Assorted rogues - Person Sheet
Assorted rogues - Person Sheet
Spouses
BirthFeb 181762
Death1903
DeathAug 1903, Aratapu, Kaipara, Northland, New Zealand
FatherSamuel Webb
MotherSarah STIRRUP
Marriage1886
ChildrenWallace John (1854-1936)
James Branton (1856-1934)
Charles Richard (1859-)
Penelope Martha (Cissy) (1860-1936)
Notes for Penelope FISHER
The marriage of Thomas Stirrup Webb to Penelope Massey (nee Fisher) is all complicated by the fact that his son, Thomas Webb, married her daughter, Penelope Massey, in the same year! So father and son (with the same names) married mother and daughter (with the same names), which sounds like incest until you realise that the son and the daughter were both from first marriages of the parents.
This was sorted out by Kathy Callaghan (and perhaps also by Joanna McKinnon). Not by me at all.
This Penelope arrived in NZ in 1865 with four children aboard the Andrew Jackson (to join her husband Branton Charles Massey). Her husband was an engineer at the sawmill on the Cornwallis Estate, Maukau. They moved to Te Kopuru in1870. Her husband died in 1876 aged 46. 10 years later Penelope married Thomas Stirrup Webb on 6 Feb 1886.
This was sorted out by Kathy Callaghan (and perhaps also by Joanna McKinnon). Not by me at all.
This Penelope arrived in NZ in 1865 with four children aboard the Andrew Jackson (to join her husband Branton Charles Massey). Her husband was an engineer at the sawmill on the Cornwallis Estate, Maukau. They moved to Te Kopuru in1870. Her husband died in 1876 aged 46. 10 years later Penelope married Thomas Stirrup Webb on 6 Feb 1886.
Notes for Thomas Stirrup (Spouse 1)
From Bilston, Staffordshire, England.69
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His obituary in New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12352, 18 August 1903, Page 5.
AN OLD SETTLER DEPARTED.
One of the very earliest, as well as one of the best known and respected, of the pioneer settlers of Northern Wairoa passed away on Friday evening last, in the person of Mr. Thomas Stirrup Webb, of Aratapu. He came to Aratapu in 1863, and built a house on the bank of the river, close to where is now the ferry landing. The bouse was moved up to the main Aratapu-Kopuru Road a few months ago, and was found to be still sound. Mr. Webb built a new house, within a half-mile of the old one, about 16 years ago, and it was here that he died. The deceased occupied several public positions and, especially in the earlier days of our settlement, was of very great assistance to his neighbours in many ways. He was of a kindly, social, disposition, and ever alert on questions of a public character, feeling an enthusiasm for the right, and a decided aversion for oppression and wrong. It was always a pleasure to come into contact with him, as his conversation was always of an interesting and educational character. He was buried at Mount Wesley on Sunday afternoon. The funeral was, by request, a private one, but a considerable number of friends attended, and amongst them were many of the oldest settlers in the, district, The deceased was born in. Leicestershire, England, in February, 1817, and was a son of the Rev. S. Webb, a Wesleyan minister. His father wished him to engage in the ministry, but his tastes were not in that direction, and he engaged in business as a chemist and druggist in Bilston, in South Staffordshire. He was married in 1844, and had a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, but two sons and two daughters died in infancy. In October, 1862, he left London with his wife and seven children in the Gertrude for Auckland. One of his daughters died on the voyage. Like many of the early settlers he had trials and difficulties to overcome, of which settlers arriving now know nothing, He died at the age of 86 years.
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From another newspaper entry, we know Thomas was the Coroner in 1871. Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4302, 29 May 1871, Page 3.
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A more recent account of Thomas Stirrup Webb was written by Brian Eastwood and appears at
http://www.kaiparalifestyler.co.nz/Of_Interest.cfm?NewsID=4165. I reproduce it verbatim here, just in case that web page disappears and I lose the information.
12-Jul-11
Men who made Northern Wairoa
by Brian Eastwood
Te Kopuru man Thomas Webb,
the son of Thomas Stirrup Webb and father of Sir Thomas Clifton Webb
Many will know the story of Sir Thomas Clifton Webb, Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister, diplomat, United Nations delegate, noted rugby player and Te Kopuru’s most accomplished son.
