Notes

BIOGRAPHY

Alice Jones was born at Woodville in 1894, the fifth child of David Jones and Emily Mist. Alice attended Woodville School from 1901. Alice was a nurse and never married. Based on Electoral Rolls, Alice lived in Waipukurau (1919), Waipawa (1928-1938), Havelock North (1946-1957) where she operated a rest home and in Palmerston North when she retired (1969-1981). She died in Palmerston North in 1981.

BIOGRAPHY

Alexander Walker was born on the 10 September 1838 in Tibbermore, Perthshire, Scotland, the eldest child of Alexander Walker, a labourer, and Charlotte Leslie. Alexander trained as a flour miller. In September 1858 Alexander married Isabella Brough in Comrie, the youngest daughter of William Brough, who was also Alexander's employer. Apparently, Isabella's parents did not really approve of the marriage and the couple migrated to Australia in October 1858. Isabella was pregnant when she married Alexander and Alexander had an illegitimate son born a month before the marriage to another girl in Comrie. Alexander and Isabella went on the ship "Greyhound" from Liverpool to Melbourne, a voyage of 91 days. Their first child, Christina, was born 30 December 1858 on the voyage to Australia, and died in April 1859 in Melbourne. Alexander and Isabella lived in Melbourne, Victoria, from 1859 to 1861, with daughter Charlotte being born in 1860. In 1861 the family moved to Milton in Otago where Alexander was employed in the town's new flour mill. A further six children were born in Milton. Alexander died in 1908 and was buried in the Fairfax Cemetery at Milton.

BIOGRAPHY

Alfred William Trueman was born 1853 in Walsall, Staffordshire, the son of Henry Trueman and Mary Ann Betts. Alfred's father was a cordwainer or shoemaker. In 1857 Alfred migrated to New Zealand with his parents, 2 brothers and sister on the ship ALMA. The family settled in Wellington and made shoes and boots. After the family arrived in New Zealand a further three children were born in Wellington.

Alfred trained as a boot maker with his father. In 1875 Alfred married Elizabeth Ann Humphreys in Wellington. Alfred and Elizabeth lived in Wellington and had a son and five daughters.

In 1877 Alfred's mother (Mary Ann Trueman) and sister (Mary Leonard Mudgway) were arrested and tried for the murder of the newly born son of Mary. Neither was convicted of murder, but Mary Leonard Mudgway was found guilty of the concealment of her son's birth, and was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour. Newspaper accounts of the trial can be seen on a separate page.

Alfred's wife Elizabeth died in 1892 and Alfred remarried in 1895, to Clara Fullford. Alfred and Clara lived in Wellington until 1900 and had three sons and a daughter. The family moved to Levin where they remained until Alfred died in 1932. Alfred died of cancer in Palmerston North Hospital and was buried in Levin Cemetery.

BIOGRAPHY

Alfred William Trueman was born in 1904, the son of Alfred William Trueman and Clara Fullford. Alfred married Lillian McPherson in 1936 and the couple had seven children. Alfred and Lillian lived in Shannon where Alfred worked as a labourer. Alfred died in 1978 and was buried in Shannon Cemetery. Lillian died in Levin in 2004 and was also buried in Shannon.

BIOGRAPHY

Alice Mary Rushbrooke, first daughter of Ernest and Sarah Rushbrooke, was born in 1888 at Great Ellingham, Norfolk. She migrated to New Zealand with her parents in 1897. In 1911 Alice married Archibald William Westgate in Te Awamutu. Archibald was from a wealthy family of butchers in Norwich. Archibald and Alice lived in Kihikihi where Archibald earned his living as a dealer. They had seven sons and two daughters. Alice died in 1927 and Archibald died in 1968, both at Te Awamutu.

BIOGRAPHY

Alice Maude Frances Heavey, the fourth daughter of James and Fanny Heavey, was born in in 1910 in Woodville. In 1931 she married Alfred Henry Humphries Wallace. Alice and Alfred lived in Palmerston North and had five children. Alfred worked as a motor painter and subsequently as a driver. About 1969 Alfred and Alice separated, with Alfred moving to Gisborne to work and Alice to Wanganui to live with her daughter. Alfred died in Gisborne in 1986 and was buried in Palmerston North. Alice died in 1990 in Wanganui.

BIOGRAPHY

Agnes Wallace was born in 1855, the daughter of John Wallace and Esther Maise. She lived at "Fir Grove" and went to Matarawa School, and probably stayed at home to help until she was married. Agnes married Nils Peter Manson at Firgrove in 1882. Nils Manson migrated from Sweden to New Zealand in 1876.

Agnes and Nils had four daughters and one son. It is thought that they lived and brought up their family at Firgrove, or close by, where Nils Manson helped on the Wallace farm. In 1892 before their last child was born, Nils bought the Firgrove property from John Alexander McKane Wallace.

In 1893 Nils and his family moved to Kai Iwi where they took up land. In the ensuing years they rented out Firgrove, or put in share milkers. In 1938 Firgrove was sold and after nearly 80 years the farm passed out of the Wallace family. Nils died in 1927 and Agnes died in 1930. They are both buried in Heads Road Cemetery, Wanganui.

Sources: The Wallace Family History manuscript by Doreen Corrick and Spurdle Heritage edited by Janette Howe and Robyn Spurdle.

BIOGRAPHY

Charles died in 1909 and was buried at Pukekohe. His second wife, Mary, died in 1911 and was buried next to him.

A MYSTERY??

It is not clear when Henry TRUEMAN was born or died. Henry was not present at the 1851 UK census, but was listed after Alfred William on the shipping passenger list to New Zealand. This suggests he was the youngest child of Henry Trueman and Mary Ann Betts when they migrated to New Zealand in February 1857. Alfred William was born 30 March 1853, so Henry was presumably born in 1854-1856.

No New Zealand death registration has been found for Henry. It appears from post office directories and electoral rolls that Henry worked as a shoemaker in Petone (1883-1896, possibly longer) and a painter in Wellington (1903-1904). After that he may have left New Zealand.

Can you help by providing any details?

ADOPTION

Edward Charles WATERREUS parents were Martinus (Martin) Anthony WATERREUS and Ellen REYNOLDS. Martin abandoned his family in Masterton about 1894, and was arrested for wife desertion, serving 3 weeks hard labour in New Plymouth Prison and being required to pay his wife ten shillings a week. In September 1895 Martin was sentenced to three months hard labour for taking cloth from a shop in Stratford. Martin died in prison on 18 October 1895.

When Edward's parents marriage ended the family was split. The two eldest children (William George and Annie) went to Ellen's family in Southland. Edward Charles [Teddy] WATERREUS and his older brother Leonard Martin WATERREUS were taken away. Edward was adopted by Martin and Esther GRACE [nee BEAZLEY] of Hokianga, Northland on 11th March 1895. On adoption, Edward's name was changed to Pierce GRACE. Edward's mother remarried in 1921 to Charles NORDELL, b 1876 in Germany.

