Genealogy New Zealand

Family Chart Display

2011-08-20T13:35:00.000+12:00

Recently we had the great honour of celebrating a person's 100th birthday. To get the wider family together without it being a funeral was very attractive.

I took the opportunity to display the research I'd finished to the wider family. They'd known I was up to this for years but were content to leave it up to me. I've had such fun.

To make it easy to follow, my son did up this chart for display and it was a hit. The chart was done in Adobe Illustrator and printed professionally A2 size. You might like to copy the format he did it in.

Te Kopuru School Photo 1908

2011-08-20T13:17:00.000+12:00

I found this old photo in a second hand shop many years ago. I donated it to a museum. Last year, I tried to find it again in museum libraries but didn't locate it. The photo was annotated on the back with all the children's names. I thought it was quite a find.

Here is a copy since I can't locate the original one sent out to Betty Powell at the Waipu Museum in 2003.

Sheep Scab

2011-04-07T08:23:00.000+12:00

Scab is one of the most contagious of diseases sheep can suffer from and the disease arrived very early in New Zealand's history with flocks imported from Australia. It makes the poor sheep miserable, they lose weight, wool and condition.

The Provincial Councils issued fines, the sheep were branded and had to remain half a mile for the property boundary. Usually if one sheep was found with the mite, the whole flock was assumed to have it. The disease had an enormous impact on the profit of a sheep run.

John Acland and Charles Tripp were in a partnership running sheep on a pastoral lease in South Canterbury and the book 'Sheep Part 2' by P.G. Stevens has an interesting story:-

For a time in 1855-1856, Tripp and Acland ran the sheep they bought on terms from Moorhouse. Some years after that the Shepherds Bush sheep became scabby for a time, which the Mt Peel sheep never did. Sheep seldom crossed the Rangiatata unless driven over. Acland told me (Secretary of Agriculture), that very early one morning he saw a dog chase a sheep across the river on to the Mt Peel side. The sheep ran up the river-bed towards the gorge. Acland hurried back to the homestead and got several shepherds, and they rode up the run, rounding up every mob they met, to find the Shepherds Bush sheep and kill it before it could infect the Mt Peel sheep. After riding for several hours and looking through many hundred sheep, they found the straggler, caught and killed him and in half an hour he was cooking on the fire.

The author goes on to explain the movement of sheep in the South Island from the very early settlements, discusses the various breeds, their historical origins and their importation into New Zealand.

The Founder of Christchurch

2011-04-05T17:56:00.000+12:00

John Robert Godley's statue, upturned in the earthquake, had a time capsule inside which the museum is going to carefully unfurl and read. We will have to wait for the results.

He spent two and half years as Canterbury Associates Settlement Scheme head and preceded the 3500 settlers the scheme had attracted. He was against squatters and was a free marketeer.

Reading the story of the Hay's of Pigeon Bay today in the Freelance, August 13th, 1952, Douglas Cresswell said;

John Robert Godley was determined to make Canterbury an exclusive Church of England settlement and did his utmost to have the early Scottish settlers evicted from their holdings. However, after a great deal of trouble Mr Hay obtained written assurance from Sir George Grey, the Governor at the time, that they should not be deprived of their holdings, and Godley reluctantly had to give in.

The Hay's had arrived on the Bengal Merchant and had spent two fruitless years on the beach at Petone waiting for the fledgling government to open some land up for them. Taking matters into their own hands, they and two more families (Sinclairs and Deans), moved to the Canterbury region with the blessings of Colonel Wakefield in 1842.

Some of this information came from an online article by John Nimmo, journalist. who wrote it on the 9th of February 2011.

West Coast Gold Map

2011-04-05T16:13:00.000+12:00

If you get confused geographically when reading about the gold rushes like I do, this map will help. I found it at the Inangahua Museum. Click on the image to get a readable version.

Dunedin Museums

2011-04-05T16:02:00.000+12:00

On my recent trip to the South Island, I had an afternoon free in Dunedin on a Saturday. The Settlers Museum was closed to the public. According to their website, it re-opens at the end of 2012. So I went instead to the Otago Museum near the university.

Sad to say, its more a children's museum and I very quickly ran out of interest there.

Back on the street, it was a different matter. Lots of interesting stuff going on. As I supped my flat white from the excellent museum cafe and chattered to Americans off a cruise ship in port, a parade of outrageously costumed students were walking by and I assumed they were so wonderfully attired because they were to attend the rugby match that evening at Carisbrook.

The next day as we cruised the city, we came across a scene we instantly thought was a murder scene, police, red tape, cordoned street etc. I stopped and spoke to a gentleman riding his bike - he said it was the annual student party, traditionally held in Hyde street. Some of them were still at it. Here's a photo for you. Ah to be young again.

Ancient remains at Whakatane

2011-04-02T17:27:00.000+13:00

Excavation done by the Whakatane Borough Council has uncovered evidence that much of the present site of the town was once overrun by sea. Skeletons of two or three human beings, which crumbled into dust when touched, were uncovered. Obviously they were of great age. Last year other ancient human remains were discovered near the Whakatane District Hospital.

Particularly interesting about these was the shape of the head of one which sloped back sharply from the eyebrows unlike the usual Maori or European head-structures. The skull seems to have belonged to a person with distinct Negroid facial characteristics.

Similar findings in Whakatane in recent years indicate that the natural features around the town have seen tremendous change and that the district is on one of the oldest and most densely populated by the early Maori.

-New Zealand Freelance 18th July 1951 page 34.
I wonder how reliable this tale is? No author noted.

Lyttleton Museum Rescue

2011-04-01T23:02:00.000+13:00

The building housing the museum was extensively damaged in the February 22 earthquake. It was red stickered. But unlike those buildings in the 'red zone' in the centre of Christchurch, 25% of the artefacts were rescued with the help of the local fire brigade and the air force. It is hoped that all the artefacts will eventually be recovered. One of the ways they did this was to use a steel tunnel.

Although I'm really pleased this happened, it does not explain the actions of civil defence which put safety first before material possessions on such a grand scale that central business interests are prevented from retrieving the goods and information which will enable Christchurch to recover economically.

Surely it can't be history before 'meals on the table'.

I would not be surprised if Christchurch National Archives is given all the help they need to keep their records safe. Could it be that the values CD use to assess risk are weighed in favour of non-business activities? We will have to wait and see.

Lawrence and Gabriel's Gully

2011-03-31T16:46:00.000+13:00

Recently there was a weekend celebration held at Gabriels Gully and the organisers were absolutely amazed at the interest they encountered. Crowds of people. I only found about it when travelling through Balcutha on Monday the 21st and finding the town virtually closed. Everyone was at Lawrence for the celebrations.

However I was able to visit Balcutha again on Tuesday and stopped at the South Otago Museum. The part-time curator, Gary Ross was back from his duties at the celebrations, full of enthusiasm as usual. He said he'd made many contacts who had gold mining information in their families. The subject of Otago Gold Mining is still to be fully researched and any private information will be safe with Gary.

Later on in the week we encountered more comments from people about Lawrence. One was that Lawrence could be another Arrowtown - a fine tourist attraction. It's not there yet but the townspeople are enthusiastic about the idea, even to arguing over who gets what history going.

The date Gabriel Read walked from Evans Flat over a spur into a back valley and followed a creek, dug a hole with a butchers knife and struck gold was the 20th May 1861. Besides the gold he picked up, he won an award for £1000 offered by the Otago Provincial Council for finding a payable gold field.

In the short time I was visiting with Gary Ross, he managed to tell me some amazing stories, I wish I'd had more time to spend with him.

Site Statistics

2011-03-31T10:33:00.000+13:00

A milestone is just about to happen for this site, 25,000 page views since its inception. I'm very pleased that New Zealand history is a subject that people like to read about and genealogy as a hobby is in good shape. Thank you all for your comments and support.

Since the beginning on the 7th of June 2010, I've published 225 articles.

