Courtney Kenny (New Zealand politician)

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1868–1870	4th	Picton			Independent
1871–1875	5th	Picton			Independent
1876–1879	6th	Picton			Independent
1879–1881	7th	Picton			Independent

Courtney William Alymer Thomas Kenny [1] (25 December 1835 – 12 December 1905) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from the Marlborough Region, New Zealand.

Courtenay[1] and his wife (Georgina Paulina Edith Kenny, 1835-1899[2]) are reported to have arrived in Port Nicholson on the 'Philip Laing' 23 December 1856[3], and to have established and named the 'Lochmara Run' in Queen Charlotte Sound, centred on Double Cove Bay and what was to become Lochmara Bay, in 1857[4]. They later farmed ‘The Rocks’ in Double Cove, until their deaths[5].

Courtenay Kenny is reported to have been born in India, probably Moulmein (which is now in Burma), to an Indian army officer[6]. His wife was born in Geilston, Dumbarton, Scotland, also to an Indian army father[7]. Both were educated in England[8].

Courtenay, having risen from ensign[9] to captain[10] in the 88^th (Connaught Rangers) Regiment of Foot, served in Crimea and then exchanged to the 94^th (Scotch) Regiment[11]. He was founding Captain of the Marlborough Volunteers 1860-1[12] and Marlborough Commissioner of Crown Lands 1862-1866[13], then represented the Picton electorate from an 1866 by-election till 1881, when he retired[14]. He was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council on 15 May 1885 and served until his death on 12 December 1905[15][2].

References

[1] Name is spelt 'Courtenay' in his 1856 Scottish marriage (494/00010) and New Zealand death (1905/7708) registrations. He used also the spelling ‘Courtney’, such as in an 1868 mortgage to the NZ Trust and Loan Company

[2] New Zealand death registration 1899/4460

[3]Auckland City Library. http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aucklandcity.govt.nz%2Fdbtw-wpd%2Fmsonline%2Findex.htm&AC=QBE_QUERY&QF0=MSNumber&QI0=NZMS%201393&TN=Manuscriptsonline&RF=WebRecord&NP=2

[4] New Zealand electoral roll 14 July 1857

[5] New Zealand annual sheep returns 1879-1930. Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives. www.http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs

[6] [https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FG38-6R8]

[7] Scottish old parish birth registration 494/0000300142

[8] 1851 English census, Norwich and Kensington Town respectively

[9] London Gazette, 23 June 1854.

[10] London Gazette 27 October 1855

[11] He resigned his commission 26 December 1860, Belfast News-Letter 1 January 1861

[12] Henry D Kelley, ‘As high as the Hills’, Cape Catley, Whatamongo, 1956, p 192

[13] T Lindsay Buick, ‘Old Marlborough’, Hart & Keeling Palmerston North, 1900, p 4

[14]  James Oakley Wilson (1985, 4th edition) New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984. Government Printer, Wellington p 210

[15] Guy Schofield (1950, 3rd edition) New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1949. Government Printer, Wellington, p 79