Source: Jennifer Coad, Nelson, NZ

ADOPTION

In August 2012 the following was posted on Ancestry.com regarding the origins of Rene Maud RETTER or Irene Fay HEAVEY.



The NZ Birth, Death and Marriages Online website lists a 1931 birth registration for Rene Maud HEAVEY, mother's given name Francis Maria and father's given name James. Presumably this registration was done following adoption of Rene, and the name Irene Fay adopted afterwards.

Since 2012 Mark has undertaken further research that showed his grandmother's father was Henry Retter who operated a canteen at Featherston Army barracks where Rubina McKay worked as a bar maid. Henry had an affair with Rubina whilst being married with 3 children, resulting in the birth of their illegitimate daughter Rene Maud.

Another James Maxwell GARDINER.

I have been contacted by Brian Lissette who has details of another James Maxwell GARDINER. His James was a N.Z. Police Recruit Wing in 1946/47.

I have Brian's email and telephone contact details to pass onto any interested descendants of James GARDINER. Please contact the Site Administrator to obtain further information.

BIOGRAPHY.

Alice Freda KORTE (Allie) was born in Gisborne, on 3 June 1920, the third child and elder daughter of Fred and Lizzie Korte. She grew up on the family farm in Matawai with her 2 brothers, George and Harry, and 10 years later, little sister Joy. Allie attended Matawai School until she was 12, then completed her secondary schooling by correspondence. George and Joy both went to secondary school in Gisborne, but Harry and Allie did correspondence, because those were the Depression years. At age 16, Allie started work at Bushnells Book Store in Gisborne and not long afterwards she was offered a job at Clare and Jones Electrical Shop where she worked for 10 years until her marriage to Bunny Buscke on 5 October 1946.

Bunny and Allie Buscke lived in Picken's cottage at Ngatapa for the first 2 years of their married life, until in 1948 when Bunny was appointed manager of Kiore Station, Tolaga Bay. This 3,000 acre (1,200 ha) property was split into three sections and balloted for returned servicemen in 1950. Bunny drew the homestead block of 713 acres (290 ha) and named it Toru Station. The first years were difficult, at one time Bunny sold a pair of binoculars to buy a kerosene fridge. Allie cooked on a wood stove and boiled the wash in a copper. About 1958 they bought an Arga stove. Before electricity was reticulated to the area about 1960, they generated their own with a Lister Start-O-Matic generating plant - it started up whenever a light was switched on. Then came a period of good wool prices, so things started to become easier. Bunny and Allie had two daughters. Allie was a keen gardener and maintained a large garden around the homestead at Toru Station and also grew flowers for a Gisborne florist.

They sold Toru Station in July 1976 and moved to a five acre block at Hexton just outside Gisborne. Allie pruned grapes. She and Nell Malone also grew flowers for a Gisborne florist. Bunny died in 1985 and was buried in Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne. A year after Bunny's death Allie moved to Gisborne, first to Aberdeen Road, then in 1992 to a unit at Orange Grove Retirement Village, and finally after a fall that reduced her mobility to Riverview Rest Home in 2002. Allie died suddenly of an aneurysm 6 days after her 85th birthday on 9 June 2005, very quickly and without suffering. She was buried with Bunny in Taruheru Cemetery.

Source: Janet Willson, Gisborne, NZ.

BIOGRAPHY.

Annie Logan Redpath was born in 1871 at Glenledi near Milton, Otago. She attended Waitahuna and Mount Stuart schools. In 1894 Annie married John Henry Bateman (known as Jack), at her mother's home at Mount Stuart, Otago. Annie and Jack had both been working in Waitahuna - Annie as a domestic servant and Jack on his grandfather's farm.

John Henry Bateman was born on 19 July 1867, in Bampton in Oxfordshire, England. He was the eldest child of Thomas Henry Bateman and Elizabeth Edwards. The family left England at the end of 1882 on the Wellington and arrived in Port Chalmers on 12 March 1883. The family lived at Fairfiew Farm at Mount Stuart, but Jack, who was fifteen, went to live with his mother's parents John and Louise Edwards. Jack's grandfather was managing a farm at Glenledi near the coast from Milton. He worked there for several years then returned to Waitahuna when his grandfather bought the property known as 'Paddy's Point'.

The couple lived at 'Paddy's Point' with Jack's grandfather Edwards until his death ten years later. By this time Annie and Jack had seven children and Jack was working for Otago Farmer's Agency. When John Edwards died the farm was sold and Jack and Annie moved to Waitahuna.

Jack died on 20 March 1925 in Waitahuna and is buried at Waitahuna. Annie died 21 January 1949 at Waitahuna and is buried with Jack (and his parents) in Waitahuna cemetery. The following obituary appeared on page 31 of the Otago Witness on 31 March 1925.



Source: Annie - a family history by Ann McDonald & Sue Brown (2008). A more detailed account is given in the book.

Biography.

Coralie Hope Isobel Seymour WALKER was born in Dunedin, on 3 February 1897, the daughter of Helen WALKER. Her father's name was not recorded on her birth registration. Coralie was known as Coralie Hope Seymour STANLEY during childhood and when she married, her mother claiming to have married John Stanley in 1895 at Sydney. Coralie attended school at Milton, Otago (1901-1902), Auckland (1906), Invercargill (1907), Bushside near Ashburton where her aunt was a teacher (1908) and Rangitira Valley School, South Canterbury (January 1909). Coralie obtained work at the literary department of "The Evening Star" in Dunedin where she worked for a year in 1910.

Coralie enjoyed singing and dancing. In 1910 she was reported to have performed a song and dance in the Loyal Centenary Lodge Concert in the South Dunedin Town Hall. She moved to Wellington and was trained in singing by Madame Mueller, competing in several Wellington singing competitions in 1912. Madame Mueller was well known as a successful teacher of singing. By 1913 Coralie was well known in Wellington amateur theatrical circles. in 1913 she was engaged in training the ballet for the Nelson Amateur Dramatic Society performance of "The Runaway Girl." In the performance Coralie took the role of Dorothy Stanley. Following her success in this production, in 1914, she was appointed by Blenheim "Winter Carnival" executive to provide the dancing portion of their forthcoming function. Coralie advertised for girls to train in dancing for the event. Subsequent newspaper reports indicated that the girls who received her tuition made popular performances of the Tango. Coralie performed her solo "Babette's Dance" from "La Femme de Chambre" and the Madrid Tango with a partner successfully.

Later in 1914 Coralie performed in a Concert in Gisborne in Aid of the Belgian and Patriotic Funds. The Gisborne newspapers reported that Coralie "is more than a dancer; she is a capable little actress, and each of her descriptive dances resolved themselves into little scenes, which held the attention of the audience closely throughout."