Most people arrive here via google search or twitter

The most popular posts are;

NZ BDM death records

Timaru in the Freelance 1926

From the records, a happy ending

Hospital records

Births, Deaths and Marriages NZ

Salvation Army Archives

Spot the error in this Intentions To Marry record

Porirua Lunatic Asylum records

Sampling the Auckland Court Records part 1

Bibliography of published NZ family histories

Some church's in the South Island

2011-03-30T23:27:00.000+13:00

Christchurch churches took a hammering in the latest earthquake and everybody laments that. Elsewhere in the South Island are still many fine examples of English buildings, some charming ones hidden away and others on the main highways. We photographed a few. Please feel free to copy these photos for your own use.

Seacliff Church

Oamaru Anglican Church

Church of St Andrews at Maheno

Hampden Presbyterian Church

Oamaru Catholic Church

Waikari Anglican Church of the Ascension

St Johns Anglican Church Westport

Port Chalmers Church

South Island farming folk

2011-03-30T17:21:00.000+13:00

I turned up at a cross-roads yesterday in North Canterbury to photograph what was left of a small settlement where my grandmother was born. I'd always wanted to see it although I knew there was nothing much there. The only building was an engineering workshop. While I was taking the photos, the proprietor came over to ask why and I told him my little story. Oh, he says, my wife knows all the history around here, I'll get her.

The wife listened and told me I needed to speak with Mrs B and phoned her then got in our car and all drove up to Mrs B farm. Mrs B said we needed to see the local museum (I didn't know they had one), and phoned Bill. Bill opened the museum for us and told us we should see Mrs S and phoned her for us. So off we went to Mrs S. Mrs S gave us coffee and cake, the school roles and lots of interesting talk. She said we should see Mr C who lived over the road from the grange where my grandmother was born. My husband, bemused by all this drove me to meet Mr C.

Mr C hopped in the car and directed us to big paddock which we drove through to some trees in the distance. Here was the house he said, I remember it clearly, a four bedroom house with a sod cottage beside it, it was pulled down finally in 1951. It was on a block a mile square leased off the church he thought. My father told me about your gguncle, he was a bit of a weasel around home etc! But you should really back track to see Mr and Mrs H. So leaving him there, we did back track about 20km's and the H's who of course had been phoned by now, were expecting us. Here we had more coffee and cake in the big farmhouse and out came the photos.

What a wonderful, welcoming and interesting venture into the heartland of Canterbury.

Inangahua

2011-03-30T14:16:00.000+13:00

Travelling through here the other day brought a lovely surprise. The museum was open, gold coin donation. It wasn't like other museums and I appreciate diversity. Full marks to the history lovers of Inangahua.
Three subjects caught my eye. The first was the earthquake on the 24th of May 1968 which shattered the town.The second was some excellent information on West Coast goldmining rushes.

The third was a lovely story about one family of settlers. (One of many you can view there).

Peter Mangos was born on the Island of Siros, south east of Greece.

He arrived in New Zealand on a German sailing Ship at Lyttelton in the 1840's and spoke five languages, English not being his best effort. He was extraordinarily strong and walked over the Otira gorge to Buller and built a business barging goods up the dangerous Buller river to the gold miners. He expanded to six boats and charged fifty pounds a ton. In the 1870's he opened a store at the Lyell. He then built a hotel from scratch in 1878 which he furnished with a grand piano and a billiard table. He was well liked and honest but with a short temper. He entertained guests by walking down the narrow bent staircase of his hotel on his hands and was a great cook.

At age 42, Peter (Demetrius Nicolas Mangos) married Mary Ann Williams in 1878. Mary was aged 16, the daughter of a constable, just out of convent school in Nelson, in an arranged marriage. They had 14 children. Mary was very devout and would pray before leaving the house. Peter died in 1901.

Karamea

2011-03-30T12:50:00.000+13:00

Karamea is the northernmost town on the West Coast of the South Island and is on the same latitude as Picton and a little higher than Wellington and is just over an hour's drive (100 km) from Westport. It's also the end of the famous Heaphy Track.

The Museum didn't open until the afternoon, so I missed this delight and instead went to their tiny library and spoke to the girl in charge that day.

Since earthquakes are topical, we chatted about Christchurch and got around to the 'Murchison earthquake' on the 17th of June 1929, which according to her history lessons should have been called the 'Karamea earthquake' since it was nearer to their town than further south. Silt from the shattered hills filled the river mouth and shut off transport by sea forever, their major transport route. The only alternative was a road route opened in June 1916 but the earthquake damaged this and it was not operational for a year. I guess it was back to pack horses for a while. South of the town had a small forest on the flats. The earthquake heaved these trees up and dumped them down breaking their roots and the forest died. But no people died in Karamea like they did at Murchison and I don't think they mind it being named the 'Murchison earthquake'.

The first settlers to Karamea arrived on the 'Charles Edward' to Nelson on the 27th of November 1874. They were part of the Vogel scheme of 'special settlements'. The land they were first alloted on a high plateau turned out to have an impervious layer and nothing grew. So much hardship. They later discovered that the Karamea River Flats were fertile and settled there. Today, farming is still the major economic force and for others it is difficult to make a living and about a quarter of the population turn over every five years or so. But such a lovely climate and the isolation will always tempt people to replace those leaving.

The Karamea Museum is open 1 to 4pm Wednesday to Saturday but can be arranged for other times. Price $3 for adults, $1 for children over 5yrs.

Waipu Museum

2011-03-15T16:52:00.000+13:00

I visited this museum recently while on holiday. If you like Scottish history, you would love this museum where you can follow the trek of some Scottish families across the globe to the area. They say on their website that they are eager to collect the records of people in the area and that if you have a connection to the settlers from Nova Scotia, they can provide a lot of information.

They also have a selection of history books for sale, some I hadn't seen before.

Christchurch earthquake

2011-03-10T10:14:00.000+13:00

A lot of people outside of Christchurch should be reviewing the safety of their history treasures after witnessing such a tremendous natural assault on one of New Zealand's leading cities. Who would have thought Christchurch was in such danger?

Of all the nations in the world, I think New Zealander's are the most serious about our connections in history, for being a nation of immigrants and being so far from anywhere, people have felt a little isolated.

How much personal data has been lost in the quake? It's possible that years of research could be gone in some homes. It's too early to even contemplate or reflect on it beyond these few comments, more important considerations have to be concentrated on. Poor Christchurch residents.

For the rest of us, living in these tremulous islands, its a reminder. Use any means to upload data onto the Internet or share it out among family to ensure its survival. Don't hoard it, share it.

Subjective history

2011-03-06T12:21:00.000+13:00

For a non-academic like me, subjective history is difficult to accept, I often miss the clues which should get me thinking more deeply.

One dictionary describes the meaning of the word subjective as; based on somebody's opinions or feelings rather than on facts or evidence.

There has been a move happening for some time to present Maori history in a better light. The wholesome clean, green, New Zealand image it seems, needs this enhancement and Maori, who are nearly always at the bottom of every statistic, have a need to enjoy their heritage more. For a bit more on that, you can read Ranginui Walker's changes at the Auckland War Memorial Museum over the past ten years.

Recently, I was challenged over the presentation of some of my own (non-academic) family history work which I've presented on the Internet for all to see. This was done is a very nice way and I do appreciate that anyone cares enough to try and correct it. The problem was about a conclusion I'd made based on the evidence presented. A common enough problem. I was surprised however, by the reason for the requested change - that a group were attempting to change the whole public perception of a person's life using a bit of judicious censorship. Of course, it can easily be done but should it be? Jury is out on this one.

Paul Moon's book, "The Horrid Practice", is a good example as well. Not the book itself, but the reaction to it by a group of academics. I'm reading this at the moment and am about half way through. It is an easier read than I expected and no nodding off passages so far. But it is controversial in that cannibalism was so badly thought of by the colonial people who first arrived that it seemed Maori were demonised for it for years and the subject got dropped from public view after a time. Paul has been attacked for bringing it back into focus explaining that yes, it was a part of Maori culture so why ignore it.

Many of you will have your own views on whether or not, history needs censorship. Whether its just forgetting to add that person's death information to your tree because of the nature of the death, or welcoming a revisionist slant on the history of a whole nation.

Talking about postcards, here is Onehunga

2011-03-06T12:00:00.000+13:00

I've been a part-time collector of New Zealand postcards for about 10 years now. Postcards like any other hobby, waxes and wanes in popularity. When I first started it was waxing, now it seems to be getting a little less popular and this could be because of price increases. The rarer cards are getting very expensive and it's difficult to find a bargain.

