Originally cast as an 18-pounder before 1820 when King George III died (his cypher is on the barrel) this gun was apparently re-bored as a 32-pounder in 1843. (Cooke and Maxwell, 2013) It was probably brought to New Zealand in the 1850s as part of Auckland's Fort Britomart's defences.
The gun was issued in 1886 to the Hāwera Rifle Volunteers under Capt. Alfred Trimble who had artillery training in the United Kingdom before immigrating to New Zealand. It was mounted on a carriage and used occasionally for training the volunteers. (Cooke & Maxwell, 2013) and Fryer, Arthur: A Little Bit of History.
By 1910 the cannon had fallen into considerable disrepair and was lying in the Recreation Ground of King Edward Park. Hāwera Borough councillor Easton raised the matter at a meeting in July 1910 (Hawera & Normanby Star 21 July 1910) suggesting that the "ancient cannon should be mounted on a carriage and placed in the park proper" - the previous carriage having rotted away. The council decided to park the issue but the following year Cr. Easton again raised the matter, even offering to pay for it himself. (Hawera & Normanby Star 13 April 1911). Finally in October 1912 the council agreed to fund (estimated at £5) the mounting and move the cannon. ( Hawera & Normanby Star, 10 October 1912).
The history of the cannon was summarised in an article published in the same newspaper the following year on 16 January 1913.
Cooke, Peter & Ian Maxwell: Great Guns,2013
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