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The tragic story of Mary and Ellen Griffin,Wainihinihi.1876.
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DescriptionOn the 14th June,1876,two little sisters, Mary and Ellen Griffin, agged 11 and 9 , who lived with their parents at Wainihinihi, had left their home and crossed the Taramakau River to cut brush to feed their calves.The day became very wet and it is presumed the two girls started their journey and when crossing the river,were either caught in the quicksand or drowned.Numerous search parties were organised but resultedonly in the finding of their discarded empty lunch wrapper and hatchet.the girls were never heard seen or heard from again.Mrs Griffin never recovered from the shock of losing her daughters.Right up to the 1920`s, she would stop every coach,horseman or car and ask if they had seen two little girls.
Photo 1: Griffin descendants will live in the house.
Photo 2: From the Book"They shaped our lives."Date of Photo14th June,1876.Map[1] ContributorJames Newby
Photo 1: Griffin descendants will live in the house.
Photo 2: From the Book"They shaped our lives."Date of Photo14th June,1876.Map[1] ContributorJames Newby
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Location (city or town)WainihinihiPersonEllen GriffinMary GriffinEventThe tragic story of Mary and Ellen Griffin,Wainihinihi.1876.
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Date Created22nd July 2021CommentsJason Wilson
I'm guessing that's the family the creek is named after?
Maria Delury Smith
Martin Griffin, wonder if any relation!
Martin Griffin
Yeah - would be interesting to know
Joy Cox
Omg.. Thats so damn sad!!
Jed Comber
Janae Fitzgerald is that your house
Janae Fitzgerald
Yea it is!
Douglas Dunn
OMG that is terrible. R.I.P. precious children.
Lynette Duncan
Very sad !
Vern Pattinson
Lot of drowning back in those days a notice
Glenn Johnston
There are a number of versions of this incident. I do wonder if they did cross the Taramakau River? It is recorded in newspapers they crossed the river near their home which some interpret as being the tributary stream now known as Griffin Creek not th… See More
Neville Jackson
Glenn Johnston I was always told it was thought they had fallen into the Y
Glenn Johnston
Neville Jackson I see you mean Y=water not Y = Waihinihinihi Creek now. The Creek now known as Griffin Creek lies between the homestead and the Taipo River as you likely know but others may not. Your recollections of what is presumably family oral history fits with what I've heard.
Glenn Johnston
Neville Jackson Yes I've heard that too and think it highly likely. It doesn't necessarily contradict what I'm saying but adds some weight. Before being called Griffin Creek that water course was called the Smooth Wainihinihi and what is now called the Big Wainihinihi was called the Rough Wainihinihi.
Clare Pierson
Glenn Johnston that is interesting.
Frances Stephen
So sad
Lynnette Walford
Sad reality of those early days...
Lisa Young
Jamie Young Jami
Josephine Wesley
So sad.
Dorothy Wills
That is so sad
Maude Heath
My G Grandmother died in Teremakau River 1866 - is this the same river? Just different spelling? Yes found it - "old " spelling for Taramakau River
Trevor Keith Scott
Maude Heath I knew the Teremakau well back in the 60-70 used to go to the pub there at end of the bridge. The old Bridgeman used to sto traffic and close gates when train or Railcar due going to Hoki.
Trevor Keith Scott
Love knows NO bounds, and the loss of that Love is tremendous.
Lilian Mutsaers
Doreen Wallis your old roost
Doreen Wallis
We were always told they were taken
PaulAnthony Teens
Doreen Wallis ask your good mate Pat next time u in Kumara. As kids we heard all sorts of stories but the old Treacys wouldn’t say a lot
Jane Ross
Always heard about this story growing up as my grandmother's family the Harris's lived at Terewhati.? Harris Creek.
Maude Heath
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/.../nzri...
FREEPAGES.ROOTSWEB.COM
NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES - RIVER DROWNINGS - 1840 - June 1881
NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES - RIVER DROWNINGS - 1840 - June 1881
Maude Heath
This is a interesting list of drownings, but the two girls are not on the list, I suppose because no one really knew what happened to them.
Robin Gibbens
Hadn’t heard that story before. What a terrible tragedy,
Pauline Schafer
Terribly sad
Linda Reedy
Our rellies related to the Tracey's
Susan Barlow
Tragic! That poor mother! She had to live with this!
Anna Panther
Oh so tragic! That poor mother!
Sandra Upston
Allan Upston - what a tragic story !
