Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps
Encyclopedia
The Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps was formed in 1846,following the conclusion of the northern war against Hone Heke. The Governor, George Grey
, had requested military forces for the defence of the early settlers in New Zealand, instead of supplying regular military forces the English Parliament approved the creation of the Corps.
The conditions for enlistment were being under 48 years of age and with a minimum of 15 years of military service. These conditions were posted at regiments throughout the British Isles.
Pay was 6 pence to 1 shilling and 3 pence a day in addition to their pension. The Commandant (Major Kenny) was paid £300; each officer was given a house and 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land The pensioners were to be provided with a prefabricated fencibles cottage of 2 rooms on an acre of land. One of the few remaining cottages, albeit in an altered form, is on its original site at 34 Abercrombie St, Howick. This cottage was built with the help of Maori labour for Henry and Elizabeth Rowe and their surviving 3 children in 1848,after they arrived in the Sir George Seymour in November 1847 . After 7 years the cottage and land would become their own property in exchange for attending military exercises 12 days a year.
10 ships brought 721 pensioners and their families totalling over 2500 people between the years 1847 and 1852.The average age of the men was about 40. They settled in the Auckland suburbs of Howick
, Onehunga
, Otahuhu
and Panmure
. . At Howick a redoubt was built on a prominent hill at the North end of the village's main street. The position, with its associated earth works, is still there.
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...
, had requested military forces for the defence of the early settlers in New Zealand, instead of supplying regular military forces the English Parliament approved the creation of the Corps.
The conditions for enlistment were being under 48 years of age and with a minimum of 15 years of military service. These conditions were posted at regiments throughout the British Isles.
Pay was 6 pence to 1 shilling and 3 pence a day in addition to their pension. The Commandant (Major Kenny) was paid £300; each officer was given a house and 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land The pensioners were to be provided with a prefabricated fencibles cottage of 2 rooms on an acre of land. One of the few remaining cottages, albeit in an altered form, is on its original site at 34 Abercrombie St, Howick. This cottage was built with the help of Maori labour for Henry and Elizabeth Rowe and their surviving 3 children in 1848,after they arrived in the Sir George Seymour in November 1847 . After 7 years the cottage and land would become their own property in exchange for attending military exercises 12 days a year.
10 ships brought 721 pensioners and their families totalling over 2500 people between the years 1847 and 1852.The average age of the men was about 40. They settled in the Auckland suburbs of Howick
Howick, New Zealand
Howick is an eastern suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, forming part of what is sometimes called East Auckland. Due to the relatively numerous remaining heritage buildings and other historical remnants from its early European settlement past, it has been called "perhaps Auckland's most historically...
, Onehunga
Onehunga
Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is eight kilometres south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of One Tree Hill, Maungakiekie....
, Otahuhu
Otahuhu
Otahuhu is a suburb of Auckland. It is located to the southeast of the city centre, on a narrow isthmus between an arm of the Manukau Harbour to the west and the Tamaki River estuary to the east...
and Panmure
Panmure, New Zealand
Panmure is a south-eastern suburb of Auckland City, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 11 kilometres southeast of the city centre, close to the western banks of the Tamaki River and the northern shore of the Panmure Basin...
. . At Howick a redoubt was built on a prominent hill at the North end of the village's main street. The position, with its associated earth works, is still there.
See also
- Theodore HaultainTheodore HaultainTheodore Minet Haultain was a 19th century New Zealand politician and Minister of Colonial Defence...
- Pensioner Settlements (New Zealand electorate)Pensioner Settlements (New Zealand electorate)Pensioner Settlements was a 19th century parliamentary multimember electorate in the Auckland region of New Zealand, from 1853 to 1870.-Geographic distribution:...
- Howick Historical VillageHowick Historical VillageHowick Historical Village is a re-creation of a New Zealand colonial village using houses and cottages saved from the surrounding Auckland suburb of Howick. It is good for field trips for schools....