In January 1916 Coralie married Alfred Cyril McKELLAR in Wellington. Alfred was a bank auditor based in Wellington. He joined the army in November 1916 and trained as an officer, departing for the war in Europe in November 1917, a month after Coralie gave birth to their daughter Gloria McKELLAR. Alfred returned to Wellington after his war duty in February 1919 and resumed his auditing position at the Bank of New South Wales in Wellington.

In 1918 Coralie was living in Christchurch and she contributed to fund raising for the Lady Liverpool Fund, a fund established to encourage NZ women and children to contribute to the war effort by knitting, sewing and raising money for the soldiers. Coralie was reported to have donated money and performed in numerous fund raising concerts.

Coralie, her mother and daughter, arrived in Sydney, Australia, from Wellington on the ship Moeraki in April 1920, leaving Alfred in New Zealand. Coralie began publishing articles and poems under her own name and using the nom de plume "Lalie Seton Cray" in a monthly magazine "The Triad: a journal devoted to literacy, pictorial, musical and dramatic art." She was most prolific in 1921 and 1922, publishing over 20 articles in each year. In May 1922 "The Dominion" (Wellington) reported that Mrs. Coralie Stanley McKellar, who contributes largely each month to the "Triad"? and "Stage and Society" magazines, is now on the permanent staff of the "Daily Telegraph" (Sydney). Coralie also participated in Sydney dramatic productions, producing a Christmas Pantomime in 1921 and appearing in "Dear Brutus" in 1923.

In March 1923 Coralie arrived back in New Zealand as publicist for the celebrated Polish pianist, Andre Skalski. She organised receptions and over 25 concerts around New Zealand during April-August for the pianist. Andre Skalski arrived in Sydney in 1921 and had held piano recitals and conducted the New South Wales State Orchestra during 1922.

Coralie was granted a restitution of conjugal rights order against her husband, Alfred Cyril McKellar, by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) at Wellington in August 1923. Alfred was living in Wellington while Coralie resided in Sydney. After Alfred failed to comply with the order, a decree nisi was granted in February 1924, to be moved absolute after three months.

After the tour Coralie returned to Sydney and was appointed Organiser and Official Secretary for the Australian Branch of Egypt Exploration Society. She successfully raised funds for the Society which resulted in Australian museums receiving artifacts from excavations in Egypt and four or five cases of treasures from the grave of Tutankhamen. When she visited New Zealand in 1926 she took her jade tile ring which once graced the hand of Auk-na-ton, the wife of Tutankhamen.

After visits to China, Coralie returned to New Zealand during 1926-1928. She gave lectures at many schools throughout New Zealand about her experiences in China, emphasising the importance of obedience in Chinese culture. She used ancient artifacts from China to reinforce her stories.

At the beginning of 1930 Coralie, her mother and daughter Gloria moved to London where Coralie worked as a reporter. They returned to Australia in December 1933. Coralie published regular articles ("Beachcombings") in the Sydney Sun newspaper and appeared as a regular commentator on Sydney radio. She wrote and acted in a radio play in 1934, the performance occurring two hours after her mother died.

After a visit to New Zealand in 1935, Coralie and her daughter Gloria returned to London in 1936. They lived there until 1938 when they traveled to the United States, with an intended stay of six months. I have been unable to trace Coralie further, or her death.

Numerous newspaper articles about Coralie and a selection of her publications are compiled in her "Documents" (above).

In 1924 it was reported that Coralie a married Captain H.H. Kilby when visiting Epi Island in what is now Vanuatu. He was possibly the aide-de-camp to the Governor of Victoria, Col. The Right Hon. George Edward John Mowbray Rous, Earl of Stradbroke. Coralie had spent time in Melbourne in 1924 raising funds for the Egypt Exploration Society. However, Coralie continued to use the surname McKellar after visiting the present Vanuatu and Captain Kilby never traveled with Coralie when she went to New Zealand, England or America.

BIOGRAPHY.

Ivan Max BUSCKE (Bunny) was born in Gisborne in 1946, the third child of Cyril and Maidee BUSCKE. Bunny attended Manutuke School and Patutahi School. A good sportsman, he played rugby and gained a reputation as an amateur wrestler. He went shepherding after finishing school and spent time on Te Puru Station at Waingake.

When WW2 broke out Bunny joined the army and first went to Fiji, then to the Middle East, serving in Egypt and Italy. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, was wounded three times and was mentioned in dispatches.

After the war Bunny mustered and did droving. He married Allie KORTE in 1946 in Gisborne and they lived in Picken's cottage at Patutahi after their marriage. In 1948 Bunny was appointed as manager of Kiore Station, Tolaga Bay. This 3,000 acre (1,200 ha) property was split into three sections and balloted for returned servicemen in 1950. Bunny drew the homestead block of 713 acres (290 ha) and named it Toru Station. The first years were difficult, at one time Bunny sold a pair of binoculars (bought overseas during the war) to buy a kerosene fridge. Allie cooked on a wood stove and boiled the wash in a copper. About 1958 they bought an Arga stove. Before electricity was reticulated to the area about 1960, they generated their own with a Lister Start-O-Matic generating plant - it started up whenever a light was switched on. Then came a period of good wool prices, so things started to become easier. Bunny and Allie had two daughters. During this period Bunny served on the Uawa Harbour Board, the Tolaga Bay Shool Committee, Federated Farmers, the Tolaga Bay Dog Trial Club (he was still Secretary when he died) and the Poverty Bay Sheep Dog Trials Centre. He was very keen on dog trialling, a successful competitor and judge.

They sold Toru Station in July 1976 and moved to a five acre block at Hexton just outside Gisborne. Bunny continued to do casual mustering and odd jobs for farmers in the neighbourhood right up until his death in 1985. He was buried in Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne.

Source: The Descendants of Annie O'Brien. The Davis and Bousfield Families of HB/PB, Evagean Publishing Ltd, Auckland, NZ.

BIOGRAPHY.

John Edward Colston was born in London, England in 1813, the son of John and Lucy Colston. His father died when John was 10 years old. John trained as a painter and plasterer but did not finish his training according to convict records.

John was sent to prison three times in London, each for three months, twice for vagrancy. He was also acquitted of picking pockets.

When John was 19 years old, John and another boy followed some gentlemen who were shopping in London. While a gentleman was distracted looking in a shop window, John took a handkerchief from the gentleman?s pocket. Two policemen had been watching the boys for two hours and immediately arrested both boys.

John and the other boy were charged with stealing one handkerchief worth one shilling. They were judged guilty, the sentence being sent to Australia for seven years imprisonment. The boys were jailed in London for seven months until a ship was ready to transport them to Australia. In 1833 the sailing ship Isabella transported 300 male convicts, including John, from London to Hobart in Tasmania. The voyage took four months. John was assigned to Public Works, at Constitution Hill in 1834, then in 1836 at New Norfolk. After John completed his seven year sentence in Tasmania, he moved to Melbourne in Victoria.

