Mrs Emily Stanley was the beloved schoolmistress of the Preece children.
Mrs Stanley a widow, was the daughter of Rev J W Shiell of Easky, Ireland. She became governess to Governor Hobson's children in 1841, when the original governess, Miss Ellery Short, married Captain Rough.
Following Governor Hobson’s death in September 1842, Mrs Stanley helped Mrs Marianne Williams, wife of Henry Williams of the CMS, to run the "junior school" for Europeans (for the most part children of missionaries) on the Paihia foreshore.
James Preece took his three eldest children from Parawai near Thames to school the Bay of Islands, in his open sailing boat. They stopped overnight at Maraetai, Waiheke and other places on the way.
At the time of the sack of Kororareka (in March 1845) Mrs Stanley and her school moved from the Bay of Islands to Auckland. For a while they occupied the Rev Alfred Brown's house on the waterfront at St George’s Bay.
Mrs Stanley married Captain Tucker RN, the Colonial Storekeeper, in December 1845. His daughter Emily Tucker was a friend of the Preece girls, as were many daughters of Auckland's early citizens.
Mrs Tucker moved her school to a house in Karangahape Road, possibly "St Keven's" which was at a later date owned by the Nathan family. She again moved her school to "Woodland Villa" in Symonds Street. This property, which was then on the outer edge of town, extended into Grafton Gully. Bush, trees, orchard and gardens were affectionately remembered by the Preece children.
Following Captain Tucker’s death, in 1857 his widow married Assistant Commissary Mr Frederick Braithwaite.
Harriett Preece was teaching at Mrs Tucker's school when she became engaged to Archie Spicer. It is believed that Harriett was married from Mrs Tucker's home in Auckland.
The friendship between Mrs Tucker and her pupils lasted many years. When in 1883 Mrs Braithwaite broke her leg, Eliza Kenderdine noted it in her diary. September 8th 1883: "Today at 3pm we laid all that remains of our dear old friend in her last resting place. Jane Sinclair, Anna G.., Harriett and self, her four old pupils, walked from the house to the cemetery. John Spicer, Cissy [Cameron] Alex [Cameron] Tom [Kenderdine] were also there."
The name "Emily" was given, in memory of their beloved teacher, to many children whose mothers had attended her school.
Look at other parts of the Preece story by using the link to the Index page.