PLIMMER, JOHN (1812-1905) was a Shropshireman, the son of a builder and timber merchant, and was born at Upton-under-Hamon, near Shrewsbury. Educated in the local school, he obtained some experience and skill as a forester by working near Bewdley and in the Forest of Dean. He was already married and had two children when he embarked in 1841 in the Gertrude for New Zealand. When she arrived at Port Nicholson in Oct the settlers were moving from the old town of Britannia to the new site on Thorndon flat. Instructed to land at Kaiwarra, Plimmer set foot ashore on 3 Nov and erected a cabin at Te Aro flat, which was then covered with fern and flax. In this habitation, well covered against the rain but with only an earthen floor, the family lived for the first year. Plimmer was busy cutting timber and burning charcoal for himself and other settlers. He also made some money by limeburning until the earthquake of 1848 discouraged building in brick and brought wooden houses again into favour. Plimmer's house was erected at the top of Ingestre street, but in 1844 he removed to the site of Barrett's hotel and built in brick. In 1850 he purchased for £80 the wreck of the American ship Inconstant and obtained permission from the governor to tow it to the foreshore near Lambton quay and erect a pier out to it. Merchants at Te Aro tried to frustrate the scheme, but Plimmer persisted and thus established his wharf and warehouse, which survived the other private wharves and was berthing small vessels as late as 1883. The lower deck was a bonded store, and Plimmer did very well from the dues he was able to collect.

As he accumulated capital Plimmer helped his fellow-settlers in financing public companies. The most important was the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Co., of which he was a shareholder from the outset. He moved the first resolution pledging the company to construct the railway, and with John Wallace canvassed the city for shares. He was on the board of the company until his death. The first public meetings in connection with this undertaking were held in Sep 1880; and by 1886 the line from Wellington to Longburn (84 miles) was in operation. Plimmer was a member of the Wellington Provincial Council for Wellington (1856-57), and got a bill passed to vest in the town its remaining reserves. He was a member of the town board under the act of 1867. He died on 5 Jan 1905. His son, ISAAC PLIMMER (1834-1908) was licensee of the Albert and Barrett's hotels in Wellington and associated with him in business. He represented Wellington in the Provincial Council (1869-71).

Wellington P.C. Proc.; Cycl. N.Z., i (p); Ward; Young (p); N.Z. Times, 6 Jan 1905; Evening Post, 16 Sep 1929 (p), 7 Oct 1929.

Reference: Volume 2, page 88

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