Tokomairiro, now Milton, was founded in 1850 and was an important town in early Otago mainly due to its location on the route to the goldfields and also for the Bruce Woollen Mills, which were among the province's largest factories. The town was connected to the national railway network in the early 1870s when the Main South Line was built through the town.
An early claim to fame for Tokomairiro was its pottery, often regarded as some of the country's finest. Clay is a plentiful natural resource in South Otago and potteries were a major employer in the late 19th century throughout South Otago and Southland. Between 1873 and 1915 numerous pottery works operated from the area, starting with William White's short-lived Tokomairiro Steam Pottery Works, reputedly the first industrial kilns in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Milton Pottery works was rescued in 1880 by former Mayor of Dunedin (1876) Charles Stephen Reeves. The industry reached its height in the 1880s, at which time five kilns were operating and over 40 staff were employed, producing building materials such as bricks and tiles, sanitary ceramics such as washbasins and domestic and decorative dinner sets, vases and jars.

It was in Tokomairiro that Stephen Caudle (1819-1887) married Catherine Theresa Caldbeck (1831-1920) on 31 Aug 1863
NOTE when looking for this family, New Zealand BDM has the details of this name as Candle 😕
their known children
1864 - 1865 Stephen Caudle (died in March)
1865 - 1920 Stephen Caudle (born in Sept)
1867 - 1954 Susannah 'Susan' Caudle
1870 - 1873 Lucy Caudle
1872 - 1873 Catherine Caudle
1881 - 1934 William Caudle

* Stephen was in Waihola before 1861 when he was in business with Joseph Barrett in a boarding house. See 1902 in Timeline below

TIMELINE
Bruce Herald, 3 April 1867
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. The usual fortnightly meeting of this Council was held last night. Two accounts were passed, for the use of carriages on the occasion of the Governor's Visit .. Brick Account, Stephen Caudle £8 14s, passed

Bruce Herald, 20 June 1873
DEATH OF TWO DAUGHTERS At Tokomairiro, on 16th June, Catherine, infant daughter of Stephen Caudle, aged 12 months. On 18th June, Lucy, daughter of Stephen Caudle, aged 3 years and 4 months. Both of whooping-cough.

Bruce Herald, 3 July 1874
A BRICK WALL
Mr S. Caudle, brickmaker, has now in course of erection in his garden at Helensbrook, a brick wall 180ft in length and 12ft in height, in the construction of which no less than 34,000 bricks will be used. The special purpose for which this wall is being erected is the growth of peaches, for which purpose the spot chosen is as favorable as any in the district. Mr Caudle informs us that he purposes devoting his future attention and energies more exclusively to gardening operation than hitherto, of which fact the wall referred to is a palpable sign.

Clutha Leader, 26 Aug 1875
TOKOMAIRIRO POTTERY FIELDS Despite the gloomy anticipations of those who form the non-progressive class in the Tokomairiro district in relation to the success of the pottery art, from the failure of the formation of the Royal Pottery Company, we have great pleasure in pointing out the stand taken by Mr W. M. White in the resolve now formed to carry the works on by himself .. Mr Peter McGill has also commenced to make bricks for buildings he contemplates erecting bye and bye; while the well known Stephen Caudle is still engaged at his brick works down the road ..

Bruce Herald, 31 Oct 1882
SUPPLYING BRICKS
Mr Stephen Caudle has expressed to us his opinion that the renunciation of the Woollen Factory project was premature. Mr Caudle informs us that he was and still is, prepared to supply all bricks required for the buildings either upon credit for three years, or to take out the value in shares. We should not be surprised to hear of the site and timber being offered on the same or similar terms.

Bruce Herald, 10 June 1887
A NEW HORSE
Everybody will be pleased to know that Mr Stephen Caudle has invested in a new horse and that his well-known chariot will henceforward be drawn by a regular spanker. The ancient animal which has faithfully discharged its onerous duties for so many years will, we understand, be exported along with a draft of valuable animals which will shortly be sent to India as remounts for the cavalry.

