I have taken some extracts from the Hutt City Library site from the page
Lower Hutt Past and Present (1941)

I highly recommend a visit to their site for some wonderful info and photos of that district and the early settlers.

I am doing some short overviews from their database:

journal 1 - settlers of LOWER HUTT 1839 - 1941

journal 2 - the PILGRIM MOTHERS of the Hutt Valley

journal 3 - PETONE's first 100 years, - list of names

journal 4 - PETONE men who fell WWI - list of names

journal 5 - FREEMASONRY - Ulster Lodge No. 62

journal 6 - LOYAL PETONE LODGE - No, 6542

journal 7 - Ancient Order Of Foresters - COURT EPUNI, 7314

journal 8 - INDEPENANT ORDER OF RECHABITES

journal 9 - PETONE Branch - Hibernian Australasian Society 1910

journal 10 - PETONE PIONEER BRANCH - Oddfellows

journal 11 - HERETAUNGA LODGE & STAR of PETONE LODGE

journal 12 - PONEKE LODGE - Ancient Order of DRUIDS

journal 13 - PETONE Town Board - formed 1881

journal 14 - HUTT RIVER BOARD - formed 1879


(additions in italics or capitals are mine)
- (remember the article was written in 1941)


a brief overview:

* The first white man known to have conducted an industry in the Hutt district was JOE ROBINSON, a Scotch sailor, who, in 1839, was found by Wakefield building an open 8-ton boat on the banks of the Hutt River ...

* In April 1840 it is stated that HENRY MEECH and OXENHAM had a shipwright's business on the left side of the Hutt River. In the same edition reference is made to EDWARD CHANCE's produce and general store, and the virtues of MANNING's portable colonial cottages are extolled

* In July 1840 two of the three partners of Messrs BETTS-HOPPER, MOLESWORTH and PETRE, established an engineering business next to the Hikoikoi pa, near the mouth of the Hutt River

* In 1841 at a yard on the banks of the Hutt River for Messrs MOLESWORTH and HART. Unfortunately, this vessel was wrecked at Kapiti in August of the same year.

* In the following year an American shipwright named WILLCOX built several vessels and also a four-storey flour-mill at the junction of the Waiwhetu Stream and White's Line

* In 1843 another flour-mill, driven by a water wheel, was begun by JOB MABEY

* In 1847 one of the early general stores was established by T. BURT, on the main road. The family continued in the business till some twenty years ago.

* In 1849 on his property at Taita and in the following year this was completed with the help of Mr. A. W. RENNALL, who operated the mill. It was badly damaged in the earthquake of 1855. Another water-wheel was built for Messrs. FARRELLY Bros. at Naenae about 1881 for chaff-cutting

* In 1852 W. & J. HALL commenced business on the main street, and during the subsequent eighty years members of this family built many homes and several churches in the Valley

* In 1861 CLELAND's Store was established just north of Park Avenue, and his brother also commenced a store on the main street of the Hutt near Queen's Road.

* In 1866 MASON's store was established on the western side of the main road near Knox Church, and part of the original building still exists. Other stores which operated in the early days were those of POTTS, KYES, and MULLINS

* In 1867 GEORGE McILVRIDE commenced a blacksmith's and wheelwright's business on the main street

* In 1879 TREVETHICK's brushworks was commenced

* In 1889 FEIST's store was established on the site at present occupied by the Municipal Public Library and "Hutt News" office.


HOTELS
(remember this was wrtten in 1941)


In October 1840, there were at least five inns or taverns on the Petone beach. There are still only five licensed houses in the Lower Hutt and Taita districts.

The first hostelry in the Hutt was BURCHAM's Aglionby Arms, at the Village of Aglionby (see Historical plan.) It is believed that this was built in 1840.

In 1847, however, there is record of this inn being situated near the bridge. On account of the river erosion it was again moved further to the west where, on a plan dated 1863, it appears where the south-west end of the present concrete bridge is. There was further erosion in the big floods of 1871 and 1872, when the building was undermined and it was taken down. Parts of it were used in the construction of the stables at the rear of the present Railway Hotel, which was opened in 1875 by Mr. Nat. VALENTNE (Nathaniel Valentine)

The Central Hotel was built in 1880, and occupies the site of Whitewood's Hotel, built in 1847.

Little is known of the Rose Inn which, in 1849, stood where the Commonwealth Covenant Church was recently erected.
The Family Hotel was built in 1874, and was originally known as OSGOOD's.

The Bellevue Hotel, in Woburn Road, was originally situated in the Bellevue Gardens, previously known as McNAB's, and now occupied by residences. The hotel was burnt down in 1912, and the present one was constructed shortly afterwards.

There were many hotels in the Taita in the early days, but little is known of their history.

In 1847 HUGHES's Public House stood where the golf course now is, opposite the Anglican Church.

GEORGE BUCK was "mine host" at the Travellers' Rest, which stood opposite Taita Hotel, in 1852. It is believed that this place was afterwards known as Honeymoon Cottage, and that the license of the present Taita Hotel originated here.

The Barley Mow Inn was mentioned in a report of the great flood in 1858, and the name of the Albion Inn appears in a list of local public-houses in 1865. This latter building is still standing, and was the half-way house for coaches running to and from the Wairarapa.
It is probable that many of these places existed before the dates mentioned.

These early houses were licensed and the fees provided a large part of the revenue of the township in those days