The Joseph Greenwood story is a complicated one, and there are many more questions than answers. He certainly packed a lot of living into his 44 years.
He was the youngest son of Thomas and Esther Greenwood, and was born at St Pancras, London on 24th November 1816. Apparently his mother had wanted him to join the clergy, but instead he chose the army. He was educated at a military academy in Hanover before he was appointed Ensign in the 31st Regiment of the Imperial Army on 6th May 1836, then became Lieutenant on 27th October 1831, and eventually Captain on 31st March 1846. He greatly distinguished himself, under General Pollack, in the war in Afghanistan and he wrote a book called “The Campaign in Afghanistan” in 1844. It was during this time based in India that he married Catherine Sabina Perroux, from a medical family in Patna. This was on 24 September 1838.
In 1847 Joseph was appointed Major of Brigade and left on 1st July from Gravesend with Catherine and their son Colin Halkett Greenwood on the Minerva, along with a detachment of 80 Fencibles, for New Zealand. On board were 69 women and 147 children. They eventually arrived at Official Bay on 9th October, where he and Major General Pitt were received by a guard of honour.
The Fencibles were retired British soldiers and sailors of good character who were brought to New Zealand between 1847 and 1852 to provide a defence force for Auckland.
The Greenwoods lived very well, at one stage residing in a house at Emily Place in Auckland which had a frontage of around 150 feet to the road to Britomart Fort, and facing St Paul’s church. It was considered to be part of the best area in Auckland at the time, and had seven rooms and a cellar of Tasmanian timber, and stables out the back. They also owned land on both sides of Big Muddy Creek. Six hundred and twenty-one acres were on the Karangahape side, of which 118 acres were a free grant. A five hundred acre estate at Mangere, which they called Ascot, was where Joseph kept racehorses.
During his time in Auckland Joseph became involved in the community in various ways. He was a member of the Amateur Dramatic Society (carrying on the Munden tradition, perhaps), and through his interest in racehorses became a steward at various race meetings and jockey clubs. He was also on the committee of the Agricultural Society.
The Greenwoods attended the usual functions of the well-heeled, such as fancy dress balls and the Auckland Regatta.
Joseph undertook various excursions with local natives around the North Island, and during these excursions he continued to write. In 1850 he published an article called “Journey from Auckland to Taupo”, which appeared in the Maori Messenger in both English and Maori.
In 1853 the electors of the Pensioner’s Settlements nominated Joseph as a Candidate for the House of Representatives, and he was successfully elected. He retained this position until 1857, when he returned to England.
While it appears that Joseph lived the life of a much respected politician and family man, this was not in fact always the case. In 1856 he became the father of a half-caste son, Joseph McLean Greenwood, as a result of a liaison with an eighteen year old Maori girl by the name of Miriama Potiki. Not much is known about Miriama at that stage, apart from the fact that she was from Kawhia. What is known though is that she went on to live with a Solomon Clarke, who was known to Joseph, and in fact Joseph Junior apparently was christened Joseph Clarke. Miriama then went on to have two more children with Clarke.
When Joseph Senior returned to England it was possibly to try and restore his marriage, but unfortunately it was not to be. In the Census of 1861 he is listed as being the head of the house in Clarendon Square, and a Sarah Greenwood, nee Cousins, is listed as his wife. It appears that they were married in Chelmsford, Essex, in 1859, although there is no mention of her in his will in 1861. Catherine and his son Colin were meanwhile staying with Joseph’s brother and sister-in-law at the time of the census.
