History – A man of many talents

A glowing testimonial, written in 1888 by Port Albert JP John Shepherd begins, “I have known Mr B. M. Gubb over twenty years as Head Teacher of the Port Albert School and having myself been Chairman of the School Committee during several past years, I have had abundant opportunities of judging of his abilities, and now have pleasure in stating that I consider him much above the average of Teachers of Government Schools.”

Benjamin Martin Gubb came from Devon having been trained as a precision instrument maker. Port Albert advertised in England for a school teacher and Mr Gubb successfully applied for the position. He and his half-brother Thomas Adams Gubb sailed for New Zealand on the Ida Zeigler in 1866. Thomas Adams also settled in Port Albert.

When B. M. Gubb, soon known as Benny Martin, arrived in the little township there were only 10 houses, a church, a store and a sawmill. Most of the countryside was covered in six to16-foot ti-tree plus some patches of heavy bush. The Government had built some plank bridges, but the few existing roads weren’t connected and these were, as Benny Martin stated later, “three feet wide and two feet deep.” He added: “For fifteen years I never wore socks. There was so much water on the tracks that I frequently got my boots full and simply sat down, tilted my foot up and let it run out.”

His diary notes that he began teaching in January 1867, his small salary being paid by the settlers. There hadn’t been time to build a school house so lessons were started in a house owned by David Becroft. Over the years, the school grew and in 1872 Auckland passed its own Education Act, advocating secular primary education for all children. Exams were set for teachers with Mr Gubb passing scrutiny and becoming the first Public School Teacher for Port Albert with the Board paying his full salary.

Benny Martin courted a local girl, Jane Utting. Jane’s diary has several references to Mr Gubb coming to tea, reading, playing chess and going for walks. Not long before they married on 21 February 1873, she wrote: “Annie and I went to the Point with Fred in the evening and met Martin Gubb so I went for a row with him, got home at 10 o’clock.” The couple had 10 children but two girls died in infancy.

The Testimonial continues: “Apart from his labours as Teacher, this district owes him a debt of gratitude for the services he has rendered in connection with fruit growing. He is himself a most successful orchardist and it is largely through his influence that this settlement has attained to so high a position as a fruit growing district.”

Benny Martin’s diaries record his agricultural work. He planted citrus and grapes, and introduced many new varieties of grasses and vegetables, always passing on his knowledge to the other settlers. John Shepherd concludes: “PS Mr Gubb has excellent taste and good execution as a musician – in the event of his leaving this district he will be much missed from our concerts and other public entertainments.”

But Benny Martin never left the district. He bought a farm in Port Albert and worked on it for the rest of his life. He died on 7 April, 1927, aged 84. Perhaps it is fitting that as a former Highway Board member, he has a Port Albert road named after him.

Sources: Wellsford & Districts Schools Centennial book, Jane Utting diary transcript, John Shepherd Testimonial, B M Gubb diaries.

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