Hester Lovell was born in Gloucestershire about 1813. Although many people believe Hester's last name at birth was Spicer, it was in fact Lovell. This is made clear on Hester's death certificate contained in the probate file of her will. Hester's parents are listed as George Lovell, labourer, and Sarah Lovell nee Spicer. Hester was, in fact, her first husband Benjamin's cousin. The name Spicer does not appear in Hester's records until her marriage to Edward Stanton in 1875, though it does appear as a second name for her children.[1] There is a baptism[2] for a Hester Lovell with parents, George and Sarah, on 13 September 1812 at Siston, Gloucestershire. Siston is in the same area as Staple Hill and Mangotsfield.
Hester married in 1831 at St James Church in Staple Hill, Mangotsfield near Bristol to Benjamin Lovell.[3] At the time of the 1841 census, Hester was living at Staple Hill.[4] She had 4 children before the family emigrated to New Zealand: Fanny, Benjamin, Sarah and Alfred. Her daughter, Sarah, had died just before the family emigrated. Hester was 29 when she and the family arrived at Nelson of the ship Lord Auckland in 1842. The family moved to Motupipi in Golden Bay with Benjamin's brother, James, then back to Motueka.[5] The family had a store on what is now High Street backing onto Deck's Reserve. It is likely that Deck's Reserve or its associated carpark is the original Lovell land as it is "3 acres of land in the estate of Hester Stanton deceased, situated at Motueka being part of section 153 (sold to) to Dr Deck."[6][7]
Benjamin died in 1873 and Hester remarried to Edward Stanton in 1875. [8] The marriage does not appear to have been a happy one as Hester was granted a protection order against Edward in 1882.[9]
She died in 1898 aged 85[10] and is buried as Hester Lovell with her husband Benjamin in the Old Block, Row 1 Plot 10 at Motueka Cemetery.[11] Hester's will was administered by the Public Trust. She left her husband, Edward, six pounds with the balance of her estate to be split between her surviving children, Benjamin, Thomas, Frances, Christiana, Mary, Angelina and Mary Anne, the widow of her son, Alfred. Her estate appears to have been valued around 700 pounds.[1]
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Categories: Lord Auckland, sailed 21 September 1841 | Motueka, Tasman | Motueka Cemetery, Motueka, Tasman