Usually a person collects a theme. My subjects have been the Coromandel Peninsula and its towns, schools and hospitals around New Zealand and Auckland suburbs.

The National Library and local libraries have good collections for us to look at and copies are available. But bear in mind that there seems to be vast private collections in New Zealand.

Dealers set up their tables at collector/antique fairs. They also sell online at Trademe where most of mine came from. It need not always be an expensive hobby. The more recent cards are still going very cheaply and these will in time become sort after. If the hobby does interest you, try to always buy good quality cards.

I've chosen some to show you today of Onehunga, Auckland in the early days. I'm sure there were lots of postcards of Onehunga on sale in their day but I've only these three, sad, I'd like more!

Brass Bands as a resource

2011-03-06T11:14:00.000+13:00

Photographs of Brass Bands in the early part of last century are a source of faces and are often annotated with names. The one I own is a souvenir postcard from 1922 to show you.

I happened upon this website this morning which collects these photographs from all countries and there are quite a few from New Zealand.

NZSG and Whitcoulls

2011-02-18T08:27:00.000+13:00

It was sad to read the news this morning that one of our oldest national book shop chains was in financial trouble but its not too surprising. Over the years, the way people receive information has changed and book shops and stationers everywhere will be struggling to maintain their relevance to customers.

Retailers such as Whitcoulls are not alone in the struggle.

The New Zealand Society of Genealogists, a society formed to promote and enable the study of family history suffers the same problem. The council elected to run the society and many members would deny this fervently. But they belong to an old school of thought which follows a 'tried and true' policy which rules out innovation and speed in adaptation to our fast changing world of communication and the delivery of services to members.

Anyone who has shopped at Whitcoulls regularly over the years may have noticed the chain's lack of innovation and adaptability. It's been comforting to have a reminder of the old days around in our shopping malls. I hope they survive in some form.

The Nzsg roundly defended the old days last year when a group of members challenged this state of affairs among other issues at a special meeting. Since then it seems to have gone to sleep peacefully, prod it and you are unlikely to get a response. The local group meetings are still good value though, there you get to a chance to communicate and catch up on news. But forget the national body, it only wakes up briefly to fend off the future.

Adoption Beat

2011-02-16T22:13:00.000+13:00

Looking around this evening on the internet, I chanced on this blog 'Adoption Beat' which discusses adoption in the USA. In particular the author talks about the way the media approaches adoption topics, the putative father's disconnection with the process, the language used to describe adult adoptees as 'adult children', the baby scoop era and many other interesting thoughts and issues that would strike a note with those who live with this topic daily in any country in the world.

Historic fruits

2011-02-13T11:37:00.000+13:00

The earliest advertisement I can find for the importation of damson fruit trees is a shipment from Sydney on the 21st of August 1851 in the New Zealander. I suspect a lot of even earlier settlers would have brought fruit trees with them but this advertisement gives a list of varieties, most of which are new to me.

Peaches; Newington, Royal George, Bellegrade.
Pears; Windsor, Beurre, Jargonelle.
Plums; Golden Drop, Green Gage, Egg, South American, Orleans, Damson.
Apples; Permain, Mobb's Royal, French Codlin, Ribstane Pippin, Red Colville.
Figs; Malta and Spanish.
Nectarines, Filbert, Mulberry, Loquat trees, Quinces, Cherries etc.

Today the topic of fruit is very much on my mind. I'd forgotten to order the damson plums from the Hawkes Bay and thought I'd missed the season, but I was delighted to find the season is in full swing and my plums will arrive this week.
If you have ever tasted damson plum jam, you would never again buy the insipid concoctions the supermarkets offer.

Next month is guava time for making jelly. I gave most of it away last year and ran very short of it, so I'll be making a lot this year if I can get them. The little trees grow like weeds in Auckland and many people don't ever do anything with the fruit except let it rot on the ground - what a waste and it tastes divine. Pick a bucket of mature and immature fruits to get the jelly to set and taste the best.

Other favourites are Crabb apple jelly and Golden Queen peaches.

Prudential Photo NZ 1969

2011-01-29T22:37:00.000+13:00

Helen Wong was kind to pass on a copy of this photograph of the New Zealand Branch Inaugural meeting with New Zealand MillionairesClub 26 March 1969 for us all to see. The Millionaires Club was for those agents who sold a million dollars worth of insurance.
I'm sure insurance companies have contributed to the economy of New Zealand through their investment in real estate and bonds etc, from the earliest years.

If anyone would like the original photograph which was saved by Helen, let her know.

Seated : J S Pirie, R J Allen, L J Small, J.P, General Manager for Australia and New Zealand: S C Canfield, Life Branch Manager for New Zealand : C C Hough, Chairman: J J Cormick, Agency Manager for New Zealand V R Stace, R G Todd.

2nd Row: G M Campbell Dip I I N Z, D A Singe, E R Coote J P (Retired), A V Davie, R S Parkhill, G C Collins, N D Ingall, D M Harris, Field Unit Manager (Northern Blue): W G Kane Dip I I N Z.

3rd Row: E A R Bishell, F J Domney, R E Morrissey, M H Birch Studio Spencer Digby

Waitangi Day challenge

2011-01-28T18:44:00.000+13:00

The Auckland research centre is running a challenge on their facebook discussion page for people to talk about the stories of their New Zealand ancestors in honour of Waitangi Day this year.

Of course, stories abound, they were interesting times and I'm sure they will make great reading. So come on people, put fingers on type and let us know them.

If you are not a facebook user, you can join up easily and if you are like me and need to ask how to post on Auckland research centre's discussion page - here is a diagram! (I asked Seonaid.)

Victoria Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

2011-01-28T14:03:00.000+13:00

I purchased certificates from this organisation recently and due to technical difficulties, I had to contact them. On their site is a facility for doing this by filling in a form but I did not get a reply apart from an email to say that they'd received my form. A month later I then rang them but their call centre was having 'computer difficulties', and they could not help. Finally, I sent a letter snail mail and a week or so later received back an email from one of their officers saying sorry for their inadequate response but offering no explanation.

It's all fixed up now, six weeks after the initial problem. My credit card bill is also paid. All over? - Yes - all over and I hope I never have to buy another certificate from them, it wasn't a straight-forward experience nor an inexpensive one, in fact, its now something to be avoided at all costs. Is there a better way?

The difficulty was the .pdf files they provide as a product. The first few certificates I purchased opened up in Adobe Reader and I saved them via the menu in that program. The last three opened in my browser and I didn't know to right click and save them to my hard disk that way. The difficulty may have been caused by my own computer's preferences changing for some reason or it may be changes they made to their system but I wasn't offered any explanations and in my ignorance I took screen shots instead.

Cabbage Tree Ned

2011-01-27T17:53:00.001+13:00

Ned Devine, so named for the immense hat he wore, was born in Tasmania about 1833 and at the age of 17, was driving coaches between Ballarat and Geelong. Some of the 'coaches' of those days were more like our buses, carrying up to 70 passengers and a coach-man had to be resourceful and courageous.

When the Otago goldfields opened, Ned arrived and was engaged to drive the Dunedin-Palmerston-Pigroot trail. His reputation may have preceded him because when the Duke of Edinburgh arrived on a royal visit, Ned was chosen to drive him around. Though a coach emblazoned with Royal Arms and tricked out in hammer-cloth and gold wasn't his usual style, apparently Ned looked really fine.

He had absolute command of his horses and there are many tales of his prowess. One story is that a half-crown was placed on the a road in Dunedin and Ned drove his coach over it; pulled up when a rear wheel was on it, turned round without allowing the wheel to leave the surface of it.

Ned returned to Australia when ~~cars and trucks~~ trains looked like too much competition and as late as 1894, he was driving coaches in Western Australia. He died at Ballarat in 1908.

Source: New Zealand Freelance 31st March 1937
Further reading: Paperspast, Te Ara

Cabinet Making in New Zealand

2011-01-25T09:35:00.000+13:00

In the 1930's, my father-in-law was an apprentice in a cabinet making shop in Ponsonby Auckland. He completed his own personal design for marquetry in the form of a coffee table as part of this appenticeship.

