Henry Thomas Collett

From 1842 Henry Collett was an established wheelwright and had associations with the company of Collett, Styles and Dean of Lower Hutt in Petone
22nd September 1879. “A serious accident occurred at the Hutt yesterday. Henry Collett and his son Albert were erecting a house, and owing to want of sufficient precaution while raising the framework it fell on father and son, the latter having both thighs fractured. The father had his leg broken below the knee, and his back so badly injured that he is not expected to recover. Both besides were dreadfully cut and bruised. Another son was also struck by the falling timber and much hurt, while his sister escaped by a miracle.
A tribute to pioneer Henry Collett was printed in the Evening Post on 13th July 1939 and read as follows: “One hundred years ago today the wedding took place at St Mary de Loque (sic), the Anglican Church in Gloucester, England, of Mr and Mrs Henry Collett, who embarked immediately afterwards on the sailing ship ‘London’ for New Zealand and became prominent among the pioneer settlers in the Hutt Valley. They landed at Petone beach early in 1840 and lived in the Hutt Valley all the rest of their years. They had seven sons and three daughters, the sole surviving member of that family being Mr Albert W Collett, who now resides in Taumarunui. Grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren of Mr and Mrs Henry Collett are resident in the Hutt Valley, Masterton, Dannevirke, Waipawa, Gisborne, and several other New Zealand towns. Mr and Mrs Collett were two of the foundation members of St James Anglican Church at Lower Hutt and they and their family were noted for their hospitality, having always kept open home in those days for travellers. Everyone of Mr and Mrs Collett's sons bore their share of the troubles in the early days of the Maori risings, and always took an active part and a keen interest in the promotion of any of the activities of those early days in this country which is so soon to celebrate its centenary as a British Dominion.”
Henry was also acknowledged as one of the early pioneers and even had pride of place in the Pioneer Muster Roll celebration (the Jubilee of Colonisation) that was held in Wellington on 22nd January 1890.
“The Colletts are one of Petone’s founding families and came to Petone in 1845, having purchased land on the Hutt Lane. Henry Collett was in business as a wheelwright. The family business closed in 1895, following his death a few months earlier. At that stage it operated as a partnership and was based in Petone and Lower Hutt under the trading name of Collett Brothers. The partners were two of Henry’s sons, Edward Collett and Albert Collett. Besides wheelwrights, Collett Brothers also were general blacksmiths and undertakers. The undertaking business was continued by Edward Collett, although the Lower Hutt business in Railway Avenue (then Main Road) was leased to Messrs Purser & Ridley, taking effect on 1st April 1895. A 1897 report published in the Cyclopedia of New Zealand stated that the former Collett business in Lower Hutt traded under the name of Purser & Co. The business was described as coach builders and general smiths.
It was thirteen years after the death of his wife that Henry Collett died at Petone on 12th September 1894 at the age of 76. Three days later he was buried in the graveyard at St James Church in Lower Hutt on 15th September 1894, where Elizabeth had been buried, the two of them having both been staunch supporters of that church. A similar newspaper announcement for Henry read: “The friends of the late Henry Collett are respectfully invited to attend his funeral, which will leave his residence at Hutt Road, Petone on Saturday afternoon at 2.30 o’clock for St James Cemetery, Lower Hutt. Joseph Hall, Undertaker, Lower Hutt.”
A more extensive obituary was also published in the Evening Post on 13th September 1894, as follows: “We are sorry to report the passing away of another old settler, Mr Henry Collett, who died at Petone yesterday aged 76. The deceased arrived in Wellington by the ship London in 1840 and followed for many years the occupation of a wheelwright. He was an excellent workman, and about ten years ago was able to retire on a competence. For some years he had been in delicate health. The immediate cause of death was an attack of bronchitis. The funeral takes place on Saturday afternoon. The deceased, who was highly respected, leaves seven sons, three daughters, and a large number of grandchildren”.
After his funeral the following article was printed in the same newspaper. “The mortal remains of the late Mr Henry Collett, who was one of Wellington’s oldest identities, were interred in St James’ churchyard, Lower Hutt, on Saturday afternoon, a large number of relatives and friends attending. The Rev J Jones officiated at the grave. Amongst the mourners was the Ven. Archdeacon Fancourt, a very old friend of the deceased. Wreaths were sent by the Mayor and Mayoress of The Hutt (Mr & Mrs W A Fitzherbert), the employees of the firm of Collett Bros, and many others.”
The Will of Henry Collett was made by him on 14th August 1894 in which his estate was divided between his daughter Mary Jane Collett, who inherited the land to the west of Hutt Road, and his son Albert William Collett who inherited the land to the east of Hutt Road. See Will in legal Documents. Following the death of their parents, the children of Henry and Elizabeth Collett sold off the paddock land to the rear of the family homestead in 1901, and this ultimately became part of the Riddlers Crescent development.
It is well established that Henry and Elizabeth had with them on their sea voyage from England on board the barque London, some rose plants which they planted in the garden of their home on the old Hutt Road in 1841, and which survive at the Collett home to this day. This is at 36 Riddlers Crescent in Petone, formerly 81 Hutt Road and in 2000 the house was placed on the New Zealand Historic Places Register. The Collett family remained living in properties divided from the original 9.5 acres at 28 and 34 Riddlers Crescent until 1989, the occupant of No 28 being Ete Terry Evans the son of Mabel Elizabeth Jane Collett who died in 1973. From 1933 Doris and Robert Leslie, who were friends of the Collett family, settled in Riddlers Crescent and first lived in a self-contained flat on the property and later moved into a cottage and in 1935 were residing at 34 Riddlers Crescent.
In 1948 Doris and Robert purchased the homestead at No 36 Riddlers Crescent and the aforementioned Mabel E J Collett moved into the adjacent No 34 Riddlers Crescent. The fence was removed and the furniture was exchanged between the houses. This home has held many weddings, family gatherings and had children playing in the attics and the garden. River stones were sieved through a wire mattress to provide a cottage flower-garden and a vegetable garden. On the garden trellis were the roses 'Captain Blood' and 'Devon Cream' brought from England by Henry and Elizabeth over one hundred years earlier.