John was at the docks in Melbourne when the ship Alfred arrived in January 1840. The family story was that John's future wife (Anastasia Fitzpatrick) was still on board the ship at the docks in the company of her travelling companion, pointed John out from amongst the crowd of people and said "There is the man I am going to marry". Anastasia met John when she disembarked and John married Anastasia in September 1840 in Melbourne. Anastasia was born at Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1819.

John and Anastasia had eight children, but one daughter died in childhood. They initially lived in Melbourne, where the first six children were born, with John working as a plasterer and blacksmith. Their last two children, Thomas and William, were born at Hepburn, Victoria. About 1860 John and Anastasia moved to Heathcote South in Victoria and John had a blacksmith shop nearby at Tooborac. The blacksmith shop was subsequently sold to a son. John, Anastasia and three of their children moved back to Collingwood, Melbourne. John died in 1885 at Collingwood. Anastasia died in Brighton, Melbourne in 1892. They were both buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery in Parkville, Melbourne.

Source: Family Story by Julie Simpson on ancestry.com

Biography.

Muir Johnston CRAIG was the son of William McAllister CRAIG and Margaret JOHNSTON, born at Bothwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland on 27 July 1893. His father was a coal miner. In WW1 Muir looked after horses but was affected by mustard gas. After WWI he returned to Scotland and worked with coal mine horses.

In 1920 Muir married Janet Gilmour ALEXANDER at Bothwell. The couple had two sons (William 1920 and James 1922) before deciding to immigrate to New Zealand in 1924. The family moved to Ohai, Southland, where Muir worked in the coal mine. The couple had three more children: Mary (1926), Catherine and Jeanette. Muir had difficulty coping, no doubt a result of his experience in WWI, and spent the remainder of his life in Seacliff Mental Hospital near Dunedin.

Muir must have reported favorably on the mines at Ohai as his brother Philip moved to Ohai in 1926; his father and brothers John and David in 1927; his mother, two sisters Kate and Agnes, and brother Robert in 1928; and finally his older brother William and family in 1930. Muir's brothers were also coal miners. Coal production expanded at Ohai after 1925 when a railway was completed connecting Ohai to the rail network, making markets more accessible.

Muir died at Seacliff in 1945 and was buried in Wairio Cemetery, at Nightcaps, Southland. Janet died in 1968 and was buried with him.

Source: Notes by Cheryl Yates and conversation with Mel Craig.

BIOGRAPHY.

Nancy Margaret Tichborne (née Keedwell; 27 August 1942 ? 10 February 2023) was a New Zealand watercolour artist. She specialised in paintings of flowers; her work has appeared on calendars, diaries, cards and postage stamps in New Zealand and internationally.

Nancy was born in Levin on 27 August 1942 to Peggy (née Watkins) and Harvey Keedwell, and grew up in Hawera. She was the second of three daughters; her sisters were Mary Browne, a cookbook writer, and the food anthropologist Helen Leach. In 1952, the family moved to Dunedin and Nancy attended Otago Girls' High School. On leaving high school, she went to London on a scholarship and studied art at St Martin's School of Art from 1960 to 1962. In 1964, she returned to Dunedin for a short time and her work was included in an exhibition there. She then went on to work in Hong Kong as a fashion illustrator for the South China Morning Post and a fashion designer for an American fashion house between 1964 and 1965, before spending the next five years in England and Wales.

In 1963, Nancy met Bryan Tichborne ? at that time a soldier undertaking officer training at Sandhurst ? in Killarney, Ireland, and the couple married in Hong Kong in 1965. They had three sons.

In 1970, the Tichborne family returned to New Zealand and settled in Rotorua. Nancy worked part-time as an art teacher and collaborated with her sisters Helen Leach and Mary Browne on a series of cookbooks, providing the watercolour artwork for them. In 1984, Nancy and her husband Bryan founded the New Zealand Calendar Company, and started producing calendars with a New Zealand focus. Their first calendar featured fishing flies, and later titles featured flowers and cats. Their 39th and last calendar was produced in 2010.

In 1994, the couple moved to a property at French Farm, near Akaroa in Canterbury. Nancy established a garden there that in 2011 was designated a Garden of Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. The couple subsequently moved to a smaller property in Akaroa. In 1997, Nancy designed a series of postage stamps and a first day cover for New Zealand Post depicting vineyards of New Zealand. Her artwork was also used on stamps of Bhutan and the Pitcairn Islands. In the 1990s, Nancy released a series of DVDs on watercolour technique.In 2007, Nancy Tichborne was appointed patron of Watercolour New Zealand. She remained in that position for 12 years.

Nancy died at her home in Akaroa on 10 February 2023, at the age of 80.

Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org

Biography.

Sidney RICARDO was born at Jersey in the Channel Islands in 1819 according to Victorian Parliament records. Sidney and an older half-brother and half-sister were all subsequently baptized in London in 1820.

Sidney was 24 years old when he arrived in Port Phillip in 1843. He commenced a new life as a punt proprietor at Heidelberg, transporting people and goods across the Yarra River. After a few years, Sidney Ricardo had become established and married Lucretia Flint at Heidelberg in 1852. They had twelve children, with two dying soon after birth.

In 1856, moves were made to form a Roads Board at Templestowe. Sidney, who had come from the background of business London, had the knowledge to handle the formalities for such a move. He led the residents in petitioning the government and when the Templestowe Roads Board elections were held he topped the poll and became the first Chairman of the Board. For six years he was re-elected Chairman.

In 1858, Sidney Ricardo purchased an allotment (Farm 26) of almost 172 acres from Robert Campbell at a cost of £8000. This valuable riverfront land stretched back from the Templestowe Road to the Yarra. Sidney?s farm was at the bend of the river north of the present Banksia street bridge. It was ideal farming land with deep rich soil and the river to provide water; as a result excellent crops of potatoes and vegetables were grown. By 1860, Sidney's farm was reported by the Department of Agriculture to be the richest farm in South Bourke. Sidney Ricardo was reported to be the first farmer in Victoria to use irrigation on his crops.

Sidney tried two methods of irrigation and there were numerous reports in the press about the advantages and disadvantages. Considerable capital was required to establish irrigation, but with the gold rush, there was a ready and profitable market for the farm's produce: fruit, cabbages, cauliflower, potatoes, milk, fodder.

When elections were held for the first Victorian Parliament in 1856, a group of Templestowe men unsuccessfully nominated Sidney Ricardo for South Bourke. The next year when Pasley resigned, he was again nominated for the by-election. Hotels were used for most public functions and this also applied to elections. Sidney advertised that he would meet the electors to present his policy at "The Red Lion" and "Fletchers" hotels in Hawthorn and "The Malvern Hotel" at Gardiner. The poll was counted at the "Governor Hotham" hotel in Kew. He won this election with a large majority.

