Caroline Bedlington

Also known asCaroline MairTitleMrsBiographyCaroline Elizabeth Bedlington was the eldest of the twelve children of Gilbert and Elizabeth Mair. She was the first white child born in the Bay of Islands. The family lived at Wahapu in the Bay of Islands.
As a child, she witnessed the arrival to New Zealand of Bishop Sewlyn, the landing of the first governor, Govenor Hobson, and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Mair family later moved to Whangarei.
In October 1861 Caroline married Mr William Bedlington who was an English engineer from Northumberland. The wedding was officiated by Bishop Selwyn in the newly built Christ Church which was on land donated by the Mair family.
William Bedlington was in charge of Walton's coal mine at Whau Valley and he built the tramline between Whau Valley and Whangarei to transport the coal from the mine to the town wharf. He also worked in Whangarei as a civil engineer, surveyor, coroner and Justice of the Peace. The family lived at the junction of Whau Valley and Kamo Roads, Whangarei.
Both Caroline and her husband were considered very public spirited.
Percy Street and Stanley Street in Whangarei are named after her two of her sons and Bedlington Street is named after the family. The Bedlingtons also had a son Claude and a daughter Blanche who married Mr Arthur Hooper.
In June 1917, when she was 88 years of age, Caroline died. Her husband William had passed away in 1891.

GenderFemaleDate of Birth15 October 1828Place of BirthBay of IslandsDate of Death23 June 1917Place of DeathWhangarei Last edited by: Jennifer Gow