Before then, it seems just about every town in New Zealand had its own cabinet making shop building furniture for local people.

For a long time, the appreciation of their work/art went largely unnoticed as people coveted the English imported antiques.

But one man's work was always sort after, incredibly unique and very expensive. Anton Seuffert was born in Austria (or Bohemia, now part of the Czech republic), and came to New Zealand in the late 1850's. He was already an expert artiste and after he arrived he made fantastic pieces with a New Zealand theme. It was nothing for one desk to take him a year to complete. These items of furniture are more likely to appreciate in value than gold these days.

Some months back, Brian Peet published a book on this family and their achievements called "The Seufflot Legacy" which is still available for sale (but its only a short run so I'm told, - be in quick). Another 'must have' book on New Zealand furniture makers is Northcote Bade's Colonial Furniture in New Zealand (1971).

Further reading: Biography of Anton Seufflot, Elegant book worthy of Seufflot's standing.

You can't believe everything in the newspapers

2011-01-24T15:34:00.000+13:00

One of my gggrandfather's, John Draffin, husband of Mary Tait, is still missing, last heard of on the 13th of October 1870 when his under-age daughter married and he gave his consent at Silky Gully, Cresswick, Australia. Whether he was still actually in the country or not is unknown, he could have given his permission in writing.

In my quest to sort out all the Draffin's in Australia, I came across an entry in the Australian newspapers of a Mr Draffin dying by accident on the Narandera Rd, Wagga Wagga, the 5th of June 1883. I was sure he was mine. This was the only unknown Draffin and mine was missing.

I wrote to the Wagga Wagga District Family History Society Inc., because there was no death certificate available (which didn't surprise me, Draffin being such a difficult spelling for a lot of people, and I thought it would be an indexing error.) And lo and behold their competent reply assured me that it was actually William John Duffin, husband of Mary Ann McEntyre and the spelling of the name in the newspaper was an error. The coroner of that district didn't always issue a death certificate either, so there wasn't one for Mr Duffin.

So I've put a comment on that page of the newspaper about Mr Duffin in case anyone else thinks to enquire. Now, where did John Draffin get to?

National Mortgage and Agency Co., of N.Z. Ltd

2011-01-23T10:44:00.000+13:00

I've always been intrigued by how a small country like ours, so far from the world's markets and with mainly agricultural assets has progressed so fast. From bush to farms, from bare dirt to cities, from tracks to motorways, all in a short 170 years.

It was the finance which people in Europe were willing to send which has allowed this to happen I think. Plus, the climate permitted un-hindered growth by not giving us set-backs which many other countries have to suffer periodically. Plus the sort of immigrants attracted to stay here and work through the down times. Collectively it was an amazing effort.

The National Mortgage and Agency Co., of N.Z. Ltd is one of those finance agencies which brought money to New Zealand. Begun by a few people, the main person being George Gray Russell, an entrepreneurial type of person who had great faith in the ability of New Zealand to generate a profit. He attracted other like-minded people like John Macfarlane Ritchie whom he employed and Henry Le Cren, a french gentleman and a merchant banker. They in their turn, attracted others.

The foundations of the business were laid in 1866 in Timaru. They expanded into farming, wool, frozen meat, shipping and land.

This book, written by Gordon Parry and published in 1964 is well written and sticks to the subject from the skim-reading I have done of it. If you are interested in the financial side of New Zealand's colonial days, this would have to be on the reading list. I'm going to have to find a long rainy day to really get into it though.

The ship 'Ruahine' 1951

2011-01-23T09:44:00.000+13:00

I found this promotional pamphlet in a second-hand or antique shop yesterday. For those who are nosey like me, the images give a good sense of the standard of accommodation offered aboard this New Zealand line ship built in 1951.

Passenger list 'Southern Cross' Sept 1958

2011-01-22T21:46:00.000+13:00

Now this was quite a find I thought, will you think that too? For $2, an actual passenger list which the passenger's would receive, what a momento of this round the world voyage. There is only a few doing the round trip though.
The Shaw Savill Line passenger list, S.S. Southern Cross, Captain L. H. Edmeades, is divided into passengers from Capetown, Freemantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Wellington, Fiji, Panama, Curacao, Trinidad and those taking the round voyage.

Do have a look at the images and see if you can spot someone you know.

An amusing story about dipping sheep

2011-01-14T21:28:00.000+13:00

This story in full is in the New Zealand Freelance 31st January 1951 and is well worth reading. Entitled; 'Old Sheep are cunning' by "Wanderer". I'm sure some of you can relate to this story.

Abridged:
In England where flocks are small and labour more plentiful, each animal is gently lowered by careful hands, into a sort of bath, and no doubt a score of sheep is a mornings work. In New Zealand, where three or four men are expected to put through a couple of thousand before lunch, methods are rough and ready but we seldom lose a sheep.

When the boss can wait no longer, there is a walloping splash as the first sheep goes into "the drink," and a shudder goes through the thousands further back. That shudder has been known to break a set of rails and a lot of ribs at the same time. In early dawn, sheep always seem to run more freely to their fate, but the fact is that the youngest always goes first. All through the night, cunning five year olds have been working their way to the back of each filled yard, and experienced shepherds know that the easy start is short-lived.

As the Boss stabs with a long "crutch" to get every head submerged at least once, there is always the chance that he may fall in and a man who has to take his chance among a dozen swimming sheep needs to be rugged.

In Hawkes Bay they still talk about the day when a well-known pastoralist fell twice into the Te Aute station dip, and a daughter pushed his head under with a monchalant remark that it would 'freshen up his beard'.

We always maintain that it pays to mix ages when sheep have to be dipped. Young stuff will give the old ones a lead, we argue, and they do - but the old ones don't follow it.

Who was New Zealand's oldest citizen?

2011-01-12T18:28:00.000+13:00

A candidate would be Mr Henry Burling from Waikanae who died 17th September 1911 aged 110yrs.

Mr Henry Burling, of Waikanae, was 110 years of ago on May 7 (says the New Zealand Times). He was born at Stratford, England in May 1800, and landed in Wellington by the ship London in 1840, arriving 1841, seventy years ago.
He has lived under six Sovereigns; George III., George IV., William IV., Victoria, Edward VII., and George V.

He remembered his grandfather, who was a middle aged man when Clive won the battle of Plassey (1757), consolidating the Indian Empire. His memory of Waterloo is as keen as is the memory many of our era have of the American Civil War.

As a young man in England, before sailing for New Zealand, Mr Burling was a printer of silk and satin, fine pin-point work. When he reached Wellington in 1841, he took up an acre of land at Wadestown, but did not stay there long. He shifted to the Lower Hutt and build whares in various parts of the wilderness northwards. In the early days he carried the mails, mostly government despatches, along the seashore and through the bush. Later, he drew the chain for the road from Wellington to the Wairarapa when Mr Fitzgerald was Government Engineer under Sir George Grey. Mr Burling had received no special training for surveying, but he remarked quaintly that he had learned to see straight in England by being mixed up with machinery. Experts in those days were scarce, and Mr Fitzgerald was glad enough to give the silk-printer employment blazing trails. In after years, Mr Burling was a teamster, with bullocks chiefly to draw wagons

In his lonely pilgrimages with the King's mail through the bush, Mr Burling was often met by Maoris. Even the fierce Rangihaeta, the Golden Bay butcher saw something to like in Mr Burling and the pakeha had once good reason to be thankful for the warrior chief's interest in him. At a time when Rauparaha and Rangihaeta were believed to be conspiring against the peace of Wellington, the authorities here desired to send a dozen armed men with letters to the two chiefs. Mr Burling strongly urged that armed men would go to death. Eventually, after receiving assurance that his wife and children would be maintained if he was slain, he set out alone with the mail and his 'gun', his trusty pipe.
Read the rest of his tale here.

Mr Burling has brought up a family of thirteen, and his eldest son, a boy over eighty, shares with his father good health and happiness.

Do you know of anyone older at the date of their death?

Funeral remembrance cards

2011-01-12T10:25:00.000+13:00

It's fashionable to produce a pamphlet to give to mourners these days which allows them to anticipate the service and have something to take home. And as we age, these pile up! Hopefully your pile is not too big. I suppose these will be a source of material for future genealogists.

