BAKER, RICHARD (1810-54) was the son of the coroner of Middlesex. As a young man he took part in the civil war in Portugal and was present at the operations before Santarem. He received the first and second class orders of the Tower and Sword. Participating thereafter in the war in Spain (with the rank of major), he was awarded the order of St Ferdinand of the first class. Baker joined the New Zealand Company's expedition in the Aurora, arriving in Wellington in 1840. Deans describes him as a gentlemanly young man for whom he acted as second in duels. As the magistrate appointed under the settlers' provisional constitution in 1840, Baker presided at the trial of Captain Pearson, of the Integrity, which was held to be illegal and which led to the disbandment of the council. Baker had to proceed to Sydney to defend himself in an action brought by Pearson for damages for false imprisonment. He was a major of volunteers when the Wellington settlers enrolled for defence after the Wairau affair, and held the same rank in the Thorndon militia at the time of the disturbances in 1845. He married (1840) Miss J. E. Morgan, and died on 22 Dec 1854. (See W. M. BANNATYNE)

E. J. Wakefield; Grimstone; Ward; Beauchamp; Deans; Buick, Waitangi.

Reference: Volume 1, page 31

🌳 Further sources