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The chance discovery of a newspaper article about Captain Cain, a play written and directed by Carol Angland, prompted several of his relatives to quickly purchase tickets and flights to Timaru to hear the story of the “father’’ of the town.
More than 136 years after Captain Henry Cain’s death “scandalised the nation’’, his Newton relatives were in Timaru at the weekend to watch the play, and check out locations throughout the district that tied them to the man whose life was cut short by his son-in-law.
Cain, 1816-1886, was the second mayor of Timaru, and was murdered, poisoned by Thomas Hall, his son-in-law, who was married to his stepdaughter Kate Emily Espie.
The tragedy and Cain’s links to early Timaru, prompted playwright Carol Angland’s production, which under her direction, was staged at the Playhouse, from May 19 to 27.
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Reading through Stuff one day, Faye Newton, of Taranaki, clicked on The Timaru Herald link and seeing there was a story about Angland’s play, she could not read it fast enough, she said.
“I was interested straight away as there is a family link there, and I said ‘who wants to come to Timaru to watch the show – my shout?.”
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
The Newton family, who are relatives of Captain Cain, arrived in Timaru on Friday to watch Carol Angland’s play on his life, back from left, Greg, Tony and John Newton, and, front left, Faye and Peter Newton and Janet Gray.
Her husband, Peter, and their three sons Greg, Tony and John all agreed it was something the family must see, so they were keen to come along. Unbeknown to them, relative Janet Gray, who lives in Nelson, and is Peter’s second cousin also booked a ticket for the same night.
The family connection to Cain comes through his adopted daughter Jane Ellis, who is Peter Newton and Janet Gray’s great-grandmother.
It was her sister, Kate, known as Kitty, who married Hall.
Speaking on Saturday morning, the family was visiting the Captain Cain statue in front of the Landing Service Building and had “thoroughly’’ enjoyed the play the night before.
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
The Newton family, from left, Peter, Tony, Janet Gray, Greg, John and Faye check out the Captain Cain statue.
“It was very, very good,’’ Peter Newton said.
Faye Newton said the family had also taken a tour of the district, visiting streets with a family connection as well as the town’s cemetery.
“We’ve really enjoyed our trip,’’ she said.
“It’s been an incredible journey.’’
After the play, the family had stayed behind to meet cast members.
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/Stuff
Carol Angland, centre, wrote Captain Cain, a play about the well-known Timaru man who was poisoned by his son-in-law. She is seen with some of the cast, from left, Michael Schaab, Tyler Winter-Davis, 9, Pypa Winter-Davis, 11, and Kit Winter-Davis.
She said much of the history they had learnt about Cain had been through chance encounters.
“Finding the story about the play on the website …
“And years ago I was listening to the radio late at night and someone came on talking about Vile Crimes.’’
Vile Crimes: The Timaru Poisonings by Peter Graham examines the story of Cain’s murder.
“I thought ‘oh blimey, I need to get the book’.’’
From there she has been researching the family’s history, so finding there was a production about Cain, she was very excited to see it, she said.
Jess Parker/Stuff
The grave of Captain Henry Cain, in Timaru.
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