What is Mary Jane Bennett?
{{Orphan|date=March 2012}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2018}} '''Mary Jane Bennett''' (1816 to 6 July 1885) was the first [[:wikt:official|official]] [[lighthouse]] keeper in [[New Zealand]], and the only woman to have the position. == Personal life == Mary moved to New Zealand in 1840. She soon married George White Bennett. In 1852 George took the position of lighthouse keeper at [[Pencarrow]] Head.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ministry for Culture and Heritage|title=Mary Bennett|url=http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/mary-bennett|accessdate=24 April 2011|archive-date=23 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523005658/http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/mary-bennett|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the death of her husband in 1855, Mary worked at the lighthouse. In January 1859 a good lighthouse building was made. She was selected as keeper.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ellis|first=Ellen|title=Bennett, Mary Jane|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1b18/1|work=Te Ara Dictionary of New Zealand Biography|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref> [[Pencarrow Lighthouse]] was the first permanent lighthouse in New Zealand. ==References== {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Mary Jane}} [[Category:1816 births]] [[Category:1885 deaths]] [[Category:New Zealand people]]