Michael Horton: Sir John Logan Campbell in his own words

Photo: Supplied

The former proprietor of the New Zealand Herald, Michael Horton, collaborated with Professor Russell Stone, emeritus professor of history at the University of Auckland, to tell the full story of Sir John Logan Campbell, in Sir John's own words. Horton spent two years transcribing Campbell's letters and journals from their various states of legibility and repair. Campbell was one of the first European settlers to arrive in Auckland, was known as the "Father of Auckland" and gifted Cornwall Park to the people of New Zealand in 1901. Reminiscences of a Long Life: John Logan Campbell, is the  story from the day Sir John arrived in Auckland in a waka, to the day of his death in 1912. The book has been published to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his birth and contains more than 300 paintings, engravings and photographs following Sir John's life from his childhood in Scotland, his trips in Australia, Aotearoa and Europe, and his final return to Auckland.

Logan Campbell aged 22, commissioned painting before he left Scotland in 1839

Logan Campbell in 1905

Logan Campbell climbing Maungakiekie in his 90th year

Sir John with Mayor Edwin Mitchelson by his side, speaking at the official opening of Cornwall Park in August 1903.

The plan of Cornwall Park, comprising an area of 300 acres, the gift of Dr John Logan Campbell to the people of NZ. Later, more land was gifted to the Cornwall Park Trust.

Professor Russell Stone

Michael Horton spearheaded the book project in his role as Chairperson of the Cornwall Park Trust Board. He also transcribed a huge number of Campbell’s handwritten documents at the Museum, so that Professor Russell Stone could work with them, and so they are now preserved digitally.