Howick

Howick Historical Village is a re-creation of a New Zealand colonial village using houses and cottages saved from the surrounding Auckland suburb of Howick. Governor George Grey was concerned that the French could move down to New Zealand from where they were already established in New Caledonia and Tahiti by 1845. At the same time the Maori chief Hone Heke was causing unrest with new settlers in the north of New Zealand. He cut down the flagpole at Kororareka flying the British flag five times in succession to make the point that the British settlers were not welcome.

The sacking of Kororareka (now known as Russell) caused Governor George Grey to write to Earl Grey back in England in 1846, asking for assistance in protecting the fledgling settlement in Auckland. At this time, Auckland was a collection of wooden buildings near the waterfront and had only just been made the capital of New Zealand. Russell (Okiato) was the first capital, Auckland was capital from 1841 to 1865, and Wellington from then on.

The decision was made to send out retired and worn-out British soldiers who had returned from fighting in Afghanistan, India, Malta and elsewhere in the British Empire. They had served up to 20 years overseas, and were invited to form an army corps to be known as the Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps, meaning they were a form of defensive force to protect Auckland should it ever be attacked.