James Hector

Timeline

30 Jan 1790 Alexander Hector christened.
1807 Geological Society of London was founded
06 Jan 1809 Margaret McRosty born.
23 Sep 1820 Alexander married Agnes McKay.
17 Apr1829 Agnes Died.
25 Jan 1833 Alexander married Margaret McRosty.
16 Mar 1834 James Hector was born.
Oct 1839 Dieffenbach appointed naturalist to the New Zealand Company
Oct 1843 James' mother died.
1844-1845 Attended the Edinburgh Academy.
29 Sep 1845 Enrolled at Edinburgh High School
18 Oct 1848 Maria Georgiana Monro, James' future wife, was born.
1848 Spent a brief time in his father's office.
1848 Articled to an actuary, Mr Watson, for three years.
Part time at the University and at the School of Arts.
Oct 1851 Gold discovered in the Waikouaiti district
Nov 1852 Entered Edinburgh University full time to study medicine.
July 1856 Graduated MD.
1856 Worked briefly as assistant to Sir James Simpson.
1856 J.T. Thomson appointed as Chief Surveyor and Engineer of the Province of Otago.
Dec 1856 Charles Ligar found gold in the gravel and sand of the Mataura River.
Mar 1857 Selected to be surgeon and geologist with the Palliser Expedition.
16 May 1857 Palliser, Bourgeau, Hector and Sullivan left Liverpool.
06 Jun 1857 First entry in the "Journal of Expedition, 1857-8".
10 Jun 1857 At Sault Ste Marie.
13 Jun 1857 Left Fort William on the first leg of their exploration.
11 Jul 1857 Reached Lower Fort Garry on the Red River.
08 Oct 1857 Arrived at Fort Carlton.
23 Oct 1857 The last member of the party, Blakiston, joined them at Fort Carlton.
15 Jun 1858 Full party set off for the second summer of the expedition.
20 Aug 1858 Hector and his party crossed the Rocky Mountains for the first time.
29 Aug 1858 Hector got kicked by his horse.
09 Sep 1858 Hector rejoined the rest of the party at Edmonton to winter over.
24 May 1859 Start of the 1859 summer exploration.
28 Jul 1859 At Cyprus Hills.
02 Aug 1859 Hector's party entered the Rocky Mountains for the last time.
06 Sep 1859 Crossed the Howse Pass to the western side of the Rockies.
23 Oct 1859 Met up with Palliser and Sullivan in the USA.
16 Jan 1860 In Victoria on Vancouver Island.
14 Mar 1860 Left for San Francisco where he and Palliser visited some gold fields.
Jun 1860 Home via Mexico and Panama.
1860 Awarded FRS of Edinburgh.
1860 Became a Fellow of the Geological Society of London.
1861 Palliser expedition awarded the Royal Geographical Society's gold medal.
06 Jul 1861 Alexander Hector died.
01 Nov 1861 Engaged for 3 years as Provincial Geologist of Otago.
15 Apr 1862 Arrived in Otago on board the City of Hobart.
Apr 1862 Started on a number of trips to many parts of Otago.
05 Jan 1863 Matukituki trip.
18 May 1863 West coast trip on board the Matilda Hayes.
1864 Appointed a commissioner for the New Zealand Exhibition.
12 Jan 1865 The NZ Exhibition opened in Dunedin. Closed 06 May 1865.
01 Apr 1865 Transferred to the Colonial Government pay-roll.
Apr 1865 Completed his survey of Otago.
04 Aug 1865 To Wellington to take up the position of Director of the Geological Survey.
Dec 1865 Colonial Museum opened to the public.
1866 Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
1867 NZ Institute Act passed. Hector the first manager.
1867 Established the Meteorological Department.
1867 Made custodian of Weights and Measures.
1868 Botanic Garden Reserve declared a Government Domain. Hector the first manager.
04 Aug 1868 Inaugural meeting of the New Zealand Institute held in the Museum.
31 Oct 1868 Following Hector's recommendation the New Zealand Gazette announced that New Zealand mean time was to be set at 11½ hours ahead of Greenwich time.
30 Dec 1868 Married Maria Georgiana Monro.
May 1869 Volume 1 of the Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute was published.
25 Oct 1869 Son Barclay was born.
1870 Colonial Observatory replaced the Wellington Provincial Government's small transit observatory.
1870 Otago Provincial Government tried (unsuccessfully) to sue Hector for breach of contract regarding the Survey of Otago.
1871 Clio trip to Fiordland with Sir George Bowen.
17 Apr 1871 Left the damaged Clio and most of the passengers and crew at Martins Bay. With a couple of companions Hector crossed the Southern Alps and went to Dunedin to update them on the Clio situation.