Fewer will recognise the name of his grandfather, Thomas Stirrup Webb, who was one of the very earliest settlers to arrive in Northern Wairoa. Like many others from the United Kingdom, he decided to stay and make his life here. He contributed much to his new home.
Born in Leicestershire in 1817, Thomas Stirrup practised as a chemist in Staffordshire before sailing for New Zealand on the immigrant ship Gertrude in 1863. For a middle-aged man, it was a brave decision to bring his wife and seven children to begin a new life in a still barely settled district. A daughter died at sea on the way to New Zealand.
An early historian, John Stallworthy, wrote that Webb selected his block with great care. ‘He settled on the Kopuru block and was the first settler there. He bought horses, cows and farm implements and at once started to carve out his home’.
Within just six years, he had been appointed a JP and coroner for the district, at first without any police to back him up. In a typical accident of the time, Thomas Stirrup Webb sat as coroner at Tokatoka to hear the circumstances of a boating accident on the Northern Wairoa River. Two men were drowned when their boat, overloaded with almost three tons of kauri gum on their second trip for the day, met a heavy wind and capsized. Coroner Webb was told that overloading was a common practice.
In 1874, Webb became Licensing Commissioner for Port Albert, Kaipara and Tokatoka. When the original Hobson County Council sat in 1877, he was one of the seven who became the first councillors. That same year he took on the responsibility of registrar of births, deaths and marriages. He was also the electoral returning officer.
Stallworthy noted that when Webb came to Northern Wairoa there were no roads, very few settlers, mail once a month by open boat, with only one little cutter trading to Kaipara. ‘He lived to see roads, bridges, steamers, great sawmills, public halls, a hospital, libraries and a dairy company’.
As settler numbers increased, the need for the administration of justice in the Northern Wairoa grew. Thomas Stirrup Webb was a man that took up that challenge. He died aged 86 years and is buried at Mt. Wesley.
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From http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc02Cycl-t1-body1-d2-d53-d15.html
THE CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW ZEALAND [AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL DISTRICT]
MR. THOMAS STIRRUP WEBB
MR. THOMAS STIRRUP WEBB, Old Colonist, is one of the oldest settlers in the Aratapu district, and after surmounting all the difficulties of the pioneer days, he is now, at the ripe age of eighty-four, surrounded by descendants to the third generation, and in the enjoyment of peace and plenty. Mr. Webb was born in Leicestershire, England. He was the son of the Rev. Samuel Webb, a Wesleyan minister, and was educated at Kingswood school, Bristol. Mr. Webb afterwards settled at Boston in Staffordshire, where he carried on the business of a chemist, and was one of the township commissioners. He came to Auckland in 1863, and has occupied many honourable positions in the colony. He has been in his time a Justice of the Peace, a coroner, a returning officer, county councillor, and licensing commissioner, but on account of his advancing years, he has not for some time held any public position.
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His obituary in New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12352, 18 August 1903, Page 5.
AN OLD SETTLER DEPARTED.
One of the very earliest, as well as one of the best known and respected, of the pioneer settlers of Northern Wairoa passed away on Friday evening last, in the person of Mr. Thomas Stirrup Webb, of Aratapu. He came to Aratapu in 1863, and built a house on the bank of the river, close to where is now the ferry landing. The bouse was moved up to the main Aratapu-Kopuru Road a few months ago, and was found to be still sound. Mr. Webb built a new house, within a half-mile of the old one, about 16 years ago, and it was here that he died. The deceased occupied several public positions and, especially in the earlier days of our settlement, was of very great assistance to his neighbours in many ways. He was of a kindly, social, disposition, and ever alert on questions of a public character, feeling an enthusiasm for the right, and a decided aversion for oppression and wrong. It was always a pleasure to come into contact with him, as his conversation was always of an interesting and educational character. He was buried at Mount Wesley on Sunday afternoon. The funeral was, by request, a private one, but a considerable number of friends attended, and amongst them were many of the oldest settlers in the, district, The deceased was born in. Leicestershire, England, in February, 1817, and was a son of the Rev. S. Webb, a Wesleyan minister. His father wished him to engage in the ministry, but his tastes were not in that direction, and he engaged in business as a chemist and druggist in Bilston, in South Staffordshire. He was married in 1844, and had a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, but two sons and two daughters died in infancy. In October, 1862, he left London with his wife and seven children in the Gertrude for Auckland. One of his daughters died on the voyage. Like many of the early settlers he had trials and difficulties to overcome, of which settlers arriving now know nothing, He died at the age of 86 years.
