William Dawson Webster Esq (1841 - 1923)

Born 15 Apr 1841 in the Atlantic Ocean, on board the Amelia Thompson, in the Bay of Biscay on route to New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Watson) Webster — married 15 Apr 1868 in St Mary's Church, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 30 Apr 1923 at age 82 in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand

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Biography

Produce and Grain Merchant, of Webster Brothers: Shipping and Commission Agent, Settler, Pioneer and Philanthropist; of 'Pae Tawa', Fulford Street, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. He was a Taranaki War Veteran and was awarded the New Zealand Medal.

Background

William Dawson Webster was the younger son of James Webster and Sarah Frances Dorset, of London. He was born at sea in the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean, onboard the barque 'Amelia Thompson', in the middle of a storm, on 15 April 1841, three weeks after his family had departed England. He was named in honour of the ship's captain, William Dawson.

New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand

The family had left Plymouth, Devonshire, on 25 March 1841, destined for New Zealand. The ship arrived at New Plymouth via Wellington, on 3 September 1841.

The ship's Passenger Manifest listed: James Webster (Yeoman), Mrs Webster, Frederick L Webster, William Dawson Webster ("Born 15th April 1841, named after the Captain"), one female infant [Frances Ann, later Mrs Lt-Colonel Charles Stapp], and Miss Charlotte Baker (Mrs Webster's niece).[1]

Early years

"His father James Webster was appointed first Collector of Customs and Postmaster of New Plymouth and was distinguished for his courage and endurance in conveying mails from New Plymouth to Auckland, at a time when only a native track existed, and the road was beset with dangers in fording rivers, etc." CMGW.

Journal

In 1858 he wrote a Journal which "describes a voyage to Sydney, New South Wales, in the schooner 'Seagull' (Capt Champion) when Webster was accompanied by two New Plymouth Boys, Percy Bayley and Fred Windsor." The Journal consists of a typescript and also a manuscript copy of the original (by W H Skinner); Puke Ariki, National Register of Archives and Manuscripts (updated Feb 1979).

Taranaki War

On the outbreak of the Taranaki War, Webster served in No 1 Company, Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, under his brother Captain F L Webster.

On 28 March 1860 he took part in the Waireka Battle, "Waireka, five miles south-west of New Plymouth, was the theatre of an engagement which proved the fighting capacity of Taranaki's newly trained Volunteers and Militia, and saved the town from direct attack by the united strength of the southern tribes. The encounter was doubly memorable because it was the first occasion on which a British Volunteer corps engaged an enemy on the battlefield. The colonial force was under the command of Captain Charles Brown, who had with him the following officers: Militia - Captain and Adjutant Charles Stapp, Lieutenants McKechney and McKellar, Colonel William Bazire Messenger, Lieutenants Hurst, Hamerton, [Frederick Lewis] Webster, and Jonas."

He received the New Zealand Medal in recognition of his service.

Webster Brothers

After completing his education, with his elder brother, Frederick Lewis Webster, on 11 January 1862, they established 'Webster Brothers City Markets Limited', commission agents, general auctioneers, fruit and produce merchants, a partnership which existed for over twenty-five years.

In 1868 he was a share-holder in the Taranaki Lighter Company (Limited).[2]

On 4 April 1868 with his brother, F L Webster, they purchased sections 21-22, 26-17 Waitara West Suburban, Taranaki.

1869 F L & W D Webster, Registered Wine & Spirit Merchants, Brougham Street, New Plymouth.

Shipping and Commission Agents

In 1870 in conjunction with William K Hulme, they built the Egmont Flour Mills and ten years later erected the Tawhiti Flour Mills at Hawera.

In 1888 the partnership with his brother was dissolved and he started his own business as Shipping Agent for the Northern Steamship Company.

Marriage and family

On 15 April 1868 - his 27th birthday and his bride's 20th birthday - he married Mary Watson, the eldest and only surviving daughter of Sarah Patten and John Watson, first Harbourmaster of New Plymouth. They had issue eight sons and five daughters. One daughter and one son died in infancy.

