Thomas

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.