Pitt Island - History

History

Pitt Island was originally inhabited by the Moriori the indigenous peoples of the Chatham Islands, who called it Rangiaotea or Rangihaute. Their archaeological remains are found almost everywhere on the island; large quantities of artifacts are constantly coming to light. No remains of momori rakau are visible on the island, but there are records of them once being present

The first Europeans to see the island were the crew of William R. Broughton's ship HMS Chatham, who spotted it in 1791. It was named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. Fifty years later the name was simplified to "Pitt" Island.

The Taranaki Maori who invaded the Chatham Island islands called it Rangiauria, a name which is still in use today.

Over the years there have been many ships wrecked around both Pitt and Chatham Islands. The Glory, a small brigantine was wrecked in what became known as Glory Bay in 1827.

Read more about this topic:  Pitt Island

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    “[Men say:] “Don’t you know that we are your natural protectors?” But what is a woman afraid of on a lonely road after dark? The bears and wolves are all gone; there is nothing to be afraid of now but our natural protectors.”
    —Frances A. Griffin, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 19, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)

    “I believe my ardour for invention springs from his loins. I can’t say that the brassiere will ever take as great a place in history as the steamboat, but I did invent it.”
    —Caresse Crosby (1892–1970)

    “A great proportion of the inhabitants of the Cape are always thus abroad about their teaming on some ocean highway or other, and the history of one of their ordinary trips would cast the Argonautic expedition into the shade.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)