William Hobson
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Captain William Hobson RN |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand | |
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In office 14 January 1840 – 3 May 1841 |
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| Governor | George Gipps (Governor of New South Wales) |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| 1st Governor of New Zealand | |
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In office 3 May 1841 – 10 September 1842 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Captain Robert FitzRoy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
26 September 1792 Waterford, Munster, Ireland |
| Died | 10 September 1842 (aged 49) Auckland, New Ulster, New Zealand |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Eliza Elliott |
| Children | 5 |
| Religion | Anglican |
Captain William Hobson RN (26 September 1792 – 10 September 1842) was the first Governor of New Zealand and co-author of the Treaty of Waitangi.
William Hobson was born in Waterford, Ireland, the son of Samuel Hobson, a barrister. Some sources put his year of birth in 1793.
He joined the Royal Navy on 25 August 1803 as a second-class volunteer. He served in the Napoleonic wars and was later involved in the suppression of piracy in the Caribbean. He became a midshipman in 1806 and some seven years later was a first lieutenant. He was promoted to commander in May 1824 and commanded HMS Scylla between 1826 and 1828. In December 1834, he obtained a commission from Lord Auckland to the East Indies on HMS Rattlesnake.
In 1836, he was ordered to Australia, arriving at Hobart on 5 August 1836 and at Sydney 18 days later. On 18 September 1836, HMS Rattlesnake left for Port Phillip District (later Melbourne) conveying Captain Lonsdale and other officials to the new colony. During the next three months, Hobson and his officers thoroughly surveyed Port Phillip, the northern portion of which, by direction of Governor Sir Richard Bourke, was named Hobson's Bay, after him. His ship was involved in the founding of Williamstown. He was offered the position of Superintendent of the Bombay Marine at a salary of £2000 a year, but he had taken a liking to Australia and was a candidate for the governorship of Port Phillip, although the salary was not expected to be more than £800 a year.
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