Joseph Burne
Draper of Lambton Quay
Joseph was from Caldbeck, Cumberland and arrived in Wellington in 1848. In England he had served his apprenticeship in the drapery trade at Southampton, and later worked at a large wholesaler in London. On arrival, he set up his business as a draper on a site that would later become the Hannah boot factory on Lambton Quay. He later moved to a new site and opened his Emporium on the corner of Brandon Street and Lambton Quay.
An advertisement of Joseph’s from 1863 included:
Ladies’ shawls, fancy silk dresses, collars, cuffs, waistbands, coloured wool sprigged muslins, Irish cambric handkerchiefs, French kid gloves, mohair caps, hosiery, cloth table coverings, hair nets.
Joseph married Jessie Trotter in Wellington in 1860. They did not have any children. Joseph sold his drapery business in 1876. In his retirement at his house on The Terrace, he enjoyed growing flowers and produce for the annual Horticultural Show. He would often send beautiful blooms from his conservatory for exhibition. He also invested in property, both in Wellington and in the Manawatu. The couple made two trips to England during his retirement.
Socially, Joseph had a retiring disposition and avoided the public life and politics. Privately, he was a very generous benefactor to numerous charities and gave his time to the formation of the Home for the Aged Needy and the running of Terrace Congregational Church. He was called for jury service in 1878 and excused himself on the grounds that he was too deaf to hear what was said. This may explain his withdrawal from social events.
Joseph died at his home on The Terrace in 1889, aged 68. In his will, he bequeathed £500 to each of his sisters and £1,000 to his brother; £2,000 to the Wellington Society for relief of the Aged Needy and £1,000 to the Wellington Ladies Christian Association. He left the house in Trust for his wife with an annual allowance of £800.
Jessie died in 1916 and was buried with Joseph at Bolton Street Cemetery. Her next of kin was her only surviving sibling, Emily Knowles, who administered Jessie’s estate which was worth £13,000.
View of Lambton Quay, Wellington, from The Terrace, circa 1870s. In the foreground are Joseph Burne's Emporium, offices of Christian Julius Toxward (architect) and Charles Hartmann, and Barraud's chemist shop. Queen's Bond and Wharf are seen in the background. Taken by unidentified photographer.
Credit:Lambton Quay, Wellington. Ref: 1/2-018823-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22707731
Detail view of above image
Wellington Independent, 6 October 1863, p4