A standalone beacon was used in 1840s. After a series of shipwrecks, Gov Grey approved a lighthouse & dwelling in 1851.

In April 1852, plans for the lighthouse were drawn up by Edward Roberts of the Royal Engineers' Dept

In 1852, the keeper's cottage was built at Pencarrow Head & a beacon was placed inside when costs delayed the lighthouse

The temporary beacon was set up next to the windows of the cottage

Mary's husband George was employed as the cottage's beacon keeper & Mary took over when he drowned in June 1855

Mary (née Hebden, b. 1816) & George (b. 1814) met in England, emigrated to NZ in early 1840, & married in Nov 1840

Widowed Mary attended to her beacon keeper duties whilst raising her six children - 3 daughters & 3 sons (See Image)

Mary's second child (a daughter) had died aged 2.5 years at the cottage in 1852 & seventh (a son) was born in Dec 1855

In July 1857, Wellington Provincial Council's London agents accepted the tender from a UK firm for lighthouse

The 38 ft (11.5m) cast-iron lighthouse was shipped in 480 packages & arrived in Wellington In June 1858 for reassembly

Mary attended Pencarrow Lighthouse's official opening & when appointed Lighthouse Keeper, sent monthly reports

Her reports went to the Wellington Provincial Council & then to the Marine Board who assumed control from 1863

Around 1865/66, Mary returned with her children for their education to England, where she died on 6 July 1885

Mary's 3 sons returned to NZ in 1871, & the youngest, William, became an assistant keeper at Pencarrow from 1880-1885

Over the decades, other lighthouses were built around NZ & keepers appointed, of which Mary was the only woman

Since 1990, all NZ's lighthouses have become automated & are monitored remotely from Wellington by Maritime New Zealand

On 18 June 1935, Pencarrow Lighthouse was decommissioned when replaced 6 miles south-east by the Baring Head Lighthouse

In 1966, it was transferred to the NZ Historic Places Trust & was listed as Historic Place Category 1 on 3 March 1982

Mary Jane Hebden was baptised on 11 Dec 1816, at Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire, England

She was the eldest child of Mary & William Hebden (squire of village of Dacre Banks, in the West Riding of Yorkshire)

Mary met George White Bennett who was born on 2 March 1814 at Whickham, County Durham, England

George was one of six children of George Bennett & Ann White

When their parents did not agree to them marrying, they chose to emigrate to NZ under the New Zealand Company scheme

(Image: Painting by Charles Heaphy during New Zealand Company’s expedition that sailed from England in May 1839)

George left England aboard the "Cuba" on 2 Aug 1839, & landed in Wellington on 4 Jan 1840

His occupation on passenger list was "seaman".

In Sept 1839, Mary applied to emigrate under the New Zealand Company scheme, describing herself as a governess

Before leaving the UK, she secured a domestic servant position in Wellington. (Image: Layout for Wellington settlement)

On 8 Feb 1840, Mary arrived in Wellington aboard the barque “Duke of Roxburgh" after leaving on 5 Oct 1839 from Plymouth

On 20 Nov 1840, Mary & George married at St. Paul's Cathedral in Thorndon

The first of their seven children (Fanny) was born on 21 Jan 1842

George worked at various jobs: farm at Lowry Bay, clerk in Wellington, & publican at Gurham Arm Hotel on Thorndon Quay

(Image: View of Thorndon Quay with the Durham Arms Hotel on the far right)

In 1839, Colonel William Wakefield suggested a lighthouse or beacon at Wellington Harbour but nothing eventuated

During New Zealand Company's first expedition, the 'Tory' had difficulties entering Wellington Harbour on 20 Sept 1839

On 1 Feb 1841, Edward Jerningham Wakefield wrote to the Editor proposing a lighthouse be built at Pencarrow Head

A week earlier he had been aboard a vessel which had dificulties navigating into the harbour as night fell

On 14 Dec 1841, a public meeting called for a "lighthouse or signal station, and pilots" following ships being wrecked

After criticising delays by the Government & NZ Company, they raised a public subscription for a temporary beacon

On 29 Jan 1842, a Bill was enacted for borough councils to erect buoys, beacons, landmarks & lighthouses

By March 1842, a standalone triangular beacon was installed at Pencarrow Head but had blown over by May

In Nov 1842, the Directors of the NZ Company offered to finance lights to the value of about £1,500 for a lighthouse

Offer was made to the Secretary of State & they awaited Lord Stanley to discuss with Gov Hobson but didn't get a reply

In April 1844, the Colonial Govt erected the beacon ordered 12 months ago to replace the first beacon

On 1 May 1844, a 'Notice to Mariners' about the new beacon erected at Pencarrow was placed in the newspaper

The beacon was described as being thirty-seven feet high, painted white, with a red flag

The beacon was only visible from c8 kms in good weather & there was an outcry when ships began to be wrecked in storms

The 'Pickwick' (29 June 1845: 2 lives lost) and 'Tyne' (4 July 1845: no loss of life)

On 20 Nov 1845, in a letter to the Editor, the master of the brig 'Bee' called for a lighthouse to be erected

Transport from Pencarrow Head was by boat or horse. On 5 May 1848, George was thrown from his horse, injuring his hip.

