John Hobbs

John Hobbs (22 February 1800 – 24 June 1883) was a New Zealand missionary, artisan and interpreter. Along with James Stack, he co-founded the Māngungu Mission. Personal life John Hobbs was born in Thanet, Kent, England, on 22 February 1800. He was the son of Richard Hobbs, a coachbuilder and Wesleyan preacher. In 1827 he married Jane Broggreff of Kent, and had five daughters and two sons. One of his sons was MP Richard Hobbs. He died in 1883 in Auckland and was buried in Grafton Cemetery. Missionary work In 1816, John Hobbs joined the Wesleyan Church. He became a lay preacher, like his father, three years later. At the end of 1822, Hobbs emigrated to Van Dieman's land in Tasmania, Australia to do missionary work among the convicts. Shortly after his arrival in 1823, however, he was persuaded to offer his services to the New Zealand Mission instead. He arrived in Paihia, New Zealand, on 3 August 1823, and proceeded to begin his mission at Wesleydale, the Wesleyan mission at Kaeo. Hobbs' ability to communicate with the Māori people in their tongue made him popular amongst the Māori population and became "unofficial counsellor to several influential chiefs". Even with Hobbs' help, the Ngati Pou chief of Whangaroa, Te Ara (George), found it difficult to protect the mission in Wesleydale. After Te Ara's death in 1827, the missionaries in the area were forced to flee to the Bay of Islands after hostile natives attacked the station. Hobbs returned to Sydney, Australia, and was ordained.