Benjamin Gittos (1808 - 1884)

Born 1808 in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Ann (White) Gittos — married 26 Jan 1839 in Staindrop, Durham, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 6 Aug 1884 at about age 76 in Wallace Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

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Biography

Benjamin Gittos was born in Shropshire, England.

Benjamin Gittos migrated from England to New Zealand.

Benjamin Gittos was baptised 15th March 1809 in the Anglican parish of Bridgnorth, St Leonard, Shropshire, England, the son of Edward Gittos and Mary Gittos.

He married Ann White. They had at least two children when he and his wife emigrated from England to New Zealand in about 1840. (His brother in law William White was a missionary, based in the Hokianga in Northland.) They made camp near the waterfront in Auckland where the corner of Queen and Shortland Streets is now, before moving to farm near the Hokianga. The war of 1845 caused them to move to Auckland,

Benjamin was a blacksmith and leather merchant. In 1863 he had a Leather business in Wyndham Street and a tannery at Avondale on the Wahu river. At this tannery he initiated the techniques for tanning with the bark of native trees such as the tanekaha and the towhai. He issued penny tokens in 1864, advertising his trade and location as, 'B. GITTOS LEATHER MERCHANT IMPORTER OF BOOTS & SHOES &c. &c.' and 'WHOLESALE & RETAIL LEATHER & GRINDERY STORES WYNDHAM STREET AUCKLAND N.Z., 1864'.

His wife Ann died in 1874 at the age of 70.

Benjamin Gittos died in 1884 at the age of 76. ^[1]

Auckland Star 8.8.1884 p:2

DEATHS

GITTOS - On August 6th at the residence of his son, Mr. John Gittos, Wallace Street, Ponsonby, Benjamin Gittos aged 76.

Hawera & Normanby Star 11.8.1884, P:2

AN OLD IDENTITY Benjamin Gittos is dead, at the age of 76. He was one o£ the refugees brought to Auckland in the Victoria gun brig from Hokianga during the war and arrived in Auckland in 1840.

Benjamin Gittos was one of Auckland's earliest settlers. The Gittos family arrived in Auckland in 1840 and made camp near the waterfront where the corner of Queen and Shortland Streets is now, before moving to farm near Hokianga.

Auckland Star 16.8.1884 P:6

Another vacancy is caused in the rapidly thinning ranks of our old identities by the death of Mr Benjamin Gittos head of the firm of Gittos and Sons, Leather Merchants of Wyndham Street. He died on August 5 at the residence of his son, Mr J. Gittos, at Ponsonby, in the 76th year of his age. The deceased arrived here in 1840 and settled first at Hokianga. The war of 1845 however, caused him to move to Auckland, where he has resided ever since. The firm with which his name is so intimately connected was established in 1857, though the Whau tannery did not commonce operations till six years later. He leaves four sons— the Rev. W. Gittos of Kaipara Mr J. Gittos of Ponsonby and Messrs Francis and James Gittos of Avondale; and two daughters, both married. Tho body was lowered into the grave in the Wesleyan portion of the English Cemetery on the 9th August, in the presence of a large number of citizens and settlers from surrounding districts who had known and respected the deceased gentleman for many years. The first part of the burial service was performed by the Rev.Sommerville of Avondale, and the concluding part by the Revs. Bavin and T. G. Carr, ministers of the Christian denomination to which Mr. Gittos was ardently attached and of which he was a consistent working member for more than half a century.

Burial - Symonds Street Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand; Section 1 A plot 10 ^[2]

Inscription -

In memory of Ann,

the beloved wife of Benjamin Gittos,

who departed this life 16th June 1874

aged 70 years,

them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him

... also Benjamin Gittos

died in Auckland

on August 6 ... aged 76 years,

the path of the just is ... light that shineth more and more

Sources

1. ↑ "New Zealand, Cemetery Transcriptions, 1840-1981," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGY2-6X41 : 28 June 2018), Benjamin Gittos, 6 Aug 1884; citing Death, New Zealand, New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland
2. ↑ "New Zealand, Cemetery Transcriptions, 1840-1981," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG2Y-VYYN : 28 June 2018), Benjamin Gittos, 6 Aug 1884; citing Death, New Zealand, New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland.

• Baptism - Benjamin Gittos Baptism Date 15 Mar 1809 Bridgnorth, St Leonard, Shropshire, England (Anglican) - parents : Edward Gittos & Mary Gittos - Shropshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 - Page number 93 Reference Number P40/A/1/3
• Marriage - "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DHD-JN9 : 13 December 2014), Benjamin Gittos & Ann White, 1839; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1839, quarter 1, vol. 24, p. 223, Teesdale, Durham, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
• Death - NZ BDM Death Records Online: 1884/2109 - Gittos Benjaminage 76 years
• https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/articles/1866

• https://timespanner.blogspot.com/2008/11/leather-makers-story-of-gittos-tannery.html
• http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz