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Christopher Huett
Susan Huett aged 18 |
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My great grandfather was Christopher Huett. According my aunt, Christopher's
granddaughter Noela Sawyer (nee Brennan), his middle name was Goldsworthy but no
evidence has been found to support this apart from the fact that his grandson
Mervyn Brennan has Goldsworthy as his middle name. Christopher was born in East
Brent the illegitimate son of Jane Huett. Christopher's birth certificate
records him Christopher John Roper Hewett (sic) the son of Jane Hewett. His
date of birth is 22 October 1857. The name of his father is not given.
Despite searches in the East Brent Parish Register and the Civil Registration
Marriage Indexes no record of a marriage has been found for Jane Huett.
Christopher would appear to have been named for his uncle, Jane's brother
Christopher who died aged 19 the year before in 1856. Christopher was baptised
at the East Brent Parish Church on 18 December 1859. His sponsors were David
Huett, William Ham and Emma Ham.
It seems likely that Christopher was brought up by his grandparents, Jesse and
Ann Huett. In 1861 the census shows Christopher aged 3, living with his
grandparents at Edingworth. Again in 1871, now 13, he is shown living with his
now widowed grandmother Ann. There is no record of his mother Jane, in either
census.
At the age of 20, Christopher emigrated to New Zealand arriving aboard the
Famenoth on the 17 October 1877. Jane's sister Susan and her husband George
Dibble were already in New Zealand having emigrated to in 1862 and had settled
in Wellsford, north of Auckland. Jane's cousin Jesse, the son of her uncle
Jeremiah Huett had also emigrated to New Zealand and was living in Wellington.
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Christopher
worked in Whangaroa, North Auckland in bush selecting and assessing trees for
felling when he first arrived in New Zealand. He was still living there when he
married Elizabeth Page on 3 October 1887 at St Benedicts Church in Newton. His
occupation was given as a clerk.
Elizabeth Jane, their only child was born just under a year later on 14 August
1888. It was unusual for families to have only one child, and one explanation
may have been that the marriage was not a happy one.
In 1893, the Womens Suffrage Electoral Roll lists Elizabeth Huett of Mangawhare,
Bay of Islands Electorate, Dressmaker.
The 1899 Auckland Directory lists Chris Huett as being in Karangahake. The
Cyclopedia of New Zealand has a Mr C Huett establishing a Hairdresser and
Tobacconist Shop in Main Street, Karangahake. He sold the business in 1899 to a
Mr James Bracken. In 1901 the New Zealand Directory lists Christopher Huett's
address as the Store, Maratoto.
Prior to his illness, Christopher was working as a yardman for the firm Leyland
O'Brien.
Christopher died on 26 September 1903 at Auckland Hospital of cancer. A death
notice appearing in the New Zealand Herald makes no mention of his widow or
daughter.
Huett, at the Auckland Hospital, on Saturday last, Christopher Huett of
cancer after a long illness, aged 53, late employee of Messrs Leyland
O'Brien.Funeral will leave Auckland Hospital Tuesday 29th at 2.00 p.m. Friends
kindly accept this intimation.
He is buried in an unmarked grave at Waikumete Cemetery.
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