N. P. Pulham

Signed family name

Pulham

Signed given name

N. P.

Given address

Warkworth

Sheet number

378

Town/Suburb

Warkworth

City/Region

Auckland region

Notes

Originally transcribed as M. P. Pulham

Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert

Nicholas Porteous Darroch was born in 1832, one of the children of George and Nicholas nee Rodgerson, of Argyleshire, Scotland. They were immigrants who came to Auckland aboard the Jane Gifford in 1842. They moved to Mahurangi in 1851 where George farmed and continued as shipwright.

Nicholas married 28 December 1854 in Mahurangi to Henry William Pulham. The ceremony was performed at Mahurangi Heads by Rev. David Bruce and was the first wedding celebrated in the County of Rodney. He was the son of William and Frances, William was captain and owner of his ship and had formerly been captain in the H.E.I Co. Service. They came to NZ about 1846 from England.

The newly married couple went to reside on Mr. Pulham’s farm at Warkworth, where Nicholas spent the rest of her life. The main road through the property was called Pulham Road in honour of the family.

There, they had nine children;

William (1855–1937)
Emily Mary (1857–1953)
Eleanor Sarah (1860–1950)
George Darroch (1862–1948)
James Brook (1864–1919)
Henry Nicholas (1866–1930)
Walter Ernest Murray (1868–1892)
Frances Maud (1871–1957)
Ixy Christina Beatrice (1878–1954)

Henry William died in 1898, at Mahurangi, aged 67, after being in indifferent health for some time. 'Mr Pulham was universally respected and esteemed, excellent company, always having a fund of anecdotes at his command, especially of his early experiences on the goldfields of Australia and California..' And 'Most of the back settlers have cause to remember the kindly help of Mr. Pulham, who had a strong team of bullocks, and was ever ready to assist those who required his services.' He was buried in the Warkworth Cemetery.

Nicholas remained living in Warkworth, until a couple of years before her death. She died in 1923 in Remuera, Auckland, at the home of her married daughter. She was buried in the Presbyterian section of the Warkworth Cemetery. 'A number of old friends from distant parts of the district assembled to pay their last respects to the departed.'

Her will left shares in Wilsons Cement Company to son Henry, then divided into sixteenths for daughters, sons and sons’ widows. A codicil left daughter Frances 30 /- a week for each week she resided with her, 'for her kind services and attention'. And 50 pounds to renovate the headstone. The value of her estate was 1 500 pounds.