William Field Porter: Difference between revisions
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Porter’s expedition arrived at Adelaide in early 1839. A special survey was authorised by the Governor for [[Port Lincoln]] on the [[Eyre Peninsula]] and Porter was an investor in the survey company that took out the licence. He received land there as a consequence. The ''Porter'' moved the family to this new settlement in 1839. The ''Dorset'' by now in other ownership brought other settlers. The party was just one of three to arrive with settlers for the district in the 1830s and 1840s. It became apparent to him that Adelaide would be the main settlement in South Australia and that immediate prospects for Port Lincoln would be limited.<ref>''First South Australian Colonial Census'', 26 February 1844.</ref> Impatient for success, he decided to forego the significant investment and effort he had made in the fledgling settlement (e.g. building a house, establishing a bank and donating to a proposed Church of England). He abandoned the settlement in 1840. Although Porter’s tenure in Port Lincoln only lasted 18 months, he had, nevertheless, been appointed the first Magistrate of the Eyre Peninsula and his family left its name at ‘Porter Bay’. |
Porter’s expedition arrived at Adelaide in early 1839. A special survey was authorised by the Governor for [[Port Lincoln]] on the [[Eyre Peninsula]] and Porter was an investor in the survey company that took out the licence. He received land there as a consequence. The ''Porter'' moved the family to this new settlement in 1839. The ''Dorset'' by now in other ownership brought other settlers. The party was just one of three to arrive with settlers for the district in the 1830s and 1840s. It became apparent to him that Adelaide would be the main settlement in South Australia and that immediate prospects for Port Lincoln would be limited.<ref>''First South Australian Colonial Census'', 26 February 1844.</ref> Impatient for success, he decided to forego the significant investment and effort he had made in the fledgling settlement (e.g. building a house, establishing a bank and donating to a proposed Church of England). He abandoned the settlement in 1840. Although Porter’s tenure in Port Lincoln only lasted 18 months, he had, nevertheless, been appointed the first Magistrate of the Eyre Peninsula and his family left its name at ‘Porter Bay’. |
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In May 1841, Porter arrived in [[Auckland]] New Zealand. He built a house and store on Auckland's waterfront and commenced trading from there with stock brought on the ''Porter''. He also invested in land in and around Auckland and bought interests in land claims from before 1840<ref>Recollections of a Voyage to South Australia and New Zealand Commenced in 1838. William Porter, Recorded at Huntly, 1907, Transcribed and edited by Miranda Field Law and Garry Law, Maruiwi Press 2007.</ref>. |
In May 1841, Porter arrived in [[Auckland]] New Zealand. He built a house and store on Auckland's waterfront and commenced trading from there with stock brought on the ''Porter''. He also invested in land in and around Auckland and bought interests in land claims from before 1840<ref>Recollections of a Voyage to South Australia and New Zealand Commenced in 1838. William Porter, Recorded at Huntly, 1907, Transcribed and edited by Miranda Field Law and Garry Law, Maruiwi Press 2007.</ref>.Later he developed a farm at Kohimarama<ref>Delving into the past of Auckland's eastern suburbs, Section 4 Mission Bay, Section 5 Kohimarama, E. T Jackson 1967, privately published.</ref>. |
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In 1841 Governor [[William_Hobson|Willam Hobson]] appointed Porter to his first [[New_Zealand_Legislative_Council|Legislative Council]], a small body with only an advisory role. Here Porter was closely involved in early attempts to deal with land claims from before 1840, a central issue in the early governance of New Zealand. |
In 1841 Governor [[William_Hobson|Willam Hobson]] appointed Porter to his first [[New_Zealand_Legislative_Council|Legislative Council]], a small body with only an advisory role. Here Porter was closely involved in early attempts to deal with land claims from before 1840, a central issue in the early governance of New Zealand. |
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Porter served in the [[1st New Zealand Parliament]] as representative for the [[Suburbs of Auckland (New Zealand electorate)|Suburbs of Auckland]] electorate from {{NZ election link year|1853}} to 1855, when he retired, but did not serve in any further Parliaments. He also served on the [[Auckland Province|Auckland Provincial Council]].<ref name="Wilson">{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |origyear= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103 |pages=29, 259}}</ref> He was on the first Council of the [[Auckland_War_Memorial_Museum|Auckland Museum]]. |
Porter served in the [[1st New Zealand Parliament]] as representative for the [[Suburbs of Auckland (New Zealand electorate)|Suburbs of Auckland]] electorate from {{NZ election link year|1853}} to 1855, when he retired, but did not serve in any further Parliaments. He also served on the [[Auckland Province|Auckland Provincial Council]].<ref name="Wilson">{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |origyear= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103 |pages=29, 259}}</ref> He was on the first Council of the [[Auckland_War_Memorial_Museum|Auckland Museum]]. |
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Revision as of 07:37, 4 January 2017
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1853–1855 | 1st | Suburbs of Auckland | Independent | ||
William Field Porter (1784–1869) was a ship owner from Liverpool, who migrated to South Australia in 1838. He relocated to Auckland in 1841, where he became a member of the New Zealand Parliament.
