John & Betty Guard Our New Zealand Connection.
Betty Guard was born Elizabeth Parker at Seven Hills in 1814. She was the first child of
Stephen Parker,, a convict who arrived on the Coramandel, and Harriet Pugh, a currency lass,
who were married by banns at St. Matthews Windsor in 1813.
Elizabeth was known as Betsy and later Betty and was the first grandchild of first fleet
convicts Edward and Hannah (nee Smith) Pugh. By a strange coincidence she had the same
name as her grandfather Edward Pugh’s first wife Elizabeth Parker who had been transported
with him on the ship Friendship in 1788.
Betsy’s father Stephen was one of the convicts who helped to build the road over the Blue
Mountains and for this, he along with others, was granted a conditional pardon. Her parents,
Stephen and Harriet had another two children together, a brother David and a sister Sophia.
Sadly her father drowned in Sydney Harbour: whilst he was searching for firewood his boat
overturned during a squall. The body was found the next day and an inquest was held the
same day at the Rising Sun in Prince Street Sydney. Betsy had not yet turned 8 years old.
In the 1828 Census, Harriet, her mother is found lodging with John Deaves in Sussex Street
Sydney and now has six children. Betsy now has three half brothers, John, William and
James Deaves. Her aunt, Charlotte Pugh, sister of Harriet is a free servant to John Guard and
is living in Cambridge Street and it seems that this is how Betsy meets John Guard.
John Guard had arrived as a convict in Port Jackson on board the Indefatigable in 1815. He
had been transported for stealing a quilt valued at five shillings. After he received his
conditional pardon he decided to make his fortune at sea as a sealer. His first trip was under
Captain Richard Siddons in the brig Lynx.
He worked hard and did well and soon became a joint owner and Captain of the schooner
Waterloo and later became involved in whaling as well on the Tory Channel, New Zealand at
Te Awaiti. It was here that Jacky had set up what was probably New Zealand’s first shorebased whaling station.
He was now known as Captain Jacky Guard and was apparently doing very well, as he still
kept his house at the Rocks in Sydney with Charlotte Pugh, Betty’s aunt, keeping house as his
free servant. He would return to Sydney with his cargo to sell and would stay and finish any
business until his next trip away.
The next we hear of Betty is in 1830 when she leaves Sydney on the schooner Waterloo and
arrives in New Zealand at Te Awaiti as the 16 year old wife of Captain Jacky Guard who is
nearly 40 by this time. It was here that Captain Jacky and Betty Guard set up their home.
Life would have been very tough for Betty and she is recorded as the first white woman, to
settle on the south island of New Zealand.
Betty proved herself and worked very hard beside her husband and the men that worked for
him. Her only female companions would have been the Maori women who had married these
men or lived with them as their wives. She gave birth at Te Awaiti in October 1831 to her
first child John, most probably with the help of some Maori women who would have become
her friends. John, their son, was the first white child born on the South Island of New
Zealand. He was baptised on Christmas Day at St. James Church in Sydney, so it seems they
continued to make trips together, back to family and friends while Captain Jacky conducted
his business dealings.
Sometime after their return and during 1833 Jacky Guard moved his whaling business and
home to Kakapo Bay Port Underwood due to wars between various Maori tribes and to their
own home being attacked and burned. In November 1833 their next child, a daughter Louisa,
was born and this was the first white female child born on the South Island. Once again the
family sailed to Sydney where Louisa is christened.
They sailed from New Zealand on The Harriet under Captain
Hall, with 2 mates and 23 seamen. They left Sydney in April
1834 and among the seamen aboard were Betty’s brother
David and Captain Jacky’s brother Charles. How happy they
must have felt, for though they worked hard they had
prospered and were now able to help close members of their
family.
Port Underwood Today
Things were about to change however and during a gale on the 29th April 1834 and sixteen
days out from Sydney the ship was driven ashore near Cape Egmont, Taranaki NZ. All on
board managed to reach the shore safely and were able to use some of the sails to make tents
for shelter and they were able to recover some of the equipment and stores from the wreck.
After a few days some local Maoris came and started taking some of their stores but they
were pushed away. On the 10th May about 200 Maori came, most with muskets and some
tomahawks and spears and a battle ensured. After a few hours Elizabeth and the children
were captured along with twelve of the sailors. Jacky Guard, his brother and some of the
sailors managed to escape but were later caught by another tribe.
Betty had been hit twice on the head with a tomahawk but managed to survive the blows as it
had hit a tortoiseshell comb that she wore in her hair. The blow was deflected by the comb
and it broke off leaving its teeth embedded in her head where it stayed for the rest of her life.
Betty later described how her brother David and others who had been killed in the battle, were
cut up, cooked, eaten and even offered to her to eat. She and the children were stripped naked
and taken to the Maori Pa and thrown into a hut. They were only saved from slaughter by a
chief’s wife feeling sorry for her and throwing a rug over her, giving her protection and this
act saved their lives.
In the struggle the children had been thrown to the ground and trampled upon leaving the
baby Louisa badly bruised. Her son John was taken away on the shoulders of a Maori chief
and would not be seen again by his mother for more than two months. Even though Betty and
her daughter were kept captive during the winter months she was only given an old shirt for
the both of them to wear. During this time she was taken under the protection of a chief
named Oaoiti and from then on was treated reasonably well.
