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
The death occurred to-day of a highly respected resident of the district, Mr. Allen J. J. Willson, who arrived in Gisborne many years ago. He was born in Gloucestershire, and was 78 years of age. He had enjoyed splendid health generally, but a few weeks ago contracted a heavy cold, which at his age he could not shake off. He was a son of Dr. W. Willson, of Invercargill, and arrived in New Zealand when 22 years of age. He came to Gisborne originally as manager for Messrs. Hannah and Co., and subsequently was for a considerable period engaged in farming and storekeeping at Te Arai and later resided in Gisborne. He took a keen interest, in educational matters and was much liked by a wide circle of friends. The body will be interred privately at Makaraka cemetery. He was a twin brother of Mr. W. Willson, of Wellington, who predeceased him by three years. He leaves a widow and grown-up family - Mrs. Tom Preston (Manutuke), Mrs. C. Matthews (Mangapapa), Mrs. P. Peddle (Motu), Mrs. Jas. Campbell (Ngatapa), and Mrs. T. J. Harris, Junr. (Hangaroa), Mesrs. W. G. Willson (Westport), Allan J. Willson (Waerenga-o-kuri), and Henry E. Willson (Waikohu).
Source: Poverty Bay Herald, 8 July 1922, Page 8
Chris Korte's New Zealand Genealogy Project
1844 - 1922 (78 years)
Has 4 ancestors and 83 descendants in this family tree.
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