Individual Notes
Note for: Margaret Marion Hughes, ABT 1857 - 23 JAN 1940
Index
Burial: Place: Pahautanui Cemetery
Individual Note: Some details from B Bennett nee Pye
*Marriage Details Date: 1878, Folio No: 1819*
Headstone Reads
In loving memory of
William Hebden Bennett
beloved husband of
Margaret called home
5th Nov 1929
Aged 74
'Thy will be done'
In loving memory of
Margaret Bennett
beloved wife of
William Henden Bennett
died 23rd Jan 1940
Aged 82
At rest
Individual Notes
Note for: George White Bennett, 2 MAR 1814 - 3 JUN 1855
Index
Burial: Date: 9 JUN 1855
Place: Bolton Street Cemetery, Wellington?
Individual Note: Some details from B Bennett nee Pye
Some details from The Bennetts of Pencarrow by Paul Bennett
George arrived at Petone on the Cuba on 2/1/1840, and landed on the 18/1/1840. He was listed as a Seedman, Aged: 25, Single.
Birth Date given as 2/3/1814 from the archives in Newcastle, but Mormon Index gives date as 11/9/1814, but Paul Bennett was thinking this date could have been his baptism date. Was a Seed Merchant based at Harrogate.
The New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator 3rd October 1840 shows
Copy of Attestation,
Lodged at the Union Bank of Australia, signed by Messrs. Hunter, Lyon, Telford, and Watts.
" September, 1840."
We have made enquiries into the circumstances of the Widows, in consequence of the recent lamentable loss of life on the 26th of August, and we find they are three in number, and six children; and until they hear from England, all of them must rely on the sympathies and contributions of their fellow Colonists."
John Smith, Esq.,
Manager of the Union Bank, Treasurer.
...
Collected by Mr. George White Bennett.
George W. Bennett... l 0 0
... continued
George White Bennett wanted to marry Mary Jane Hebden, but when her Father was approached, George was considered not good enough for the daughter of a Country Squire. Mary and George came separately to New Zealand as a runaway romance, wanting to marry.
Three different dates are recorded for the Marriage 19, 20 and 21 of November 1840
The New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator 10th October 1840 shows
List of Licensed Publicans in Port Nicholson.
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Richard Barrett, Barrett's Hotel, Britannia.
George White Bennett, Durham Arms, Britannia.
George Clarke, George Inn, Britannia.
William Couper, Thistle, Britannia.
Joseph Howes, Queen's Head, Britannia.
Robert Jenkins, New Zealander, Britannia.
William Bannister, Lambton Tavern, Britannia.
Mrs. Pierce, Britannia Hotel, Petoni. William Pitt Harvie, Caledonian Tavern, Petoni. (sic)
William Garrad, Plough Inn, Petoni. (sic)
George H, Coglan, Australian, Petoni. (sic)
Jabez Allen, Port Nicholson Hotel and Tavern, Petoni (sic)
The New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator 2nd January 1841 shows
Barrett's Hotel, Wellington.
S. Marshall begs leave to inform his friends, that a Select Ball will take place in the above elegant and commodious room, on Thursday, January 7, 1841.
A quadrille band is engaged. Single tickets, 10 shillings.; double tickets, 16 shillings.; to be had at the above hotel, and at Mr. Bennett's, Durham Arms.— Dancing to commence at 9 o'clock.
22nd January 1841 lived at Wellington Terrace as daughter Fanny was born there, from her Birth Notice in the New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator
In 1842 he was listed as being able to vote in Wellington's first local-body elections.
The New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator 13th March 1844 shows
County Court, Wellington.
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February 20, 1844.
Before His Honor E. S. Halswell, Esq.
Samuel Dunster, — Indicted for stealing sundry pieces of fire wood, the property of James Jackson.
James Jackson examined — I am a farmer and live at Lowery Bay ; I have been in the habit of cutting firewood for sale, and wood for dunnage in stowing oil; I had a large quantity of wood lying on the beach of some value; I have missed wood from time to time, a considerable quantity has been taken away; I have been at this work for some months, and I have missed a good deal of firewood; previous to Thursday, 25th January, I was at Lowery Bay, I went to my own house early in the morning; about the 18th I saw the prisoner walking in the direction towards the firewood, when he came opposite the pile, he turned aside and took an armful and went into a warra; I followed after him to his warra; I saw the wood in the warra and I charged him with it.
