Originally transcribed as R. N. Sanderston
Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert
Mary Ann Lowe was born about 1825 in Bristol, the daughter of William Lowe and Mary Ann nee Cox. Thomas Sanderson was born in Scotland 1829 and married Mary Ann in 1852 in Birmingham, England. Four children were born there William Lowe (1854–1932) Elizabeth (1857–1946) Catherine (1859–1945) and Agnes Maria (1863–1934). They are included in a list of emigrants who embarked in the Golden City for special settlement on the ‘Pakiri block,’ in the province of Auckland. 'They have, we are told, been judiciously selected from a large body of applicants for emigration under the auspices of the Church of England Emigration Society—chiefly from the Midland Counties'. Two more children were born, at Mahurangi Thomas (1866–1937) and Alexander (1869–1958).
Mr Sanderson took part in most public movements in the early days of the township. 'He was secretary for the Cooperative Society, also served on the Mahurangi Highway Board, the School Committee and acted as district correspondent to the Weekly News long before a local paper was dreamed of.'
Mary Ann died 21 January 1902 at Breccia Hills, Warkworth, aged 76 years. Thomas didn’t stay long a widower, he remarried at age 76 and again at aged 80. He died at Howick on 8 March 1913 of apoplexy. He was buried in Waikaraka Cemetery, Onehunga, with his third wife Hannah who died in 1920. In his will, valued at 400 pounds, Thomas left the house in Howick to his third wife Hannah, and the rest equally between his children.
Sources
Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com)
Papers Past: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ )
NEW ZEALANDER, VOLUME XX, ISSUE 2044, 9 FEBRUARY 1864, PAGE 4
NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME XXXIX, ISSUE 11877, 31 JANUARY 1902, PAGE 1
RODNEY AND OTAMATEA TIMES, WAITEMATA AND KAIPARA GAZETTE, 12 MARCH 1913, PAGE 5
Findagrave.com
National Archives (https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ )