Noah’s Ark toy anchors

e Elms Te Papa Tauranga now displays a rare, historic wooden toy with a unique link to the mission station, with the lady donating it being a descendant of early missionary William Williams.

Tauranga woman Alison Underwood – who is a tour guide at e Elms – has gifted her family’s handcrafted Noah’s Ark after having it sit on top of a china cabinet in her hallway for more than 20 years.

e toy is thought to have been brought to New Zealand by William Williams, a member of the Church Missionary Society and close friend of Alfred Brown.

Alfred also served as a CMS missionary in New Zealand from 1829 to 1884. e Brown family took up residence at Te Papa (Tauranga) in January 1838 – and it was on part of this land where the mission house stood and was purchased in 1873 by Alfred, to be named e Elms.

Alison, who wants the treasure to be enjoyed by the public, says: “It seems appropriate for the Ark to be displayed in a house that was the Te Papa Mission Station”.

“I’ve had it about 23 years, and it was sitting in my mother’s house for 20 years before that,” says Alison.

Good friends

She started guiding at e Elms in 2019 after being encouraged by a historian friend.

“For the past 15 years I’ve wanted to give the Ark to a museum – it was just a question of which one.

“When I started guiding at e Elms, I thought: ‘ is is ideal’. e reason that cemented my choice is that William Williams was such a good friend of Alfred Brown. It is the right setting.”

Alison believes the toy is close to 200 years old.

“ e reason I say this is because William Williams came out to New Zealand just under 200 years ago.

“Also, later versions of such a toy seem to be painted – this one has no paint.”