Felix Wakefield

Felix Wakefield (30 November 1807 – 23 December 1875) was an English colonist, who settled in New Zealand. Early life Felix Wakefield was born in 1807, the seventh child and sixth son of Edward Wakefield (1774–1854), a distinguished surveyor and land agent, and Susanna Crush (1767–1816) of Felstead. His grandmother, Priscilla Wakefield (1751–1832), was a popular author for the young, and one of the introducers of savings banks. He was the brother of: Catherine Gurney Wakefield (1793–1873), the mother of Charles Torlesse (1825–1866); Edward Gibbon Wakefield (1796–1862); Daniel Bell Wakefield (1798–1858); Arthur Wakefield (1799–1843); William Hayward Wakefield (1801–1848); John Howard Wakefield (1803–1862); Priscilla Susannah Wakefield (1809–1887); Percy Wakefield (1810–1832); and an unnamed child born in 1813. In 1831 Felix married Marie Bailley, by whom he had nine children. Life When he left school Felix began working with his father and training as a surveyor and civil engineer. This was interrupted, however, in 1826 as a result of the scandal surrounding his brothers, Edward Gibbon and William Wakefield and also his stepmother. When he eventually finished his training he rejoined his father, now in exile in Blois, France. Soon afterwards he impregnated a servant girl, Marie Bailley and was required to marry her. In 1832 the young family emigrated to Tasmania where Felix was employed as a surveyor. Although initially successful, Felix's work did not impress the authorities and such was his personality that when criticised he usually resorted to litigation and argument. As a result of this, he became extremely unpopular and eventually unemployable. Various attempts to recoup his fortunes were unsuccessful and by 1846 the family was destitute. Abandoning his wife and youngest child in Tasmania, Felix took the other eight children and returned to England.