Description Comments

Headstone - Monrad family

Object type

Image

Description: This image of a headstone was taken at Terrace End Cemetery. Bishop Ditlev Gothard Monrad was Prime Minister of Denmark in 1864. By 1866 he was purchasing land in Karere, Manawatū, having left his native land under a cloud following a war between Denmark and Germany, in which Denmark suffered crushing defeat. Monrad was a well educated and cultured man, said to have brought a great number of books and a grand piano with him to Karere. The piano was transported up the Manawatū River in a small boat. By 1869 he had returned to Denmark, but members of his family remained in Manawatū. It is said that Bishop Monrad played a part in encouraging his fellow countrymen to emigrate to New Zealand when the special schemes were set up.

Members of the Monrad family buried here include Olga Marie, who was the wife of Bishop Monrad's son Viggo, Ditlev, the oldest son of Viggo and Olga, and Little Viggo the fourth child of Ditlev and his wife Kamma.

Olga's husband Viggo returned to Denmark in 1885 following her death, and Ditlev went with his father. He later returned to New Zealand in 1886 and farmed at Karere until 1905 when he became ill with tuberculosis. He and his wife Kamma retired to 'town' and built the house called 'Kaingahou' which still stands at 642 Pioneer Highway. Ditlev did there in 1908.

Monrad Street is named after this family, and was subdivided by Ditlev and his brother Oscar.