Ann Nicholson

Signed family name

Nicholson

Signed given name

Ann

Given address

Port Albert

Sheet number

Town/Suburb

Port Albert

City/Region

Auckland region

Notes

Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert

Ann French was born about 1822 in Louth, Lincolnshire, England, a daughter of James and Elizabeth. Her husband Robert Nicholson born about 1812 also in Lincolnshire, son of William and Ann nee Croft. Father William died when Robert was just four. Ann and Robert were married in Caistor, Lincolnshire in 1847, where he worked as a wheelwright.

They had four children, with son George dying aged 6.

Mary Ann (1848–1903)
George Croft (1850–1929)
Alfred James (1852–1858)
John Edwin (1855–1922)

Robert emigrated from Grimsby, England to New Zealand, with his wife and three children, aboard the ship Hanover, arriving in Auckland in September 1862. He was one of the original Albertland settlers. By 1864 he was operating a steam sawmill in Oruawharo and in 1870 he proposed to the Port Albert Association that they subsidise his erection of a flour-mill. In 1873 Robert was chair of the school committee at Port Albert. 1875 saw Robert the proprietor of the Topuni Saw Mill, when his sons came into the business it became known as R Nicholson & Sons.

Their sawmill was totally destroyed by fire in 1884 within about two hours of its breaking out. The timber stacks, wharves, office and books, also dwellings and flour mill, were saved. The next year, Robert, George and John, trading as R. Nicholson and Sons, sawmill proprietors, Port Albert, sold the sawmill to Henry Brett, newspaper proprietor, and Edwin Mitchelson.

After being in indifferent health for some time Robert died in Port Albert in 1889 and was buried in the Port Albert Cemetery. His obituary was very complimentary; 'Eminently kindly, genial, and a whole-souled temperance man withal, nearly every philanthropic and social movement in the district had his cordial sympathy and practical support.' He left no will, but Ann made an affidavit that his effects were <400 pounds.

Ann moved to Kaihu, Dargaville to live with her son. She died there in 1913, aged 91 and was buried with her husband in the Port Albert Cemetery. 'Mrs. Nicholson was one of the passengers who arrived in the ship Hanover in 1862, and notwithstanding the hardships incidental to pioneer life in a new land, was over 92 years of age'.