George Dabinett

FromOwaka Museum : Wahi Kahuika the Meeting Place – a rest on your journey. Has an extensive amount of information on George Dabinett, including photograph, letters and personal accounts of particular interest is a wonderful photograph of him on his 100th birthday! (see above) you can find all of this information at

http://ehive.com/esearch/object?a=3021&q=Dabinett

Photograph; a black and white photograph of the Dabinett home in the old Owaka township, prior to 1896. A two-storey house with verandah and large front garden. Pictured in the garden is (left to right): Daisy Green (later Pinkerton), George Dabinett, Mary Jane Dabinett and Emily Green (later Loomes). The Dabinetts brought up the Green sisters whose mother died in childbirth with Daisy.

George Dabinett was a versatile pioneer who gave much more to the community than he received. In addition to his shop duties [Dabinett and Young's] he had the ability to set bones, sew-up wounds, and pull teeth - all without the aid of formal anaesthetic.

In 1893 the settlers presented Dabinett with an organ worth 60 pounds in recognition of the first aid that he had given to the injured or sick. When he left the district in 1899 he was given a fine send-off which included a presentation of 100 pounds. He was a keen church worker and before leaving Owaka handed over his organ to the Baptist Church. He must have found Owaka a healthy place, as he went on to celebrate his 100th birthday.

The original photograph has been digitised. A digital image and copy print are available for research access. I am in the process of requesting same for this site...

Also,

Job, his wife Sophia and the first three of their children, James, George and Rebeccah are listed living at 29 Sedgmoor Drove in Curry Rivel in the 1851 Census.

From the "Otago Witness" of 2 February 1856:

" Arrived. Feb. 1 "Isabella Hercus", 568 tons, Sewell, master, from London, via Port Cooper. Passengers. Mr and Mrs Edwards and 5 children, Mrs Duncan, James Duncan, Miss Binney, Mrs Baker and child, Mr and Mrs Alexander, Job Dabinett, wife, and 5 children, J. Brown. - J. Jones, agent. [22 passengers]"

Job and his family took up a selection at Warepa. The first house they built was 4 room wattle-and-daub thatched with rushes and the next, a 6-room house was of pit-sawn timber. Their furniture was all handmade with axes and knives.