George White Bennett and Mary Jane Hebden
ceyes
George White Bennett was one of Wellington's first settlers, arriving from England on board the New Zealand Company ship Cuba on 3 January 1840. His future wife, Mary Jane Hebden, arrived just over a month later on board the Duke of Roxburgh. They married on the 20th of November that year.
Mary Jane Hebden was baptised on 11 December 1816, at Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire, England, the eldest child of Mary and William Hebden. Her father was, by family tradition, the squire of the village of Dacre Banks, in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
George was born on 2nd March 1814 at Whickham, County Durham, England, one of six children of George Bennett and Ann White.
In 1852 George Bennett began what was to become a family tradition of lighthouse-keeping at Pencarrow. His wife, Mary Jane Bennett, took on the role after his death in 1855, while their youngest son, William Bennett, was an assistant keeper during the 1880s.
They were the first lighthouse keepers in New Zealand, and Mary Jane was the first and only woman lighthouse keeper.
Mary Jane's official biography
Pencarrow lighthouse beginnings
Mary Jane and children
Comments
pebbles1 on 2009-05-29 17:37:51I have approx 130 Hebdens in my tree - a few Jane's and some Mary's but no Mary Jane.
[I have found that names then were a little more "variable" than now. Eg my GGGreat Grandmother was a Mary, her bridesmaid was Elizabeth. After Mary died, GGGGfather married Elizabeth and from then on she was known as Elizabeth Mary.]
There is a Jane Hebden born 1865, my GGmothers sister Brisbane that I have not traced anywhere. Her parents were Jane Meaby and Robert William George Hebden who both emigrated to Brisbane in 1862 on the 'Sultana" from Plymouth UK.
ceyes on 2009-05-30 02:58:09Thanks for your notes. More details of my Mary Jane hebden above.
mcgregor on 2011-09-23 19:25:14I have a Michael and Mary Hebden from Yorkshire Micheal was born in 1836 and Mary in 1838 they had five children (I think) and arrived in New Zealand in 1867 from Gravesend their eledest daughter was Mary Jane next Elizabeth then Isabella a child that died at 16 weeks John and Annie Montmorency named after the ship they arrived on. I have no information on Micheals parents. Any help would be greatfully appricated.
ceyes on 2011-09-23 19:36:20There were Hebdens who went to Canterbury in the South Island. While they may be related to my Mary Jane, it would be a distant link.