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Thomas Henry Fitzgerald
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Thomas Henry Fitzgerald
Thomas Henry Fitzgerald (1 December 1824 – 10 November 1888) was a British pioneer in sugar cane farming in the early days of the colony of Queensland, Australia. He was a politician, first in New Zealand, then in Queensland. His descendants went on to become notable names in Queensland politics, business and law. He is best remembered for founding the town of Innisfail.
Over a varied and interesting life, Fitzgerald was a surveyor, sugar cane farmer, Superintendent, Colonial Treasurer and pioneer.
Thomas Henry Fitzgerald was born in Carrickmacross, Ireland in December 1824. Fitzgerald qualified as an engineer, but like many of his compatriots of the time, he left Ireland to seek fortune elsewhere.
Fitzgerald and one of his sisters went to New Zealand in 1842 on the George Fyfe, following their brother John, who was a medical doctor. There, he trained and worked as a surveyor and achieved additional qualifications as an engineer and architect. In 1844, he purchased 16 acres (6.5 ha) in Khandallah. Fitzgerald's earliest architectural tenders were for a gaol at Mount Cook, Wellington in 1843, a barracks at Paremata in 1846, and the Wellington Native Hospital in 1846. On 2 July 1851, he married Jessie Wilson at Wellington, the oldest daughter of James Wilson of that city.
Fitzgerald designed St Mary's Cathedral, Wellington and St Joseph's Providence, a Catholic charity school for Māori girls on the grounds of the new St Mary's College in the Wellington suburb of Thorndon. The building had two storeys, 18 bedrooms, and was opened in September 1852. The building was demolished in the 1970s, and only a porch from an 1869 extension remains, which is registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category II heritage item.
In 1853, the Fitzgeralds moved to the Hawke's Bay, where he surveyed the area. He had two general stores, one of them in Napier's Waghorne Street, and he built a steam flour mill in that town. Other business activities were him acting as an agent for a shipping company, for an insurance company, and buying wool.
Fitzgerald took a very active part in Hawke's Bay politics. He represented the Ahuriri electorate (Ahuriri is the Māori name for Napier) on the Wellington Provincial Council from November 1857 to November 1858. His father-in-law, James Wilson, had previously represented the Wanganui and Rangitikei electorate from October 1856 to August 1857 on the Provincial Council. Fitzgerald was instrumental in the separation of Hawke's Bay Province from Wellington Province in November 1858, and he represented the Town of Napier electorate on the first Hawke's Bay Provincial Council from February 1859 to November 1861.
At its inaugural meeting on 23 April 1859, the Hawke's Bay provincial council unanimously elected Fitzgerald as the province's first Superintendent, a role he held until March 1861, when he resigned. Fitzgerald's selection surprised many observers, who had expected a close contest between John Chilton Lambton Carter and Alfred Newman. Carter and Newman, however, withdrew after soundings showed the ten-member council to be deadlocked five-all. Donald McLean, the first person approached to be a compromise candidate, declined the offer; Fitzgerald accepted. Although he initially accepted the superintendency in an honorary capacity, he was later voted an annual salary, but his term was marked by bitterness between his "town" faction from Napier and a "country" faction. Future premier Alfred Domett mockingly nicknamed him "Silky Tom".
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Thomas Henry Fitzgerald
Thomas Henry Fitzgerald (1 December 1824 – 10 November 1888) was a British pioneer in sugar cane farming in the early days of the colony of Queensland, Australia. He was a politician, first in New Zealand, then in Queensland. His descendants went on to become notable names in Queensland politics, business and law. He is best remembered for founding the town of Innisfail.
Over a varied and interesting life, Fitzgerald was a surveyor, sugar cane farmer, Superintendent, Colonial Treasurer and pioneer.
Thomas Henry Fitzgerald was born in Carrickmacross, Ireland in December 1824. Fitzgerald qualified as an engineer, but like many of his compatriots of the time, he left Ireland to seek fortune elsewhere.
Fitzgerald and one of his sisters went to New Zealand in 1842 on the George Fyfe, following their brother John, who was a medical doctor. There, he trained and worked as a surveyor and achieved additional qualifications as an engineer and architect. In 1844, he purchased 16 acres (6.5 ha) in Khandallah. Fitzgerald's earliest architectural tenders were for a gaol at Mount Cook, Wellington in 1843, a barracks at Paremata in 1846, and the Wellington Native Hospital in 1846. On 2 July 1851, he married Jessie Wilson at Wellington, the oldest daughter of James Wilson of that city.
Fitzgerald designed St Mary's Cathedral, Wellington and St Joseph's Providence, a Catholic charity school for Māori girls on the grounds of the new St Mary's College in the Wellington suburb of Thorndon. The building had two storeys, 18 bedrooms, and was opened in September 1852. The building was demolished in the 1970s, and only a porch from an 1869 extension remains, which is registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category II heritage item.
In 1853, the Fitzgeralds moved to the Hawke's Bay, where he surveyed the area. He had two general stores, one of them in Napier's Waghorne Street, and he built a steam flour mill in that town. Other business activities were him acting as an agent for a shipping company, for an insurance company, and buying wool.
Fitzgerald took a very active part in Hawke's Bay politics. He represented the Ahuriri electorate (Ahuriri is the Māori name for Napier) on the Wellington Provincial Council from November 1857 to November 1858. His father-in-law, James Wilson, had previously represented the Wanganui and Rangitikei electorate from October 1856 to August 1857 on the Provincial Council. Fitzgerald was instrumental in the separation of Hawke's Bay Province from Wellington Province in November 1858, and he represented the Town of Napier electorate on the first Hawke's Bay Provincial Council from February 1859 to November 1861.
At its inaugural meeting on 23 April 1859, the Hawke's Bay provincial council unanimously elected Fitzgerald as the province's first Superintendent, a role he held until March 1861, when he resigned. Fitzgerald's selection surprised many observers, who had expected a close contest between John Chilton Lambton Carter and Alfred Newman. Carter and Newman, however, withdrew after soundings showed the ten-member council to be deadlocked five-all. Donald McLean, the first person approached to be a compromise candidate, declined the offer; Fitzgerald accepted. Although he initially accepted the superintendency in an honorary capacity, he was later voted an annual salary, but his term was marked by bitterness between his "town" faction from Napier and a "country" faction. Future premier Alfred Domett mockingly nicknamed him "Silky Tom".
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