| Biographical Display |
T W Downes was an historian, ethnologist and writer with an immense love and respect for the Whanganui River and the people and wildlife, past and present, that lived within its valley. As a writer he attempted to record as much as he could about the history of the Whanganui River believing it would otherwise be lost. Born in Wellington, Downes moved to Bulls with his family in about 1874, and later, in 1898, to Wanganui with his wife Margaret. In 1921 Downes was appointed supervisor of river works and ranger for domain lands for the Wanganui River Trust. His annual salary was £100. It is said that Downes knew the full length of the river better than any European. Downes documented the early history of the Whanganui district in his book "Old Whanganui", published in 1915. This was followed in 1921 by his "History and Guide to the Wanganui River". A later manuscript, "River Ripplets", was published in 1993. Downes was elected to the Wanganui Museum Board of Trustees in 1910. He served for two periods; from 1910 to1918 and from 1923 until his death in 1938. During the later period he was elected Vice-President for six years and President in 1932. In 1930 he was elected a Life Member. While on the Board he facilitated the purchase of a number of Maori artefacts, in particular the fishing canoe Whitianga. He was responsible for the negotiations involved in the lending or giving of many treasures from the region including the carvings from the wharepuni (meeting house) at Tawhitinui. Downes also assisted with the renovation and fitting of carvings on the waka taua (war canoe), Te Mata o Hoturoa. He made numerous personal gifts to the Museum of Maori and Pacific Island artefacts that he had purchased at auction. A modest, quiet and unassuming man, Downes dedicated forty years of his life to the recording and preservation of Whanganui’s heritage. He was still employed as the supervisor of the Whanganui River Trust when he died in Wanganui on 6 August 1938.
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