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From another newspaper entry, we know Thomas was the Coroner in 1871. Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4302, 29 May 1871, Page 3.
——————————————————
A more recent account of Thomas Stirrup Webb was written by Brian Eastwood and appears at
http://www.kaiparalifestyler.co.nz/Of_Interest.cfm?NewsID=4165. I reproduce it verbatim here, just in case that web page disappears and I lose the information.
12-Jul-11
Men who made Northern Wairoa
by Brian Eastwood
Te Kopuru man Thomas Webb,
the son of Thomas Stirrup Webb and father of Sir Thomas Clifton Webb
Many will know the story of Sir Thomas Clifton Webb, Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister, diplomat, United Nations delegate, noted rugby player and Te Kopuru’s most accomplished son.
Fewer will recognise the name of his grandfather, Thomas Stirrup Webb, who was one of the very earliest settlers to arrive in Northern Wairoa. Like many others from the United Kingdom, he decided to stay and make his life here. He contributed much to his new home.
Born in Leicestershire in 1817, Thomas Stirrup practised as a chemist in Staffordshire before sailing for New Zealand on the immigrant ship Gertrude in 1863. For a middle-aged man, it was a brave decision to bring his wife and seven children to begin a new life in a still barely settled district. A daughter died at sea on the way to New Zealand.
An early historian, John Stallworthy, wrote that Webb selected his block with great care. ‘He settled on the Kopuru block and was the first settler there. He bought horses, cows and farm implements and at once started to carve out his home’.
Within just six years, he had been appointed a JP and coroner for the district, at first without any police to back him up. In a typical accident of the time, Thomas Stirrup Webb sat as coroner at Tokatoka to hear the circumstances of a boating accident on the Northern Wairoa River. Two men were drowned when their boat, overloaded with almost three tons of kauri gum on their second trip for the day, met a heavy wind and capsized. Coroner Webb was told that overloading was a common practice.
In 1874, Webb became Licensing Commissioner for Port Albert, Kaipara and Tokatoka. When the original Hobson County Council sat in 1877, he was one of the seven who became the first councillors. That same year he took on the responsibility of registrar of births, deaths and marriages. He was also the electoral returning officer.
Stallworthy noted that when Webb came to Northern Wairoa there were no roads, very few settlers, mail once a month by open boat, with only one little cutter trading to Kaipara. ‘He lived to see roads, bridges, steamers, great sawmills, public halls, a hospital, libraries and a dairy company’.
As settler numbers increased, the need for the administration of justice in the Northern Wairoa grew. Thomas Stirrup Webb was a man that took up that challenge. He died aged 86 years and is buried at Mt. Wesley.
——————————————————
From http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc02Cycl-t1-body1-d2-d53-d15.html
THE CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW ZEALAND [AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL DISTRICT]
MR. THOMAS STIRRUP WEBB
MR. THOMAS STIRRUP WEBB, Old Colonist, is one of the oldest settlers in the Aratapu district, and after surmounting all the difficulties of the pioneer days, he is now, at the ripe age of eighty-four, surrounded by descendants to the third generation, and in the enjoyment of peace and plenty. Mr. Webb was born in Leicestershire, England. He was the son of the Rev. Samuel Webb, a Wesleyan minister, and was educated at Kingswood school, Bristol. Mr. Webb afterwards settled at Boston in Staffordshire, where he carried on the business of a chemist, and was one of the township commissioners. He came to Auckland in 1863, and has occupied many honourable positions in the colony. He has been in his time a Justice of the Peace, a coroner, a returning officer, county councillor, and licensing commissioner, but on account of his advancing years, he has not for some time held any public position.
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Notes for Branton Charles (Spouse 2)
Engineer at the sawmill on the Cornwallis Estate, Manukau.