1
Synopsis
"Thomas" (a working title) covers the life of Thomas Kendall, one of the earliest
missionaries to settle in Aotearoa. While I would describe the work as a novel, the
great majority of characters and events are historically based - with occasional
tweaking (e.g. dates around the battle of Moremonui, the saga of the
Venus
and the
execution of John Cashman). Because the story covers 82 years, information tends to
be collapsed into scenes or events; e.g. much of the quality of Thomas' early
childhood is to be inferred from a shopping expedition he and his mother make to the
local village.
The flow starts from p.16 where Thomas is engaged as a tutor in London. He falls
into sin, then into depression, recovers, meets Jane Quickfall (Historical) and is
manipulated into marriage with her. He moves with Jane and the beginning of an
eventually large family to Thoresby, becomes disenchanted, has an epiphany at the
Bentinck Chapel where he meets Basil Woodd (H) and resettles in London as a school
teacher. Through Woodd he makes a connection with the Church Missionary Society,
hears the call and is engaged as a missionary. In 1813 he and his family cross to Port
Jackson and then on to Rangihoua where he becomes part of the mission settlement.
