Thomas and Mary Poynton

Thomas Poynton (1802–1892) and Mary Poynton (1812–1891), early Catholic settlers in New Zealand, played a crucial role in establishing Catholicism in the region. Born in Ireland, Thomas was educated in France and later convicted for "Whiteboyism," leading to his transportation to Australia. There, he met Mary Kennedy, whose Irish Catholic background aligned with his own; they married after settling in New South Wales.

In 1828, the couple moved to New Zealand's Hokianga region, where they resided until the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. They had three children: Mary Margaret (1830), Edward (1832), and Catherine (1836). Initially, lacking a Catholic parish in New Zealand, they traveled to Sydney for baptisms. Thomas's request for a priest led to the appointment of Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier, who arrived on January 10, 1838, staying with the Poyntons until his residence was established.

The first Mass in New Zealand occurred on January 13, 1838, at Totara Point. Thomas became a successful sawmill owner in Hokianga. Later, he and Mary donated land in Takapuna to Bishop Pompallier in 1867. Their youngest daughter, Catherine Shea, sold land to the Sisters of Mercy, which was later used for St Joseph's Takapuna primary school and Carmel College.

Thomas and Mary were buried at O'Neill's Point Cemetery on Auckland's North Shore. Their legacy is preserved in a crescent named after Mary and "The Poynton" retirement facility on Shakespeare Road, built on their former land.