Philanthropist

"He always showed an active desire to assist in all matters tending to promote the welfare of the Taranaki district."

Tukapa Rugby Club

The Webster farm in Western was where the first meeting of the Tukapa Rugby Club was held, in the cowshed.

Later years

On 18 July 1912 with his daughter, Winifred, they had "returned home from a delightful visit to Australia." His sister in law, Mrs F L Webster, returned from a visit to Australia at the same time and presumably they had travelled together.[3]

Golden Wedding Anniversary

From the Stratford Evening Post of 19 April 1918:

"Personal. A very interesting gathering took place at New Plymouth on Monday (reports the Herald), when Mr and Mrs W D Webster celebrated their golden wedding. Among those present, in addition to the children and grandchildren, were Mrs Watson, mother of the bride, the two bridesmaids, Mrs W Cutfield (nee Miss Leatham), and Mrs W Bewley (nee Miss Brind), and the groomsman, Mr J S McKellar. Mr and Mrs Webster were the recipients of many messages of congratulations from friends in different parts of the Dominion and a number of handsome presents." Papers Past, NLNZ.[4]

'Recollections'

William Dawson Webster's 'Recollections of Early New Plymouth':

"I was born at sea on the 'Amelia Thompson' on the 15th April 1841. On first landing in New Plymouth my father and mother occupied a small raupo whare, just before where the Post Office Buildings now stand, near the Mangutuku Stream. This improvised home, of a single room, was divided into two by a ship's sail, kindly lent by the Captain. Some of the timber was brought out from Home. A portion of the house is yet standing in another part of the town. My father, James Webster, occupied the position of first Postmaster in New Plymouth, and was later a Justice of the Peace.

"I have a distinct recollection of the Huatoki Stream in my early days. It was very much larger and deeper than it is at the present time. The opening up of the drainage of the Country has caused it to split up. When I was about nine or ten years old I used to pull up that river for about quarter of a mile quite easily and the natives from the Mokau and Kawhia frequented New Plymouth, coming up in large canoes and bringing produce, such as wheat, apples, peaches and maize. The apples were of a really beautiful quality. They came from trees planted by the very early Missionaries, more especially in Kawhia. The natives took back with them stores purchased in New Plymouth. The canoes were about 40ft long by 4 ft 6 inches wide, with a capacity of from 3 to 4 tons. In the early settlement of New Plymouth the natives were exceedingly friendly and many of the early settlers in the district have occasion to remember the great kindnesses bestowed on them by the natives.

"While speaking of the native character I may say that personally I have deep admiration for the old time Maori. They were a fine race of people, brave and valiant in war and frequently generous to their foes.

"As bearing on the size of the river in early days, I may mention that a small vessel came from Wellington, landing fifteen tons of flour for the use of the settlers, sailing right into the centre of the town. The 'Phenetta', Captain Samuel Teague, entered the Huatoki and discharged the flour where Mr Newton King's office now stands, that there having upon it a bakers shop.

"In the first days of the settlement the traffic with the outside world was carried on by small schooners, trading from Wellington, and the cargo inwards and outwards by means of large cargo boats. That was before there was any sign of the erection of a breakwater. The late Mr John Watson, my wife's father, was the first pilot, and later Harbour Master in New . He held the office for many years, and during that time not a single ship was lost on this coast. The first wooden dwelling house that was built in New Plymouth was my father's. There was an ambuscade laid on the site where my house stands. The ambuscade was laid on what is now my garden, probably about 1830. A most desperate battle was fought between opposing tribes of natives.

"My father's timber house stood in Vivian Street and contained five rooms. It was considered in those days, the ballroom of New Plymouth. I have seen Sir George Grey dancing there, the only music being that of a fiddle.

"The first school in New Plymouth was a portion of the building now used as a Sunday School, and standing immediately opposite St Mary's Church. The first Superintendent of the School was Miss Newland.