Sidney Ricardo was an outspoken radical who was off side with authority. His ideas fitted the needs of the small farmer. The demand to unlock the land that began at Eureka had reached a climax with the introduction of a bill which made no provision for the small farmer. Sidney was a small farmer and understood the problem.

The gold miners had been outspoken, but in the city people were more conservative. There was still a tendency to "doff the cap to authority". Sidney had the courage to he outspoken. He represented the small man of a few acres against the monopoly of the squatters. He spoke against the proposed land bill and for the interests of the agriculturalists. He said that "the prosperity of South Bourke consisted of the success of agricultural operation, and the advance of the colony is dependent on the advance of agriculture". He wanted to see the area around the gold fields divided into small agricultural holdings. He advocated a market for agricultural produce with two acres under cover for the farmers to exhibit their produce.

On 22 July 1857, Sidney Ricardo made his maiden speech. He said "The clause of the 'Land Bill' being debated that day was the most objectionable in the whole bill". He proceeded to detail what he believed to be the best way of dealing with crown land: repossession by the government from the squatters and subdivision into smaller runs, so that instead of six hundred squatters there should be many thousands, and that, in the re-division of the land, due should be had to the proposition of the agricultural interests. He advised the government to withdraw the bill.

Later the government planned to establish an experimental farm, the forerunner of the Burnley Horticultural College. They intended to import a skilled director from England. Sidney was a successful small farmer in contrast to his fellow members who were large land owners or business men. He was successful because he had learnt to farm under Australian conditions. He knew that an English director would only know English conditions. Parliament listened to Sidney and agreed to appoint an Australian director at a salary of £500 a year. Again Sidney leapt to his feet, this time in defense of the small man, for the labourers on the experimental farm were to be paid only £30 a year.

In August 1859 Sidney's term was up. He did not re-contest the seat for in some ways he was unsuited for the position. He could speak to a small group but was no orator and often members complained that they could not hear him. His farm and duties at Templestowe kept him busy. Twice he acted as Secretary to the Roads Board, and in the 1870's was appointed Secretary to the Templestowe Cemetery.

Farming on the river flats had its own problems. The river, which provided water for his irrigation during times of drought, destroyed crops in times of flood. A flood in December 1863 destroyed two of Sidney's workmen houses, flooded his steam engine and pumps used for irrigation, destroyed his potato crops (almost 50 acres) and orchard. The damage to crops was estimated as £1500. His potato and cabbage crops (80 acres) were again ruined in a flood in October 1866. A smaller flood in October 1869 spoiled some of his oat and potato crops.

In April 1869, Thomas John Dowd purchased 140 acres of Sidney's farm for £1000 (including the site of what is now Heide I). Sidney's circumstances changed and in 1876 he ran a hay and corn store in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Lucretia, his wife died in 1879 aged 49.

In April 1891 Sidney applied for admission to the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum as he had exhausted his resources. He had consistently made generous donations to the institution earlier in his life and was a life governor. He was admitted to the institution and lived there for the remainder of his life. Sidney died in 1896.

Source: Sidney Ricardo, Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society
Source: Doncaster and Templestowe Heritage Study Additional Research, Carlotta Kellaway, 1994
Source: Newspapers on Trove, https://trove.nla.gov.au (see attached "Documents")

Biography.

Biographical details of James Barnard (1787-1873) have been summarised by Heather Etteridge in a blog articles on - Great Ellingham One Place Study.

James Barnard was born at Roughton, Norfolk, in 1787, according to census records. No baptism record for James has been found for James. On 7th December 1817, James Barnard of Costessey and Sarah Rose of Great Ellingham married. Both James and Sarah were single and both signed the church register. The marriage was witnessed by James Barnard Senior and James Rose. The couple lived at Costessey until 1829 based on where three of their children were baptised and where their eldest daughter died. The couple had a further daughter and son while living at Bury Hall, Great Ellingham.

Census returns showed James Barnard and family resided at Bury Hall, Great Ellingham, in 1841 and 1851. In the 1851 census James is described as a 62 year old farmer of 251 acres and an employer of 11 men and 6 boys. Hunt & Co's Directory of E. Norfolk & parts of Suffolk, 1850, in the entry for Great Ellingham lists James Barnard as a corn merchant and farmer.

In the 1861 Census, James (farmer), Sarah, their youngest son William (farmer's son) and a servant resided at Burry Hall, Great Ellingham. Sarah died in 1968 and was buried in the Great Ellingham churchyard. The 1871 census shows William Barnard as a farmer of 236 acres employing 10 labourers and 2 boys. 82 year old James Barnard is living with his son. They had a housekeeper.

James Barnard died two years later on July 28th, 1873 and was buried with Sarah in the Great Ellingham churchyard.

Source: The Barnard Family of Bury Hall, Great Ellingham One Place Study, Posted on June 1, 2020 by Heather Etteridge.

Biography.

Biographical details of William Barnard have been summarised by Heather Etteridge in a blog articles on - Great Ellingham One Place Study.

William Barnard was born at Great Ellingham in 1835, the youngest son of James and Sarah Barnard. William had taken over running the 236 acre Bury Hall farm from his father by 1871 according to census data. His parents had been at Bury Hall in Great Ellingham since about 1830 based on the birthplace of his siblings. In 1879 William Barnard (44 years) married 29 year old Harriet Clarke. The couple had four children but only one survived beyond childhood.

In the 1881 census undertaken on 3 April 1881, William Barnard, was living at Bury Hall with his wife Harriet and two young sons, one year old James and three month old George William. William employed seven men and one boy on the 256 acre farm. The family also had a servant - local girl, thirteen year old Sarah Jane Reynolds. William was in the process of sorting out his financial difficulties at the time of the census.

At a General Meeting of William's Creditors in the Norwich County Court on the 25th January, 1881, it was resolved that:

• The affairs of William Barnard should be liquidated by arrangement not in bankruptcy.
• H J Ireland should carry on the farm (Bury Hall)
• The 12 year lease of the Bury Hall and farm which had been granted to William Barnard by Lord Walsingham (the property owner) in 1873 would be surrendered and varied to allow H J Ireland to carry on the farm.

.

It appears William and family moved from Burry Hall, Great Ellingham, to Attleborough in 1881 or 1882. The Norfolk Pubs website lists William Barnard as the licensee of The Swan Public House in Exchange Street, Attleborough between 1883 and 1885. William died in Attleborough on the 18th March, 1885. The registration of William Barnard's death gives his occupation as a Licensed Victualler. He was aged 49 and had been suffering from jaundice and congestion of the kidneys. Less than a year later, William Barnard's young widow, 31 year old Harriet Barnard died of consumption at The Hospital, Norwich on the 1st January 1886.

Source: William Barnard in Financial Difficulties at Bury Hall, Great Ellingham One Place Study, Posted on June 1, 2020 by Heather Etteridge.

