Charles Antoine Joseph De Witte (abt. 1800 - 1870)

Born about 3 Nov 1800 in Bruges, Belgium

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 13 Jun 1870 at about age 69 in Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand

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Biography

Some history on Charles:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlwihs/History/RockyBay/RockyBayBelgians.html

An extract from the history of the Consulate of Belgium in Auckland:

History of the Consulate of Belgium in Auckland.

The records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brussels show that the Belgian Consulate in Auckland was established just three years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi when Charles De Witte was appointed as Consul in 1843.

King Leopold II displayed an interest in the South Pacific and the potential to establish a Belgian community in New Zealand. Charles De Witte who had married Adele Celestine Gillodtz, a young lady associated with the Belgian royal family, set sail for New Zealand aboard the Mandarin arriving in Auckland in 1843. He was accompanied by his wife, their two daughters and several retainers. The family initially lived in Princes Street and moved later to St Georges Bay Road. They also acquired a two hundred and seven acre block at Putike on Waiheke Island and established an orchard, planted vines and built a cottage on this site which was maintained by an old family retainer, Pierre De Norrie.

Their eldest daughter, Helen, married Laughlin O’Brien who was pursuing a legal career and sat as a member of the House of Representatives in Auckland, the young colony’s first Capital. The marriage was the social event of the year and the ceremony was held in St Patrick’s Cathedral and conducted by Bishop Pompallier.

Adele died in 1864 and a requiem mass was held for her at the Church of St John the Baptist in Parnell. Charles De Witte resigned as Consul in 1870 and the management of the Consulate was entrusted to Laughlin O’Brien. The Colonial Government however refused to recognise this and the Consulate was closed down in 1873.

Sources

Consulate history provided by Consul 18Sep13

Death notice:http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS18700614.2.5&srpos=2&e=-------10--1----2charles+de+witte--

Appointment notice in newspaper:http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=DSC18431202.2.10&cl=CL2.1843.12.02&e=-------10--1----0--

Arrival 14Nov 1843 on "Mandarin" (note it states only one daughter):http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=DSC18431118.2.6&cl=CL2.1843.11.18&e=-------10--1----0--

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Stephen Smith for starting this profile.

Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Stephen and others.