Anna Maria Hardy Gallaher

Maria Gallaher was the first teacher at the Katikati No. 2 School in Beach Road after it was built in 1879. Three of her son's were killed during World War I (1914-1918), one being Dave Gallaher who captained 'The Originals', the first New Zealand national rugby union team to be known as the 'All Blacks' in 1905/06.

Anna Maria Hardy McCloskie (known as Maria) was born at Belfast in County Down, Ireland, in 1844. Her father was William McCloskie, a Belfast merchant. Maria worked as a school teacher.

Maria married shopkeeper James Henry Gallagher on 19 July 1866 at the Ramelton First Presbyterian Church. He was the son of Joseph Gallagher (b1780, Ireland). James was a widower. His first wife was Isabella Reid. She was born in 1813 and died on 4 January 1865. They had one child together.

James and Maria sold their drapers shop in High Street to a Mrs McFadden before they, along with their six children, sailed on the Lady Jocelyn from Belfast in May 1878 to settle at Katikati as part of George Vesey Stewart's plan for an Ulster Plantation. They were part of the second party of settlers and upon arrival in New Zealand changed the spelling of their last name to Gallaher for ease of pronunciation and spelling.

Lord George Hill sponsored the Gallahers immigration to Katikati so that they could start a new branch of the Donegal Woollen Mills. Unfortunately Lord Hill died shortly after the Gallahers arrived in Katikati and his heir decided not to continue with the venture.

James Gallaher initially received an allocation of 60 acres of land in the vicinity of what is now known as the Highfields subdivision but James was in his late 60’s and the acreage was too small to support a family of eight.

In 1879 the Katikati No. 2 School in Beach Road was built and so it was Maria who, being many years younger than James, used her talents and became the first teacher of the school. The Gallaher family moved into the schoolhouse in Beach Road. David was aged six years old when he was enrolled in the school. In Katikati, Maria had four more children, including twins Charles and Henry.

Maria continued teaching and was the breadwinner for the family as well as supporting many of the activities in the town.

Maria became increasingly unwell with ovarian cancer. She died in Auckland Hospital, aged 42, on 9 September 1887 (reg. 1887/3221). Her obituary appeared in the Bay of Plenty Times on 16 September 1887:

THE LATE MRS GALLAHER. It is with deep regret we have to chronicle the death of a most esteemed member of our community. For some time past Mrs Gallaher, (the efficient and greatly respected head mistress of Katikati No 2 school) has been in delicate health, though no one anticipated the news of her dangerous illness, and it was a sad surprise to many to hear Dr Moir considered her case so serious as to advise her immediate removal to Auckland Hospital, so that she might receive the finest medical treatment in the colony. All was of no avail, and in a few days Mrs Gallaher rapidly became worse, gradually sinking till death released her from her pains and Thursday last, at the early age of 42. She was a native of Ramelton, Co. Donegal, where she was esteemed and respected by all classes and where she for many years enjoyed the friendship and patronage of the celebrated Irish philanthropists, Lord and Lady George Hill. It was with a view to carrying out a plan of Lord George's for the benefit of the Donegal peasantry, that Mr and Mrs Gallaher first came to Katikati, it being intended that a depot for the Donegal Knitting Company should have been established at Katikati, but, unfortunately, the noble founder died within six months of the arrival of Mrs Gallaher in the colony, and his kindly scheme was not carried on by his heir. Mrs Gallaher leaves a large family of children, for whom she was the breadwinner, and a bereaved and aged husband (65) to mourn her loss, - a loss which not only her own family, but to the whole district and to many warm personal friends, is irreparable. We offer our deep sympathy to the family, and would remind them that the noble example of the self-sacrificing life "lost awhile" is for them a goodly heritage, and a bright example to follow. (Bay of Plenty Times on 16 September 1887, p. 2)

The Gallaher family moved to Auckland in 1889. James Henry Gallaher died, aged 82, on 30 November 1894 (reg. 1894/5595).

Source: Biography by Debbie McCauley: http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/katikati_history/topics/show/1094