BIOGRAPHY.

Stephene Lambert has a family tree on ancestry.com that provides information about Robert Wilson's parents and family. As indicated in the 1945 report of Robert's divorce from Chrissie Hoskin in Wanganui, his mother was named Annie Wilson. The 1948 Wanganui Electoral Roll has Robert Wilson (painter), Robert Wilson Junior (painter) and Annie Wilson (married) living at 145 Glasgow Street, Wanganui.

Based on the above it was concluded that Robert's parents were Robert and Annie Wilson, with Robert and Annie buried together in the Aramoho Cemetery, Wanganui. Stephene Lambert's research indicated that Robert and Annie Wilson immigrated to New Zealand with their six children on the S.S. Mahana in 1926. Robert was 16 years old when he left for New Zealand, giving a birth year of about 1910.

Robert married Chrissie Mayzie Hoskin in 1931 and according to the report of their divorce, they had two children. Robert served with the NZ Expeditionary Forces overseas in the second world war. While Robert was away, Chrissie moved in with Herman Joseph Lambert, who she married after being divorced.

After the war Robert moved back to his parents in Wanganui. Further examination of the Wanganui Electoral Rolls showed a Robert Wilson, painter, living at the same address as Moya Dorothy Wilson in the 1950s. Robert married Moya Dorothy Terrell in 1951. Moya died in 1982 and was buried in Aramoho Cemetery, Wanganui. Robert's death was found by examining the NZ Deaths online search to find a Robert Wilson, born about 1910 and who died after 1978, the last date Moya and Robert were recorded living together in the Wanganui Electoral Rolls. Based on this, Robert Wilson, painter, died in 1991 and was buried Hastings Cemetery.

BIOGRAPHY.

The following information is from a 2015 interview of Frederick (Fred) Rawhiti Bradshaw published on Hawke's Bay Knowledge Bank (Hawke's Bay Digital Archives Trust).

BIOGRAPHY

Alban George Rushbrooke, the first child of Ernest Edwin Rushbrooke and Ellen Sarah Wright, was born on 7 Aug 1885 in Great Ellingham, Norfolk, England. His father was a farmer who lived at Bury Hall in Great Ellingham. Alban migrated to New Zealand with his parents and family in 1897 on the steamship Ionic when he was 12 years old.

Alban had an argument with his father on the voyage to New Zealand when he discovered his Aunt Alice was pregnant with his father's child. Alban worked as a teamster in Auckland and subsequently in the Waikato. Alban had a natural ability to work with horses.

Alban and his brother Ernest developed farms adjacent to their parent's property at Te Mawhai near Te Awamutu. Their sister Phyllis looked after them. Alban built a house at Te Mawhai for his bride and himself. He married Elinor McLaren on 15 August 1914 at Manawaru in the Waikato. Elinor (known as Nellie) was the second child and first daughter of Elizabeth Sarah Duxfield and Thomas McLernon, born on 14 April 1891 in Devonport, Auckland.

Within days of Alban and Elinor returning from their honeymoon, Alban began vomiting blood. He had an aneurysm in his stomach. After three months they moved to Manawaru and lived with Elinor's family. In 1921 Alban purchased a business in Te Aroha with stables, wood and coal merchandising and horse haulage. Alban died in August 1933 at Te Aroha, aged 47, leaving a young family of one son and four daughters.



Elinor's son Jim ran the wood and coal merchant business after Alban died. Elinor raised her family in Te Aroha. In about 1956 Elinor moved to Hamilton, purchasing a house next to her youngest daughter Ena. In 1963 she moved to Auckland having purchased a house close to Ena and her family. She died on 20 March 1971 in Auckland. Both Alban and Nellie were buried in Te Aroha.

BIOGRAPHY

Alban Rushbrooke, seventh son of Thomas Allen Rushbrooke and Maria Hardy was born in 1820 in Scoulton, Norfolk. He is one of the most interesting men in the Rushbrooke family. In 1841, the date of the first Census in Great Britain, Alban was 20 years old living at home and working on his father's farm. Six of his sisters were also living at home together with a sizeable staff of servants. By 1851, Alban was the Farm Bailiff and three of his sisters were still at home. The next ten years saw many changes in the Rushbrooke household at Scoulton. Thomas Allen and Maria died in 1855/56 together with their daughter Harriet in 1859. The other two sisters left home. Alban took over the farm (lease) following his father's death and he married Berthalina Norton in 1856. The Norton family lived at Scoulton Hall and Berthalina was Alban's cousin. She quickly produced two sons, Alban and Ernest, but regrettably she died in childbirth at the age of 25. It is reported that Alban was grief stricken at the loss of his wife, and mourned her for many years.

By 1861, Alban was a very prosperous widower. He had also taken over the neighbouring property, Abergavenny Farm, and he now had 630 acres, employed 24 labourers, 9 boys and 2 women. His household consisted of two sons aged 3 and 4, supported by a housekeeper, nursemaid, various other household servants, a groom and even a boot boy. He had become the most important man in Scoulton.

Fifteen years were to pass before a new era dawned. At the age of 54, Alban took to himself a new wife Elvina Margaret Brown. Elvina was born in 1853 in Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk. She was the eldest daughter of the local gamekeeper, James Brown, and it is reported that she was a very beautiful woman. Alban first asked for her hand when she was 18, but James Brown refused to give his blessing. They married in 1874 in Norwich when she was 21, having produced a child out of wedlock. Alban and Elvina had a further 8 children in the next 12 years.

Alban retired at 62 and moved to Great Ellingham Hall which is a very beautiful moated house. In his retirement he produced his last two children. He died in Scoulton of influenza aged 74 in the presence of his son Clement, and is buried with his first wife Berthalina at Scoulton. His death marked the end of the Rushbrooke connection with Scoulton, not one of his children continued to live in the village of their birth. It is also interesting to note his alter type grave stone records his wife as Berthalina Norton not Rushbrooke. On the opposite end of the stone there is the most appropriate epitaph, "We bring our lives to a close, like a tale that is told".

After the death of Alban, Elvina went to live with her son Cecil Rushbrooke and his wife Margaret Olive. Elvina died 21 years later at Besthorpe near Attleborough in the presence of Margaret at the age of 63. Her marriage to Alban ended in acrimony. Following Alban's death she refused to have anything to do with his estate, she signed everything over to Alban, his eldest son by Berthalina. She lived in poverty for the rest of her life.

Source: The Rushbrooke Family a manuscript by the late Michael A Rushbrooke, Lavenham, Suffolk, 2000.

