Mark Henry Abbott (1830 - 1896)

Born 1830 in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Rebecca (Unknown) Abbott — married 26 Oct 1851 in Handsworth, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Catherine (Dawes) Abbott — married 1871 in New Zealand

Died 15 Aug 1896 at about age 66 in Takaka, Golden Bay, New Zealand

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Mark Abbott migrated from England to New Zealand.

Biography

Mark Henry Abbott was born in 1830 in Oxford, England. He was the son of Elizabeth Abbott.

UK Census Date 1851: Living with his mother and three siblings in High Street, Park, Aston Near Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. Aged 20 and single.

Occupation: Coach Body Maker

[Mark] Henry Abbott (of full age, bachelor, coach maker, residing at Handsworth, son of John James Abbott, coach maker) and Rebecca Woodward (of full age, spinster, residing at Handsworth, daughter of Thomas Woodward, blacksmith) on 26 Oct 1851 at St Mary in Handsworth, Staffordshire - the witnesses were William Harris & Emma Bagnall.^[1]

Their daughter Rebecca was born in Birmingham in 1853.

He emigrated with wife Rebecca and child in 1855 to Nelson, New Zealand, in the ship Cresswell.

He stayed in Nelson for a while, until moving to Takaka, where he farmed at a place he called Abbotsford, grew hops, ran a general store and provided butchering services; and liberated possums.

He became involved in saw milling, and built the Junction Hotel. His son-in-law Andrew Sinclair managed his business affairs.

Mark Henry Abbott owned the schooner Croydon Lass, which traded between Wellington, Lyttelton, Waitapu and Nelson. The Croydon Lass was lost at Waitara, Taranaki in 1893. ^[2]

He was in many ways active in helping to establish the community at Golden Bay. He was one of the founders of the Golden Bay Lodge of Freemasons, and one of the largest shareholders in the Tramway Company.

He married, secondly, Catherine Grooby (nee Dawes) in 1871.

Mark Henry Abbott died in August, 1896.

Colonist 17th August 1896 page 2 ^[3]

DEATH OF MR HENRY ABBOTT

Many of our readers will learn with deep Borrow of the death of Mr Henry Abbott, of Takaka, which occurred in Nelson on Saturday evening.

The deceased, whose health had been far from satisfactory for some little time, came over to Nelson about five weeks ago, and shortly after his arrival he was stricken with a paralytic stroke.

Mr. Abbott was born in Oxford in 1830, and he learnt the trade of a coach builder at Birmingham.

He came to the Colony in 1855 accompanied by his wife and infant child arriving in Nelson by the ship Creswell on the 7th October in that year.

Very shortly after his arrival here, he proceeded to Takaka where he engaged in farming and in the sawing industry. He was fall of energy, and subsequently he entered into business, and at the same time was storekeeping, and proprietor of an hotel that bore his name. He also, for a time carried on business as a butcher, and he retained his interest in farming and for part of the time in saw milling. In connection with the latter business he owned the schooner Croydon Lass.

Some few years ago gave up the hotel and though he continued in business as storekeeper, he was relieved of much of this work by his son-in-law, Mr Sinclair.

About the same time Mr Abbott set to work to improve a naturally beautiful and romantic property that he had acquired near the Takaka river, and on which there are several interesting caves as well as limestone cliffs. He built a residence on this property, which he called Abbotsford, and took much pleasure in laying out the grounds.

The deceased was a most kind hearted man, and many a one has been indebted to his generous assistance. He will be much missed in Takaka. The deceased was twice married, his second wife having predeceased him by some eighteen months, and he leaves his one daughter surviving him, Mrs Sinclair, with whom her many friends will sympathise.

Mr. Abbott was a Freemason, and for some years was treasurer of the Golden Bay Lodge.

His funeral will take place at Takaka whither the remains will be conveyed to-morrow.

Burial

Clifton Public Cemetery, Takaka, Tasman District, Tasman, New Zealand^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Staffordshire : Handsworth : St Mary : : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5e5a41aff493fd22884aa08d : viewed 5 Apr 2024) marriage Henry Abbott to Rebecca Woodward 26 Oct 1851
2. ↑ THE SCHOONER CROYDON LASS ASHORE AT WAITARA.,New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9815, 21 January 1893 http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18930121.2.17
3. ↑ DEATH OF MR HENRY ABBOTT.,Colonist, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8638, 17 August 1896 http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC18960817.2.8
4. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=117500736 Find A Grave Memorial# 117500736

• "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGZF-FH8 : 29 July 2017), Mark Abbot in household of Elizabeth Abbot, Aston Near Birmingham, Warwickshire, England; citing Aston Near Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, p. 9, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

• N.Z. MARRIAGES - 1871/7389 - Catherine Grooby & Mark Henry Abbott

• N.Z. DEATHS - 1896/974 - Abbott Mark Henry aged 66 years

• The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts - Takaka