GOVETT, HENRY (1819-1903) was the son of the vicar of Staines, Middlesex, and was educated at Sherborne school and Worcester College, Oxford, graduating B.A. (1841). He sailed for New Zealand in the Union, arriving at Auckland in Mar 1843 and engaged in farming at Tamaki.

In Mar 1845 he accompanied Bishop Selwyn to Waikanae in the Government brig. Hadfield being seriously ill, Selwyn ordained Govett deacon to enable him to take Hadfield's place as resident deacon. He rapidly acquired the Maori language and remained at Waikanae till Dec 1846 when, Hadfield having recovered, he proceeded in H.M.S. Driver to Auckland. There he was ordained priest (Feb 1847) and a week or two later he started to walk to New Plymouth and Otaki. In Apr, while in temporary charge at Wanganui, he intervened to prevent a war party from attacking the town. After a few weeks at New Plymouth after Bolland's death, he was married and settled down at Nelson as schoolmaster and clergyman. In Feb 1848 he was appointed to St Mary's, New Plymouth, of which he was incumbent for 50 years. In the Maori war he saw much service as chaplain to troops, and the churchyard of St Mary's was turned into a bullock yard for the transport.

In 1858 Govett was made first archdeacon of Taranaki. He resigned the charge of St Mary's in 1898 and the archdeaconry in 1903. His death occurred on 4 Oct 1903. Govett was a member of the Taranaki education board from 1878.

Selwyn, Annals; Taranaki Herald, 29 Jan 1884, 5 Oct 1903.

Reference: Volume 1, page 173

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