Bruce Herald, 14 June 1887
The JUBILEE CELEBRATION - To The Editor .. this would indeed be a veritable illustration of the early days of Queen Victoria. As an antiquated three-decker could not well be procured for the procession, the captain might be induced to mount Mr Stephen Caudle's antique horse, which, like himself, is on the retired list, but always ready for active service when called upon by its country ..

Bruce Herald, 29 July 1887
DEATH OF OLD HORSE
It is with profound melancholy and sincere regret that we record the death of Mr Stephen Caudle's horse. The animal deserves to be enshrined among the noble army of martyrs. Old identities remember him a quarter of a century ago and then he bore every indication of having done royal service in his time. He was an aged animal when first he proudly drew his owner about Tokomairiro Plains. He may even have celebrated his jubilee before he set foot on these shores. He was a bay, but his memory is green. He flourished like a bay tree, but has been cut down like the grass. Requieshorse in pace - Just at this moment we are credibly informed the horse was only 35 years old. He was more juvenile than we thought him. Ah, well! "Whom the gods love die young"

Bruce Herald, 30 August 1887
DEATH OF STEPHEN
CAUDLE - At Caudletown, Tokomairiro, on Monday, August 29th, Stephen Caudle; aged 68 years

Bruce Herald, 30 Aug 1887
Mr Stephen Caudle, who has been ailing for the last month or two, expired yesterday afternoon. Mr Caudle was one of the earliest settlers on the Plain; He carried on a brick manufactory for many years. Latterly he has devoted all his attention to the cultivation of fruit and vegetables and had one of the best gardens in the district. He was highly respected by an extensive circle of friends and acquaintances. The funeral will take place at the Church of England Cemetery on Thursday.

Otago Daily Times, 31 Aug 1887
OBITUARY The Bruce Herald records the death of Mr Stephen Caudle, one of the earliest settlers on the Tokomairiro Plain. He carried on a brick manufactory for many years, but latterly he had devoted himself to the cultivation of fruit and vegetables. He leaves a widow, two sons and a daughter

Bruce Herald, 20 Jan 1888
ST JOHN'S CHURCH, Milton The average attendance at the Sunday services has been well maintained, that of the morning being 76 and of the evening 86. At the week-day evening service, the average attendance was 25. During the year the Parsonage house has been completed through the generosity of Mr Finch, bu the erection of the verandah. Both the Parish as a whole and the Incumbent individually owe a debt of gratitude to Mr Finch for his loving care of the gardens about the church and parsonage and it is almost needless to say that the church property is the admiration of all who see it.
Since the last meeting the church has to regret the removal by death of two most regular attendants, viz., Mr E. Marryatt (Edward Marryatt 1827-1887) and Mr S. Caudle.
The vestry desire to record their thanks to Messrs Fox and Ransome, lay readers, to Mr Ransome as superintendent and the teachers in the Sunday School, to Mrs Fox as organist and Mr Marryatt and others for trimming and lighting the lamps, to Mr Hodgson for ringing the bell, to Messrs D. Reid and Hollick auditors and to Mrs Mahoney and Misses Scott, Graham and Barrett for cleaning the Church. As the first named ladies undertook the work for the year which has expired only, the Vestry, after some discussion. left the matter in the hands of the Incumbent and Mr Twiss, which has resulted in an arrangement being made with Miss Barrett, whereby she has undertaken to clean the Church and to trim and light the lamps. The Vestry also recommend to their successors the desirability of procuring new lamps before the dark weather sets in .. more at link above

Clutha Leader, 11 Oct 1895
BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL The following tenders were received for the formation of road at Table Hill:- James Ferguson £31 10s; Robert Wilson £45 16s; S. Caudle and Co., £20 18s. It was resolved that S. Caudle and Co.'s tender be accepted.

Clutha Leader, 6 Feb 1896
BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL S. Caudle and Co. wrote that they had completed contract at Table Hill. It had proved heavier than they expected and they asked the council to grant them an additional sum of £8 - resolved that £8 be granted.

