William Horton Revell (1829 - 1893)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

Birth William Horton Revell was born in Teighlin, Wicklow 11 September 1829. He was the eldest son of Margaret Elizabeth (Bradell) and Thomas Revell. He had four siblings: Elizabeth Sarah Revell; Emily Mary Revell; Lucy Harriet Revell and Baby Revell.

Emigration

He emigrated to New Zealand and settled in Kaiapoi.

Marriage
William married Emily Christina O'Callaghan (1846 - 1920) and they had three children: Elizabeth Sarah (? - 1942, Lucy Harriet (1874 - 1962) and William Thomas Denis, (1878 - 1931)

Occupation

Appointed in 1854, the first police officer in Kaiapoi was a local man, William Horton Revell. Large in stature, he was called 'Big Revell'. He was an expert marksman and won one of the first four rifles offerred in New Zealand for marksmanship. He rose to the rank of police inspector in Timaru. ^[1]
William Horton Revell was later appointed to the position of Sub-Inspector and became the Superintendent of Police in Westland . ^[2]during the 1860's West Coast gold rush. He was was Government Agent in Greymouth in 1864 and was appointed Magistrate (31 January 1865) and Chief Justice of the Warden's Court. In December 1864 he laid out two streets to begin the town, Hokitika and Revell Street there is named after him.
In June 1879 he exchanged districts with Warden Charles broad of Westport and his new tour of duties included the Inangahua, Reefton and Lyell. In 1881, he became Resident Magistrate for the Nelson South West goldfields (the West Coast north of the Mawheranui River). This position lasted through the depression years until 1885.

When he took up his final appointment in Lawrence, Central Otago, he had been associated with the West Coast for more than 20 years.William Revell issued his last Warden's Report 30 April 1891 when ill-health forced his retirement.

Death
William Horton Revell died 22 September 1922 age 64 years and is buried in the Timaru Cemetery. ^[3] . William and Emily's daughter, Elizabeth Sarah who died at age 74 in 1942, is buried with her parents.

William Horton Revell's services to the West Coaast were marked by the presentation to the Greymouth Court 30 November 1951 of a framed photograph ot the Warden and resident magistrate by his daughter Mrs Lucy Huddleston of Timaru.

Sources

1. ↑ Latham, Darrell J., 'The Golden years', Pegasus, Christchurch, 1984. p381.
2. ↑ Revell, William Horton. [1] (Accessed 30 April 2023)
3. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #166578702 (accessed 30 April 2023)
   Memorial page for William Horton Revell (11 Sep 1829-22 Sep 1893), citing Timaru Cemetery, Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand (plot: Plot 196, Row 25 General); Maintained by theosmum (contributor 48201822).

DEATH - N.Z. Govt. B.D.M. index - 1893/4901 Revell William Horton aged 64Y