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Story: Irish

Tunnel claim, Charleston

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Tunnel claim, Charleston

Initially Irish immigrants tended to congregate in certain occupations – single women as domestic servants, single men as miners. These miners are working on the Tunnel claim near Charleston on the West Coast, in the 1890s. Charleston was a strong Irish community throughout the second half of the 19th century.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Mrs Dyson Collection (PAColl-2077)

Reference: 1/4-14988; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Irish – Settlement, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/56/tunnel-claim-charleston (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 August 2024.