Samuel Edward Shrimski: businessman, politician, pioneer, 1828-1902

According to the book “Southern People’’ Samuel Shrimski was one of the most colourful and effective figures of early Oamaru.

He was born in Posen, Poland, leaving his mother, three brothers and a sister behind for London at just 18 years old - he is recorded as arriving there in August 1846. Once in the UK, Samuel slightly anglicised his name from ‘Schrimski’ to ‘Shrimski’.

He worked in London for 12 years before taking a ship to Australia, arriving in 1858. It was here that he learned of the Otago goldrush and took a ship to Port Chalmers in 1861. He established a successful business with Joseph Moss in Oamaru as a storekeeper and auctioneer, and also acted in the capacity of Government land auctioneer. Together, Shrimski and Moss built the first stone building in Oamaru to conduct their business from. It was around this time he also married Deborah Neumegen of Auckland.

Shrimski soon involved himself in public affairs: in 1863 he was a member of the school committee, and the next year was elected to the Town Board. He became Oamaru borough counsellor 1868-69; Oamaru Mayor 1874; Waitaki Member of Parliament 1876-1881; Oamaru member of Parliament 1881-1885; member of the Legislative Council 1885-1902. On becoming a member of the Legislative Council in 1886 he was entitled to use the honorific ‘The Honourable Samuel Edward Shrimski’ (or ‘Honourable Sam’).

Shrimski also spoke up for the marginalized in society, including the Chinese community, which was persecuted at this time. This is demonstrated by a letter to the Nelson Evening Mail, published 7 August 1896:

The Chinese Question

A letter from Mr Cheok Hong Chong.

Wellington, This Day.

Mr Shrimski, M.L.C., has received a letter from Mr Cheok Hong Chong, of the Chinese Church Mission, Victoria, thanking him heartily for his “chivalrous stand” in having again “espoused the cause of the weak and downtrodden and upheld the policy of national righteousness”. This, no doubt, has reference to Mr Shrimski’s outspoken attitude upon the Chinese restriction question.

Shrimski spoke up for the marginalized in society

As well as political service, Shrimski was Chair of the Oamaru Harbour Board, Chair of the hospital trustees to establish Oamaru’s first hospital in 1872; a founder of the Oamaru Athenaeum, and is said to have been the first Freemason initiated in Oamaru.

Described as ‘irrepressible’ and ‘indefatigable’, Samuel Shrimski was also a leading figure in education at this time. In 1878, as Chair of the North Otago Education Board, he became aware that Oamaru land was producing revenue for Otago High School. This moved him to sponsor the Waitaki High School Act. Due to his efforts in the establishment of the school he earned the title ‘Founder of Waitaki’ and was asked to lay the foundation stone on 12 October, 1881. The school has a Hebrew crest, which translates as ‘Jehovah the Foundation of Wisdom’.

In 1900 Shrimski decided to retire from public life and move to Auckland. When the Shrimskis left Oamaru, several public bodies in Oamaru decided to have a testimonial meeting to present him with an Illuminated Address from the citizens of Oamaru in appreciation of his valuable services during his time in public life.

After Samuel Edward died the Illuminated Address disappeared, until around 1990 when the family was advised that it had been seen in a pawn shop and an older couple had bought it. The family managed to locate this couple and tried to negotiate purchasing it, but they weren’t interested in selling. However, some years later, to everyone’s satisfaction, they agreed to donate the Illuminated Address to the North Otago Museum in Oamaru and members of the Shrimski family were in attendance at the museum in Oamaru when the return was officially carried out.

Samuel died at his home in Symonds Street, Auckland in 1902. He was survived by his wife Deborah (née Neumegen). They had no children. Thanks to Samuel’s brother Jacob, the family name lives on in Australia and New Zealand, now with the 6th generation of Shrimskis.