Individual Notes
Note for: Mary Jane Hebden, Chr. 11 DEC 1816 - 6 JUL 1885
Index
Christening: Date: 11 DEC 1816
Place: Parish Of Patley Bridge, Yorkshire, England
Burial: Place: Holy Trinity Churchyard At Dacre Banks
Individual Note: Some details from B Bennett nee Pye
Some details from The Bennetts of Pencarrow by Paul Bennett
Date of Death from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
Latter Day Saints Individual Records show Mary Jane Hebden, Date of Christening: 11/12/1816 Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire, England, Parents: William Hebden and Mary, Batch No: C008703, Dates: 1813 - 1844, Source Call No: 0091081, Type: Film, Printout Call No: 6909762, Type: Film
Mary Jane Hebden sailed from Plymouth on the 5/10/1839 in the Duke of Roxburgh and arrived in New Zealand on 8/2/1840. Passenger list shows her occupation as Domestic Servant, but on arrival in New Zealand she described herself as a Governess. The fact that Domestic Servants were given free passage at this time could explain the discrepancy.
Three different dates are recorded for the Marriage 19, 20 and 21 of November 1840
The Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle 30th October 1858 shows
...
The Pencarrow lighthouse is rapidly approaching completion under the talented superintendence of Mr. Wright.
... continued
The Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle 4th December 1858 shows
Pencarrow Lighthouse.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, November 18, 1858.
The following notice respecting the erection of a Lighthouse at Pencarrow Head is published at the request of the Provincial Government at Wellington.
Henry John Tancred,
(In the absence of the Colonial Secretary).
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Notice to Mariners.
Pencarrow Lighthouse, Cook's Strait, New Zealand.
Notice is hereby given, that, on and after the first day of January next, a new light will be exhibited on Pencarrow Head at the entrance of Port Nicholson (Wellington), Cook's Strait, New Zealand.
The new light will be of the second order (Catadioptric system), with eclipses at intervals of two minutes; it will be 420 feet above high-water mark, and visible in ordinary weather at a distance of thirty English miles.
The following are the magnetic bearings and distances of the site of the new Lighthouse :—
From Baring Head, N.W. by N., 3 1/4 miles.
From Sinclair Head, E. by N. 1/2 N., 6 1/2 miles.
From Outer Rock of Barrett's Reef., S.E. by E 1/2 E. 1 mile.
From Steeple Rock, S.S.E., 2 miles.
From Cape Campbell, N.N.E. 1/4 E., 33 miles.
The Lighthouse is in Latitude 41deg. 22min. S., Longitude 174deg. 51min. 15sec. E.
The Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle 9th March 1859 shows
Notice to Mariners.
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Pencarrow Lighthouse.
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Provincial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 26th January, 1859.
Notice is hereby given that on and after the First day of September next, the Light exhibited since the first day of January last, on Pencarrow Head, at the entrance of Port Nicholson (Wellington), Cook's Strait, New Zealand, will be a fixed light, and not subject to eclipses at intervals of two minutes, as described in the following notice, bearing date the 7th December, 1858.
William Fitzherbert,
Provincial Secretary.
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Notice to Mariners.
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Pencarrow Lighthouse.
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Provincial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 7th December, 1858.
Notice is hereby given, that on and after the First day of January next, a new light will be exhibited on Pencarrow Head at the entrance of Port Nicholson (Wellington), Cook's Strait, New Zealand. The New Light will be of the second order (Caladioptric system), with eclipses at intervals of two minutes; it will be 420 feet above high water mark, and visible in ordinary weather at a distance of thirty English miles.
The following are the magnetic bearings and distances of the site of the lighthouse.
From Baring Head, N.W. by N., 3 1/4 miles.
From Sinclair Head, E. by N. 1/2 N., 6 1/2 miles.
From Outer Rock of Barrett's Reef, S. E. by E. 1/2 E., 1 mile.
From Steeple Rock. S.S.E., 2 miles.
From Cape Campbell, N.N.E. 1/4 E., 33 miles.
The lighthouse is in latitude 41deg. 22min. 0sec. S., longitude 174deg. 51min. 15sec, E.
William Fitzherbert,
Provincial Secretary.
After George White Bennett died Mary took over his duties as Lighthouse Keeper. On 1 January 1859 a real lighthouse was opened and Mary Jane was appointed first keeper of a Permanent Light in New Zealand. Her appointment was announced in the New Zealand Gazette, her salary was 125 pounds a year, inclusive of firewood. She had an assistant Lyall, an old navy man.
Mary Jane was an efficient lighthouse keeper, a fact recognised in congratulatory letters from the authorities and her staying on as the keeper for the next ten years.
After twenty five years in New Zealand, Mary Jane returned home. A female relative came to help her home with the six children. She returned to Braisty Wood and her father saw to the continued education of the boys.
1871 English Census shows Mary Jane Bennett, Widower, Daughter, Aged: 54, Birthplace: Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire, Occ: 3 acres of land, Registration District: Pateley Bridge, Sub District: Dacre Banks, Civil Parish: Hartwith, Address: Braisty Woods, Hartwith, County: Yorkshire
1881 English Census shows Mary Jane Bennett, Head, Aged: 64, Birthplace: Pateley, York, England, Occ: Annuitant, Dwelling: Springfield Villas, Census Place: Dacre, York, England
*Free Births, Marriages and Deaths Records show Date Death Registered: September 1885, District: Pateley Bridge, Name: Mary Jane Bennett, Aged: 66?, Volume: 9a, Page: 49*