Helen Dodge
so tragic
Neet Liwile
Sad
Amanda Burney
So sad.
Helen Cropper
How very sad.
Tena Wilson
Yeap think how awful is must of been, now days if you did that to your kids theyd have you in jail
Suzanne Trukawka
Such a sad incident. The two young girls Mary and Ellen, their Mum and Dad and extended Family , other children , Parents, all the community. Everyone's heart touched for sure and mine reading their story for the first time
Dianne Blythe
Oh that is really sad
Jessica Gilroy
So sad
I'm guessing that's the family the creek is named after?
Maria Delury Smith
Martin Griffin, wonder if any relation!
Martin Griffin
Yeah - would be interesting to know
Joy Cox
Omg.. Thats so damn sad!!
Jed Comber
Janae Fitzgerald is that your house
Janae Fitzgerald
Yea it is!
Douglas Dunn
OMG that is terrible. R.I.P. precious children.
Lynette Duncan
Very sad !
Vern Pattinson
Lot of drowning back in those days a notice
Glenn Johnston
There are a number of versions of this incident. I do wonder if they did cross the Taramakau River? It is recorded in newspapers they crossed the river near their home which some interpret as being the tributary stream now known as Griffin Creek not th… See More
Neville Jackson
Glenn Johnston I was always told it was thought they had fallen into the Y
Glenn Johnston
Neville Jackson I see you mean Y=water not Y = Waihinihinihi Creek now. The Creek now known as Griffin Creek lies between the homestead and the Taipo River as you likely know but others may not. Your recollections of what is presumably family oral history fits with what I've heard.
Glenn Johnston
Neville Jackson Yes I've heard that too and think it highly likely. It doesn't necessarily contradict what I'm saying but adds some weight. Before being called Griffin Creek that water course was called the Smooth Wainihinihi and what is now called the Big Wainihinihi was called the Rough Wainihinihi.
Clare Pierson
Glenn Johnston that is interesting.
Frances Stephen
So sad
Lynnette Walford
Sad reality of those early days...
Lisa Young
Jamie Young Jami
Josephine Wesley
So sad.
Dorothy Wills
That is so sad
Maude Heath
My G Grandmother died in Teremakau River 1866 - is this the same river? Just different spelling? Yes found it - "old " spelling for Taramakau River
Trevor Keith Scott
Maude Heath I knew the Teremakau well back in the 60-70 used to go to the pub there at end of the bridge. The old Bridgeman used to sto traffic and close gates when train or Railcar due going to Hoki.
Trevor Keith Scott
Love knows NO bounds, and the loss of that Love is tremendous.
Lilian Mutsaers
Doreen Wallis your old roost
Doreen Wallis
We were always told they were taken
PaulAnthony Teens
Doreen Wallis ask your good mate Pat next time u in Kumara. As kids we heard all sorts of stories but the old Treacys wouldn’t say a lot
Jane Ross
Always heard about this story growing up as my grandmother's family the Harris's lived at Terewhati.? Harris Creek.
Maude Heath
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/.../nzri...
FREEPAGES.ROOTSWEB.COM
NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES - RIVER DROWNINGS - 1840 - June 1881
NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES - RIVER DROWNINGS - 1840 - June 1881
Maude Heath
This is a interesting list of drownings, but the two girls are not on the list, I suppose because no one really knew what happened to them.
Robin Gibbens
Hadn’t heard that story before. What a terrible tragedy,
Pauline Schafer
Terribly sad
Linda Reedy
Our rellies related to the Tracey's
Susan Barlow
Tragic! That poor mother! She had to live with this!
Anna Panther
Oh so tragic! That poor mother!
Sandra Upston
Allan Upston - what a tragic story !
Helen Dodge
so tragic
Neet Liwile
Sad
Amanda Burney
So sad.
Helen Cropper
How very sad.
Tena Wilson
Yeap think how awful is must of been, now days if you did that to your kids theyd have you in jail
Suzanne Trukawka
Such a sad incident. The two young girls Mary and Ellen, their Mum and Dad and extended Family , other children , Parents, all the community. Everyone's heart touched for sure and mine reading their story for the first time
Dianne Blythe
Oh that is really sad
Jessica Gilroy
So sad
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West Coast New Zealand History (28th Sep 2021). The tragic story of Mary and Ellen Griffin,Wainihinihi.1876.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 9th Apr 2026 19:38, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29682