Joel Samuel Polack
Joel Samuel Polack | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date London, England |
| Died | April 17, 1882 (aged 75) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, author |
| Known for | Early Jewish settler in New Zealand; author on pre-colonial New Zealand |
Joel Samuel Polack (28 March 1807 – 17 April 1882) was a businessman and author born in England who became one of the earliest Jewish settlers in New Zealand when he arrived in 1831. He is regarded as a prominent expert on New Zealand prior to colonization, with his two published works frequently referenced. Polack was also the maternal uncle of Alexander Salmon.
Early life
Joel was born in London to Sarah and Solomon Joel Polack (who passed away in 1839). The family originally came from Holland before relocating to Ireland and then England. Solomon, Joel’s father, gained recognition as a skilled painter and engraver. Joel spent four years working for the War Office, specifically in the Commissariat and Ordnance departments, with assignments in South Africa and Mauritius. Afterward, he traveled to America and eventually joined his brother Abraham in New South Wales in 1830.
First visit to New Zealand
Polack arrived in New Zealand in 1831, initially settling in the Hokianga region and exploring territories such as Poverty Bay and the East Cape. As one of the colony’s earliest Jewish inhabitants, he moved to Kororāreka (now known as Russell) in the Bay of Islands in 1832, where he successfully established a general store. In 1835, he launched New Zealand’s inaugural brewery and participated in the colony’s first recorded duel against a local innkeeper. Expressing dissatisfaction with James Busby’s ineffective governance, Polack endorsed the 1837 petition that called upon the British government to take responsibility for safeguarding European settlers.
Return to England
Polack went back to England in 1837. The following year, his Kororareka store—used without his permission to store military explosives—was destroyed by an explosion. Despite prolonged efforts, he was unable to obtain compensation for this loss. In 1838, he gave testimony before a House of Lords Select Committee advocating for organized colonization of New Zealand, cautioning that unchecked European settlement could damage Māori communities. He authored two well-received books based on his experiences in New Zealand, which he also illustrated; these publications continue to offer valuable perspectives on pre-colonial New Zealand.
Second visit to New Zealand
In 1842, Polack returned to New Zealand but faced another setback when his store was destroyed during the 1845 Battle of Kororāreka, part of the Flagstaff War. Subsequently, he moved to Auckland, the newly designated capital, where he managed a bonded warehouse and expanded into shipping ventures that benefited from trade with California. Between 1845 and 1848, he acted as vice consul representing the United States.
Later life
Polack relocated to California in 1850 and settled in San Francisco. There he married Mary, the widow of William Hart; both had previously lived in New Zealand. He passed away on 17 April 1882 in San Francisco and was initially interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery before his remains were reburied at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in 1946.
Writings
- New Zealand; Being a Narrative of Travels and Adventures during a Residence in that Country between the Years 1831 and 1837 (1838). Full text Vol. I, Vol. II
- Manners and Customs of the New Zealanders (1840). Full text Vol. I, Vol. II