Burt, Thomas

Burt, Thomas, General Storekeeper, Main Road, Lower Hutt. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. This business was established in 1847 by the father of the present proprietor, the late Mr. Thomas Burt, one of the early settlers in the Hutt Valley. The building, which is of wood and iron, is erected on freehold property, centrally situated, the total floorage space being nearly 5000 square feet. Mr. Burt occupies a foremost place as a business man in the borough of the Lower Hutt, and the business is claimed to be the oldest in the district. He represents the New Zealand Insurance Company, and does a good trade in produce, grocery, drapery, boots and shoes, and ironmongery. He is a direct importer of paper-hangings and other special lines. Mr. Burt employs four skilled assistants in the trade, which extends over a wide area, three horses and a cart being used in the delivery. In local politics he takes no part, his energies being devoted entirely to his business.
Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand 1897 [Wellington Provincial District]
from web site http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc01Cycl-t1-body-d4-d69-d3.html accessed 22/6/2011


1865 Hutt Electoral Roll Thomas Burt

Evening Post 8 July 1876
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No. of Report: 1591, No. of Claim: 1740, Name of Claimant: Thomas Burt, Commissioner''s Decision: Entitled to a Crown Grant of a portion of Section No. 24 in the Hutt District, containing 1 acre or thereabouts. The legal estate to be antevested in the Grantee as from the 9th day of January, 1854.
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Evening Post 8 August 1876
MR THOMAS BURT has much pleasure in announcing to his friends and the public generally that he has this day disposed of his Business at the Upper Hutt to his son, Mr. WILLIAM BURT, to whom he trusts will be accorded the same liberal patronage as has been enjoyed by himself for so many years past.
It is requested that all accounts owing to the Upper Hutt Store to 31st July may be paid forthwith to Mr. William Burt, whose receipt will be a sufficient discharge for the same.
Lower Hutt, 1st August.

Hutt Valley Cemetery Record Thomas Burt, Date: 15 Sep 1888, St James Anglican, Lower Hutt, Burial and Monumental inscriptions, Reference: 47

Evening Post 15 September 1888
BURT.- On the 15th September, at his late residence, Lower Hutt, Thomas Burt, aged 69 years; deeply regretted.
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Death of Mr. Thomas Burt.
The pioneer settlers of Wellington — those who have witnessed the rising of a populous city and the establishment of thriving settlements in the room of the wilderness which they found on arrival — have to-day to lament the disappearance from their ranks of another of their most sturdy comrades. We sincerely regret to have to chronicle the death, from heart disease, of Mr. Thomas Burt, which occurred at his residence, Lower Hutt, at about 1 o''clock this morning. Mr. Burt was a native of Launceston, Cornwall, and arrived at Port Nicholson about the year 1843 in the brig Attila, being then a robust young man of about 24 summers. The Attila continuing her voyage to Auckland, Mr. Burt went with her, and he settled temporarily in the Waikato district, near the site of the present township of Alexandra. He did not, however, remain there long, and a couple of years later found him back in the Wellington district. The manner in which he made the journey is characteristic of the early stages of the colony, and would surprise many of the present generation. Lines of steamers there were none, and sailing vessels were very few, and not at all regular in their services, so Mr. Burt had no alternative but to walk most of the distance down the coast. He climbed over the ranges between Waikato and the head of the Mokau River, descended the river in a canoe, and thence came on foot from one native hapu to another, receiving right royal treatment from the Maoris, en route. On his return to this district he established himself at Lower Hutt, and shared with his fellow-settlers the dangers of the stirring times between 1845 and 1848, when the murders were committed in the valley by Rauparaha''s people, and all the male European inhabitants were placed under arms for their own defence. Mr. Burt''s occupation was that of a store-keeper, but in addition to this, he undertook the conveyance of the commissariat stores from the settled neighbourhood to the camp, which had been formed at Taita, and also brought back some of the dead and wounded from the scene of bloodshed. Since the days when the terrors of native troubles were at an end, the deceased gentleman has quietly carried on his store at Lower Hutt, in conjunction with one of his sons, and though his ailment forbade any active exertion he was always able to direct the affairs of the business. Early in his experience as a colonist Mr. Burt married the daughter of Mr. Wilkie (another old settler at the Hutt), who survives him, and who is supported in her bereavement by a large family, consisting of two unmarried daughters, one widowed daughter, the relict of the late Mr. Woods, of Wainui, two sons, and three other daughters married to well-known residents in the provincial district, namely, Mr. Robert Orr, Mr. Robert Cleland, and Mr. Henry Sanson, of Sanson township. The deceased never took any prominent part in public life as regards local government affairs, but he will live in the memory of all who knew him as one of the good old school of colonists - unobtrusive in manner, open-handed with his means, and ever ready with friendly counsel to any person in need of assistance. His influence with the natives was considerable, and on more than one occasion his persuasions were of public service, in at least averting bloodshed for the time in the periods of serious conflict. Mr. Burt has always expressed the desire to be buried beside his brother in the Anglican cemetery, Lower Hutt, and there his remains will accordingly be interred on Monday afternoon, at 3 o''clock.

Probate Thomas Burt, Place: Hutt, Occ: Storekeeper, Date of Death: 15/9/1888, AAOM 6029 3082, Filed: 20/9/1888, Will, Archives NZ, Wellington

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Death Details
1916/7421, Elizabeth Burt, Aged: 91Y - Date of Death 28/11/1916 (sic) from Death Registration

Hutt Valley Cemetery Record Elizabeth Burt, Date: 28 Nov 1915 (sic), St James Anglican, Lower Hutt, Monumental Inscriptions, Reference: 47
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Burial Record Date: 28 Nov 1916 (sic)

Evening Post 29 November 1916
BURT.- On the 28th November, 1916, at her residence, Laing''s road, Lower Hutt, Elizabeth, beloved wife of the late Thos. Burt; aged 91 years. Private interment.
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Mrs. Burt, of Laing''s-road, Lower Hutt, died suddenly yesterday, at the ripe age of ninety-one years.

Evening Post 2 December 1916
Another well-known old resident, Mrs. Burt (sen.) of the Lower Hutt, has lately passed away. She arrived in New Zealand in 1840, by the ship Olympus, and her father, Mr. George Wilkie, carried on business in Petone for many years. Mrs. R. Taylor, Mrs. Burt''s grandmother, had been in New Zealand for some years previously. Mr. Burt walked from Auckland to Wellington in 1842, and founded the business so long associated with his name in the Lower Hutt. Mr. and Mrs. Burt had a family of eight, of whom five are now living. There are also over fifty grand and great-grand children. The funeral took place at St. James''s (Anglican) Cemetery, when the Rev. A. L. Hansell conducted the service.

Probate Elizabeth Burt, Place: Lower Hutt, Occ: Widow, AAOM 6029 22499, Filed: 18/2/1918, Will, Archives NZ, Wellington