William Elwood Robinson (1810 - 1866)

Born 8 Dec 1810 in Kirkby Ravensworth, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Jane (Leng) Robinson — married 19 Feb 1832 in St Andrews, Auckland, Durham, England

Descendants

Died 27 May 1866 at age 55 in Spring Creek, Marlborough, New Zealand

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Biography

On 8 December 1810 William Robinson was born in Kirkby-Ravensworth, York to William and Elizabeth Robinson. ^[1]

Name Wm Robinson

Residence Place Kirkby-Ravensworth, York, England

Gender Male

Birthplace Kirkby-Ravensworth, York, England

Birth Date 8 Dec 1810

Father's Name Wm Robinson

Mother's Name Eliz Robinson

Sibling: Younger brother Robert was born about 1814/1815.

On 19 February 1832 William Robinson and Jane Leng were married at St Andrews, Auckland, Durham ^[2] and lived in Richmond, Yorkshire where he was a joiner. He was also a Methodist minister.

They had 3 children when they emigrated, Hannah (6), John (4) and Elizabeth (1). They left Gravesend on the Thomas Harrison on 26 May 1842, arriving in Nelson in October 1842.

Passenger list ^[3]

Robinson

William 30 Joiner - Assistant to Surgeon Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Renwick (24)

Jane 27

Hannah 6

John 4

Elizabeth 1

He was a carpenter living at Hope, Nelson for 6 years. Over that period he acquired large areas of land in the Wairau area, where the family transferred in 1848 and took up residence in Middle Renwick Road (named after Dr. Thomas Renwick). He acquired at least 2,400 acres in the Spring Creek region. He should not be confused with another William Robinson, who owned the nearby Cheviot Run.

In October 1850 the first divine service on the Wairau Plain by an ordained minister, Rev. Samuel Ironside, was conducted at the family's home "Rose Tree Cottage". Services were held regularly at the cottage until 1855, when the town of Blenheim was established. Rev. H J O'Dell held a centennial service on the same sport in 1950, and a tablet was unveiled in the Rapaura Church to honor William Robinson as the first local preacher. It was said his daughter Jane Ann was the first white girl to be born in the Wairau. He had many men, including young Maori, working for him , and two maids employed for his wife Jane. ^[4] His youngest brother Robert arrived in NZ in 1858 with his wife and family, settling at Spring Creek.

In 1861 William Robinson joined with William Soper and John Wratt in an arduous horseback trek from Spring Creek to Picton to present a petition for the building of a school in Waimea West (later known as Upper Spring Creek, and today known as Rapaura. Upon approval the school was built on his land by the end of 1861.^[5]

Children born to William and Jane Robinson

1. 1836 Hannah
2. 1838 John
3. 1841 Elizabeth
4. 1849 (NZBDM 1849/2666) James
5. 1851 (NZBDM 1851/2544) Jane Ann (m. 1847 Peter O'Dwyer, d. 1929)
6. 1854 (NZBDM 1854/3524) On 28 February 1854 [unregistered name] Robinson was born to Jane and William Robinson. ^[6]. This may have been youngest daughter Mary, who married Joseph Wratt on 15 January 1870, died 31 March 1924 aged 70.
7. 1855 William Henry. On 23 May 1860 William Henry Robinson passed away from pneumonia, aged 5 ^[7]

Death

On 27 May 1866 William Robinson passed away, aged 54 ^[8]

DIED. On the 27th May, [1866] at Spring Creek, Wairau, Mr. William Robinson, aged 54 years. Deceased was one of the first settlers in the Wairau. ^[9]

He was the first adult to be buried at the Taylor Cemetery, now called Omaka Cemetery

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQ4W-TT5)
2. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NNV8-NMB)

   Name William Robinson

   Spouse's Name Jane Leng

   Event Date 19 Feb 1832

   Event Place Auckland-St. Andrew, Durham, England

3. ↑ Thomas Harrison passenger list
4. ↑ the booklet "the Robinsons of Rose Tree Cottage, Rapaura, Marlborough" prepared by Noeleen Robinson around 1990,
5. ↑ Rapaura - the Growing Heart of Marlborough by Nevil and Prue Matthews ISBN 0 908561-47-4
6. ↑ NZBDM births 28/2/1854 1854/3524 Robinson, NR, Jane, William
7. ↑ NZBDM deaths 23/5/1860 1860/3637 Robinson, William Henry, 5Y
8. ↑ NZBDM deaths 27/5/1866 1866/6403 Robinson, William, 54Y.
9. ↑ Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 89, 20 July 1866

• Find A Grave: Memorial #205596562