After 'Maria' was wrecked on 23 July 1851 with 26 lives lost, a public meeting was held & a deputation met Governor Grey

Gov Grey agreed to advance money for a lighthouse & keeper's accommodation, to be funded by an extra duty on spirits

As the Wellington area experienced earthquakes, it was decided to build the lighthouse with cast-iron

In April 1852, plans for the lighthouse were drawn up by Edward Roberts of the Royal Engineers' Dept & site finalised

When Point Dorset was being considered, the Wellington Harbour Master & Pilot recommended Pencarrow Head

On 17 June 1852, it was announced a keeper's cottage to be built & a temporary beacon installed until lighthouse built

Although extra duty on spirits levied, Alfred Domett, Civil Secretary, advised more time needed to build the lighthouse

On 16 June 1854, the House of Representatives appointed a Select Committee to enquire into beacons & lighthouses for NZ

Motion for a committee to be formed had been put by Frederick Weld who represented Wairau

During Aug 1854, the Select Committee's report was presented & recommendations included an iron lighthouse at Pencarrow

However, immediate action was not taken by the Central Government in subsequent House sittings to allocate funds

Whilst inaction over the building of the lighthouse continued, ships arriving in Wellington continued to be wrecked

The wreck of the schooner "Queen of Isles" & its cargo on 5 June 1856 was reported in the Lyttelton Times (11 June 1856)

In 1857, at recommendation of the Superintendent, Provincial Council voted funding for Edward Robert's lighthouse plan

General Government then dissallowed the Act for raising a loan for the light & other objects; but Wellington proceeded

Council's London agent Gladstone & Co received 5 tenders for Robert's lighthouse plan & chose the winner on 17 July 1857

Winning tender (£2435) was from Messrs Cochrane and Company of Woodside Iron Works at Dudley in Middlesex

On 10 Feb 1858, newspaper reported an engineer to oversee erection of lighthouse to arrive from London in the 'Burmah'

The engineer, who had been selected by Roberts, was Edward George Wright

In June 1858, 480 kitset pieces weighing 60 tons arrived in Wellington on the barque 'Ambrosine'

After tendering delays for a vessel, the brigantine 'Caroline' transferred the packages to Pencarrow Head in Sept 1858

On 8 Oct 1858, a description of the tower built by Messrs. Cochrane and Co., of Dudley was given in the newspaper

The packages had been unloaded from the 'Caroline' & hauled up the hill, where they were reassembled

On 30 Nov 1858, advance notice was given to mariners that the new light at Pencarrow Head would be seen from 1 Jan 1859

(On 20 Nov 1858, provincial government asked the Government to alert mariners the lighthouse would be ready on 1 Jan)

The new light was of the second order (Catadiopetric system) with eclipses at 2 min intervals

The light was visible 420m above high water mark & could be seen at 30 English miles

An Assistant Lighthouse Keeper, William Lyall (b. 1805), was appointed in 1859 by the Wellington Provincial Council

In 1860, William complained about having a woman as Keeper in a letter to the Council, but Mary continued in her role

Mary sent monthly reports to the Wellington Provincial Council & then to the Marine Board which was established in 1862

In 1864, Marine Board reported Mary & William, appointed in 1859, conducted duties in "an orderly and efficient manner"

Mary also cared for her six children, including teaching exercises in reading, spelling, writing, etc

(Image: A writing exercise which family sources state was completed by one of Mary's children)

On 1 Sept 1859, the occulting light mechanism with eclipses every 2 mins was replaced with a fixed light

There had been concerns as the eclipsing light mechanism would jam

In 1865, Pencarrow Lighthouse and reserve were bought by the Government from the Wellington Provincial Council

In 1866 the Marine Board of New Zealand was disestablished & replaced by the Marine Department

Mary's 3 sons returned to NZ in 1871, & the youngest, William, became an assistant keeper at Pencarrow from 1880-1885

The entry for him in the lighthouse keeper's service book states, 'William Hebden Bennett Son of Mrs Bennett'.

Earlier, in Dec 1866, the Marine Board prepared the handbook, "Instructions for Lighthouse Keepers" which keepers signed

Marine Dept's 3rd report (1867): Appendix E lists contents which resulted from disagreements on duties between keepers

William stayed at one of the new residences for lighthouse keepers which had been built in 1871

William & his family lived at Pencarrow until 1885, when he was transferred to Portland Island, Mahia for two years

As Pencarrow Lighthouse would become obscured during fog & rain, a fog signal apparatus was set up on 11 July 1898

A shed half-way down the hillside housed the diesel engine used to operate fog signal which gave bursts every 15 mins

Pencarrow Lighthouse continued to be part of Marine Dept's scheme which began in 1886 to circulate books & magazines

Description of the circulation scheme & adding to lighthouse libraries was given in the Poverty Bay Herald, 16 July 1902

In Sept 1902, an initiative was introduced to further aid keepers' access to reading material

Magazines & newspapers addressed to lighthouse keepers would be transmitted free of charge