Since the above research was done, details of Alban's bankruptcy have been found. On the 16 August 1881 Alban wrote to his largest creditor, noting that nothing had happened after he signed a petition the previous week. His farming property was sold in October 1881, including: 12 horses, 2 milking cows, carriages, farm implements, harness, a large quantity of building material, wheelwright's stuff, the contents of Carpenter's shop, several lots of old iron and miscellaneous effects. Sheep and cattle grazing on the farm, owned by neighbours, were also sold at the sale. Many farms in Norfolk were severely affected in the 1870s by a long depression of the agricultural economy. This possibly explains the reduction in farming activity between the 1871 and 1881 census, followed by eventual bankruptcy.

BIOGRAPHY

Albert Ernest Trueman was born in 1908 in Palmerston North, the fifth son of Alfred William Trueman and Clara Fullford. Although he was recorded Albert Ernest on his birth registration, he was recorded as Ernest Edward on his marriage and death registration.

In 1938 Albert married Gladys Amelia Hook. Albert worked for the NZ Railways as a labourer. Albert and Gladys lived in Palmerston North most of their married life. In 1974 Albert died in Palmerston North and was buried in the Kelvin Grove Cemetery. Gladys died in 1999 and was buried with Albert.

BIOGRAPHY

Alice Mary Wright, the younger sister of Ellen Sarah Wright, was born in 1861 at Great Ellingham, Norfolk, England. At the 1881 Census she was working as a drapers assistant in Ipswich, Suffolk. At the 1891 Census she was living with her sister Sarah and brother-in-law Ernest Rushbrooke at Great Ellingham, employed as their mother's help. Alice became pregnant to Ernest Rushbrooke and moved to New Zealand in 1897 with the Rushbrooke household and her brother James. After the birth of her daughter Mary Louisa Rushbrooke on arrival in New Zealand, Alice moved to Auckland and lived with her brother James. James Wright, on arriving in New Zealand, obtained work as a grocers salesman in Auckland. By 1928 he was a manager. Alice and James lived at various locations in Auckland. Alice died in 1941 aged 80.

Alice's daughter, Mary Louisa, was raised as a member of her sister's household and used the surname Rushbrooke.

BIOGRAPHY

Alice Matilda Berkahn, the second daughter of Chris Berkahn and Matilda Beck, was born in 1900 in Waipawa. In 1918 she married James Andersen, the son of Sven Anderson and Nia Maggie Nielsen. James was a labourer according to electoral rolls. Alice and James lived in Ormondville and had six children. James died in 1938 aged 42. Alice died in 1964 and was buried in Norsewood with James.

BIOGRAPHY

Alice May Trueman was born in 1881 in Wellington. Alice attended school in Wellington (Te Aro Infants School - 1885, Mt Cook Girls School - 1898). In 1903 Alice married Alfred Rhodes. Alice and Alfred lived in Wanganui and had eight children. Alfred was a carrier (carter) in Wanganui. Alfred died in 1938 and Alice in 1970, both being buried in Wanganui.

BIOGRAPHY

Allan Frank Cullen Heavey, third son of James and Fanny Heavey, was born in in 1915 in Woodville. In 1939 he married Elva Margaret Trass. They had two daughters.

Allan worked in the dairy industry, first as a cheese maker at Bunnythorpe, then as a foreman, and a factory manager at Edgecumbe and Katikati. He finished his career as a laboratory technician in Tauranga.

Elva died in 1974 in Tauranga and was buried there. Allan remarried after Elva's death and moved to Hamilton. Allan died in 2005.

BIOGRAPHY

Allen J. J. Willson was a twin, born in 1844 at Gloucestershire, England, and ran away to sea when 12 years old, joining the Captain's family on a ship. His father tried to find him but communications were very difficult in those days. Then it was discovered that the ship had been wrecked and all were presumed drowned. However Allen Willson was picked up by a passing ship and went on to the East continuing his life at sea trading. He became 2nd officer. Eventually in the course of trading, Allen was in Auckland ready to sail after reloading when one of the deckhands got his arm caught in a winch and needed to see a Doctor.

Allan rushed the deckhand off to nearest Doctor who ordered the patient to be hospitalised and told Allen he would have to sail without the deckhand. The Doctor asked Allan to sign some paperwork and was shocked to see the signature, A.J.J. Willson. The doctor checked for a birthmark on Allan's back and found his long lost son!! The Doctor was William Willson who was a Homeopathic Physician in Auckland in the 1860's. There was a great but brief reunion and Allan promised to visit again on next trip to NZ. Unfortunately Dr Willson had died by then.

Not long after finding his father in Auckland, Allan met Eleanor Myers when dining with his Captain at Tasmania. Eleanor was daughter of the hosts. Eleanor's mother and uncle, Joseph Lazarus, were the licensees of the Waterloo Hotel in Hobart, about two blocks from the docks on the corner of Davey and Murray Streets from November 1856 until 1859. Eleanor was affianced (engaged) to a Jew by arrangement but not of her choosing. On the next visit to Hobart by Allan, the couple eloped and were married in Nelson, New Zealand on 22 November 1871. Eleanor made Allan give up his international sea life so he bought a schooner and traded down the West Coast of the South Island from Nelson. Eleanor's first three children (William 1872, Edith 1875 and Allan 1876)) were born at Riwaka where she had a little shop while Allan traded on the West Coast.

Unfortunately the Allan's schooner was wrecked on rocks and because it was not insured, could not be replaced. The family moved to Wellington where Allan worked at R. Hannah & Co.'s Boot Shop. The couples next three children (Lilian 1879, Eleanor 1881 and Eliza 1883) were born in Wellington. Allan was selected to manage a new store for Hannah & Co. in Gisborne, on the corner of Peel Street and Gladstone Road. Thirza, the seventh child in the family was born at Gisborne in 1885. Hannah's store opened in October 1884 but was sold in 1887 after moving to smaller premises, business not being of the volume expected by the owners. Allan Willson began selling boots and shoes on his own account in Gisborne on 12 March 1887, but he closed his business in August 1887. Allan and Eleanor then took over the general store/post office at Te Arai, Manutuke, where they had the rest of their family (Henry 1887, Ruth 1889, Naomi 1891).

In 1916 Allan and Eleanor retired and moved to Gisborne. Allan died in 1922 and Eleanor in 1930. They were buried in Makaraka Cemetery.

OBITUARY

BIOGRAPHY

Annie Elizabeth Trueman, eldest daughter of Alfred William Trueman and Elizabeth Ann Humphreys, was born in Wellington in 1878. She attended school between 1883 and 1889 in Te Aro, Wellington.

Annie married George Robinson about 1898 in Wellington. They had ten children. In 1928 Annie and George were living at Orini in the Waikato where they were sharemilking. George died in 1932 and Annie in 1941. They are both buried in Morrinsville.

BIOGRAPHY

Annie Jones was born in Woodville in 1901, the seventh child of David Jones and Emily Mist. Annie married Joseph Andrew Hunt in 1920. Joseph was the son of John Haines and Elizabeth Hunt, a Banks Peninsula couple who had settled at Ruawhata to farm. Annie and Joseph had ten children. They lived and farmed in the Pahiatua district, living at Ruawhata and later in Pahiatua.

