Hannibal Marks 4 1819-1879
Letters from Susanna Marks/Spriddle written 1846 to her son, Capt. Hannibal Marks 1819-1879 in N.Z.
Found on an Ancestry tree
Envelope written by Cecil Marks- Hannibal's grandson
For: Hanible Marks Belong to the Governor Boat New Plymouth New Zealand
My dear, I have got good home for you now as ever I had and I hope you will endeavor to come and see us all. A long while to be away from your own home. I wish very much to have you home when your father is home. God bless you my dear child.
My dear son
It with pleasure I take this opportunity of writing you this few lines which I hope and trust will find you in good health as this leaves me and your brothers and sisters at present. My dear,your father was very well when I heard from him, he is in East India. The ship time is up yesterday but I do not expect him home for 6 months longer.
I never thought you would be so unkind to me, I was always a good mother to you but you never answer the last letter I sent you and I am certain you got it. I have post it in the general post office. But perhaps you are offend at what I sent to ask you. But it would not have done you any harm if you had sent it. However, I have not forgot you if you have me and I hope you will you will do well.
Your brother John is on board the Achon Friget (?) on the Coast, William is in the Greenwich School, Pasco is home with me.
Elizabeth is grown fine young woman, Sussana and Mary Ann are 2 fine young girls. You would be surprised to see this place. Plenty married and great many dead. James Philip and Mary ann Avery are married. Mary Stumer is married and MAy Philps is married to George (?).
My dear child the last letter I received from you was 9 months old when I received it and that is 2 years since and I feel very much hurt at your neglect. Your dear old grandmother is still living and as well as I can expect her to be at her time of life. Your Uncle and Aunt and all there family are well and join in love to you. Your brothers and sisters join in there kind love to you and the wish to see you very much.
My dear, your father is in the first Class (?) and he will not go to sea any more after this cause. John Smith is coming out to New Zealand with Mr Buck and I trust he will see you. He is going to take this letter for me. He is very pious young man. Mr Buck told me he seen (?) Cock but did not see you. I wish he had seen you. Tell Cock I received a few lines from his wife from Bristol.
Kingsand, October 13 1846
Hannibal Marks arrived in New Zealand in 1841 when the ship Regina was wrecked at New Plymouth. Hannibal married Mary Jane Vercoe 22/2/1845, Taranaki, N.Z. and they had 12 children( Hannibal, Pasco, John. . )together. He then married Christina Nelson on 16/6/1876 in New Zealand. Marks honed his seafaring skills in coastal traders on the North Island’s west coast. At Manukau he was mate and coxswain on the Government cutter Maori, which provided a ferry service between Onehunga and Waiuku, but arguments over the vessel’s maintenance led to dismissal due to ‘insolence and insubordination.’ His time as first pilot in Manukau Harbour was cut short after a few months. The Provincial Government delayed deciding how much to spend on buoys and beacons and a pilot boat, and there were expectations a small boat could safely escort ships over Manukau bar.
However, Marks seamanship skills were recognised, and his career highlight was as commander of the gunboats Caroline and Sandfly. During the Maori war he delivered despatches between the British men o’ war ships and Governor Grey; embarked and disembarked troops and marines and enforced naval blockades in the Firth of Thames, then at Tauranga. He was highly praised by Sir George Grey and newspapers of the day, but just before the Battle of Gate Pa while transporting soldiers and marines to Tauranga Marks had a fatal accident on board the Sandfly. A William Todman rolled off his baggage and fell through the decklight on to the engine. He was buried on Mercury Island.
Marks’ gunboat career ended after the Australian explorer Francis Cadell, in charge of steam service on the Waikato River, asserted his authority over Mark’s crew and eventually dismissed Marks. A Commission of Inquiry later found Marks should not have lost his command, but by then the Government had sold the Sandfly.
There were 41 signatures of recommendation attached to Marks’ application to become harbourmaster and pilot at Tauranga. The Rowena was already operating between Auckland and Tauranga, and during Marks’ time the Staffa started a service to Opotiki. A steam service was started up to Katikati (some time after Vesey Stewarts’ first settlers arrived), and Union Steamship Company ships from down south began calling. With a large number of small vessels also using the port, Tauranga Wharf had to be extended and Victoria Wharf was built. After the Nellie hit Astrolabe Reef it was wrecked on Motiti Island. The Taranaki was wrecked on Karewa Island and the Taupo ran aground on Stoney Point Reef. There were several drownings in the harbour.
Hannibal Marks, harbourmaster, 60, drowned in Tauranga harbour, on 16/8/1879, alongside his son, Hannibal, the latter seemingly a cripple
After the drowning, Marks’ funeral was held in the Tauranga Hotel. The BOP Times reported the cortege as very large, including nearly all the town’s residents. Pallbearers wore full Masonic regalia and Marks’ Masonic apron draped his coffin. Marks’ son Hannibal’s body was recovered two weeks later.- Most of the above came from a talk Vivien Edwards gave to the Tauranga History Society in 2014, Google
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Sacred to the memory of Capt. HANNIBAL MARKS also HANNIBAL his son aged 34 years who were accidentally drowned in Tauranga harbour Aug 16th 1879.