I'm fortunate to have a copy of an older card to show you. This man died 1900 in a cart accident. His parents were Thomas William Hall born 1846 Ireland, and Isabella Rebecca Hansen born 1849 Waitangi. He was married in 1888 in Kawakawa to Lavinia Gear and had three children. A handsome chap I've always thought.

A descendant of William Hall died just recently, he was 93yrs old and a wonderful old man devoted to his family and his service was a real celebration of his life. It was an opportunity to get together with the more distant relations and get to know one whom we hadn't met before. This man had been delving into the family tree so we had a lot to talk about. Don't you think it was very brave of him to attend since he didn't know anyone?

Another source for those passengers we always look for

2011-01-08T23:00:00.000+13:00

I came across this tonight. Ozships. In the search for passengers, it turned up two possibilities I hadn't come across before. I hope you are as lucky.

There is a family bible at an uncertain location which has the information on the ship my person came on. People who have seen this bible many years ago gave me a name of a ship, but even on this site, the name doesn't come up. So I'm still looking and hopefully the bible will be located soon.

Don't you think that when family artefacts are talked about, its almost as if they are calling out - hey, I'm over here, come and get me! We haven't given up on this family bible yet.

Dargaville Museum

2011-01-07T20:54:00.000+13:00

I only had a quick visit to this darling of a museum yesterday. I was expecting something provincial but I was wrong. Set high on a hill over-looking the town, a visitor could miss it unless specifically looking for it. Follow the sign posts.

We were greeted at the desk, $10 to enter and well worth it. The room of exhibits lead one logically on so as not to miss a thing. The gum-diggers are featured, lots of Kauri gum on display, shipping wrecks, town leaders as expected, but, they had a room displaying accordions which I was taken with. It's a settlers museum with only a few Maori artefacts displayed.

If you have people in the area, they have a well designed facility for research, ask at the desk. Their unique resources include databases and photographs.

To write: PO Box 166, Harding Park, Mangawhare, Dargaville. PH 09 4397555 email: darg.museum@xtra.co.nz

Museum's in hiding

2011-01-02T12:33:00.000+13:00

Do you know of any ingenious collections of New Zealand history hiding in the suburbs of New Zealand?

Just lately, I've been reminded by two which I know exist, the collectors are shy or unable to display their collections to the public but never-the-less, their work is of interest to all of us.

Speedway has an enthusiastic following in New Zealand as many of you know. Within my own family, there are those who would never miss a meeting. They can talk about it for hours, their eyes glaze over, largely like my own do when NZ history is mentioned. One of my relatives mentioned the speedway museum, a collection by an enthusiastic member spanning decades. I hope that one day we can all appreciate it, but I'm sure he doesn't expect MOTAT to get it. (I've nothing against MOTAT, but some people have voiced criticism on how its run.)

I advertised some shelving on trademe. One chap turned up to look it over to house his movie camera collection. What he didn't know about these old movie camera's probably wasn't worth knowing. He had similarly glazed eyes when talking about his subject. But he was too shy to even use the internet to let other's know of his knowledge.

There must be others.

Oamaru in the Freelance 1926

2011-01-02T12:19:00.000+13:00

The last but not least in this series of featured towns in issue No. 47, Wednesday 26th of May, is Oamaru.
A surprising comment by the author about freezing works was included: The North Otago district is fortunate in that it escaped what has proven disastrous to many other districts ; a plethora of freezing works. There is only one killing and freezing works between Timaru and Dunedin, to serve the large district, and much of Central Otago. The works are situated at Pukeuri, about five miles from Oamaru. They are modern in construction, possess up-to-date equipment and are owned by the people of the district, having been acquired from the Canterbury Meat Company about four years ago. I can only surmise that 'disastrous' meant, ponging and polluting?
Included photographs etc.;

Mr E. P. Lee, M.P. for Oamaru.
Mr and Mrs James McDiarmid, Mayor and Mayoress.
Thames St.
Severn St Gardens.
Charles Begg and Co., piano manufacturers and importers, (article).
Radcliffe's furniture, (article).
Mr Harold L Familton, wallpaper showroom and art gallery.
Kinder's pharmacy.
Chrysler House, engineering service and showroom.
Mr E. Stewart Mill's jewellers, watchmakers and art pottery.
Foster Brother's bakery (article).
Messr's J. H. Milligan and Co., mens fashions, (article).
Mr. Joe Reid's watches (article).
Milligan's Eclipse Flour Co., (article).
The Woollen and Worsted Mills.
James Craig and Co., Ltd, timber millers.
The Polytechnic drapery by R. & C. Brown.

And the following page.

Waimate in the Freelance 1926

2011-01-02T11:48:00.001+13:00

Another featured town in issue No. 47, Wednesday 26th of May, is Waimate. The author has described the town and said that Waimate had been introduced to electricity the previous month.
Photographs etc.;

The residence of the Mayor, Mr George Dash with portrait insets.
Tom Mitchell (article).
C. S. Hood, jeweller (article).
William E Fail, mens tailoring.
Keley's bush.

Ashburton in the Freelance 1926

2011-01-02T11:38:00.000+13:00

Amongst the featured towns in issue No. 47, Wednesday 26th of May, is Ashburton. The author, Nellie M. Scanlan, has a page on 'New Zealand's Golden Harvest', with pictures of the wheat in the fields followed by the following photographs etc.;

The sanctuary in the domain.
The showroom of Russell and Co. Ltd, plumbers and electrical engineers.
Mr J. Donn's wallpaper warehouse.
Hefford's big Corner drapery (illustration).
Four photographs of the town in general.
Barrett's Ltd, specialists in millinery and ladies wear, (article).

Timaru in the Freelance 1926

2011-01-02T11:09:00.000+13:00

An article on the 'Granary of New Zealand' issue No. 47, May 26th 1926 features Timaru. Sometimes I've seen requests on newsgroups for photographs of older businesses, the trick is knowing where to look for them. I've no doubt the Freelance has featured other areas.
Ashburton, which is in the same issue, is my next post.

Photographs of ;

James Craigie, member of Parliament for Timaru.
George J Wallace, mayor of Timaru.
Overseas vessels loading the the port.
Miss Lillias Thomson as queen of the floral fete.
'The Louvre', ladies fashion shop.
'The People's Drapery house, McGruer, Davies and Co., later Taylor.
The Belford Flour Mills, Holdgate manager.
Mr William McBride's Jewellery shop.
Mr James Craigie's wallpaper and paint shop.
A chemist shop first owned by C Eichbaum and later by L.B. James.
Caroline Bay.
The corner of Stafford St, looking south.
Herberts, Ltd., a drapery business.
The Vulcan Foundary and Engineering Works.
Mr F. M. Shewan's bakery, a photo of one of two of his shops.
The Waimataitai Nursery (Mr P.G. Allen).
J Radcliffe's furnisher, art dealer and picture framers.
C. W. Cameron's menswear.
Mr Thomas Thomson's drapery store.
The Timaru branch of Amuri Motors Ltd.
Priest and Holdgate hardware shop.
Charles G. Snow's tailoring and men's outfitter.
John J. Jackson's timber mill.
Preen's progressive dye and dye cleaning works.
Finlayson's Furniture Warehouse.
England, McRae Ltd central hardware store.
Plus the following illustration of other businesses.

A scanned copy of the business's featured are available from me.

20 years of change in the social sector of NZ

2010-12-23T10:18:00.000+13:00

Most of us have witnessed the changes in the Public Service Sector of Government over the past 20 years or more. But we can be forgiven for forgetting the details. Instead it comes down to 'a feeling'. We might remember some highlights or phrases that struck a cord (or discord), at the time the newspapers reported them. For me one of them was Turiana Turia's "browning of New Zealand", in regard to her views on immigration.

But the biggest discordance for me was the 'tick the ethnic box' on Government forms. I rebelled at the time in my mind, thinking it was a backward step in racial harmony and I still believe this to be so. I hate filling in that box to this day and resent the implied sorting like I'm in a packet of M & M's.

