Ann Lovell

Ann Lovell (c.1811–15 December 1869), her husband James and their children were the first European settlers in Golden Bay at Motupipi, east of Takaka, New Zealand. Lovell was described in her biography as a homemaker, gold courier and shopkeeper. She was born about 1803/4.[1][2]

Biography

Lovell (née Brown) married James Lovell on 3 January 1837 in Bristol. They had three children and migrated to Nelson, New Zealand, on the New Zealand Company ship the Lord Auckland in 1842. The family settled in Golden Bay at Motupipi near the 200-300 strong Maori pa at the mouth of the Motupipi River in October 1842.[3] Because of the proximity to the pa, Lovell had close contact with local Maori and was said to have won their respect by her fearless nature.[4] In 1843, the Lovells' fourth child, a daughter, was the first European to be born in the area. It is likely that the discovery of large quantities of coal and limestone in the area in 1841 and 1842 had drawn the Lovell's to settle there.[5] This would seem to be confirmed by the newspaper report on 8 October 1842 of a party from the Coal and Limestone Association leaving Nelson on 4 October on the 20-ton schooner Nelson Packet to settle in the area and extract coal and limestone.[6] The names of those who went were omitted. By 1846 the Association no longer appeared to be extracting either coal or limestone from the area, this being left to the local Maori.[7]

Her husband, James, a sawyer, together with Joseph Packard, J P Robinson, and C Nicoll founded the first sawmill in Golden Bay. James was involved in shipbuilding with several vessels being built at Motupipi, including the schooner Erena for the local Chief, and probably the 100 ton Wellington.[8][9] James was one of the founders of the Massacre Bay Coal Association. He was described as an industrious man.[10] By 1857 he had shared workings at the Aorere gold field.[11] In 1863 he was the owner and proprietor of the Motupipi Inn.[12]

Lovell died at Clifton, Motupipi on 15 December 1869. She was aged 65.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Orr, Katherine W. "Ann Lovell". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved December 2011.
  2. ↑ J. Halket Millar, Beyond the Marble Mountain, 1948.
  3. ↑ "The Takak Pioneers' Memorial: Part I", Nelson Historical Society Journal, Vol. 7, Issue 3, 2011.
  4. ↑ Katherine W. Orr, "Lovell, Ann", from Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 30 October 2012.
  5. ↑ Editorial, New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Vol. II, Issue 120, 2 March 1842, p. 2.
  6. ↑ Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Vol. I, Issue 31, 8 October 1842, p. 122.
  7. ↑ Manufactories, Mines, &c.; Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 213, 4 April 1846, p. 18.
  8. ↑ Editorial, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Vol. V, Issue 221, 30 May 1846, p. 50.
  9. ↑ Chapter VII, The Jubilee History of Nelson: From 1842 to 1892, Lowther Broad, Bond Finney and Co., 1892, Nelson, p. 111.
  10. ↑ Wreck of Lovell's cutter, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 602, 17 September 1853, p. 4.
  11. ↑ Aorere gold field, Daily Southern Cross, Vol. XIV, Issue 1017, 27 March 1857, p. 3.
  12. ↑ Takaka, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 44, 16 May 1863, p. 3.
  13. ↑ Deaths, Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1278, 24 December 1869, p. 4.
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