George Whiting Pope (1833 - 1907)

Born 6 Sep 1833 in Kingsbridge, Devon, England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Catherine (Climo) Pope — married 30 Apr 1857 (to 18 Aug 1907) in Tataramaika, Taranaki, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 18 Aug 1907 at age 73 in Nelson, New Zealand

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Biography

George Whiting Pope was born in Kingsbridge, Devon, England in 1833, to Richard Whiting Pope and Mary Martin. When George was 9 years his parents and four siblings sailed to the new settlement of New Plymouth, New Zealand aboard the ship 'Timandra', landing in New Plymouth in 1842.

On April 30 1857 George married Elizabeth Catherine Climo, at the home of Mr James Pierce, in Tataramaika, Taranaki. The marriage was witnessed by Elizabeth's father James Climo and her uncle, John Phillips.^[1]

George put his name to a petition in the newspaper in 1858^[2]

In 1859, Elizabeth and George's first child was born - William Pope was said to have been born at Bell Block, Taranaki - setting the seal of successful establishment upon the Climo and Pope families in New Zealand. This happy state however was cruelly shattered by the advent of the Taranaki Land Wars and many of New Plymouth's settlers - the Pope and Climos' included - were evacuated to the safety of Nelson, in the South Island.

George, along with his brothers Robert, John and Roger established a sawmill in the Wakamarina Valley, erecting their tents not far from the Canvastown Hotel at the junction of the Wakamarina and Pelorus Rivers. The Climos also stayed here awhile and it was here that Elizabeth and her mother Jane were washing clothes in the river, when they found glittering particles stuck to the garments. When shown to the menfolk it was declared to be gold! It was not until four years later that the exploitation of gold began but by then, the Pope family had moved on to Picton, along with the Climos.

According to the Marlborough Electoral Roll of 1861, George & Elizabeth were living in the Waitohi Valley and the men were working for Captain Dalton at his new mill which was equipped with a circular saw - the first of its kind in Marlborough. The Popes and Climos were soon attracted to the settlement of Havelock and it was here that George & Elizabeth's second child, Henry was born on 21 June 1862. Afterwards, they moved with the Climos throughout the Sounds, moving from mill to mill - with each move came the birth of another child: George was born at Picton in 1866, Harriet & Frank were born at Mahakipawa in 1867 & 1870 and Elizabeth was born at Hood's Bay in 1872.^[3]

About this time George went out on his own workwise and joined up with Brownlee. In 1881, while working at Brownlee's mill in Blackball, daughter Mary was born. Another daughter, Margaret arrived in 1882 and finally, at Kaiumu, son James completed the family in 1884.

In 1893 they were living in Pelorus Valley.^[4]

George & Elizabeth were described as a pair of stalwarts, who nobly took in their stride all the vicissitudes of early pioneering days, emerging as a power in their community. Inevitably time took its toll and after a long illness, George passed away at Nelson Hospital on 18 August 1907 and regrettably was buried in Nelson. Elizabeth passed away the following year, in 1908 and is buried in Havelock. ^[5]

^[6]

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Goerge was born in 1833. He passed away in 1907.

Sources

1. ↑ bdm index, 160 Elizth C and George
2. ↑ WE, the undersigned farmers residing at Tataraimaka, feeling ourselves to owe a debt of gratitude to Richard Brown, Esq., merchant, New Plymouth, for the spirited and successful manner in which he has shown how easy it is to ship produce from the Tataraimaka block, beg to tender him this public acknowledgment of our thanks for his kind and ready response to our wishes in lately sending the Martha to load potatoes at Tataraimaka and to assure him that we will use our utmost endeavours to raise such crops as shall induce a repetition and continuance of this speedy means of disposing of them. James Bayly, James Pearce, James Hay, James Climo, Geo. Ginger, Peter Priske, Manley Dixon, Philip Priske, Richard Foreman, John McDonald,, Robt. Brooks, James Dingle, George Pope, Wm. Bayly, Robert Pope, Thos. Oxenham, Obadiah Silcock, R. Greenwood. Taranaki Herald, Volume VII, Issue 326, 30 October 1858, Page 1.
3. ↑ 1865 POPE George, Electoral Rolls: Picton
4. ↑ SurnamePOPE Given NameGeorge ElectorateWaimea-Sounds Voting QualificationResidential Residential AddressPelorus Valley OccupationSettler
5. ↑ Wakapuaka, Wesleyan block 3, Plot 44. Pope George Whiting; aged 74 years; Date of Death 18-Aug-1907; Funeral Director BETHWAITE & RITCHIE.
6. ↑ Entered by Amber Clarke, May 5, 2013

• "The Chronicle of the James Climo Family in New Zealand" - A collaboration of family stories & memories by Climo & Pope desendants. Unpublished in booklet form. Booklet originally produced for a family reunion c.1978 in New Plymouth, Taranaki. Reproduced by a descendant for Amber Clarke 2015. Various copies in existence throughout the Climo/Pope family. Record of booklet also held in Pukeariki Mueseum Research Centre, New Plymouth, Taranaki.

Find A Grave: Memorial #145987508