Thomas Halbert (8 July 1806 – 12 April 1865) was a New Zealand whaler, trader and founding father. He was born in

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

, Northumberland, England and baptised on 25 December 1814 in Gateshead, Durham, England.

Early life

Thomas was the son of William Halbert (1766-1815) and Sarah 1771-1814. William and Sarah Halbert had at least 11 children: * Sarah Halbert died 1795 * William Halbert born 1792 * Alice Halbert born 1794 * John Halbert 1796-1854 * Sarah Halbert born 1798 * Elizabeth Halbert born 1799 * George Potts Halbert 1802-1851 * Joseph Halbert 1803-1838 * Elizabeth Halbert 1804-1807 * Mary Ann Halbert 1805-1806 * Thomas Halbert 1806-1865 Little is known about Thomas before his emigration to New Zealand. Upon emigrating to New Zealand he would marry six times. His wives included:

Wives & children

*Unknown first wife from

Rongomaiwahine Rongomaiwahine was a Māori people, Māori chieftainess and chief ancestress of the Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu, and Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki ''iwi''. She lived on the Māhia Peninsula, probably in the late fifteenth century. Life Ron ...

Māhia Peninsula Māhia Peninsula (Maori: or ) is located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, in the Hawke's Bay region, between the towns of Wairoa and Gisborne. Rocket Lab has set up its Launch Complex 1 close to Ahuriri Point at the southe ...

*Pirihira Konekone from

Manutuke Manutuke is a settlement in the Gisborne District of New Zealand's North Island. It is located to the west of the city of Gisborne on State Highway 2, close to the mouth of the Waipaoa River. Demographics The population of Manutuke was 402 in ...

. *Mereana Wero of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki descent *Riria Mauaranui of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki descent. They were married on 21 April 1839 by Bishop William Williams. *Kaikiri (who would later Anglicize her name to Keita) of Ngati Kaipoho and

Rongowhakaata Rongowhakaata is a Māori ''iwi'' of the Gisborne region of New Zealand. Hapū and marae There are three primary ''hapū'' (subtribes) of Rongowhakaata today: Ngati Kaipoho, Ngai Tawhiri and Ngati Maru. Ngāti Kaipoho Ngāti Kaipoho descend fro ...

descent from Manutuke, *Maora Pani of

and Rakaipaaka descent. His children were:

With his first wife

*unknown son who died at infancy.

With Pirihira Konekone, his second wife

Otene Pitau Otene Pitau (born Otene Pitau Halbert, 1834 – 13 August 1921) was a New Zealand Māori leader. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Rongowhakaata Rongowhakaata is a Māori '' iwi'' of the Gisborne region of New Zealand. Hapū and ...

With Mereana Wero, his third wife

* No Issue

With Riria Mauaranui, his fourth wife

Wi Pere Wiremu "Wi" Pere (7 March 1837 – 9 December 1915), was a Māori Member of Parliament in New Zealand. He represented Eastern Māori in the House of Representatives from 1884 to 1887, and again from 1893 to 1905. Pere's strong criticism of th ...

(born William Pere Halbert)

With Kaikiri, his fifth wife

* Kate Gannon (nee Halbert, formerly Wyllie. She married twice and died as Kate Gannon, however she is more famously known as Kate Wyllie) *Hera (Sarah) Halbert married William Alexander Wyllie. After his death she married James Cunningham. After his death she married Paratene Tatae. *Mere (Mary) Halbert married Alexander Heany. She divorced him then married Donald Gordon. *Maata (Martha) Rewanga Halbert married Arthur Francis Cuff.

With Maora Pani, his sixth wife

*Alice Matewai Halbert married Karepa Mataira. *Twins who died at infancy *Thomas Halbert Jr married Ripeka Matahaere Brown.

Notable descendants

Some of descendants include: *All Blacks rugby player, William "Bill" Cunningham (his grandson through his daughter, Sarah) *Historian,

Rongowhakaata Halbert Rongowhakaata "Rongo" Pere Halbert (2 February 1894 – 11 April 1973) was a Māori tribal leader, interpreter, historian and genealogist. He was considered "an eminent authority on Māori literature". Halbert's book ''Horouta: The History of th ...

(his great-grandson through his son, Wi Pere) *

Reremoana Hakiwai Reremoana Hakiwai (3 February 1889 – 8 March 1981) was a New Zealand cook and community leader. Of Māori descent, she identified with the Ngati Porou and Rongowhakaata iwi. Hakiwai was born in Manutuke, East Coast, New Zealand ...

(nee Halbert) (his great-granddaughter through his daughter, Sarah) *Author,

Witi Ihimaera Witi Tame Ihimaera-Smiler (; born 7 February 1944) is a New Zealand author. Raised in the small town of Waituhi, he decided to become a writer as a teenager after being convinced that Māori people were ignored or mischaracterised in literat ...

(his great-great-grandson through his son, Wi Pere) *

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand's national museum and is located in Wellington. ''Te Papa Tongarewa'' translates literally to "container of treasures" or in full "container of treasured things and people that spring fr ...

curator, Arapata Hakiwai (his great-great grandson through his daughter, Sarah) *Politician and former rugby player,

Tu Wyllie Tutekawa "Tu" Wyllie (born 24 October 1954) is a former New Zealand politician and rugby union player. A first five-eighth, Wyllie represented Wellington at a provincial level, and played one match for the New Zealand national side, the All Blac ...

(his great-great grandson through his daughter, Kate) *Politician,

Meka Whaitiri Melissa Heni Mekameka Whaitiri (born 11 January 1965) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. She was elected to Parliament in the 2013 Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election and is currently Minis ...

(his fourth-great granddaughter through his daughter Sarah).

Death

Halbert died 12 April 1865 when he was crossing the

Taruheru River The Taruheru River is a river of the Gisborne Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows predominantly southeast from sources close to the settlement of Ormond before flowing through the city of Gisborne. Here it meets the waters of the Wai ...

and became stuck in the mud. He drowned as the tide came back in and was buried at Makaraka Cemetery. A street in Makaraka is named for him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Halbert, Thomas 1808 births 1865 deaths New Zealand traders New Zealand people in whaling Businesspeople from Newcastle upon Tyne English emigrants to New Zealand Settlers of New Zealand Halbert-Kohere family