By the Court, — The prisoner was not in my employ; I believe the prisoner lives in that warra; I did not suspect him more than others, but I watched twice who took it; I never gave him the privilege to cut or take away my wood.
By the Court. — It was wood stacked and ready for shipping; I had a considerable trade in wood; I have built a vessel for the purpose of bringing dunnage and firewood over.
George White Bennett examined. — I am an Agriculturalist, and live at Lowry Bay. Mr. Jackson has been carrying on a trade in dunnage and fire wood for these three months past. I lived on the spot, and I have noticed a considerable quantity has been taken away. I remember Mr. Jackson shouting out one morning, came up and fetched me, I went to the heap of fire wood; there had been a very heavy dew or rain in the night. There were certain indications on the sand; the place were (sic) the wood had laid was dry, and I knew the wood; I saw the same on the fire. I went to the house where the prisoner was lodging, and saw the same sort of wood on the fire.
Cross-examined by the Court. — The place was dry, and appeared as if wood had been recently removed; all the adjoining part and the pile of wood was wet; I did not ask him any questions; I said the receiver was as bad as the thief, and the prisoner said nothing.
Alexander Thor, examined. — I am a shipbuilder; I know the prisoner at the bar ; I have been in the colony about two years; I have had good opportunities of knowing the prisoner; he was in Mr. Jackson's employ; I never knew him to be charged with any robbery before. I have never heard anything against his character.
His Honor in summing up said the jury, if they believed the evidence, were bound to find the prisoner guilty; the Court would afterwards deal with the case in a fitting manner. It might appear to the jury that this was a trifling offence, but they would remember that the prosecutor had first of all paid for his land, and had been at a great expense in building a vessel to convey fuel to Wellington, and as it was all he had to subsist upon he was entitled to be protected in his property.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and strongly recommended the prisoner to mercy, on the ground of good character.
The Judge said their recommendation should have weight with him, and in sentencing the prisoner to three weeks confinement, complimented the Police Magistrate in sending the case to a jury for the sake of example, and his Honor said he trusted it would have a beneficial effect in preventing the daily depredations now in the course of being committed on the Town Belt, where some of the finest timber was constantly destroyed.
... continued
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In the mid 1840s George farmed as Lowry Bay, he grew fruit and produce for the Wellington Market and this was taken to Wellington by boat.
The New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian 8th February 1845 shows
List of all persons qualified to serve as Jurors for the District of Wellington, for the year 1845,
...
Bennett, George White, Lowry Bay, Settler
... continued
The New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian 10th February 1847 shows
List of all persons qualified to serve as Jurors for the District of Port Nicholson, for the year 1847,
...
Bennett, George White, Lowry Bay, Settler
... continued
In 1852 George took charge of the country's first lighthouse at Pencarrow. George and Mary arrived at the lighthouse with five children. Fanny, born 21/1/1842, at Wellington; Mary Jane, born 8/7/1844, at Lowry Bay, Anne, born 17/8/1846, at Lowry Bay, Francis, born 30/7/1848, at Wellington.
Two other children were then born George, born 3/7/1853, at Pencarrow and William, born 3/12/1853, six months after his father's death. Another child Eliza died at Pencarrow aged two and half, on 6 of December the year they took over the lighthouse. Though she is not listed in Mary Jane's Bible with the other children.
The Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle 30th June 1855 shows
Wellington Extracts.
A lamentable accident, attended with loss of life, occurred on Sunday last, at the Pilot Station. It appears that Mr. Bennett, the light-house keeper, had crossed over to the Pilot Station, and was returning again in the pilot boat, when the boat was struck near Barrett's Reef by a blind roller and dashed to pieces, and the crew and Bennett were thrown into the sea. The Pilot, who saw what had happened, at once mounted Bennett's horse and rode into Wellington, where he obtained the Custom House boat from Captain Sharp and a stout crew, and started for Barrett's Reef. They found that the crew, four in number, had managed to swim from one rock to another, until at length they had reached the shore. Bennett was unable to swim and was washed off by the waves and drowned. The body was picked up by the Custom House boat and brought to shore, and every means tried to restore animation, but it was found that life was extinct. The deceased was one of the earliest settlers, having arrived in the Cuba in January, 1840; he has left a widow and a numerous family to deplore his loss. — Spectator, June 6.