Richard & Mary Prouse
Richard Prouse II
The Prouse family initially settled on Old Porirua Road, where they began timber cutting in Johnsonville, before relocating their operations to Wainuiomata in 1844.
The Prouse family, descendants of Richard and Mary (née King) Prouse, played a pivotal role in the early development of Wainuiomata, leaving a lasting legacy as timber millers and pioneers.
The family’s story begins with James and Richard’s grandparents, Richard Prouse (1792-1875) and Mary Snowden King (1787-1870). They emigrated from Aveton Gifford near Plymouth, Devon, departing on the “Duke of Roxburgh” on 3 October 1839 and arriving in Wellington on 7 February 1840. They were accompanied by their children: Mary, Sarah, William, Richard II, Susan Osborne, and Thomas. Their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, remained in England, later joining the family in New Zealand a decade later with her husband and children.
Richard Prouse II was just 10 years old when he arrived in New Zealand. After initially settling on Old Porirua Road, the family relocated to Wainuiomata in 1850. Here, Richard established a sawmill and built a home with his sons from pitsawn timber—a home that, along with another built for Richard’s eldest son William, still stands today, occupied by their descendants.
Deeply committed to his family’s future, Richard Prouse made a vow to build a church if he prospered in this new land. True to his word, in 1860 he constructed Wainuiomata’s first church, which remains a significant historical landmark. Next month, on 8 February, his descendants will gather at this church to honour his legacy and reconnect with their roots.
The Prouse family’s ties to Wainuiomata were carried forward by Richard Prouse II’s three sons: James (born 1853), Richard III (born 1855, shortly after a major earthquake), and John (born 1857). By the time they were young men, and managing the family sawmilling business, the opportunities in the Wainuiomata and Whiteman’s Valley areas were reduced, and the three boys decided to move the sawmill up to the Levin area. By 1891, as opportunities in Wainuiomata dwindled, James and Richard relocated the family sawmill to Levin, a challenging endeavor made possible by the newly established railway. The Burdan family, also among the early settlers in Wainuiomata, became closely connected with the Prouse family through marriage, further solidifying their shared legacy in the valley.
The Prouse family, deeply embedded in Wainuiomata’s early history, documented the challenges they faced as pioneers in the area. Their memoirs recount periods of hardship, including food shortages during Māori raids, and the brief but ultimately disappointing gold rush near the present day waterworks. Though the gold discovery stirred excitement, it fizzled out quickly and is now more as a curious footnote in the valley’s history,