Bruce Herald, 19 Sep 1899
TOKOMAIRIRO DRAUGHTS The Milton draughts players purpose visiting Lawrence on Wednesday to play the return match. The team will be composed of Messrs T. Bewley, R. Murray, L. Burn, J. R. Parlane, T. Flett junr., J. Parlane, D. McGill, S. Caudle, P. Welsh, John Walsh, R. McKinnon, M. Fleming, J. Burn. Conveyances will leave Reid's yard at 1p.m. sharp.

Bruce Herald, 18 Jan 1901
MOUNT STUART ROAD BOARD The clerk reported that he had received a tender from Mr S. Caudle for works near Mr Flett's inlet, unlet at last meeting, offering to work for £10. This he had accepted, that being the amount of estimate.

Bruce Herald,4 June 1901
The SHARE LIST in the Bruce Woollen Company The following share list, which we have compiled, giving the applicants' names and the number of shares applied for, will no doubt be of interest to our readers:- list shows from P. McGill 1000 shares to S. Caudle, 5 shares

Bruce Herald, 12 Aug 1902
DEATH OF A COLLEAGUE Mr Joseph Barrett, a very old resident of Tokomaririro, died at his residence at Caudletown on Friday morning, at the advanced age of 73 years. Deceased was born in a little village in Wilshire, England and emigrated to Victoria when quite a youth. After spending some time in Victoria he came to New Zealand, landing at Port Chalmers in 1861. Shortly afterwards he opened a boarding house at Waihola, in company with the late Stephen Caudle and also conducted a bakery business. About a year later the partners established a brick kiln on the property now owned by Mr S. Caudle (Stephen's son Stephen) - it being the first of its kind in Tokomairiro. Later the firm established similar works at Milton on the section on which the Milton Potteries now stand and the business was latterly carried on by Mr Barrett on his own account ..

Bruce Herald, 26 Jan 1904
OTAGO LABORERS' UNION The election of office-bearers aroused more than usual interest. With the exception of the offices of president and secretary, all the offices were contested and the ballot was continually going. The following were duly elected as officers for the year: President J. A. Scott; vice-president J. Vernon; secretary J. R. Lynch; committee - Messrs Caudle, Draper, Hyslop, Hynes, Nichol, Fahey and Barrett; auditors Messrs Barrett and F. Calvey; trustees W. Hyslop and S. Caudle

Bruce Herald, 16 June 1905
TOKOMAIRIRO FARMERS CLUB WINTER SHOW. In the root vegetable exhibits not one of the committee took a prize. Mr Carruthers from Pukepito and Mr S. Caudle, as the saying goes, "swept the boards."

Otago Daily Times, 24 Dec 1906
INQUEST AT MILTON The inquest touching the death of James Ferguson, who was killed on Friday afternoon by a fall of death at Clarendon, was held at deceased's residence on Saturday. Mr W. Moore,J.P., acting coroner presided and the jury comprised Messrs Jas. Drinnan (foreman), Rodger Grealish, W. Aitchison, S. Caudle, J. E. Lloyd, T. Kilgariff.

Bruce Herald, 22 Aug 1907
MILTON PARLIAMENTARY UNION At the usual meeting held on Tuesday evening. On the motion of Mr S. Caudle, it was decided that for the future debates the mover of a Bill be allowed 15 minutes and other speakers to the Bill 10 minutes.

Bruce Herald, 28 Nov 1907
BOUGHT A HOUSE Mr S. Caudle was the purchaser of the late Robert Palmer's house and sections at Helensbrook last Tuesday, The price was £129 (Nov 2017 equivalent of $21,428)

Bruce Herald, 15 June 1908
TOKOMAIRIRO FARMERS' CLUB At the monthly meeting the committee received a letter from Mr A. Nelson who wrote:- With reference to my protest to the prize being awarded to Mr Stephen Caudle for Class II, collection of apples (dessert), at the recent winter show, my main objection was that the exhibit ought to have been disqualified as not being in accordance with the schedule. Fully two-thirds of the apples were well-known cooking varieties and only one-third dessert apples. The Club should in my opinion stoutly object to any attempt to impose on them with regard to any exhibit. The Club are also to blame in nor appointing a judge who knew the difference between dessert and cooking apples. I understand that the exhibits in Classes IX and C were disqualified as not being according to schedule.