1871 Became a foundation member of the University of New Zealand Senate. Later became Chancellor for eighteen years.
03 Jul 1871 Son Charles Monro was born.
Jan 1873 On His Excellency Sir James Fergusson's yacht Blanche round south-west coast of Otago.
13 Feb 1873 Daughter Constance Margaret was born.
1874 Wesleyan Reserve added to the Botanic Garden making it about n5 times bigger.
1874 Received the Order of the Golden Cross from the Emperor of Germany.
07 Aug 1874 Son David Carmichael was born.
13 Feb 1875 Sailed on the Howrah to visit England and the Continent.
1875 Received the honour of C.M.G.
1875 Colonial Museum extended by the erection of a two-storey office block.
10 May 1876 NZ Commissioner for the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition which opened on this date.
1877 Awarded the Lyell Medal by the Geographical Society of London.
1877 Son Douglas was born.
22 Oct 1878 Son Philip Landale was born.
1879 Executive Commissioner at the Sydney International Exhibition.
1879 Write the "Handbook of New Zealand".
03 Mar 1880 Elected Vice Chancellor of the New Zealand University.
1880 Represented the New Zealand Colony as executive commissioner at the Melbourne International Exhibition.
1881 Purchased the land in Petone that was to become "Ratanui".
1881 Took responsibility of the Patent Office Library.
1882 Moved to "Ratanui".
1882 Chaired a meeting to discuss forming Petone into a town district.
17 Apr 1882 First Vice President of the Petone Rowing Club.
29 Jul 1882 Son Lyell was born.
17 Feb 1883 Trip to the West Coast Sounds on the Tarawera.
06 Apr 1884 Daughter Georgina was born.
26 Feb 1885 Appointed Chancellor of the New Zealand University.
1885 Major contributor to the Wellington Industrial Exhibition.
1885 Wrote his autobiographical notes.
1886 Established the teaching garden at the Botanic Garden.
1886 On the committee for Trinity College music examinations.
10 Jun 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption. Hector went to report.
1886 Sent models of Milford Sound, Ruapehu and New Zealand to the Indian & Colonial Exhibition in London.
28 Mar 1886 Daughter Marjory was born.
1887 Received the honour of KCMG.
28 Aug 1888 First meeting of the Australasian Association Association for the Advancement in Science. Hector the president three times.
09 Jun 1890 First Patron of the Martini-Henry rifle club (Petone).
1891 Awarded the Founders Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.
1891 Management of the Botanic Garden taken over by the Wellington City Council.
1892 Geological Survey removed from Hector's control and transferred to the Mines Department.
09 Jan 1895 Trip to the outlying islands of New Zealand with His Excellency Lord Glasgow.
1903 Retired from all official positions.
1903 Returned to Canada to visit "his grave". Son Douglas died on this trip.
1904 Hutt Horticultural Society established with Hector the president.
1906 Building of the Hector Observatory started on the observatory reserve in the Botanic Garden.
1906 Appointed President of the New Zealand Institute.
1907 Moved from Ratanui to Pretoria St. in Lower Hutt.
06 Nov 1907 James Hector died at 4:15pm. Interred at Taita Cemetery, Lower Hutt.
1912 New Zealand Institute established the Hector Memorial medal and prize.
1927 "Ratanui" sold by Lady Hector to George London.
1936 Colonial Museum building demolished.
1941 Carter Observatory opened.
1953 Lady Norwood Rose Garden opened in the Botanic Garden.
1963 "Ratanui" demolished.
03 Aug 1930 Lady Hector died.
14 Mar 1934 Foundation stone laid for the Dominion Museum.
01 Aug 1936 Opening ceremony of the Dominion Museum.
10 Oct 1967 Royal Society of New Zealand Centennial Celebrations formal opening.
21-22 Sep 1991 Founders Centenary weekend at the Wellington Botanic Garden.
23 Jun 1992 Pinus Sabiniana planted by the Governor General, Dame Catherine Tizard to commemorate the establishment of the James Hector Pinetum at the Botanic Garden.
14 Feb 1998 Official opening of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
01 Sep 2004 Unveiling of the Hector Memorial in the Wellington Botanic Garden.
Mar 2005 Unveiling of plaques celebrating the Botanic Garden being awarde an historic listing. New Zealand's first public garden to get such an award.
08 Nov 2007 Hector Symposium at Te Papa.
10 Nov 2007 Opening of the "Ratanui" land to the public.
08 Dec 2008 Unveiling of the interpretive panels at the dominion Observatory.