Background
Pitt was born in Hobart, Tasmania. His father, Captain Francis Pitt, was harbourmaster at Hobart. He returned briefly to Hobart to marry Emma Bartlett, daughter of Edmund Bartlett, Launceston, Tasmania on 25 January 1866.
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Albert Pitt
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Pitt was educated in Tasmania. He studied law and started his professional career.
Career
In 1864 Pitt migrated to Nelson, starting his own law firm. On his return to Nelson, Pitt appeared as advocate for the defendants in the Maungatapu murders case in mid-1866. In 1861 he joined the Hobart Town Artillery Company and held the rank of Sergeant.
After migrating to New Zealand, in December 1866 Pitt was appointed to command the Nelson Artillery Volunteer Cadet Corps.
In 1871 the Corps was renamed the Nelson Volunteer Artillery Corps with Pitt remaining its Captain. On 8 November 1877 he was appointed Commander of the Nelson militia and volunteer district and given the rank of Major.
A position he held until elected to Parliament in September 1879. In 1881 Pitt commanded about 900 volunteers on active service at Parihaka under Lieutenant-Colonel Roberts expedition to arrest Te Whiti, Tohu, and Hiroki.
In 1885 Pitt was appointed a Lieutenant-Colonel of the New Zealand Militia.
When the volunteer districts were consolidated in 1895, Pitt was appointed to the command of the Nelson district. The volunteer district included Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland. In 1897, he commanded a contingent of volunteers from New Zealand that went to England for the celebrations of Queen Victoria"s Diamond Jubilee.
Pitt resigned his command on being called to the Legislative Council in 1899.
In his younger days in Nelson Pitt was involved in theatre and amateur opera. In 1867 Pitt was elected to the Nelson Provincial Council and was appointed Provincial Solicitor.
He stood for the House of Representatives in an 1879 by-election but was defeated by Acton Adams. Pitt represented the City of Nelson electorate from 1879 to 1881, when he retired.
He was the Attorney-General from 1903 until his death at 5pm on 18 November 1906.
Pitt had been appointed Minister in charge of the Christchurch Exhibition, but had become ill before it opened. He still proceeded to Christchurch where his health deteriorated, necessitating an operation on 13 November. Though reasonably successful Pitt"s health did not improve and he died on the Saturday.
Achievements
Membership
Pitt was also a member of the Nelson Diocesan Synod and a member of the Nelson College Board of Governors for many years. He became a member of the Legislative Council in 1899 and in June 1903 a member of the Seddon Government, as Attorney-General.