The Marine Dept had introduced the policy of transferring keepers between lighthouses every 2-3 years

Staffing changes during 1906 for the Pencarrow Lighthouse were listed in the Colonist on 13 July

Single men could apply to be relieving keepers but only married men could be in permanent positions

(Image: Keeper's houses, c.1910)

The Marine Dept required keepers to complete records ‘daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, six monthly and annually'

Duties included lighting, manning & cleaning the light & other equipment, & maintaining buildings & the reserve

In 1906, a 2d lighthouse was built at the bottom of the cliff to be operated when fog or cloud obscured upper lighthouse

The beacon on the lower lighthouse, called Lower Pencarrow, began operating on 10 Oct 1906

View of the Pencarrow Lighthouse at the top of the cliff, c.1909

When the Pencarrow Lighthouse's light shone, the Lower Pencarrow also served as a navigational aid / day mark for ships

A view of the fog signal-house sited between the two lighthouses on Pencarrow Head, 1922

In 1927, the fog signal was replaced with a compressed-air diaphone signal which emitted blasts of 3 secs every minute

16 Feb 1923: Stores being transported ashore from the 'Tutanekai"

The stores were transferred from the boat to a horse-drawn cart to travel to the lighthouse

Pathway to Pencarrow Lighthouse, 1925

Pencarrow Lighthouse, 1925

In 1930 a tower was added to the low level lighthouse, & the light enclosed at the top of the tower

View of the lower level lighthouse

In 1932, Marine Dpt decided to build the Baring Head Lighthouse 6 miles southeast of Pencarrow Lighthouse

Work commenced in 1934 on the tower & flashing beacon (Image: March 1934)

Baring Head's location & electric flashing light were considered more visible to ships

The 12.2m tower & its hilltop elevation gave a focal height of 87m (285 ft) visible for 14 nautical miles (29.5 km)

On 19 Jan 1935, concerns being voiced over the fate of the Pencarrow Lighthouse were reported in the Evening Post

It was hoped the historic Pencarrow Lighthouse's tower would be retained as a guiding beacon (unlit) & not dismantled

On 18 Jan 1935, Evening Post reported on the progress to build the Baring Head Lighthouse

The beacon was to operate on electricity powered by diesel generators until mains electricity arrived in 1950

On 18 June 1935, the Baring Head Lighthouse was switched on & the Pencarrow Head Lighthouse was decommissioned

Pencarrow Lighthouse was maintained as a navigational aid, & a keeper continued to maintain the foghorn

In 1941, the lighthouse’s light mechanism was removed & the foghorn continued to be maintained (Image: c.Dec 1958)

In the late 1940s, the houses were renovated & bath & wash houses added

Eventually, a schoolhouse, cowshed & store were built. Loans of books were made from the Country Library Service.

During 1950s, a road was constructed as part of the Hutt Valley Drainage Board's new sewage scheme at Pencarrow

(Image: Newly completed sewerage outlet at Pencarrow, c. 26 Sept 1961)

Person leaning against a rocky cliff face beside the road to Pencarrow Head, c. 1954-59

On 1 Jan 1959, centenary of Pencarrow Lighthouse held. Plaque was unveiled by Minister of Marine, W. A. Fox, on 20 Feb.

The plaque from the National Historic Places Trust recognised it as an historic place under the Historic Places Act 1954

In 1960, Wellington Harbour Board installed remotely controlled automatic fog signal on the low level light tower

Staff were no longer needed to be permanently stationed at Pencarrow

In 1960, Marine Dpt transferred the land & buildings to Dpt of Lands & Surveys but retained ownership of the lighthouse

In 1963, the ligthhouses buildings, including keepers' cottages, were demolished & the tower retained

Nov-Dec 1966: The Pencarrow Lighthouse was transferred to the renamed New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT)

The lighthouse had been offered by the Maritime New Zealand to NZHPT

During 1974-80, a restoration project was undertaken by the Ministry of Works and Development at the request of NZHPT

(Image: Two men standing on & around scaffolding during maintenance work being carried out in March 1980)

View of the lower lighthouse at Pencarrow Head, 1975

In 1979, the lighthouse was included in an historic reserve of 2044 sq m, which NZHPT was appointed to control & manage

On 3 March 1982, Pencarrow Lighthouse was listed as Historic Place Category 1 & has become a tourist attraction

Other lighthouses around NZ gradually became automated by 1990

The last lighthouse to no longer be staffed was Brothers Island in 1990.

NZ History: A video tour around the inside of Pencarrow Lighthouse, 2006 (2.5 mins)

NZ History Radio New Zealand documentary (1959) made to mark the centenary of the Pencarrow Lighthouse

RNZ (5 Jan 2009): "Pencarrow lighthouse, New Zealand's first permanent lighthouse has turned 150" (5 mins)

NZ History: "Mary Bennett: Biography"

Te Ara: Story "Bennett, Mary" by Ellen Ellis

This biographical story was first published in the "Dictionary of New Zealand Biography" in 1990

Wikipedia: "Mary Bennett (lighthouse keeper)"