Hawke's Bay pioneer's family rights the wrong after headstone vandalised

Great-great-great-grandson Kevin Sturm with Frederick Sturm's original old pistol. Photo / Supplied

During the mid-80s vandals tore a path through the Havelock North cemetery, targeting headstones.

Among those headstones was that of one of the earliest permanent European settlers in northern Hawke's Bay, and a remarkable man who would leave a remarkable mark on the history of the region.

Frederick William Christian Sturm, whose name lives on in places like Sturm's Gully on Napier hill where he established a nursery before moving it to Mangaterere.

As his great-great-grand-daughter Lyn Sturm described the vandalism — "they demolished it".

The headstone had originally been gifted by Gladys Sturm, wife of Leslie Sturm, but had not been replaced after the damage.

Until now.

As Lyn Sturm said, the timing was right, for it is 180 years since Frederick "Freddy" Sturm arrived at Ahuriri on August 2, 1839.

Lyn Sturm leads the service for the unveiling attended by about 40 descendants of "Freddy" Sturm.

Losing the headstone was a terrible blow for the family, and Lyn said the pioneer's exploits and achievements had never been fully recognised.

She set to righting that last year when after extensive research she released a book titled Forgotten Footprints F.W.C Sturm. She also staged a family reunion, at which she brought up the idea of getting a new headstone erected.

"I said if they gave me the money I'd get it done ... and it came in and now it is done," she said.

Last Sunday there was another reunion of family descendants with about 40 arriving for the unveiling service, from as far afield as Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland.

"It was a wonderful occasion," Lyn said, adding that as well as looking very impressive the new headstone monument righted a wrong on the previous one.

The previous stone had Frederick Sturm dying in 1895, when it was actually 1896.

Lyn said she felt proud to have been "chosen" to research the family tree and get the book out there because it had brought the family together.

After the book's release she has had emails from distant relatives overseas who heard about it online.

She took the service at the unveiling which saw several members of the great family speak about their links to "Freddy". Also present was his great-great-great-grandson Kevin Sturm from Gisborne, who brought out Freddy's historic old original pistol.

As part of her ongoing journey of ensuring Frederick Sturm's name stays strongly in local history, one of her next missions is getting new signs put up at Sturm's Gully and she has been working with the Napier City Council.

"He has to be remembered and given the recognition he deserves."