Thomas Hartley and the business Thomas Hartley and Son. Kohukohu

Thomas Hartley and the business Thomas Hartley and Son. Kohukohu

The life of a business can be played out through many records as paperwork seems to have the habit of surviving throughout time. The business of Thomas Hartley and Son has many sources of information from newspaper articles to applications for the business licences through the New Zealand Gazette. Sometimes the meaning for a business to fail would play out elsewhere than from official records. I have given a basic run down of my interpretation of the records that I do happen to have.

The first time Thomas Hartley appears within the New Zealand Gazette in regards to the creation of a business is during 1897 along with several people requiring a license to occupy part of the Hokianga Harbour foreshore and creation of a wall, which I am guessing would prevent erosion problems. The board does seem to have various conditions to the use of the license, which include navigational equipment and vessels to be kept in good condition especially when reading the license requirements in 1907 when they do appear. I am sure there would be earlier times, but I am going by the information that I do have.

In 1907 Thomas Hartley and Son wanted a license to occupy part of the river at Hokianga for timber booms. There was no Harbour Board and they had to apply for license through the Governor in council. They were held by terms and conditions from the government such as the timber booms to be in good working order and repair. The license holder were liable for any injury when the booms encountered any person or vessel. The licenses were renewed until around 1917 where the licenses would be revoked first within the Waima River in Hokianga and then again in the year of 1919 in Kohukohu where the site was then used as a Benzine store.

During 1913 the company Thomas Hartley and Son asked for their license along the Kohokohu foreshore to be revoked, although the reason stated was they had no use for the timber booms as they had the license since 1907. Rent had been paid for the year ending on August 5^th 1913. In the 1913 Gazette, Thomas Francis Hartley was listed as license number 227. In 1914 the annual fee for the rent of the foreshore location was 5 pounds per year and the license that was granted by the court was done in Rawene.

They developed a fleet of six or seven launches, both steam and oil driven. Also had pontoons (punts) and dinghys which constituted to a flourishing buisiness in those days. Some of the boats were built by Joseph Fell a boatbuilder of Kohukohu. He built the s.s. Traveller; Waihou; Pearl; Alfred; Melvel; Rosa; Chopper; Sierra Marie; Kotere; Cream; Roma and Irene.

Sources were taken from records found within the National archives in New Zealand and the various New Zealand Gazettes between the years 1897 to 1914.