Later Years of the Young Qualtroughs from the book "A Quota of Qualtrough" Pages 48-70

 

Richard Qualtrough (1836-1896) - Medal for Service

 

 

RICHARD, called Richy as a child and Dick later on, must have inherited his father's strength, according to James Cowan's references to pioneer days.

 

As a very young man - and like brothers William and Thomas -he left Pakuranga to make a life for himself in the developing Waikato. He joined the Waikato detachment of the Armed Constabulary Field Force, a body similar to the Canadian North-West Mounted Police, but more actively involved in warfare than the "Mounties".

 

The Armed Constabulary had been formed in 1868 to assist the militia keep the peace following the outbreak of the New Zealand Wars and reached its peak of activity and renown in Taranaki against the Hauhaus between 1879-1883.

 

The "Men in Blue" were of courageous, settler-farmer background who could ride well, shoot straight and were prepared to defend what they considered their own. Even after the official end to hostilities the Armed Constabulary patrolled borders, accompanied parties of surveyors pushing through new roads and manned the redoubts and blockhouses set up for the protection of settlers from Maori raiding parties.

 

Dick Qualtrough was among those awarded The New Zealand War Medal for his services (under the list of medallists he is called 'Quatborough' so the Manx name must have been an odd one even then) and gained the rank of sergeant. He took part in an exploration of the Cambridge-Te Awamutu main road with a party led by Sub-Inspector Stuart Newall.

 

The Armed Constabulary was dissolved in 1885 and the Militia kept the peace thereafter. Stuart Newall, with the rank of Lieut-Colonel, left New Zealand with the Fifth Contingent for the Boer War and had previously - May, 1898 - commanded the force that settled a dispute in the Waimea Valley, near Rawene, in Northland.

 

Richard Qualtrough, however, like so many settlers who had lived and worked beside the Maori in a harmonious relationship, had no real heart for fighting. He slipped off to Australia (to avoid further military service, it is said within the family) and wandered around, out of touch with his brothers and sisters until in 1919, and a sick man, he returned to New Zealand to spend his last years with his kinsfolk.

 

He stayed a short time with Tom and his family in Hamilton, then went to live with a niece, Alice McGhie (William's eldest daughter) and her husband George, at Kihikihi. Later he went to live with another niece, 'Bunny' Schwarz (William's fifth daughter) and her husband Bruno, at Matamata, where he died - nursed by sister, Emily - in 1921, aged 74

 

He is interred in the Hautapu Cemetery, Cambridge. (See Genealogical Chart 4).