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Robert Wynyard
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Robert Wynyard
Major-General Robert Henry Wynyard CB (24 December 1802 – 6 January 1864) was a British Army officer and New Zealand colonial administrator, serving at various times as Lieutenant Governor of New Ulster Province, Administrator of the Government, and was the first Superintendent of Auckland Province.
Robert was born in Windsor Castle to William Wynyard, Colonel of the 5th Regiment of Foot and Equerry to King George III. He was educated in Dunmow, Essex.
Wynyard obtained a commission in the British Army, without purchase, as an ensign of the 85th Regiment of Foot (Bucks Volunteers), aka The King's Light Infantry Regiment, on 25 February 1819. Stationed with the 85th Regiment in Malta, between June 1821–June 1826, now unattached and on leave of absence subsequent to his appointment to the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot, he married Miss Anne McDonnell (1805–1881) at Malta on 12 August 1826. They were to have four sons.
He served in Ireland to 1841 on the staff of the adjutant general, and was promoted to rank of major in 1841. A son, George Henry Wynyard, had been born at Armagh on 3 October 1827. Wynyard returned to England in 1842 and was appointed to the rank of lieutenant colonel in command of the 58th Regiment.
When the regiment was posted to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in 1844, Wynyard was sent on to New Zealand with 200 men to take part in the Flagstaff War against Hōne Heke and Kawiti. Wynyard was present at the siege of Ruapekapeka on 11 January 1846 and in recognition of services Queen Victoria appointed him to be a Companion of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath on 2 July 1846. In December 1846 Wynyards returned to New South Wales, then, after an absence of some seven months, returned with the 58th Regiment to Auckland, New Zealand, in July 1847. He was promoted to the rank of colonel in 1854. Somewhere along the line he had a sexual relationship with a Maori woman that produced a male child.
When a fire broke out in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1858, eventually destroying an entire city block, Wynyard was personally on the scene directing the men of the 58th Regiment in firefighting efforts.
From 26 April 1851 to 7 March 1853, Wynyard was Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster, a province of New Zealand encompassing much of the North Island. He replaced George Dean Pitt, who had died in office. During his term of office, he persuaded the local chiefs Ngāti Tamaterā and Ngāti Raupunga to allow gold mining in the province. The office was abolished when New Zealand was divided into several smaller provinces under the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852.
Wynyard elected Superintendent of the new Auckland Province on 12 July 1853, beating William Brown. He held the office until he resigned on 5 January 1855. Wynyard's election to the office was controversial, as he was in charge of the colonial armed forces at the time, and effectively deputy to the Governor. The Colonial Office, on learning that Wynyard had been elected to the office of superintendent, demanded he resign from the role, which he soon did. He was replaced in the role by his previous electoral opponent William Brown.
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Robert Wynyard
Major-General Robert Henry Wynyard CB (24 December 1802 – 6 January 1864) was a British Army officer and New Zealand colonial administrator, serving at various times as Lieutenant Governor of New Ulster Province, Administrator of the Government, and was the first Superintendent of Auckland Province.
Robert was born in Windsor Castle to William Wynyard, Colonel of the 5th Regiment of Foot and Equerry to King George III. He was educated in Dunmow, Essex.
Wynyard obtained a commission in the British Army, without purchase, as an ensign of the 85th Regiment of Foot (Bucks Volunteers), aka The King's Light Infantry Regiment, on 25 February 1819. Stationed with the 85th Regiment in Malta, between June 1821–June 1826, now unattached and on leave of absence subsequent to his appointment to the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot, he married Miss Anne McDonnell (1805–1881) at Malta on 12 August 1826. They were to have four sons.
He served in Ireland to 1841 on the staff of the adjutant general, and was promoted to rank of major in 1841. A son, George Henry Wynyard, had been born at Armagh on 3 October 1827. Wynyard returned to England in 1842 and was appointed to the rank of lieutenant colonel in command of the 58th Regiment.
When the regiment was posted to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in 1844, Wynyard was sent on to New Zealand with 200 men to take part in the Flagstaff War against Hōne Heke and Kawiti. Wynyard was present at the siege of Ruapekapeka on 11 January 1846 and in recognition of services Queen Victoria appointed him to be a Companion of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath on 2 July 1846. In December 1846 Wynyards returned to New South Wales, then, after an absence of some seven months, returned with the 58th Regiment to Auckland, New Zealand, in July 1847. He was promoted to the rank of colonel in 1854. Somewhere along the line he had a sexual relationship with a Maori woman that produced a male child.
When a fire broke out in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1858, eventually destroying an entire city block, Wynyard was personally on the scene directing the men of the 58th Regiment in firefighting efforts.
From 26 April 1851 to 7 March 1853, Wynyard was Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster, a province of New Zealand encompassing much of the North Island. He replaced George Dean Pitt, who had died in office. During his term of office, he persuaded the local chiefs Ngāti Tamaterā and Ngāti Raupunga to allow gold mining in the province. The office was abolished when New Zealand was divided into several smaller provinces under the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852.
Wynyard elected Superintendent of the new Auckland Province on 12 July 1853, beating William Brown. He held the office until he resigned on 5 January 1855. Wynyard's election to the office was controversial, as he was in charge of the colonial armed forces at the time, and effectively deputy to the Governor. The Colonial Office, on learning that Wynyard had been elected to the office of superintendent, demanded he resign from the role, which he soon did. He was replaced in the role by his previous electoral opponent William Brown.
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