Pratt Street (Waitara)

Like many streets in Waitara, Pratt St takes its name from military personnel involved in the First Taranaki War of 1860-1861. This street is named after Major General Thomas Simson Pratt. Pratt was born around 1797 to Captain James Pratt and Ann Simson. He married Frances Agnes Cooper and they had two children. He studied at St Andrews University.

He built a distinguished military career starting with the 56th Regiment of Foot in Holland in 1814. Several international postings followed, including stints in the Mediterranean, India, Ireland and China. He eventually arrived in Australia to take command of the British Australasian Troops in January 1860.

He was drawn to the conflict in Taranaki where he took over command in June 1860, after the defeat of the British at Puketākauere under the command of Lieutenant-colonel James Gold.

Pratt brought with him a reputation as a successful military strategist, which also carried a local expectation of military success. He began by improving the defences around the New Plymouth settlement before turning his attention to developing a strategy to resolve the dispute between the settlers and local iwi. His greatest problem was that he doubted the validity of the Waitara purchase and was therefore in direct conflict with Governor Gore-Brown.

He was then criticised for being too cautious and irresolute. Settlers and government officials demanded a more decisive strategy. He resorted to digging saps (a particular form of trench construction) to lay siege to Māori defensive positions in the Waitara valley. A remnant of Pratt's saps is still visible at the southern end of Pukerangiora Pā Historic Reserve on Waitara Rd. He had some success with sapping, but overall the effects were underwhelming and still denied the settlers the total victory they were expecting.

The war ended in a ceasefire and the British were left wondering what they had actually achieved.

Soon after the ceasefire, Pratt returned to Australia where he was awarded the KCB and eventually returned to England and retired. He died there in 1879.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.