The changes have affected each and every one of us and today the Ministry of Social Development is now the largest government department, with almost 10,000 staff. What effect are they having on NZ history and future genealogists? They have overseen and advised on the dismantling and redefining of families in New Zealand. Instead of a child having a mother and a father, cousins and easily identifiable descendants, we now have families constructed and deconstructed according to their new ideas and all shrouded in privacy laws. It could be a rare and beautiful tree which can identify with any certainty, the members within, in future.

A report is here on the changes wrought and following is a list of some of the changes by Judy Whitcombe.

Melbourne HeraldSun search obituaries

2010-12-19T13:13:00.000+13:00

This search could be useful for those elusive family members from Victoria, Australia. The search returns only part of the death notice and then invites you to pay for the rest. But still, every little bit helps us across the ditch.

http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/obituaries/heraldsun-au/

I don't mind paying for information sometimes, but the banks really sock it to ya with their cut when sending payment to another country, so I'm really careful about decisions.

Destruction in Symonds St cemetery

2010-12-18T15:20:00.001+13:00

I visited this today accompanied by hubby as body guard and saw for myself the wanton destruction of Auckland's history by Who Knows.

Trying to keep the xmas spirit, I pondered the idea that these long dead people would probably not be unhappy over their remains being uncared for. They were more in touch with reality than modern people, had often had their children die in their arms and had waved goodbye to family and friends and never seen them again, to cross the oceans and lie in broken graves.

Which brings me to another thought. Auckland's track record for it's history is well, missing. Auckland is more a city which has grown like topsy, has accommodated all sorts of people comfortably and is not self-aware or introspective. Maybe its a good thing. Maybe New Zealand needs such a city, maybe history is best left to Dunedin and Christchurch or even Wellington.

So pull down the old and lets build the new, but lets be honest about it.

Westfield Freezing Co. Ltd. Staff photo

2010-12-18T12:31:00.000+13:00

Lord Vestey attended a function at the Lantau Lounge, Otahuhu on the 23rd February 1978. The function was also attended by some of the retired staff. Their total service to the company amounted to 1330 years or a little over 33 years per member.

I know two of the men in this photograph which is why I have a copy. Perhaps you might know someone as well.

Back Row Standing ; Doug Clarke, Arthur Knight, Tom Jones, Harvey Forder, Ken Lyons, Laurie Hallett, Doug Gallaher, Jack Turnbull, Ben Fuller, Arthur Tofield, Jack Edmonds, Alf Frost, Jim Wayby, Harold Mann, George Ross, Cyril French, Bert Todd, Bob Saul, Bill Bull, Frank Long, Norman Hall.

Middle Row Seated ; Charlie Gilbert, Jack Dryland, Ernie Bowen, Lord Vestey, Edna Thorburn, Bob McCullough, Ray Andrews, Jack Parry, Ted Finn, Arthur Todd, Hughie McGregor.

Front Row Kneeling and Sitting ; Allen Foster, George Clark, Fred Kemplay, Alex Ayton, Bill Gray, Walter Dear, Dave Wallace, Gordon Cameron, Mervyn King.

Assisted Passengers to Australia

2010-12-16T21:33:00.000+13:00

There are a few very good links if you suspect your people came to New Zealand via Australia and were assisted passengers or their parents were.

The NSW search page.

The VIC search portal. (Prov guide).

Then today Shauna Hicks, Australian genealogist and family historian, archivist, researcher, speaker, writer, and traveller, tweeted that there was an online reel of assisted passenger lists for us to see. Wow! The power of the internet. If you are lucky and have passengers on one of these ships, you can get some useful information.

The ships list for this reel.

About the project.

Thanks Shauna.

Australian Nominal Roll WW2 search

2010-12-16T20:59:00.000+13:00

Sometimes a New Zealand family historian needs a few Australian links. Here is one I came across this evening which might prove quite useful. Australian soldiers who served in WW2.

Here is the search page. I was very happy with the amount of information provided about these soldiers.

Information about the various medals awarded and a few photographs are on the acknowledgement page.

Well done again you Aussies.

Draffin's in Australia

2010-12-11T13:05:00.000+13:00

I'm sorting though this name in Australia although its been done before and by various researchers.

I'm using GenoPro exclusively to chart the different families and using the NLA newspaper site and bdm information which I've had at home on excel for some time.

Although I've lightly used GenoPro for years to give me a visual map of the families I'm researching, this time I'm using it in depth and I've been pleasantly surprised of the depth available.

One of the problems I have is the locations which I'm able to look up on Google Maps, but what I really need is a map I can draw on to give a picture of movements and be able to follow the lives of these families as they sought new pastures.

Most of the families stayed in the Victoria, north of Melbourne and south NSW areas. I have written to Wagga Wagga historical society and they have a method of sending out queries like mine to surrounding areas.

A lot of my time is spend pondering the evidence and thinking of sources which may be able to confirm or deny associations within the various families. They used common names like Robert, John etc., most of the time. I've decided not to give too much strength to existing family trees without the evidence to support the decision made by past researchers. But its expensive buying certificates, although I do, especially for those who first set foot in the country or to put strong suspicions to rest.

I'd like to get the (too few) probates available at Trove VIC but am unsure how to do this. And what about intestate or poor people's estates? What about the land selector records, cemetery information (some of which is online, some on CD). What about people needing charity or support from the government? What about coroners reports.

Maybe feeling insecure about the knowledge needed to get the job done is a precursor for education but it's also frustrating.

NZ'ers who married in Victoria Australia

2010-12-09T23:56:00.000+13:00

I just found this link, hosted at rootsweb, listing New Zealander's who married in Victoria. The pages could have been up for ages. Barbara Andrews has done the work 2002 - 2005. Well done Barbara.

I could not find the 'home page' which is recommended, but here are some, link, link, link (which I did find). Put me right, someone please. The links are numbered, so that there is a round-about way of searching.

Australian First Families 2001

2010-12-09T15:30:00.000+13:00

This database was contributed to by genealogists who embraced the Internet in the 1990's. It was funded by the State Library of Victoria to mark the Centenary of Federation.

The 'first family' is the earliest person in a particular family known to have lived in Australia. The database is now closed. What a wonderful idea it is. Unfortunately, the database came foul of privacy laws and so its read only but is still valuable.

Otago Nominal Index

2010-12-09T15:06:00.000+13:00

This index came to my attention today in the New Zealand Society of Genealogists magazine. The ONI was created from documents held by the Hocken Library in Dunedin. The index is hosted by the University of Otago.

If you have ancestors in this area, this database will be 'a must look into' resource. I have only one family which lived in the South Island and they aren't mentioned but you may be lucky. The index will point you to the original documents which may contain more information.

Music in NZ history

2010-12-09T13:22:00.000+13:00

Here is a bit of fun for those of us who remember the band and dance culture of the 50's 60's and 70's. I was looking at the Al Paget Sextet page where they have some advertisements and photographs in particular. Does anyone have links to this band?

Music has always paid a large part of culture in New Zealand. The newspaper's are full of new communities raising funds for needed buildings and equipment by holding dances, musicals and plays. People were ready to sing and play the piano at the drop of a hat. Home entertainment often meant a song around the piano.

It seems as though every town had at least one band, often brass, much needed for parades etc.

Then there were the professional artists which sometimes toured. They must have been brave to come so far.

There was a huge childrens choir conducted by Harold Temple White at Athletic Park for when the Queen visited in 1954. Here is a link to photographs of the event on the 'Village on the Park' website.

Today we have all the music we could want at our fingertips any time of the day or night. It wasn't always so. But the music before music recordings became commonplace was more personal even if it was limited.

Shipwreck; The Royal Charter 1859

2010-12-06T23:25:00.000+13:00

I've always wondered if there are death certificates available for those who went down in ships. Perhaps they are included in the GRO index for 'out of England' people, I must check.

The 'Royal Charter' out of Melbourne, foundered on the 26th of October 1859 in Red Wharf Bay, Wales on its way to Liverpool. Of the 480 people on board, only 41 were saved.

Quite often, New Zealand residents went to and fro to England and other European ports via Australia, so Australian passenger lists are important to New Zealand family studies. Shipwrecks of vessels to and from Australia are important as well.

The Argus newspaper has the passenger list for the Royal Charter posted on the 9th of January 1860 and I have transcribed it and put it here. But you can also search for it at the NLA Trove site.

