Individual Details

Captain Matthew T CLAYTON

(1831 - 1922)

Events

Birth1831
Marriage1860Mary Ellen NEWTON
OccupationFrom 1864 to 1915Marine Surveyor - Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
OccupationUntil 1864Ship's Captain and Master Mariner
Emigration1864England to New Zealand
Community work1875Melmerly Collegiate School - Parnell, City Central Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation1876Examiner of Masters and Mates - Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Residence1876Parnell - Parnell, City Central Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Property1881St Georges Bay Road, Parnell - Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Church OfficeAbt 1885Sunday School Superintendant - Parnell, City Central Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Death1922
ReligionChristian Protestant - Church of England - Parnell, City Central Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Families

SpouseMary Ellen NEWTON (1832 - 1922)
ChildFlorence CLAYTON ( - )
ChildEmmeline CLAYTON ( - )
ChildMarianne CLAYTON ( - )

Notes

Occupation

With The New Zealand Insurance Company.
In 1875 he was appointed Lloyd's surveyor, a position he held until
1912.
He was also a surveyor under the Works Act.

Occupation

He commanded the "Kent" on at least two round world voyages.

Emigration

Settled in Auckland

Community work

Established the school firstly in Mt. Albert in 1875, but in 1876 it
was moved to Parnell in order to secure more easily the services of
good teachers. (Parnell was then the area most popular with the
professional and official section of the community).
In 1881 Captain Clayton erected a commodious building for school
purposes in St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, and there the school
remained for the rest of its existance. The building was still
standing in 2000.
In 1924 Melmerly closed unable to compete with the church-backed
schools of Diocesan and St. Cuthberts. The building was then used as a
hostel for girls attending Epsom Grammar School for a while until
Linton Lodge was started in Epsom.

The school was always closely connected with the St Mary's Cathedral
Parish.

Occupation

Was the Examiner of Masters and Mates in seamanship.

Residence

Had earlier resided in Mt. Albert, Auckland.

Property

Captain Clayton erected a commodious building for school purposes and
there the school remained for the rest of its existance (until 1924,
when it closed). The building was still standing in 2000.
The school was always closely connected with the St Mary's Cathedral
Parish.
St Georges Bay Road was for a long time a fashionable street with
large houses standing in extensive grounds, all of which are now
subdivided. At the very bottom of the road were J.J.Craig's stables
with rough paddocks for grazing the horses.

Church Office

The school which Captain CLAYTON established was always closely
connected with the St Mary's Cathedral Parish. Captail CLAYTON
established the first Sunday school there and was its first
Superintendant.

Religion

St Mary's Cathedral Parish.