Thomas Fergus
Encyclopedia
Thomas Fergus was a 19th century New Zealand
politician.
His father was also Thomas Fergus. It is uncertain when his father was born as there is no birth certificate to coincide with the date of 1815, however there is record of him in both 1851 and 1861 census for Scotland, and the age in those suggest that his birth was in fact in 1807. His mother Annie McGechin is also found in census records but no birth certificate has been found to verify her date of birth, although the census suggests her date of birth to be in 1810. In the 1851 census for Scotland the household included his paternal grandmother Elizabeth Fergus. The family is registered as living in Gordon Place, St Quivox, Ayr at the time of the 1861 Census for Scotland and included seven surviving children (Elizabeth, Thomas, Martha Grange, Robert, John, Ann, Margaret). He was the second to eldest and the eldest son.
He initially travelled to Melbourne on the Esmerelda in the early 1860s. It is thought that he may have travelled with two sister and a brother, although this needs to be verified. He later travelled on to New Zealand in 1869. He was educated in both Melbourne and at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand from 1872 to 1876 and worked as a civil engineer
.
in Parliament from 1881 to 1893, when he retired. He was Minister of Defence
(1887–1889), Minister of Justice
(1887–1889), Minister of Public Works (1889–1891) and Minister of Education (1889–1891).
, a small lake between Lake Te Anau
and Milford Sound
and adjacent to the State Highway 94
(the Milford Sound Road) in Fiordland National Park
, is named after him. William H. Homer (after whom the Homer Tunnel
is named) and George Barber named it on 4 January 1889 after the then Member of Parliament
for the Wakatipu electorate. After a brief ceremony, they "drank his health from a bottle of painkiller".
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
politician.
Early life
Thomas Fergus was born in Ayr Scotland on 6 April 1850. There is some question as to the Hon Thomas Fergus' date of birth as the NZ Government records are two years different from this birth record, and his newspaper obituary gives 1851 as the birth year.His father was also Thomas Fergus. It is uncertain when his father was born as there is no birth certificate to coincide with the date of 1815, however there is record of him in both 1851 and 1861 census for Scotland, and the age in those suggest that his birth was in fact in 1807. His mother Annie McGechin is also found in census records but no birth certificate has been found to verify her date of birth, although the census suggests her date of birth to be in 1810. In the 1851 census for Scotland the household included his paternal grandmother Elizabeth Fergus. The family is registered as living in Gordon Place, St Quivox, Ayr at the time of the 1861 Census for Scotland and included seven surviving children (Elizabeth, Thomas, Martha Grange, Robert, John, Ann, Margaret). He was the second to eldest and the eldest son.
He initially travelled to Melbourne on the Esmerelda in the early 1860s. It is thought that he may have travelled with two sister and a brother, although this needs to be verified. He later travelled on to New Zealand in 1869. He was educated in both Melbourne and at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand from 1872 to 1876 and worked as a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
.
Family and professional life
On 31 July 1878, he married Margaret MacGregor Reid, daughter of his business partner Donald Reid. The marriage was conducted at Reid's residence Salisbury in North Tairi. He had five daughters (Daisy MacGregor Reid Fergus, Betty Barr Fergus, Annie Grange Fergus, Charlotte Fergus, Frances Fergus). There is some suggestion that one of these daughters was from a first marriage made in Melbourne.Political career
He represented the Otago electorate of WakatipuWakatipu (New Zealand electorate)
Wakatipu was a parliamentary electorate in the Otago Region of New Zealand, from 1871 to 1928.Wakatipu was represented by eight Members of Parliament:* Charles Edward Haughton in 1871* Bendix Hallenstein from 1872 to 1873* Vincent Pyke from 1873 to 1875...
in Parliament from 1881 to 1893, when he retired. He was Minister of Defence
Minister of Defence (New Zealand)
The Minister of Defence is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand armed forces and the Ministry of Defence.The present Minister is Dr...
(1887–1889), Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (New Zealand)
The Minister of Justice is a minister in the government of New Zealand. The minister has responsibility for the formulation of justice policy and for the administration of law courts....
(1887–1889), Minister of Public Works (1889–1891) and Minister of Education (1889–1891).
Death and commemoration
Fergus died on 29 September 1914. Lake FergusLake Fergus
Lake Fergus is a lake in the South Island of New Zealand, located at .A small lake between Lake Te Anau and Milford Sound, it lies adjacent to the State Highway 94 . The lake is within the boundary of the Fiordland National Park, and is surrounded by native bush...
, a small lake between Lake Te Anau
Lake Te Anau
Lake Te Anau is in the southwestern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. Its name was originally Te Ana-au, Maori for 'The cave of swirling water'. The lake covers an area of 344 km², making it the second-largest lake by surface area in New Zealand and the largest in the South Island...
and Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park, Piopiotahi Marine Reserve, and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site...
and adjacent to the State Highway 94
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
(the Milford Sound Road) in Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 12,500 km², and a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site...
, is named after him. William H. Homer (after whom the Homer Tunnel
Homer Tunnel
The Homer Tunnel is a road tunnel in the Fiordland region of the South Island of New Zealand, opened in 1954. New Zealand State Highway 94 passes through the tunnel, linking Milford Sound to Te Anau and Queenstown, by piercing the Main Divide at the Homer Saddle...
is named) and George Barber named it on 4 January 1889 after the then Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Wakatipu electorate. After a brief ceremony, they "drank his health from a bottle of painkiller".