Andrew Seabury

According to his adopted daughter Andrew Seabury was born on his father’s ship in Upsala harbour, Sweden, about 1837, although the Register of Deaths says Kalmar. A book by Sten Aminoff “The Swedes in New Zealand” says he was born 25th May, 1840. His name in Sweden was originally Anders Gustaf Sjoberg, but like many others, it was changed in a new country. His father was a Swedish captain who took his wife to sea with him. His father’s name was also Andrew and his mother was Christina. Andrew received a certain amount of schooling ashore but was back at sea by the time he was ten years old, sailing to America where he joined the American Navy some time later, until the time of the Indian Mutiny when it is thought he joined the British Navy. He was registered as a seaman at the Seaman’s House at Kalmar, Sweden, as early as 7th April, 1856. By the age of twenty one he was in command of a merchant ship taking Irish emigrants from Liverpool to New York.

Andrew is believed to have arrived in Wellington between 1861 and 1863 and spent several years on coastal vessels before being appointed Assistant Pilot at Wanganui a position he held for about seven years. His obituary in “Manawatu Herald”, 27th April, 1909, suggests that he became pilot at Foxton in 1870 but the photocopy of the “License to Andrew Seabury” as Pilot for the Port of Manawatu, held in the Foxton Museum is dated 11th February, 1875. (This may be a renewal of a previous license.) His salary was £150 per annum, with a house provided in the shelter of the sand hills near the Heads. In another cottage nearby lived the Assistant Pilot, Nicholas Sciascia and the boatman, James Wilson. On 17th September, 1874, he became a naturalized New Zealand citizen at Foxton. In 1876 he married Mary Elizabeth Hollow, whose family had arrived from Cornwall and settled in Foxton.

In early times they had some problems with Maoris who came and took their food and clothing and claimed the land where the pilot’s house was built, saying it had not been paid for. Seabury was in a quandary as he could not speak Maori and had to wait for several days with the Maoris encamped around them for an interpreter to arrive from Wellington. The land had been paid for and the Maoris became their friends.

Part of Captain Seabury’s job was to keep the river clear for shipping as far as Paiaka, several miles up river so it was a busy life. Every flood in the river brought tree trunks downstream and these made “snags” which could damage boats. He retired in 1903 and died on 25th April, 1909, after a brief illness. Mrs. Seabury died on 22nd April, 1948 aged 91 years.

Their daughter Christina married Richard Easton, a well known builder in Foxton. She lived all her life in the area.

Captain Seabury – Master Mariner, Pilot – no doubt played an important role during the years he worked and lived in the local area. He became a local identity and his name remains at Foxton Beach where the main thoroughfare, Seabury Avenue, is named after him.

The Foxton Museum has a photograph of Captain Seabury standing beside the signalling apparatus at Manawatu Heads.

Compiled by Margaret Speirs from information filed at the Foxton Historical Society’s Museum in Foxton. With thanks to Mr. B. Fromen for additional information.

Referencing:

When referencing this article please use the following:

Pioneers of Foxton : Book Four. p.12-13. [Foxton, N.Z.] : Foxton Historical Society, 1990.