Jacky Guard and some of his men managed to escape capture and moved through the bush
only to be taken captive further up the coast by another tribe. After about two weeks Jacky
convinced the Chiefs to allow him and five of his men to leave in a small boat that he had
managed to repair, to purchase a cask of gunpowder as ransom for the survivors. He left
behind his brother and eight of his men as hostages. They were accompanied by three native
chiefs and set off on the 20th June 1834.
Jacky Guard eventually reached Sydney and the town was full of talk of troubles with the
Maori in New Zealand. After approaching the NSW government he was offered the British
man of war HMS Alligator with Capt. Lambert and soldiers of the 50th Regiment and the
colonial schooner Isabella with Capt. Johnson and more of the 50th Regiment. Governor
Bourke gave orders to obtain Betty and the children peacefully or by force. In all there were
approximately 90 men including Captain Jacky Guard, his 5 men and the three Maori chiefs
who were still with him. They sailed from Sydney to New Zealand on the 31st August 1834.
These soldiers were the first British troops destined to come into combat with the Maori
warriors of New Zealand.
Four months had passed since Betty and her children were captured. One can only wonder
what was going on in the minds of both Betty and Jacky Guard at this time. Neither of them
knew if the other was still alive and there must have been times when Betty would have given
up hope of ever seeing her husband again and of being rescued safe and sound with both her
children. Captain John Guard could only hope that his wife and two children were still alive
and well and they all would be saved.
The ships arrived at the Taranki coast in September and it was decided that no ransom was to
be paid. The eight sailors being held hostage were handed over and the chiefs demanded their
ransom. This was not paid and the men found that Betty and her daughter were held at a
different Pa. During the talks between the chiefs and the rescuers, the weather began to
change for the worse and so the ships had to set sail and head for shelter.
Five months after her capture the troops locate the Pa where Betty and her daughter are being
held and attack and burn the Pa. The Maoris flee taking Betty and Louisa with them further
along the coast.
After some time Oaoiti finally brings Betty and Louisa to the beach and Jacky Guard grabs
hold of him and the natives start firing their muskets and carry Betty and her baby back into
the bush once again. Instead of it being a peaceful handover the Captains of the two ships
signal an attack and land their troops. In the scramble Oaoiti is thrown into a boat by Guard’s
men and on the way to the man of war Oaoiti jumps overboard, is shot at by the men and by
the time he is hauled on board he has gunshot and bayonet wounds. The ships surgeon
successfully manages his wounds and they send word to the natives that Oaoiti is still alive.
On the 1st of October Betty and Louisa are finally returned in exchange for Oaoiti.
Lieutenant Henry Gunton an Officer on board the HMS Alligator describes her arrival:
When Mrs. Guard came up the gangway she was dressed rather oddly, having a very
handsome mat and blanket, her hair long and black, flowing about her neck and completely
drenched whilst getting through the surf. She was about twenty-two years of age, and rather
good looking. She was a native of Sydney, alias a Currency lass (born in Australia).
Unfortunately they had still not located young John Guard and so Captain Jacky sent word to
bring him to the beach. As time passed the soldiers started to feel anxious and it was decided
to bombard the Pa. The soldiers and Jacky Guard’s men land on shore with a six pounder
gun. After much fighting an old chief arrives with young John on his shoulders, he has
feathers in his hair and is wearing a cape. One of the men rushes forward and grabs young
John who is tied to the chief with the cord of the cloak. The cord is cut and John is grabbed
by the soldier and in the melee the old chief is shot.
The men could not get back to their ships because of bad weather and so fighting continued
for three days before the few natives who are left alive run off into the bush. This whole
incident which became known as “The Harriet Affair” had lasted six months.
When Betty arrived back in Sydney she was greeted with crowds of people waiting at the
wharf. She was interviewed by a reporter from the Sydney Times and at the end of her
account
“requested on behalf of herself and Mr. Guard to take this opportunity of acknowledging
their sincere gratitude for the kindness of the officers on board His Majesty’s ship Alligator,
both of them and family-not in only rescuing them from savage thraldom, but for their
charitable treatment afterwards-the recollection of which will never be effaced.”
Many people in the colony also generously contributed to a Public Appeal for the Guards who
had lost much including their ship the Harriet. The appeal was run by the Sydney Times and
subscriptions could be left at the office of the Sydney Times or any of the Banks.
Sadly little Louise Guard died in Sydney after their return, possibly due to injuries caused
during the struggle when she was captured. Betty gave birth to Thomas, her second son by
John Guard in November 1835 and the family returned to Kakapo Bay in 1836 to start their
life again. John and Betty Guard went on to have another six children, the last birth in 1850
being twins, Edward and Susan.
Captain Jacky Guard died in 1857 and is buried in the family cemetery
at Kakapo Bay. Betty lived until the 1870 and is described in her later
years as ‘a most remarkable woman, tall and thin and very alert’. She
is buried close by her husband in the families private burial ground.
Their first son John went on to live a long and healthy life and died at
the age of 87 years. The family continued living and working in
Kakapo Bay for many years and even today there is still a John Guard,
great grandson of Captain Jacky and Betty Guard living with his wife
Narelle at Kakapo Bay Port Underwood, New Zealand.