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Block 10, Plot 10

Note: on CCC Data base as GUINESS.

Born in Dublin about 1820 Francis ‘Frank’ Hart Vicesimus Guinness, the ‘offspring of a prominent Irish family’, became an indigo farmer, in India, in the 1840s. At Patna, on 16 November 1844, he married Marian Richardson; they had seven children.
The Guinnesses emigrated to Australia and, in 1852, to New Zealand, where Frank was a cadet at M. J. Burke’s, Halswell run. He had insufficient funds to become a runholder and worked as a horse dealer, auctioneer and land salesman.
Because of his social standing Guinness became a captain in the Canterbury Rifle Volunteers. Local grandee W. J. W. Hamilton facilitated his entry to the Canterbury provincial police as sub-inspector in 1862. At the time Superintendent W. S. Moorhouse was completing the process whereby the police came under the command of much admired Victorian imports led by Commissioner Robert Shearman. Initially Guinness survived and, indeed, was promoted to inspector. Then he was sent to Akaroa where he was ‘isolated from the mainstream of Canterbury life’ and well away from the Commissioner. He did his best and was acknowledged to be of ‘unblemished character’. However, he was lacking in ‘the technical knowledge of policing’ and made the mistake of speaking out on behalf of working people, including constables. In 1864 Shearman came calling. Although supported by the Resident Magistrate, the embattled Irishman thought it best to resign. In 1865, he became postmaster and Clerk to the Bench at Akaroa. He resigned on being adjudged bankrupt.
The family moved to the West Coast and Nelson, Guinness holding such positions as warden’s clerk to the goldfields, Justice of the Peace at Ahaura, and Resident Magistrate at Collingwood and Ashburton.
Guinness retired in 1883, thereafter becoming prominent in the infant radical labour movement. He became president of the Working Men’s Political Association. He and his fellows became warm supporters of another who became more and more radical as he grew older – Sir George Grey. In 1887 he was active in the Canterbury Labour Union which supported the cause of unemployed workers.
(Catherine) Marian Guinness, 72, died on 11 February (see Block 10, Plot 9) and Frank died on 18 July 1891.
A son, Arthur, as born in 1846, entered Parliament, was a member of the Liberal Government, and, for the 10 years prior to his death in 1913, was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was knighted in 1911.