Campbell Percy McMeekan

2010-12-06T11:40:00.000+13:00

This chap was quite famous in some circles in New Zealand. This site says 'he is probably the most influential agricultural leader this country has produced'.

He married into my family so comes under my research sphere. When I was in Wellington recently, a family member shared a photo of him with me. Today I'm sharing it with you all because, not only was he a very bright fellow and a nice chap to boot, the photograph is pretty good. It was taken at Mt Ruapehu.

Open Calais search

2010-12-05T21:53:00.000+13:00

This online facility appears to search across various databases nation wide. I think it has potential to be a great tool. It's simple face belies the power beneath. Try searching on surnames or places for text or photos.

The New Zealand Graphic and Ladies' Journal

2010-12-05T19:38:00.002+13:00

I don't know much about this publication sorry. I came across it by accident when searching 19th Century Periodicals on the Gale Database today. Perhaps it needs a closer look since it's the only place I've found mention of Grandad Draffin's sporting pursuits.

I know he was a keen boxer and yachtsman as well, just an all-round sport maniac really.

You might get lucky as well, so have a look.

The Gale newspapers are online and if you are member of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists, you can access it from their website. Otherwise, I'm not sure, maybe you need a subscription.

The inaugural meeting of the Onehunga Cycling Club Carnival reported on Saturday, April 07, 1900.
The copy of this article is too small to read sorry even when clicking the image.

'Thanks Alex' competition

2010-12-04T10:38:00.000+13:00

This competition run by the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington closed on the 2nd of December. The winner will be announced on the 20th of this month.

I wrote a piece using a real life situation my mother told me she experienced in the 1930's in Christchurch. Although I don't expect to win, I found the experience of writing a very short story very enlightening. You see, I failed the English exam back in the 1960's although I received top marks in other subjects like history. Even now I have trouble stringing a correct sentence together.

But after failing that English exam I concluded that I was terrible at writing and so put the whole experience behind me by not writing for the next 35 years apart from the odd letter or two. Yes, it is possible to be semi-illiterate in our society and still have a full life thank goodness. I've always read books though.

Along came the Internet and I found I had a passion about our community and country which led to joining political newsgroups. To express myself was very difficult at this stage, the thoughts which I had didn't appear on the page like I hoped. Persistence paid off and today I can string a few sentences together in a more readable fashion.

I told others about this competition and was not surprised by people's remarks such as ' I can't write', I'm not very good at English', 'what would I write about?'. But some of them did put in an entry. Well done Alexander Library, may there be more competitions like it.

Cross-matching data with Internal Affairs

2010-12-04T09:36:00.001+13:00

Today's notice in the newspaper about the Ministry of Social Development matching dead people's data with that in its own database gave me a bit of a chuckle.

Knowing how many errors there are in the Internal Affairs database of births, deaths, and marriages, I would imagine that it's still a probability that fraud is possible.

Some very interesting conversations on other news groups about indexing errors found, the name of one family was found spelled about four or more different ways (all now corrected), makes me realise that finding what we want is a happy coincidence.

Back in July, I posted about these errors, I was told by a person at BDM that they were considering a 'fuzzy search' facility. I say - come on BDM - roll it out and put us dead people detectives out of our misery.

How to search for laws

2010-12-04T09:21:00.000+13:00

Sometimes we genealogists are perplexed regarding the laws enacted in our country around probates, deaths and other subjects, such as how does an estate needing probate but without a body or death certificate manage to move on through the legal channels.

Although the following link may not give the historic laws and regulations we might be interested in, at least it lets us browse and search what we have now. A search of Legislation.

For instance: A coroner is empowered to provide a 'Notification of death' to Births, Deaths and Marriages.

And here is the 'Administration Act 1969' which deals with probates.

Q: Boycott of BDM registrations

2010-11-27T16:13:00.000+13:00

Q. Was the 1916 boycott by Maori in the Waikato, Taranaki and East Cape districts, which was an outcome of resisting conscription, to the registration of births, deaths and marriages ever repeated?

Sharp records.

2010-11-25T09:41:00.000+13:00

People left so few footprints before the internet became popular. Their thoughts, deeds and movements were private to themselves and those in the community. People passed on and memories were extinguished and usually the only way we can think them up again is to study the general history of that place and era and use imagination to describe individual's lives, ie; the attraction to step from fact into fiction.

Sometimes we come across a sharp record such as the one following which happened to my grandfather in Somerset.

Jane, wife of Hugh Crabb, died (aged 40yrs) on the 15th of May 1878 at Illminster, Somerset of congestion of the lungs at their residence, North St, Illminster.
On the 22nd of May 1879, Mr Hugh Crabb, corn merchant of Illminster was out shooting birds with a group of gentleman friends at Jordans. After having killed his rook, he was in the act of resting his gun, a double-barrelled one, on his arm, when it accidently went off and killed a youth named Ernest Samuel Morgan, 11yrs old, the son of a harness maker.
A constable who was near-by had endeavoured to keep the crowd of young boys back from the shooters but Mr Hugh Crabb's foot slipped into a rut and in endeavouring to save himself from falling, he dropped his gun into the hollow of his left arm and the gun went off. The boy died instantly.
An inquest was held at the Catherine Wheel Inn, and a verdict of accidental death was returned. The deceased's father, who was present, endorsed the verdict. The jury gave their fees to the bereaved parents.
By November 1880, Hugh had removed himself to New Zealand leaving behind his children in the care of his younger brother.

The attraction here is to project the utter despair of Hugh into a flight to New Zealand, his escape from the events which had overtaken him. A new beginning, a geographical cure. On the other hand, his sister and family were already here and he may have been contemplating the move for some time. Who knows? The first scenario is more dramatic, the second, quite dull and practical.

We are bound to come across these sharp records which leave us shocked. Our ancestors certainly experienced more drama than most of us starting out research may think. Most of my researched families have one or two recorded, and its possibly quite normal, I've even had one or two myself. One things for sure, the internet makes these events more widely available, if you tell people about it. Here's one of mine;

1976; I was spending the weekend on a boat fixing food for divers. On the Saturday afternoon just when the divers were returning to the boat off Little Barrier in the Hauraki Gulf, the weather suddenly turned very nasty. The skipper, Mark, powered off to Great Barrier in a hurry but we didn't make it. The waves and wind increased to mountains and the only thing he could do was to turn the boat into the waves and chug up and down these roller coasters. The thirteen of us were sick as dogs, it got dark very quickly and the noise was horrendous. About 9 or 10 o'clock, a monstrous wave broke over the boat and smashed all the front windows, the sea poured in and the pump couldn't cope. There were two men in the bilges, one nursing the pump the other passing up buckets, there were two men at the forward windows holding squabs in the broken holes where the windows used to be, trying to hold out the water. We sent out a mayday but there seemed little hope of survival. The only female of board, I was folded up into a corner of the lounge, hanging on, watching Mark at the controls, occasionally he would stick his head out the window and peer into the night and reassuring us somehow that he knew where we were. "I can see the lights at Tiri Tiri Matangi", I heard him yell at one stage. The men were taking turns at the various jobs and they were exhausted. Then the tide turned and Mark could turn the boat and we surfed all the way back to Kawau Island arriving at 4am where we slept amid the chaos until the hotel opened.

Finding a Probate in NZ

2010-11-24T14:32:00.000+13:00

Finding probates is usually as easy as looking up the name on National Archives site: Archway. Sometimes its not that easy. Not all probates are listed on Archway.

All probates are listed on the Registers (lists in large heavy books), which were compiled at the various courts around New Zealand and National Archives holds most (if not all) of these Registers. However the files that the Registers refer to are not all at National Archives. Sometimes the Registers have a very wide date range and the more recent probate files referred to in the Registers may still be held at the courts. But at least you get to know that the probate exists and where to write to and request a copy.

All of Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin probates up until 1997 are listed on Archway.

Wellington is not complete: Here is an update from Wellington Archives.

Palmerston North, up until the 1960's is done.
Napier up until the 1960's is done.
Wellington up until the 1960's is done.
New Plymouth not done.
Masterston not done.
Wanganui not done.
Blenheim is fully done and on Archway.
Nelson is fully done and on Archway.

