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Name - BENJAMIN LEWIS
Admitted -
District -
Ship - Recruited in New Zealand or Australia
Pension - Chelsea Pension
Rank - Sergeant
Unit - 65th Regiment Regimental No. 33
Born - Portarlington circa 1799
Abode - Howick
Parents -
Status - Married, 3 children
Wife - JANE KENSLA born circa 1797 - died 1855 aged 58 years
Description - According to "Discharged in New
Zealand" by Hugh and Lyn Hughes says this man enlisted 27th April 1820. He served in
India during his military service and arrived at Auckland 4th January 1847 on the ship
"Sir Robert Peel" from Gravesend. A labourer by trade, he was attached to the
58th Regiment at the time of his discharge at Auckland with a pension. He and Jane Kensla
were believed to have married at Bangalore, Coolbanagher 17th November 1819.
This information is courtesy Mr Alan La Roche and "Discharged in New Zealand" by Hugh and Lyn Hughes.
Issue of BENJAMIN LEWIS & JANE KENSLA:-
FRANCIS CHARLES born circa 1831 = ELIZABETH COOPER 1860/60
MATILDA JANE born April 1834 = JOHN FAIRBURN March 1851
ISABELLA born circa 1836 = CHARLES EWEN 23rd January 1854
URANIA born circa 1838
Auckland Public Library holds a record of Benjamin Lewis being given a Crown Grant of a site at Howick known as as Shamrock Cottage, later becoming the Royal Hotel.
ASB August 1966, page 183 and ASB 1968, page 153.
From the Auckland Journal of Rev Vicesiums Lush edited by the late Alison Drummond -
10.11.1850 - The tide was running strong and the wind blew and the rain fell in a frighful manner, and thus it continued to Howick, which place I reached shortly before 11, wet to the skin notwithstanding my waterproof coat.
11.11.1850 - I put up my horse at the only Hotel (the Royal Hotel, publican B. Lewis) in the place and walked to the Church, where the Sergeant (Pearce) whom I had on a former visit found acting as Schoolmaster, came forward dressed in full regimentals, and expressed his sorrow that I should have ridden over, "For you see, your Reverence," he said "as there will be no Church." Queer place I thought to myself, to make Church an adjunct of Parade, but being very wet and uncomfortable I took the man's advice and returned to mine host for Jessica5. Mrs Lewis, however, would on no account let me depart without taking a glass of wine and some pound cake, which I was glad to have under the circumstances in which I found myself. Thus recruited I mounted and galloped away for St John's, where I arrived in time to partake of dinner with my own children, a treat I do not often enjoy now that we (Blanche and I) dine generally in Hall.
16.02.1851 - Church better attended than I have heretofore seen it. Had a Christening after Second Lesson in the afternoon; churched the Mother of the Babe and demanded 1/- as the "accustomed offering", stating in the most implicit manner that as the fees would in no case belong to me but were to be handed over to the Episcopal Fund I should first insist upon them being paid. The woman demurred at first, but when I stated that I considered myself answerable to the Bishop for all the fees due to the Church and if I excused her on my own responsibility without sufficient reason should feel I ought to pay her fee myself, she forthwith handed me the 1/- which I gladly accepted, thinking that thereby at least 1/- from the capacious and well-filled pocket of Lewis the publican.
BENJAMIN LEWIS died 10th August 1863. RG 1863/3071 Akl.
JANE LEWIS died 5th May 1855, aged 58 years.
All Saints' Burial Records say Jane Lewis was of
Auckland and was 69 years of age, buried 8th May 1855 while Benjamin in 1863 was of West
Tamaki. Compiler believes that Jane Lewis' age is an error from the Burial Registers.
JOHN FAIRBURN, bachelor, full age, son of Thomas Fairburn = MATILDA JANE LEWIS, spinster, 17, with permission of bride's father, Benjamin Lewis.
From the NZSG Transcription of St Thomas's Church, East Tamaki - This was recorded as a large pink sandstone monument, no longer extant.
No. 1 - Sacred to the memory of MATILDA JANE, nèe LEWIS, the beloved wife of John Fairburn, who died December 11th 1851, aged 17 years 8 months.
JOHN FAIRBURN, widower, full age = (2) PHILLIPA BICENA STEPHENS circa 1856.
PHILLIPA BICENA FAIRBURN née STEPHENS died a few years later at Hanover, Germany.
JOHN FAIRBURN, widower, full age = (3) EMILY REYNOLDS 7th December 1871.
From the NZSG Transcript of the Otahuhu Anglican Cemetery -
No. 197 - In memory of JOHN, beloved husband of Emily Fairburn, who died 21st April 1893, aged 69 years. It may be that only in Heaven I shall hear that great amen - the Lost Chord.
- In loving memory of EMILY, wife of the late John Fairburn, died November 16th 1897, aged 58 years. She did what she could.
CHARLES EWEN, bachelor, full age = ISABELLA LEWIS, spinster, minor, daughter of Benjamin Lewis and Jane Kensla, 23rd January 1854 .
Their issue:-
HARRY ARTHUR born 23. 01.1862
FREDERICK born 24. 09.1866
VINCENT HAROLD LEWIS born 27. 04.1870
Deaths of CHARLES and ISABELLA EWEN not known.
FRANCIS CHARLES LEWIS, bachelor, full age, soldier 58th Regiment, son of Benjamin Lewis and Jane Kensla = ELIZABETH COOPER, spinster, RG 1860/50
Their issue:-
BENJAMIN born 16. 01. 1861
FRANCIS CHARLES LEWIS, Corporal No. 2206 65th Regiment, clerk, was born at Spike Island and enlisted 25th March 1845. He was, like his father, attached to the 58th Regiment when he was discharged on payment at Auckland 30th June 1848 according to "Discharged in New Zealand" by Hugh and Lyn Hughes. :Later, he was a sheep inspector of Remuera, owning 1 acre value at £550 according to the NZSG Freeholders of New Zealand.
FRANCIS CHARLES LEWIS died 17th July 1898. RG 1898/1262
5 Jessy or Jessica was the name of Mr Lush's horse.