"The only means of getting supplies of goods from the beach was by a team of goats harnessed to a sleigh. The enterprising settler owning the turn out was Mr S Joll. This team ran for several years.

"As affording a slight idea of the changes that have occurred in New Plymouth since its early settlement, I may mention that the site of the present Railway Station was formed by leveling a spacious hill of some 30 to 40 ft in height. It was named Mount Eliot. For many years erected on that hill was the flagstaff from which signals were sent to vessels coming in to the roadstead. For quite a number of years a gun was fired at 12 noon sharp to denote the time to the townspeople.

"Before Europeans came to New Zealand, Mt Eliot was a fortified Pa, and very sanguinary battles took place between it and Marsland Hill. Before the Sixties, Marsland Hill was 40 ft higher than it is now, and on the extreme summit were many Maori pits, used as larders, as was customary with the natives.

"Business, in the early days of the settlers, was no sinecure, up to the year 1855 one of the chief difficulties was the finding of a food market for our produce, when by means of sailing vessels trade was opened up with the Australian Colonies, chiefly with Sydney and Melbourne. To the latter port considerable quantities of potatoes were exported, to supply the Victorian diggings. So small were the vessels trading between New Plymouth and Wellington that cabin sleeping accommodation was impossible. It has been told, that often on one of these vessels, the 'Carbiu', sleeping space was provided for one passenger, and some bags of flour forming the bulkhead between cabin and hold had to be pulled down so cramped were the quarters.

"The late Archdeacon Govett, for fifty years in charge of St Mary's Church, brought his bride back from Wellington in a small vessel named the 'Catherine Johnson', commonly known as 'Kitty'.

"During the settlers war with the natives a large number of women and children were deported to Nelson, as the town was very crowded and diphtheria broke out. One of the Taranaki settlers who was thus deported to Nelson, returned to New Plymouth clad in Maori clothing and remained undetected for some considerable time. She stowed herself away on board ship. This lady came out as Amelia Parker in the 'Blenheim' in 1842 and afterwards became Mrs Bullot. With regard to some of the privations of the early settlers, it is worth mentioning that in very early days the price of flour was £2.10.0 to £3.0.0 per 100 lb bag, and it was at times very difficult to get it even at that price.

"I have had occasion to mention the name of Archdeacon Govett, so that it may interest some readers to know that his old schoolmate was the late Rev William Bolland - the Rev Govett took over the duties of Mr Bolland on the latter's death. When the Archdeacon himself died, his remains, by his own instructions, were laid beside those of his old friend. Mr Bolland's memory was so widely esteemed that after his death one of the parishioners offered her tribute of flowers every Sunday morning without intermission for over twenty years. Surely this lady's [Miss Devenish] grave should not be flowerless!" William Dawson Webster's Recollections of Early New Plymouth.

Death and burial

He died on 30 April 1923 at New Plymouth, aged 82. He was buried in Te Henui Cemetery. His widow died in 1925 and was buried with him. Burial record: Merchant, retired; last address: Fulford Street.

Grave

"In Memory of William Dawson Webster, Born 15th April 1841, Died 30th April 1923. Mary Webster, Born 15th April 1848, Died 12th January 1925."

Legacy

His great-grandsons, brothers Neil James Webster and William Dawson Webster, were still providing Taranaki with fresh produce until the 1990s.

Sources

Obit May 1923, Papers Past, NLNZ.

22 Jul 1912 New Plymouth Letter, July 18, NZT, Papers Past, NLNZ: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19120722.2.27.4?items_per_page=10&query=James+Webster+New+Plymouth+&snippet=true.

The Webster Family, by Crispin Garden-Webster (2010). [CMGW].

Kete New Plymouth: http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/plymouth_company_settlers/topics/show/639-webster-william-dawson.

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand: Taranaki, Hawke's Bay and Wellington Provincial Districts (1908), Christchurch.

Death reg 1923/133, age 83, NZBDM: https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/.