was so much pleasd with it that he resolvd to call it the Thames."
The Thames, was officially named by Captain James Cook on 20 November 1769. The name given because of the resemblance to The River Thames in England.
The Thames - further development of the name:
Before and after the opening of the goldfield, the area was known as The Thames. When the goldfield opened 1 August 1967, the name remained, but the areas of population became known as towns in their own right. Specifically: Shortland Town, Grahamstown - plus Parawai, Tararu, Tookey's Town, and the Moanataiari. While other settlement areas existed in the hills.
It was in 1873 that the name took a new meaning, when the townships joined together to be known as Thames.
The Borough of Thames was official - gazetted in November 1873, and the first council meeting was held in 15 April 1874.
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| THAMES ADVERTISER, VOLUME VII, ISSUE 1790, 16 APRIL 1874 |
Conclusion:
The answer to the question of when Thames got 'its' name is 20 November 1769, by Captain James Cook. The town as a borough came into existence officially in 1873.
An interesting fact is that pioneers always called the town 'The Thames' rather than just 'Thames'.
References:
1. © Derived from Vols. II-III of the London 1773 edition: National Library of Australia call no. FERG 7243, page 353, 2004Published by South Seas, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
To cite this page use: http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-ss-jrnl-hv23-350
2.© Transcription of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 149, 2004Published by South Seas, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
To cite this page use: http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-ss-jrnl-cook-17691120
3. © Derived from State Library of NSW 1998 Transcription of Banks's Endeavour Journal page (vol.2) 87, 2004
Published by South Seas, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
To cite this page use: http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-ss-jrnl-banks-17691120
Further Reading:
Copies of the Journals and writings related to the voyages of Captain Cook and the Endeavour.
