▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁highest ▁M asons ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁baron et cy ▁was ▁inherited ▁from ▁his ▁grand father ▁and ▁passed ▁on ▁to ▁his ▁son ▁Edward . ▁ ▁The ▁Third ▁& ▁Four th ▁Baron ets ▁The ▁Third ▁Baron et , ▁the ▁el dest ▁surv iving ▁male ▁child ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Baron et , ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁sea , ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁Sydney , ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 5 0 . ▁ ▁( Some ▁gene alog ical ▁sources ▁state ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Col chester , ▁County ▁Es sex , ▁England , ▁but ▁his ▁birth ▁was ▁registered ▁in ▁Sydney — see ▁the ▁NS W ▁Reg istry ▁of ▁B irth s , ▁Death s ▁& ▁Mar ri ages , ▁certificate ▁number ▁V 1 8 5 0 5 0 2 ▁ 3 7 A / 1 8 5 0 .) ▁He ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁by ▁his ▁parents ▁when ▁still ▁a ▁small ▁child ▁and ▁later ▁educated ▁ ▁St ▁John ' s ▁College , ▁A uck land . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁regular ▁church - go er ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁his ▁school ing ▁and ▁up br ing ing . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 9 , ▁he ▁married ▁Sarah ▁Mitchell , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁property ▁owner ▁and ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁milit ia . ▁They ▁had ▁several ▁children , ▁including ▁Alice ▁Anne ▁( born ▁