Dinah (Diana) Poole

(9) Dinah Hansen Dinah was born 1831 and died 1910. She married Daniel Poole and they had seven children. They were married at Paihia by Rev. Henry Williams in 1850.

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Dinah Poole

Dinah Poole was born at Hohi on 31st March 1831, and was baptised at Paihia by Rev Yate on 8th May 1831. Dinah married Daniel Poole at Paihia on 23rd April 1850. Dinah was 19 years of age, and Daniel was 32. The service was conducted by Rev Henry Williams. Like her Hansen siblings, Dinah never learned to read or write, and she made her mark in the marriage register. Daniel Poole was from London, and arrived in the Bay of Islands about the time the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. It was said that in London, Daniel worked as a waterman. The Pooles lived all of their married life in Russell where all of their seven children were born. In 1853 Daniel was appointed boatman in Russell by the Harbourmaster at an annual salary of £54.15.00. Dinah had a reputation as a good midwife. Mrs Vera Wallwork was a 45 year old granddaughter of Dinah and Daniel who wrote to Karl Hansen in 1939 describing a memory of her grandmother; I do remember Grandma Dinah telling us that the Hansen family never feared the Māoris, not even in the terrible times of murders etc. One reason being that her father (Thomas) acted as doctor to the Māoris in their illnesses and wounds etc. They loved him and often sought his advice, as also they did seek advice from my Grandma. I remember when I was a little girl if the Māoris were troubled over their land they use (sic) to come over to Grandma and ask for her advice; also they would bring her kumeras and potatoes in flax kits in appreciation of her advice. Daniel Pole died in Russell on 18th March 1887 at the age of 69, and was buried in Russell’s Christ Church cemetery. The cause of death was general anarsarca and dropsy for the previous 18 months. In an affidavit made by Dinah the following year, she described Daniel as a master mariner. Dinah survived her husband for 23 years until she died on 18th October 1910. Dinah was at the Loading Ground at Opua when she died from a cerebral haemorrhage and cardiac failure. She was buried beside her husband the next day. The site of the Pooles’ grave in the Christ Church cemetery is beside the footpath leading up to the church, and is close to the graves of her brother Thomas and his sisters, Hannah, and Amy.

Researched by Kath Hansen. Written by Eric Hansen