Who was Michael Hodgkins?

Michael was born Geoffrey Michael William Hodgkins, in Dunedin on 1 May 1902. He was the only child of Jean Moore Dalgliesh and William John Parker Hodgkins, a bank accountant, and nephew of the artist Frances Hodgkins. The family moved frequently with his father’s work, living in Ashburton from 1904, Masterton by 1911, Tamworth (New South Wales) between 1913 and 1918, and later Invercargill.

He attended Nelson College, but left after a difficult initiation. He later studied at Southland Boys’ High School. In 1926 he enrolled in a BSc at Auckland University College but did not complete it, and in 1931 began law studies, passing only one subject.

Hodgkins worked in plant nurseries, including in Oratia, where he named native species and varieties of bamboo. In 1937 his parents retired to Tauranga, where he also settled. He worked on private gardens, including The Elms mission station, and collaborated with institutions such as the Auckland Institute and Museum, the DSIR Botany Division, and Canterbury Agricultural College.

He contributed specimens, identified exotic plants, and assisted in identifying Cannabis sativa in Tauranga. He had a particular interest in orchids. He wrote articles for newspapers and gave radio talks. His other love was for shells.

From the 1940s Hodgkins lived in Tauranga, including in a hut at the salt marsh in Ōtūmoetai. He was noted for his distinctive appearance and unusual gait, which led local children to nickname him “Spring-heeled Jack,” a name he disliked. He was often accompanied by his Aberdeen (or Scots) terrier, Angus.

Teachers sometimes invited him to speak to schoolchildren about plants. Some children teased him, while others later recalled him as inspiring a lifelong interest in wildlife.

Hodgkins’s character was recognised in literature. Frank Sargeson modelled a character in his essay Up onto the Roof and Down Again on him. Ian Mune’s film The Mad Dog Gang Meets Rotten Fred & Ratsguts (1977) also drew inspiration from him, though locals objected to the portrayal.

Hodgkins died in late October 1965 in his Tauranga hut. He was buried with his mother in the Anglican Cemetery, Tauranga.

There aren't any photographs of Michael. Just a few sketches that capture an unshaven dishevelled gentleman whose many contributions to society were offered from it's margins. 

In 2009 the Tauranga Historical Society placed a headstone acknowledging him as “Solitary, Gentleman Botanist and Lover of Nature. Helpful to Young and Old.”