Hobson Street

Catherine McLean arrived at her wedding ‘… a little bashful and flustered.’ Her groom, Robert Hart, ‘was cool and collected.’ It was Thursday 4th January 1867 and the couple were being married at St Andrew’s on The Terrace. Catherine was 43 years old and Robert was 53. Neither had been married before. The marriage ‘went off well’ and 36 guests came to the wedding breakfast.

These descriptions of the wedding day were written by (Sir) Donald McLean, Catherine’s brother, in his diary. Catherine had emigrated from Scotland to join her brother in New Zealand in 1861. He was MP for the Napier electorate. Robert Hart was a judge of the Wellington District Courts.

In agreeing the Marriage Settlement, Donald settled £1,000 on Catherine. In turn, Robert agreed his estate would pay £400 per year to Catherine after his death. At the wedding, Donald gave his sister £45. Presumably this was to help set herself up as a married woman.

The Hart’s lived in a house in Hobson Street. From here, Catherine wrote many letters to her brother, all are undated. Donald’s son Douglas would often come and spend the day with the Hart’s, while staying with his grandfather, Robert Strang on The Terrace. They had a cow in their paddock on Hobson Street, and Douglas enjoyed the new milk. Catherine also hosted house guests and parties. One was held in honour of Mrs Marion Park, the third wife of Robert Park (who was an early Wellington surveyor), who was her sister-in-law:

‘I gave her a large luncheon party in the drawing room at which we had Dr Featherston, Mr Gisborne and others. It went off very well.’ (MS-Papers-0032-0811)

Catherine sent her brother small gifts to Napier by the steamer, including cuttings, plants, and vegetables. She also wrote to Donald of social activities and her opinion of his political speeches. She led the life of an educated, middle class, Victorian woman:

‘My dear husband is quite well and as happy as any man can be, and as for myself I ought to be happy and I hope am thankful to him who rules all events for providing me (who am so unworthy of it) with such a happy home.’

But she also missed her brother and his company:

‘I do so long for you. I have no one to speak to, & Robert is too much taken up with his own family.’

And then later wrote to her brother:

‘It is now two years since I left home and I ought to be thankful, and hope I am, to a kind providence, for casting my lot with such a kind good husband for I do think that Robert is one of the most just and fairest minded men that I ever met with.’

Robert and Catherine attended the various social occasions where leaders of Wellington society were present including parties at Government House.

Robert Hart died in 1894 and left his estate to Catherine. She died in 1897, at their home in Hobson Street.

The executors of Catherine’s estate first sold the contents of the house. The drawing room lots included a Collard & Collard piano, a Brussels carpet, Turkey hearthrugs, ebonised and gold cabinet, inlaid walnut loo table, Japanese afternoon tea table and a massive plate glass overmantel. The house was then sold shortly after. It was located on Town Acre 610 and had a frontage to Hobson Street and access to Thorndon Quay (the site is the present day ‘Highwic’ at 32 Hobson Street). It was described as having a splendid view of the harbour and tastefully laid out grounds. In addition to the house, there were nine commercial Lots belonging to Catherine also sold.

Catherine left her estate in trust to her sister, Annabella McLean (who was to live off the interest of £2,000), and the capital to the children of her brother, Captain John McLean. Catherine also gave £250 to the Wellington Home for the Aged and Needy.

Catherine was buried in Bolton Street cemetery with Robert, although the grave was later disinterred for the construction of the motorway.

Catherine Hart

Hobson Street

Wellington Boots

Catherine Hart

Hobson Street

Kelburn Viaduct

Wellington Boots