Peter Bourke (1811 - 1883)

Born 24 Apr 1811 in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland

Husband of Dorothea Frances (FitzGerald) Bourke — married 9 Sep 1847 in Turlough, Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland

Descendants

Died 13 Mar 1883 at age 71 in Lowe Street, Gisborne, New Zealand

Biography

Peter was born in 1811. He passed away in 1883. He is the son of John BOURKE (as seen on marriage record)

Seen on some records as Peter BURKE

M.A. degree at Trinity College, Dublin.

He was at Dublin University with Sir George Grey and the Dr. John Fitzgerald

Peter Bourke, lived in Napier, New Zealand next door to the first Hawkes Bay Superintendent Thomas Henry Fitzgerald. Dorothea is a Fitzgerald family name - this link with Peter Bourke's wife needs more evidence.

J.P. for many years for County Mayo, Ireland.

He lost his property, that he inherited, during the first Irish famine.

OCCUPATION: 1840 - Commissary in the Bay of Islands for the 58th and 65th Regiments. 1858 - Te Onepoto, (Napier) Civilian attached to the 65th Reg.- Temporay Clerk from 1858 to 1862 - Postmaster, Te Aute Store, Hawkes Bay from 1862 to 1873 - Postmaster Napier from 1873 to 1883 - Gisborne

DEATH OF MR. PETER BOURKE. One more, once familiar face, has gone from among us by the hand of the great Leveler. Mr. Peter Bourke, a very old resident of Gisborne, died early this morning, not unexpectedly, for he had been long ailing ; not before his time, for he was full of years ; not after long suffering, for he suffered little. In his decay, previous to his final dissolution, his life had been one gentle ebb, which went out almost unperceived. The jocund voice will be heard no more ; nor his hearty laugh, nor that bonhomie which made him so pleasant and agreeable to those who were among his immediate surroundings. A great portion of his life had been passed in the public service of the Colony, in which he had always been esteemed for the able and pleasant manner he had ever discharged his somewhat onerous duties. The deceased gentleman has always been held in highest respect and esteem for his many excellent qualities, public, local and domestic. These departures of old faces leave gaps not immediately to be filled up, and although they do interrupt the business of life, which of necessity must flow on, still there are feelings called up and we ask who from among us is the next for another — surely a better world.

Mr Peter Bourke was born in 1811, in the county of Mayo, Ireland; received his degree of M.A. at Trinity College, Dublin. Was a J.P. for many years for the county in which he was born. The property Mr Bourke inherited was lost during the first Irish famine, as were the properties from the same cause of very many old and honored families. Mr Bourke came to New Zealand in 1840, when he entered the Government service. Was Commissariat to the Bay of Islands of the 58th and 65th Regiments. The deceased gentleman retired on a pension in 1873, which he retained until his death.

Sources

• "New Zealand, Cemetery Transcriptions, 1840-1981," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGTN-S99K : 28 June 2018), Peter Bourke, 15 Mar 1883; citing Death, New Zealand, New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland.
• "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-TQ8K : 27 November 2017), Peter Bourke, 1883; citing Death, New Zealand, registration number 1883/2417, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington.
• "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-JPL8 : 11 November 2017), Peter Bourke, 1883; citing Gisborne, Probates - Gisborne, 1879-1969, record number 17, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 005449955.