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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
Popham, Thomas
Popham, Thomas , “Riversdale,” near Middlemarch. Mr. Popham was born at Barnstaple, Devonshire, England, in 1833, page 597 As a lad he followed farming, but at the age of nineteen became a Royal Marine on H.M.S. “Sanspareil,” of the Channel fleet. In this capacity he visited Lisbon and Hongkong, and was also at Calcutta at the time of the Indian Mutiny. On the outbreak of the war with China the “Sansparil” was commissioned for active service, and Mr. Popham participated in the attack on Canton, where the force stormed the forts and scaled the walls of the city. When peace was declared, he returned to England, and purchased his discharge. He then visited Barnstaple, and subsequently went to Wales, where he learned sheep-farming. Mr. Popham arrived at Melbourne in 1861, and engaged in gold digging for a time before coming to New Zealand, by the ship “Bengal” in 1862. He took part in the Dunstan “rush,” but meeting with little success, he removed to the Taieri, where he successfully engaged in contracting for about four years. Mr. Popham then commenced farming, and afterwards bought his present fine property—which consistsof 620 acres of freehold agricultural land—in Strath-Taieri. In addition to this he subsequently took over grazing runs, and still holds “Smooth Cone” consisting of 1000 acres. Mr. Popham is a member of the Imperial Veterans' Association, and also of the Otago Early Settlers' Association. He has been twice married, and has, surviving, a family of two sons and three daughters. One son, who served with the Fourth Contingent in South Africa, and was entirely equipped by his father, returned from the war only to die at Middlemarch. Another son, who served with the Seventh Contingent, was present at the Bothasberg disaster, where the contingent suffered so severely.
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Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.
Mr. T. Popham.