b. 1794 IRE - d. 1874 NZ

Professional soldier

Aged 19, John enlisted at Coleraine, Derry (Ireland) on 12 October 1815 and was drafted to the 1st Foot Regiment.

His discharge papers record he enlisted at Coleraine in County Derry on 20 April 1818 at the age of 19 years to the 18th Royal Parish Regiment of Foot. On the same day (War Office record # 12/3514/3517) he was drafted for special training for Malta service. The same record shows he embarked for Malta on 20 March 1821.

It is known John served in the following places: 1818 Cork, 1819 Carlow, 1818-19 Fermoy, 1819 Duncannon Fort, 1818-19 Kilkenny, 1819 Waterford, 1819 Wexford, 1820-21 Cork. The regiment was nicknamed 'Paddy's Black Guards'.

War Office record number 12/3514-3517 (the Muster of 18th Regiment) shows the following: 18 October 1815 - Listed in Northern District Belfast; 20 March 1821 - Embarked to Malta; 24 August 1825 - Invalided in Corfu with fever.

On 20 July 1825 his discharge papers were signed at Corfu.

War Office record # 23/27 shows that on 12 October 1825 he embarked for London to enter Chelsea Hospital. Chelsea Hospital War Office record # 116/35 records his admission to Chelsea Hospital. The same record also shows a period of leave before he returned to Malta. John was discharged from the 18th Irish Regiment of Foot on 11 October 1825 suffering from varicose veins of the leg. At this time he was described as about 26 years of age, 5' 6½" in height with brown hair, grey eyes, a fresh complexion and by trade or occupation a weaver.

In 1845-46 there was general alarm in New Zealand at the rebellion of the Maoris led by chief Hone Heke. The Governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey, fearing for the lives of the settlers, requested help from the British government. Retired military men, under the age of 48 years, over 5', 6" tall, preferably married with children and of good standing, who were prepared to settle in the Auckland area and defend the white settlers in the event of Maori wars, were recruited in the United Kingdom. They were called 'The Royal New Zealand Fencibles'.

On his return to England, John applied to be included in the Royal Fencibles for New Zealand. A further War Office record # 22/147/276 approves his application and tells him to proceed to Tilbury Port. The Public Records Office in Chancery Lane, London, shows 'John McPike (private), Tilbury Port 23 April 1847' (WO # 43/89/1317). The pension returns of Belfast (WO # 22/147/276) confirms that in April 1847 his payment of pension was transferred to New Zealand. The regular army soldiers documents (WO # 97/390) confirm he was born in the parish of Arigal near the town of Garvagh, County Derry, Ireland.

He was listed in the nominal list of the first detachment of New Zealand enrolled pensioners, which embarked on 14 April 1847 under command of Captain Kenny, Staff Officer, on board the ship 'Ramillies' - No 18 John McPike, of the Regiment 18th Foot - Rate of pension 6d a day, district Belfast. At the time of his enlistment in 1847 he was still receiving a pension of 6' per day.

In 1847 John, wife Mary, sons James and Cornelius, daughter Mary Jane and three other children sailed on the troop ship 'Ramillies' from Tilbury Port, Gravesend, England. New Zealand National Archives in Wellington states six children on card index.

On board the three-masted ship were 67 pensioners, 57 women and 123 children. This was the first Fencible ship to go to Auckland. The ship's log was kept by Dr Cunningham, the ship's doctor, and the voyage was a good one by comparison with later ships.

Three Fencible families, the Moores, McPikes and Bates, friends on the voyage, were all posted to Onehunga.

The ship arrived in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour on 5 August 1847 after a voyage of almost four months. They had been promised a cottage and an acre of land but no accommodation was ready for them and they had to stay for a further sixty days on board ship.

After their sixty days on board ship the Fencibles and their families were taken to the Albert Barracks and from there on 15 November 1847 they all walked the seven miles to Onehunga with their children and possessions, where once again they were housed in barracks. It was not until the following year that the Fencible families moved into their cottages in 'The Lower Settlement' of Onehunga on the edge of the Manukau Harbour.

The Fencibles were never called upon to defend the settlers and after seven years, were released from any duties. It appears John, Mary and their family prospered in this, their new country. The Fencibles and their families doubled Auckland's population. They built roads, schools etc. and today our ancestors, with the other families, are regarded as the pioneers that laid the foundation on which New Zealand was built. John McPike was instrumental in getting St Mary's Roman Catholic Church constructed in Onehunga and Charles Moore assisted in having St Peter's Anglican Church built, also in Onehunga. John McPike's cottage became the first school and Sophia Ann Bates the first school teacher and also first postmistress in New Zealand.