George Dean Pitt

George Dean Pitt KH
General George Dean Pitt
Birth name	George Dean
Born	1781 Hampshire, England[1]
Died	8 January 1851 Auckland, New Zealand
Buried	Anglican section, Symonds Street Cemetery, Auckland[2]
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Years of service	1804–1851
Rank	Major General
Unit	42nd Regiment, 1804 90th Regiment, 1804– Royal African Corps, 1805– Royal West India Rangers, 1809– 2nd Provisional Battalion of Militia, 1814– 80th Regiment, 1819–[1]
Battles / wars	Napoleonic Wars Danish West Indies Martinique Peninsular War Battle of Albuera Battle of Usagre Siege of Badajoz Battle of Almaraz Battle of Vitoria Siege of Pamplona Battle of the Pyrenees[1]
Awards	Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order[3] Military General Service Medal with 4 clasps[3]
Spouse(s)	Susan Baillie ​ (m. 1821)​ [1]

Major General George Dean Pitt KH (1781^[4] or 1772^[5][6] – 8 January 1851) was Lieutenant-Governor of the former New Zealand Province of New Ulster from 14 February 1848 to his death on 8 January 1851.^[4]

Early life

He was born George Dean, the illegitimate son of George Pitt, 2nd Baron Rivers.^{[citation needed]} In 1819 he adopted the surname Dean Pitt by Royal Licence.^{[citation needed]}

Major Dean Pitt was stationed at Malta with the 80th Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers) from January to September 1828.^[7]

Arrival in New Zealand

Dean Pitt arrived with his family on the barque Minerva at Auckland on 8 October 1847.^[5] He was the second most important military man in the new colony during the governorship of George Grey. His son and two of his sons-in-law were part of the military establishment as well. His residence was located in Pitt Street, which had originally been called Pyt Street after a childhood home of the first governor William Hobson, it is likely the spelling changed because of Dean Pitt's presence.

Ill for some time, he died on 8 January 1851 while Lieutenant-Governor and was buried with full military honours in the Symonds Street Cemetery in Auckland. A number of retail businesses in Auckland closed for the day of his funeral.^[8]

Personal life

He married Susan Baillie at St James' Church, Bristol, England, on 21 May 1818.^[1]

Children

• Georgina Dean Pitt (11 April 1819–) Born at Clifton^[1]
• Emelia Marie Dean Pitt (20 June 1820–5 April 1877) Born at Edinburgh.^[1] m. 23 May 1848 at St. Paul's Church, Auckland, Captain J. H. Laye^[9]
• George Dean Pitt (14 June 1823–4 April 1883) Born at Cheltenham.^[1] m. 22 November 1842 Louisa Jones (18 February 1816–8 July 1889)
• Georgiana Dean Pitt (1822–23 May 1877)
• Louisa Dean Pitt (12 April 1825–7 April 1873) Born at Malta.^[1] m. 18 November 1848 Lieutenant George Hyde Page, at St. Paul's Church, Auckland^[9]
• Susan Dean Pitt (21 January 1828–) Born at Malta.^[1]
• Douglas Charles Dean Pitt (1829–) Born in Ireland. m. 10 December 1878 Alice Antoinette Birdwood at Mahableshwar, Bombay, India.
• Charlotte Marcia Dean Pitt (6 March 1830–7 April 1873) Born at Malta.^[1] m. 18 November 1848 Captain Charles Lavallin Nugent, at St. Paul's Church, Auckland^[9]
• William Augustus Dean Pitt (1833–8 November 1890) m. 11 June 1863 Anne Isabella Lloyd Gellibrand at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He was buried in Symonds Street Cemetery next to his father.
• Clara Eliza Dean Pitt (5 September 1838–1916) Born at Bristol. Died at Kensington, England, unmarried.
• Susan Dean Pitt (born 14 July 1847)

References

1. WO 25/800/153: Folio 303. Statement of Services of Lieut. Col. Geo. Dean Pitt of the 80th Regiment of Foot with a Record of such Particulars as may be useful in case of his Death, The National Archives, pp. 302–304
2. "Death of His Excellency Lieutenant-Governor Pitt". The New-Zealander. Vol. 7, no. 495. 11 January 1851. p. 2.
3. Hart, Henry George (1850). The New Army List for 1850. Vol. 11. London: John Murray. pp. 4, 16, 29b, 232.
4. List of Leaders of former New Zealand Provinces
5. "Arrivals on the Minerva 1847". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
6. "Cemetery Record for William Augustus Dean Pitt". Auckland Libraries. Auckland Council. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
7. "The British Army Garrison in Malta. 1828–1865". Archived from the original on 29 May 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
8. "Major General George Dean Pitt". Karangahape Road. Karangahape Road Business Association. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
9. Marriages mentioned in The New Zealander 1843–1890