The following is an excerpt from an 1863 newspaper article written in relation to a court case brought by Catherine after his death, contesting his will:
"A NEW ZEALAND ROMANCE
COURT op PROBATE, and DIVORCE. March 7. (Before Sir C Cresswell and a Special Jury.) SCOTT AND HARRISON, V. GREENWOOD. In this case the plaintiffs propounded a will, of which they are the executors ; and the defendant, who is the widow of the testator, opposed it, on the ground of the incapacity of her husband at the time of his making the will, and also that undue influence had been exercised over him. Mr. Coleridge, Q.C., and Dr Spinks were counsel for the plaintiffs ; and the Queen's Advocate, Mr. Hawkins, Q.C., Dr Swabey, and Mr. Archibald for the defendant. Mr.Coleridge, Q.C., in opening the plaintiffs' case, said that the testator, Joseph Greenwood, who had been a captain in her Majesty's service, executed the will in question in August, 1859, and died in July, 1861. He was the son of a gentleman who had made a large fortune on the Stock Exchange. During the life of "his father he entered the army, which he joined in India, where he greatly distinguished himself, under Sir G. Pollok, in the war in Afghanistan. He was a clever man, of unusual abilities, and wrote a book on that war which had been considered a work of standard authority. In 1845, on his return from India, he joined the depot of his regiment (the 31st) at Chatham. He had while in India married Miss Greenwood, his cousin, the defendant, with whom he lived for some time in perfect harmony, and a son was born to them in Chatham. In 1847 he went to New Zealand as brigade major on the staff of General Pitt, and in the same capacity served General Wynyard on the death of General Pitt. He remained in New Zealand ten years, and, being a man of considerable ability, obtained a property in Auckland worth between £15,000 and £20,000. While there, he formed a connection with a native woman called Miriam, the result of which was a son, to whom, by the disputed will, he has left his New Zealand property. He returned to England at the end of December, in 1857, and it appears that he was then a man of unrestrained habits of drinking and of profligate manners. He came to his mother's house in Regent's Park, and in the following January, under the authority of his wife, mother, and brother, he was removed to Dr Stillwell's asylum. In consequence of this the Captain felt deep resentment towards his family. He escaped from the asylum, but was recaptured, and he remained there until November 1858, when he was allowed to leave with a certificate stating that he had very much improved. During that time Dr Stillwell had also Mr. Ruck as a patient, who was discharged in August, 1858, and was the plaintiff in the case of Ruck v Stilwell. On his leaving the asylum the testator went on a visit to Captain Scott, at Strontian, in Argyleshire, who had taken some shooting there, and who had been in the same regiment with him. Some of the letters written by the testator on business were read, to show what his capacity was. In all such letters he wrote sums of money not in figures but in words, as is the frequent habit of business men. On his return from Scotland he wanted some advance of money, and Mr. John Whittington, a solicitor at Bristol, before he would negotiate the matter with him, required that he should be examined as to his sanity before Drs King and Allen, of Brighton, where he was then staying with Captain Scott. They reported that they were satisfied that he was a sane man. Mr. John Greenwood, the brother of the deceased, negotiated on the part of the wife of the testator terms of mutual separation, and it was contended that he negotiated with his brother as a sane man. After the testator's decease, Mr. John Greenwood, in a letter, dated 23rd December, 1861, to Mr. Whittington, said that his brother had left another will, made subsequently to the one disputed, and executed when he was better able to do it. Thus, continued Mr Coleridge, the defendant has two strings to her bow. But the other side could not embarrass him with the second will, as they had elected to say that the will propounded by' the plaintiff was a bad one. By the will the testator gave £100 to each of his trustees; his New Zealand property he left to his son by the New Zealand woman; all his other property he left to his legitimate son Colin Halketh Greenwood, charging it with an annuity of £50 a-year, payable to his wife, and another £50 a year, payable to Catherine Mclntyre a woman of loose character with whom he had contracted an intimacy while in Scotland.
Captain Scott, Mr. John Whittington, the solicitor, and the two medical men, were examined, and they all concurred in thinking the deceased was a sane man ; but Captain Scott and Mr. Whittington admitted that he was of very profligate and intemperate habits, and he suffered at times from delirium tremens, and was not cleanly in his person and habits. The case, which commenced on Friday, was concluded to-day (Saturday), the defendant, the widow of the testator, giving up her opposition ; and the court pronounced for the will." — Telegraph.
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