Rev JH Hawkes - 1883 to 1884

Rev JH Hawkes – 1883 to 1884

When Rev Smeaton resigned, the Rev. J. H.  Hawkes of Russell applied for the position. The Board however decided to close the school, and their Secretary wrote, "Sufficient present inducements not offered, the school should be closed at all events until the New Year". At a subsequent meeting, held in September 1883, a more positive approach was apparent which saw the Board advertising the vacancy. 

Eight applications for the position were received, including one from a local teacher, but Rev. Hawkes who had been invited by the Board to reapply, was appointed on 24th November 1883.

Born in the city of Cork, in Ireland he graduated at Dublin University. He married his first wife in London in 1866 and shortly after his arrival in NZ he took orders in the Church of England. He was then appointed as vicar to the oldest church in New Zealand that of Russell, Bay of Islands, and his parish extended to Hokianga. He then moved his family down to live in Whangārei, to take up the school position. 

[He was still carrying out the duties of a clergyman all over the surrounding districts for free, and so winning the hearts of the people that they petitioned the bishop to appoint him their vicar. He collected money and had the present Kamo Church built, one of several others in the Far North that owe their erection to his labours - and so became the first vicar of Kamo].

Although Rev. Hawkes had been led to believe that he would have twelve pupils, when the school commenced on 28th January 1884 the door opened to a roll call of four. A further four were enrolled in April including Charlotte, one of his three daughters, and with Rev. Hawkes's other two daughters, Emily and Annie, the roll eventually reached ten pupils.

In 1884 after it had been ascertained that no grant would be available for the current year the board reluctantly decided to close the school for a period of time. The Board was forced to advise Rev. Hawkes that his services as Headmaster would not be required after the end of that year. 

In November Mr. Keyte was informed that the use of his building, which had served as a school for a little over three years, was no longer needed, and the school closed once more.

For a while Rev. Hawkes continued teaching in a private capacity for a while, and borrowed maps, desks, ink-wells and black-boards from the now defunct school, to do so. The Board also offered him a selection of books at a discount rate of ten per cent below the wholesale price. 

After this role as headmaster he went back to being a clergyman at the Kamo parish until he resigned in 1913. Rev Hawkes died in Remuera in Auckland on 12 June 1932 at the age of 89. He passed away in his sleep after an attack of bronchitis. Leaving his second wife and grown-up family. 

For the six years that followed, although the school had neither pupils nor teachers it never actually ceased to exist. Mr. W. Bedlington, the last secretary, continued to furnish the Education Board with the required annual returns, and as far as practicable the Board of Governors continued to exercise their responsibilities, ever ready to reopen the school should the opportunity arise.