Bruce Herald, 21 Nov 1912
MAGISTRATE'S COURT, MILTON In the civil case Edward Cole v Stephen Caudle, claim £25 for failure to complete sale of a building, Mr Thomson asked his Worship to hold over his reserved judgment sine die, as the parties were endeavoring to come to an understanding - Held over accordingly.

Evening Star, 12 March 1920
DEATH OF son STEPHEN. CAUDLE - On March 12th, 1920, at Dunedin Hospital, Stephen, dearly beloved son of Catherine and the late Stephen Caudle, of Milton; aged 54 years. "At Rest" Private interment.

Bruce Herald, 18 March 1920
Obituary STEPHEN CAUDLE
The above gentleman, who was 54 years of age, passed away quietly, after a lingering illness, at the Dunedin Hospital on March 12th. Deceased, who was of a quiet and retiring disposition, was a son of the late Stephen Caudle, after whom a well-known neighbourhood us unofficially named. Born in 1866 (13 Sep 1865), at Caudeltown, he had lived all his life in that vicinity in company with his aged mother, during which time his stirling character and kindly disposition had earned for him the respect of the community. Deceased, who was unmarried had never known a day's illness and his unexpected demise at a comparatively early age cast quite a gloom throughout the district. His generous and inherent mauliness will be missed. He was a keen supporter of the Toko. Horticultural Society and a frequent and successful exhibitor at their shows. In his earlier days he had been an enthusiastic member of the Otago Hussars and a keen draught player. The funeral took place at the Anderson's Bay cemetery, the Rev Canon Small officiating at the graveside.

On 19 September 1920
DEATH OF CATHERINE THERESEA Six months after the death of her son Stephen, Catherine Theresa Caudle died at Andersons Bay. She is buried in Plot 102, Block 52 with her son

Otago Daily Times, 28 Jan 1922
The SANDERS CUP Four of the members of the crew of the Desert Gold, which will represent Auckland in the race for the Sanders Challenge cup, arrived by the second express from the north last night. The yachtsmen who arrived last night were - Messrs T. Patrick, F. Cloke, E. Lee and W. Caudle

Evening Star, 14 July 1934
DEATH OF WILLIAM William Caudle, seaman, died aboard the vessel while at Port Hutt on the night of July 1. He had previously been attend by the doctor at Waitangi. Stormy weather prevented the landing of the body until the night of July 3, when a short service, which was attended by all the members of the crew and some of the residents, was held on the wharf. Interment took place the following day at the Racecourse Cemetery, Waitangi.

FOOT NOTES
Saint Johns Anglican cemetery at Milton is a long forgotten one. It was initially in the grounds of the first Anglican Church. This Church was demolished when the new Church was built in 1866. The new Church was a long way from the position of the old one - now on the corner of State Highway 1 and Cowper Street in Milton. The old is now just a paddock on Back Road. Fairfax Cemetery was opened in 1854 so most burials were made there after the closure of the Anglican St John's Cemetery. It still belongs however, to the Anglican Church, with surviving records being held at the Hocken Library in Dunedin.There are many more burials in this cemetery than are recorded in the surviving records. Attempts are being made to restore the Cemetery, and garner information about those buried there. With even the configuration of burials unclear, a ground penetrating radar is to be used to build a map of the site before the end of 2015. After this is done contact with descendants both locally and nationally will be made where possible. Then restoration will be started which will include signage and a kiosk also a memorial made with the names, where known, of those buried. There are 60 known burials on the site dated from 1860 to about 1929. Over 100 burials are known or suspected to have taken place.
* In 2016 a surprising number of bodies were found and removed during the recent exhumation project to identify early South Otago people in unmarked graves. Skeletal remains and coffin furniture uncovered in a Milton cemetery research project to be analysed at the University of Otago, Dunedin
* In July 2017 a project was being undertaken in partnership with a local community group called Tokomairiro Project 60 (TP60) and the Anglican Church. A public meeting to unveil the initial findings and individual life histories of some of the people buried at the cemetery ..

A great read on MILTON written in 1905 mentions many of the names above, includes photos

PHOTO
Township of Tokomairiro 1864/65
As it looked when the Caudle family lived there