Annie and Joseph had separated in 1954, Annie living in Wellington and Joseph remaining in Pahiatua. They eventually divorced between 1957 and 1960 according to Archives NZ records. Joseph died in 1962 at Masterton. Annie remarried in Wellington and married Hubert Rafferty in 1965. Annie died in 1978 at Wellington and was cremated. Hubert died in 1987.

I would be grateful if you can provide information on Annie and her descendants. These notes were updated after it was discovered that I had confused her death with Annie Marion Hunt, a spinster from Rongotea, not realising that Annie had divorced Joseph Hunt and remarried.

BIOGRAPHY

Annie Spurdle, the youngest daughter of Oliver Spurdle and Maria Litherland, was born 1868 in Waitara. She died when 18 years old, in Waitara, and is buried in Waitara cemetery.

Source: Janette Howe and Robyn Spurdle published Spurdle Heritage for the 1992 Spurdle family reunion. The above information, by Carrol Crandall, is extracted from that publication. The book contains considerably more detail. Copies of the book are held at many New Zealand libraries.

BIOGRAPHY

Arthur Alfred Trueman was born in Wellington 1899, son of Alfred William Trueman and Clara Fullford. He was a driver mechanic. Arthur married Emily Grace Waters in 1923 and the couple lived in Levin most of their married life. The couple had four daughters. Arthur died at home in Hereford Street, Levin in 1956 and was buried in Levin Cemetery. Emily died in 1988 and was also buried in Levin.

BIOGRAPHY

Arthur Edward Mortleman was the fifth child of William Hubert Mortleman (1817-1887) and Isabella Catherine Fleming (1821-1901), born at Folkestone, England in 1856. As noted in his Obituary below, Arthur immigrated to Canterbury in the 1870's and worked on a farm at Lyttelton.

In February 1882 Arthur obtained a 137 acre section of standing bush at Awatuna, South Taranaki, with deferred payment and a requirement to make progressive improvements. The road to the section, Oeo Road, had not been cleared of forest. In July 1884 Arthur obtained a contract fell the bush for 40-50 chain (1 km) along part of the surveyed road to his property and make the a 16 foot (4.9 m) wide roadway. Payment, 17 shillings per chain, was to be made the following March when funds became available. Arthur cleared his land and began dairy farming.

In 1893 Arthur returned to Canterbury to get married to Elizabeth Flemming. The couple had five children while living at Awatuna, with the older children attending Awatuna School. In 1899 Arthur was elected as a director for the Awatuna Co-operative Dairy Company and in 1900 to the Waimate Road Board that had responsibility for local roads. In June 1899 Arthur was appointed Justice of the Peace for Awatuna. The family planned to move to Gisborne and in July 1903 the dairy herd (85 cows and heifers) was sold. However, it was another two years before the Awatuna farm was sold and a clearing sale was held on 8 August 1905. After a farewell function on 31 October at Awatuna the Mortleman family departed for Gisborne, arriving on 4 November on the SS Zealandia.

The Mortleman family settled at Makari where another two children were born. Elizabeth was killed in a road accident in 1914, leaving Arthur with seven children aged 2-10 years. Arthur was elected to the Waikohu County Council for two terms, from 1911 to 1917, representing the Motu Riding. In 1918 Arthur married Minnie Stevens, a widow from Makari. In 1936 Arthur and Minnie travelled to Canada and then England before returning to New Zealand. Minnie died in 1937 at Napier Hospital after a long illness. After Minnie's death Arthur moved to Matawai where his sons were farming his properties.

Prior to arrival in Gisborne, on 16 October 1905, the Land Board approved the transfer of 1000 acres at what is now Matawai from James White to Arthur Mortleman. The farm was partly cleared and was carrying over a thousand sheep. Robert J. Fleming managed the Matawai farm for a number of years until the Mortleman family moved to Matawai. In 1912 sections for the township of Matawai were subdivided from the farm and sold in anticipation of the arrival of the railway line.

In January 1917 the 743 acre property, "Burn Brae", was purchased at Matawai from John J. H. Marshall by Arthur in partnership with Robert J and Richard Fleming. The farm was sold in 1919 to Robert L and Donald C Gray, but Arthur retained a financial interest. The Gray brothers abandoned the land and defaulted on the mortgages, leaving Arthur in dispute with the Public Trustee over the debt. After a court case that went to the Court of Appeal at Wellington in 1928, Arthur paid the debts and resumed farming the property.

Arthur moved from Matawai to Opotiki in 1944 and died there in 1946. He was buried with Elizabeth at Makaraka.

BIOGRAPHY

Aubrey Roy McLernon was born in Montreal, Canada in 1919. He was educated at Lower Canada College, Trinity College and McGill University (Engineering student). He volunteered for the Canadian Air Force on 29 January 1940 and was trained at No. 1 SFTS until 19 August 1940 when he was passed on to No. 22 OUT for further training. He was then posted to a squadron. On 15 June 1943 he was promoted to Flight Commander at No. 434 Squadron.

On 24 August 1943 Pilot Squadron Leader Roy Aubrey McLernon, RCAF, was flying over Denmark with an aircrew of seven after having successfully bombed Berlin when the aircraft was attacked by a German night fighter. Fire spread through the aircraft and McLernon ordered the crew to bail out. Three of the crew were captured by the Germans and were prisoners for the remainder of the war, three died, one in the fighter attack and two after landing in the sea, and Roy McLernon was assisted by the resistance to escape from Mandø to neutral Sweden. He was flown to England where he arrived on 21 September 1943.

After returning to England he continued flying and ended with 31 sorties over Germany. On 13 June 1944 it could be read in The London Gazette that he had been awarded "The Distinguished Flying Cross" because "This Officer has taken part in many successful sorties and has displayed skill, gallantry and resolution of a high order. His example has been most inspiring and has contributed in a large measure to the operational efficiency of the squadron." The medal was presented to him on 8 November 1944. When he had flown 31 sorties McLernon was promoted to Wing Commander, to become the Commander of an air base in which capacity he served until the end of the war.

Roy married Phyllis Morrisey while in the Air Force, in 1942. The couple had four children. Phyllis died in 1982 and Roy remarried in 1990. Roy died in 1994 at Montreal. 

BIOGRAPHY

Audrey Netta Hawke (1898-1979) married Douglas Redpath in 1922 and later, in 1928, Thomas Taplin, a much liked and respected contract driver. After Tom died, Audrey worked for the Health Department in Nelson, later transferring to Head Office, Wellington, where she worked in mental health. Audrey died in Lower Hutt in 1979. Audrey had a daughter, Joan (June), who was adopted by her parents William and Adelaide Hawke in 1921.

Source: Audrey Netta (Hawke) Taplin (1898 - 1979) on WikiTree, Peter Sowman profile manager.