LIGAR, Charles Whybrow 1809–1879

Born Ceylon, educated at Sandhurst. Received commission in Royal Engineers but joined the hill drafting department of the Ordnance Survey. Was serving in Ireland when appointed Surveyor-General of New Zealand; left England on the Prince Rupert which was wrecked on the coast of Brazil, continued on the Antilla arriving in Auckland December 1842. Was Lieut.Col. in the Auckland militia during the troubles in the north, magistrate and land commissioner in 1846, M.L.C. 1848. In 1856 retired to take up a run in South Otago and discovered gold in the Mataura River; was pensioned in 1857; took the position of Surveyor-General in Victoria 1858–69. On finally retiring he settled in Texas as a cattle grazier. A small pencil drawing of Auckland waterfront c.1844 signed C.L. in the Mantell Collection in Turnbull seems likely to have been Ligar's.