Outhwaite Family, Auckland

The Outhwaite family were early settlers in Auckland, New Zealand and were a prominent family in Auckland in the first 85 years of the city's existence. They made substantial contributions to the legal, administrative, musical, literary, artistic, social and sporting life of the city. They were also important in the establishment and growth of the Catholic Church in Auckland and through their social and philanthropic activities. Their influence still continues, especially in respect of their donation of two areas of land in the central Auckland suburb of Grafton which are now Outhwaite Park and St Peter's College. The family also enabled the creation of a conservation reserve in the Hen and Chicken Islands.

Thomas Outhwaite was born at Ormside Hall in Westmoreland in 1805 and later lived in Preston. He practised as a solicitor in Paris before coming to New Zealand in 1841 on the ship, the Tyne, with the first Chief Justice of New Zealand, the Hon Sir William Martin and Hon William Swainson, the second Attorney-General of New Zealand. While on board, they worked on the drafting of the ordinances which would be necessary to establish the Supreme Court and its procedure.

Thomas Outhwaite was formally appointed by Lord John Russell of the Colonial Office as Registrar of the Supreme Court (now the High Court of New Zealand) and was the first person to hold that position (apart from Robert Fitzgerald, a planter from the West Indies who had, without the permission of the Colonial Office, just been appointed by Governor Hobson and who resigned in favour of Outhwaite) which he took up on 1 January 1842. Outhwaite also conducted a practice as a Barrister and was "the foremost Auckland lawyer". From 1844 Thomas Russell was his articled clerk for seven years. When Thomas Outhwaite retired in 1869, Sir George Arney, the second Chief Justice of New Zealand, paid tribute to Outhwaite's extraordinary firmness, patience, discretion and self-command. Outhwaite was also an active Auckland property developer and investor. For example, in 1874, he purchased William Swainson's "upper paddock" next to St Stephen's Chapel, Judges Bay and this area was cut up into numerous small building allotments.

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