Charles Ligar

Charles Whybrow Ligar (1811–1881)

Career Reputedly commissioned in the Corps of Royal Engineers, Ligar is said to have resigned shortly afterwards to join Ordnance Survey.

In London, on 16 February 1841, the Queen was pleased to appoint Ligar to be Surveyor General of the Colony of New Zealand. Together with the survey staff Lord John Russell had commissioned Captain Robert Kearsley Dawson, RE, to select, Ligar and family departed Gravesend on 16 April and Plymouth on 14 May 1841, on the Prince Rupert, for New Zealand. On 5 September 1842 the Institute elected Ligar as vice-president. His former superior in Ireland, now Commanding Royal Engineer, New Zealand, Lieutenant George Augustus Bennett, RE, was elected president, and acting governor Willoughby Shortland, RN, took on the role of patron on 22 September.

Ligar was also appointed land titles commissioner in the late 1840s. second in command to the governor, Robert FitzRoy, as colonel. Construction of an ambitious fieldwork for two militia companies, called Fort Ligar, commenced on private land on the town's western high ground as part of Auckland's immediate defence. However, the arrival of 200 men of the 58th Regiment, and FitzRoy's proclamation of 26 April commencing military operations in the north, brought an end to it only weeks after work began. During the war Ligar was engaged in producing a military map of the field in the Bay of Islands. By 1869, leading politicians were demanding his removal and Ligar resigned in September. His replacement as Surveyor General was Alexander John Skene. In 1869 Ligar married Marie, daughter of the late Captain Williams, of Auckland, New Zealand.

Late life Ligar retired initially to Europe, lived for some time in Germany, Morocco, Algeria and Spain, then took up ranching in Texas, US. He died there in February 1881 and was buried at Willow Springs, Parker County, Texas.