Biography
Porter was born in London on January 24th 1784. He was orphaned by 1796 and it is likely he commenced his career at sea shortly after. His first command was the Tiger on a voyage to west Africa, in the last year of the British slave trade, 1807[1]. Her owners were involved in the Atlantic slave trade so, very likely, Porter had been as well in his career to that date.
Later, in War of 1812 the Tiger under Porter was granted a Letter of marque to operate as a privateer[2] which it did to some success.
He married Alice Roper (1790-1862) in Liverpool (1810), with whom he had four children.
Porter became a prominent sea captain, operating a small fleet out of his own yard at Liverpool. Other members of the Porter family sailed for the British East India Company (e.g. his cousin, George Porter).[3]
In the late 1830s he suffered substantial losses at sea, which his son said were behind his decision to migrate.[4] Porter sold his shipyard in Liverpool and took two of his ships, Porter, and Dorset, provisioned with livestock and a range of personnel (including a doctor, tutors and servants), so that he could set up a relatively self-sufficient farming station in South Australia. He was accompanied by his wife, a son and daughter, William and Alice and an adult son Richard and his wife.
Porter himself captained his namesake, the Porter (a 252-ton brig), which he had built in 1824 and which had been strengthened so that it would be fit for the hazardous voyage. Upon arrival, he used this vessel to set up a shipping service from Port Lincoln and Adelaide to and from other Australian. Porter also built the Dorset (95 tons) in 1838, specifically as a back-up ship for the journey to Australia. This was sold upon arrival.[5]
Porter’s expedition arrived at Adelaide in early 1839. A special survey was authorised by the Governor for Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula and Porter was an investor in the survey company that took out the licence. He received land there as a consequence. The Porter moved the family to this new settlement in 1839. The Dorset by now in other ownership brought other settlers. The party was just one of three to arrive with settlers for the district in the 1830s and 1840s. It became apparent to him that Adelaide would be the main settlement in South Australia and that immediate prospects for Port Lincoln would be limited.[6] Impatient for success, he decided to forego the significant investment and effort he had made in the fledgling settlement (e.g. building a house, establishing a bank and donating to a proposed Church of England). He abandoned the settlement in 1840. Although Porter’s tenure in Port Lincoln only lasted 18 months, he had, nevertheless, been appointed the first Magistrate of the Eyre Peninsula and his family left its name at ‘Porter Bay’.
In May 1841, Porter arrived in Auckland New Zealand. He built a house and store on Auckland's waterfront and commenced trading from there with stock brought on the Porter. He also invested in land in and around Auckland and bought interests in land claims from before 1840[7].Later he developed a farm at Kohimarama[8].
In 1841 Governor Willam Hobson appointed Porter to his first Legislative Council, a small body with only an advisory role. Here Porter was closely involved in early attempts to deal with land claims from before 1840, a central issue in the early governance of New Zealand.
Porter served in the 1st New Zealand Parliament as representative for the Suburbs of Auckland electorate from 1853 to 1855, when he retired, but did not serve in any further Parliaments. He also served on the Auckland Provincial Council.[9] He was on the first Council of the Auckland Museum.
Porter died on 30 March 1869 at Mangatangi, Waikato.[10]
References
- ^ Lloyds Register for 1807 (entry L317) has Porter succeeding Kneale as Captain, Survey port Liverpool and Africa as her voyage of the year.
- ^ Letters of Marque against the United States, War of 1812, http://www.1812privateers.org/Great%20Britain/index.html Accessed Jan 2017.
- ^ S.J. Porter-Sampson, Porter...They Be Thy People, Adelaide, 1988, p. 11; J. and J. McDonald, Three William McDonalds, Canberra, 2010, pp. 119-120.
- ^ W.F. Porter, ‘How Captain Porter Came to S.A. and New Zealand’, Waikato, 1907.
- ^ S.J. Porter-Sampson, Porter...They Be Thy People, Adelaide, 1988, pp. 140-145; J. and J. McDonald, Three William McDonalds, Canberra, 2010, pp. 121-123.
- ^ First South Australian Colonial Census, 26 February 1844.
- ^ Recollections of a Voyage to South Australia and New Zealand Commenced in 1838. William Porter, Recorded at Huntly, 1907, Transcribed and edited by Miranda Field Law and Garry Law, Maruiwi Press 2007.
- ^ Delving into the past of Auckland's eastern suburbs, Section 4 Mission Bay, Section 5 Kohimarama, E. T Jackson 1967, privately published.
- ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. pp. 29, 259. OCLC 154283103.
- ^ S.J. Porter-Sampson, Porter...They Be Thy People, Adelaide, 1988, p. 140.