Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Queen’s Hospital Subscribers

Hawaiians called the hospital and dispensary Hale Ma‘i o ka Wahine Ali‘i (literally, sick house of the lady chief,) or Hale Ma‘i for short. Opening day was August 1, 1859; it was founded by Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma. They called it Queen’s Hospital. “(A) number of persons, resident in Honolulu and other parts of the Kingdom have entered into a voluntary contribution, by subscription, for the purpose of creating a fund, for the erection and establishment of a Hospital at Honolulu, for the relief of indigent sick, and disabled people of the Hawaiian Kingdom, as well as of such foreigners, and others, as may desire to avail themselves of the same …”

Some 250 businesses, groups, and individuals had subscribed $13,530; the king and queen headed the list of subscribers with pledges of $500 each. The following are the initial 10-Trustees who were elected: Benjamin Franklin Snow, Samuel Chenery Damon, Samuel Northrup Castle, Charles Reed Bishop, James Walker Austin, Edwin Oscar Hall, John Thomas Waterhouse, William Arnold Aldrich, William Lowthian Green & Heinrich (Henry) Hackfeld.

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Free Health Care for Hawaiians?

In King Kamehameha IV’s initial speech to the legislature in 1854, the King voiced his desire to create a hospital for the people of Hawai’i. Queen Emma enthusiastically supported the dream of a hospital, and the two campaigned tirelessly to make it a reality. Hawaiians called the hospital and dispensary Hale Ma‘i o ka Wahine Ali‘i (literally, sick house of the lady chief,) or Hale Ma‘i for short. Opening day was August 1, 1859.

While there was no specific provision in the hospital’s charter for free medical service to native Hawaiians, “all native Hawaiians have been cared for without charge, while for others a charge has been made of from $1 to $3 per day.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, July 31, 1901) In part, the Hospital was funded with government funds (taxes and appropriations.) (Each passenger arriving from a foreign port paid a tax of $2 to the Collector of Customs for the support of such hospitals.) However, under the provisions of the Organic Act the Legislature has no power to give a subsidy to any institution and funding support stopped.

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Church of England Mission

“Polynesian Church (1861) – The committee for promoting the establishment of a Church in Honolulu, in communion with the Churches of England and America having taken into consideration the King of Hawai‘i’s desire to receive a mission from the Church of England headed by a Bishop, are of opinion that measures should be taken for fulfilling the desire thus put, we trust, by God into the heart of His Majesty.” And so was formed the mission of the Church of England (Anglican) to the Islands.

“The Mission party, consisting of the Bishop of Honolulu and family (Right Reverend Thomas Nettleship Staley,) the Rev. G. Mason, M.A., and the Rev. E. Ibbotson, embarked at Southampton for the Isthmus of Panama, on the 17th of August, 1862.” A wooden temporary church was erected, to be used until the completion of the St Andrews cathedral. Initially the church was called the Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church but the name would change in 1870 to the Anglican Church in Hawai‘i. In 1902 it came under the Episcopal Church of the US.

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Foreign Help in Quelling 1874 Election Riot

“Department of Foreign Affairs, Honolulu, Feb, 12th, 1874 (to His Excellency Henry A Peirce, Minister Resident of the United States) – Sir: A riotous mob having unexpectedly made a violent attack upon the Court House and the Members of the Legislature, which we have not the force at hand to resist, I have to request that you will cause to be furnished at the earliest moment possible aid from the US ships ‘Tuscarora’ and ‘Portsmouth’ to the Police, in quelling the riot and temporarily protecting life and property.” “Your obedient servant, Chas R Bishop,” (A similar request was made to Major James Hay Wodehouse, HBM’s Commissioner and Consul General) to land troops from HBM’s ship ‘Tenedos’.)

“Nothing but the prompt appearance by these forces on the scene put a stop to the riot, and saved the further destruction of property.” “Commander Belknap and Commander Skerrett of the United States forces took possession of the square on which the court-house is built; and on seeing this, the mob melted silently and entirely away. The armed marines subsequently, at the request of the Hawaiian authorities, guarded the treasury, arsenal, jail, and station-house.” “The British marines were marched to the residence of Queen Emma, and, after dispersing the rioters assembled there, they occupied the barracks and guarded the palace itself.”

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The Lady and Emma

Jane Franklin (1791-1875), was born on 4 December 1791, the daughter of John Griffin, a wealthy silk weaver, of London, and Mary, née Guillemard. In 1828, she married (as his second wife) John Franklin, an explorer trying to map out the Northwest Passage. Franklin had spent three winters in the Arctic without sending word back home; Jane began to get worried. In 1848 the search for Franklin and his crew began. In 1849 Jane’s panic began and she dedicated her life and resources to trying to find her missing husband and his crew. Later a journal was found that said that Franklin had died on June 11th, 1847.

While monitoring her husband’s rescue trips and waiting for news she became well-acquainted with the Hawai‘i royal family. En route to the Sandwich Islands Lady Jane and Sophia Cracroft, her niece, went around South America and stopped in California. Robert Wyllie arranged for the ladies to be presented to King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma. The friendship that developed was very beneficial for Lady Jane, who had open access to the palace. Although Lady Jane never returned to Hawai‘i she maintained close contact with Queen Emma and Robert Wyllie through correspondence.