History – A life of service

Marianne Gittos stands as a testament to the fortitude exhibited by the early settlers in New Zealand – her life was intricately woven with tradition, adaptability, and steadfast faith. Born on the rugged shores of the Hokianga Harbour on July 31, 1830, Marianne inherited a legacy of missionary life from her parents, John and Jane Hobbs, who weathered the harsh realities of early bush life in New Zealand.

The New Year’s Eve celebrations held a special place in the hearts of settlers, rekindling ties to their homelands. For Marianne, the watch-night service embodied a cherished tradition. Her recollections from 1890 vividly recount how this observance stood out among the Wesleyan missionary services held and how, as a tiny child, as soon as one had passed, she would begin to wish for the next and a whole year seemed such a long time to wait.

Marianne’s life took a pivotal turn when she left Hokianga to teach music at Wesley College in Auckland.

There, she reconnected with William Gittos, a former neighbour from the Mangungu mission station.

Their marriage on April 28, 1857, led Marianne to Waingohi, a remote outpost where her husband had set up a mission station on the Kaipara Harbour. With this move came the responsibility of providing for her growing family of five girls and two boys, with Marianne keeping poultry and a large kitchen garden.

She also became a skilled beekeeper, which provided a sugar substitute when supplies did not arrive on time from Auckland.

Grounded in the principles of missionary life, Marianne drew strength from her upbringing when faced with the solitude and isolation, especially during her husband’s prolonged absences due to his missionary work. She was admired for her medical skills and domestic proficiency, as well as teaching scripture to the local children. In 1890, aged 60, she described the loneliness she had encountered in this touching account, “When we lived in a lonely place, and we could not get to church and Mr Gittos was away at some distant place, I have waited alone, and when the time came, I used to play and sing the old hymn we all love so much, ‘Come and let us anew our journey pursue.’ You see I used to say ‘us’ – though Mr Gittos was a long way off, I knew what he was thinking about just then.”

The arrival of the Albertland settlers in 1862 alleviated some of her isolation, yet it also bought an increased workload. Marianne assumed additional responsibilities, including writing her husband’s sermons and relieving him of some of his more routine jobs. By 1885, her family had relocated to Auckland, where William remained active in the Methodist Māori Mission until his retirement in 1913.

This period marked a stark contrast to their earlier life on the Kaipara Harbour, as they received numerous invitations to official functions – a departure from their previously secluded existence.

Marianne Gittos’ life embodies the trials and triumphs of early settlers in New Zealand and celebrates the resilience and unwavering faith of pioneers in an untamed land. She died at Devonport in January 1908 and was buried at O’Neill’s Point cemetery, Bayswater.

Readers are invited to visit the Albertland Heritage Museum to explore a newly-curated exhibit on the lives of William and Marianne Gittos. The museum is open Wednesday to Saturday, from 11am to 3pm; and on Sundays from 1pm to 3pm. Admission is adults $5, children free.