Wellington does however have an in house database compiled by the NZSG that they can look up for you. This database comprises of over 700,000 probates indexed from the registers but the dates vary from court to court. The list was compiled from the NZSG Index4 and is also available on the later CD Index5. The CD is available at most large libraries.

The government of the day set the amount of money under which a persons possession were not required to be probated. So if you cannot find a probate this may be a reason. If on the other hand, the person was very rich, you may not find a probate because they had shifted their wealth to a company trust or gifted it before they died to avoid death duties.

For the latter, you may have luck following the sale of real estate, getting the company name and looking up the company registers which are held at Archives. Gifting is recorded now days by the IRD but IRD's records, like the Public Trust records were excluded from the 1957 Archives Act. Possibly they required people to record gifting from an early period, I really don't know.

Another reason a probate is not available is that the person died without making a will. In this case the person's affairs were dealt with by the Public Trustee and will be listed in the Intestate Registers.

Another reason is that it may be recorded under a different name or its been indexed with a spelling error. People sometimes went by one name but a probate would be in their official name.

There may be other reasons that a probate cannot be found and I'd like to hear from you about these.

The LDS is currently digitising some probates for us. Three cheers for that. It will not be comprehensive.

Archway records

2010-11-23T09:19:00.000+13:00

An interesting question arose this week on another list. What percentage of records held by National Archives is listed on Archway?

Today I spoke with an archivist in Wellington who explained that this figure is about 60 - 70%. This figure sometimes includes boxes of items (not the contents) so the figure in real terms is likely to be lower.

Recently a couple of projects boosted this figure a small amount when they listed items in Maori Affairs and 19th century correspondence.

I was surprised that the percentage was as high as it is. Well done National Archives.

The Australian Women's Weekly online

2010-11-22T15:07:00.000+13:00

The Australian Women's Weekly is currently going digital. Some of it has been uploaded already. I always liked this magazine. Good on you Aussies, thank you very much. Hopefully the 'New Idea' will go on sometime.
http://www.nla.gov.au/pressrel/OurgifttothenationTheAustralianWomensWeeklygoesonlinemedrel.html

The National Racing Museum

2010-11-22T13:43:00.000+13:00

Racing horses for sport in our country has had a long tradition. I'm not sure when the first races were held. Maori people really enjoyed the sport too.

Over the years, New Zealand has developed one of the best reputations for blood-lines and have bred many international winners. The ordinary folk like my parents who were brought up on horses to use as transport carried on to become race betters on a small scale and the Saturday races were a highlight.

Behind the scenes was big money breeding and training these horses and it seemed that every town had its racecourse and local enthusiasts.

Being such a big part of life in New Zealand you might think that the racing industry would have its own museum. It did have one at the Ellerslie Race Course up until 2003. It was run by enthusiastic volunteers with no real training and it became a central repository for regalia and records. But sadly, the building it occupied was condemned and the contents were stored in a very bad manner. This was soon rectified by a well-known business woman who moved the contents into a warehouse and a container.

To cut a long story short; the NZ Thoroughbred Racing Board of whom Simon Cooper is currently head of, has the ownership of the treasure but doesn't seem to be doing anything with it. The Auckland Racing Club it still looking after part of the contents but again, doesn't seem very enthusiastic about it.

I've alerted Te Papa and some local business people to the situation and I sincerely hope that this important collection can be suitably housed and made accessible to the public again.

Cycling in Christchurch 1937

2010-11-22T00:32:00.000+13:00

A photograph of a Christchurch intersection, February 1937. People of all ages riding their bikes to work or do their shopping just like in some countries of Europe today. The lycra clad athletes, water bottle on back, on lightweight bikes are absent.

Perhaps we need a revolution to return the streets to crowds of ordinary folk using a bike as basic transport. Car drivers beware! If we had it once upon a time, we may be able to have it again.

A name by reputation used on marriage certificate

2010-11-17T20:58:00.000+13:00

An article in the New Zealand Free Lance 6th August 1930 talks about a man who was brought up by a foster parent and he used their name by adoption. This man became a leading man in Palmerston North though the article doesn't mention who he was. A problem surfaced when the gentleman was about to be married to a well-known resident of the embryo city.

His real mother desired the secret to be kept, for she had no other children and was also well known.

The Registrar of Marriages, being acquainted with the delicate problem of what name to use legally on the certificate of marriage, wrote to the Chief Justice of the time, Sir Robert Stout and received the reply :

"A man may legally acquire a name by reputation."

The gentleman then married with a clear conscience.

I read a comment by a person who once worked in bdm, she said, "Until 1986, you could be called by any name you wished and have this endorsed on your birth certificate". So it stands to reason that the name used on a marriage certificate could be the one you were usually known by.

That makes searching for people a bit more difficult though.

The Soper Family Rugby Team

2010-11-17T16:36:00.001+13:00

I guess a lot of guys might fantasize about producing a rugby team but this man did it. William Davis Soper and his wife, (the article doesn't tell us about her ), came to New Zealand (date not told but I think they infer the gold mining rush in the 1860's), and William became a jack-of-all-trader at Garston.

He had fourteen sons and two daughters and when he died and was laid to rest in Garston cemetery there were 92 grandchildren, 126 great-grandchildren and one gggrandchild.

In 1925 the Soper fifteen was born and beat the Balfour Warriors. In 1928 they were invited to play a sub-union representative side as a curtain -raiser to the Otago-Southland game at Rugby Park. To the delight of the 10,000 spectators, the Soper's prevailed.

The Soper family is due to have their second reunion soon. To get in touch:
http://soperfamily.com/page1/page1.html

The New Zealand Freelance 31st March 1937. To read more, click the image to get a readable version.

Freelance No.38 24th March 1937

2010-11-14T17:39:00.000+13:00

Being a pictorial magazine, it has many photographs. There is just five here with good enough quality to show you from this issue. The magazine itself is quite interesting. It seems to focus on the Manuwatu, Wellington, Wanganui, Gisborne etc and aviation as a subject. There are plenty of society people depicted, a big sport section, movie stars and such but does tell the odd history story. Auckland had it's own pictorial magazine. I'll be sharing more of these issues as time goes on. Let me know if you find them interesting or underwhelming.

Paperspast has this magazine 1900 - 1909 whereas the copies I have are 1930's to 50's.

At the Tekapo Sheep Sale. Three well-known South Canterbury auctioneers find time for a quiet joke between sales. From left, Messrs A. Anderson (Timaru), R. J. Smith (Temuka), and R. G. Kilgour (Timaru).

Debutantes: Misses Gaby Heighton, Ruth Kay-Stratton, Berry Reyburn, Gwellyan Hender, Esther Rankin, Betty Atkinson, Edith Bongard, Nancy Coates and Mary Hall.

A. Bergen and N. Murray of Wanganui

The Manuwatu representative cricket team.

The wedding of Kathleen Mains to Tony Lester.

Probate found, no death

2010-11-12T13:41:00.000+13:00

I was looking for a probate for Ellen Carey in Wanganui, I knew she lived there. Ellen was born 1877 and was given a lovely home by her grandmother to live in until she either died or married. So I expected her to die unmarried.

I found a probate for Ellen Carey around about the right date and place and ordered it up at Wellington National Archives. But this Ellen Carey I'd found had married a William Carey. She could not be mine I guess, but stranger things have happened.

Yet when I went online to do a death search at births, deaths and marriages, the entry did not come up. It could be one of those missing ones I guess. I'll have to check the fiche records.

Celebrating the Chinese Republic 1952 in Wellington

2010-11-11T12:01:00.000+13:00

Hundreds of Chinese from many parts of New Zealand gathered at Karori Park, Wellington on October 10th 1952 to celebrate the national day of the Chinese Republic with similar celebrations were held by other Chinese communities in the Dominion.

1.Five of a kind. These smiling lasses are, Joyce Lee, Ashburton, Molly Joe, Upper Hutt; Carole Wong, 2.Wellington; Eileen Wong, Dunedin; Maisie Lowe, Oamaru.
3.Father and Daughter. Rev. Timothy Mah, Wellington, holds his 19mnth daughter Dora.
4.Fun While it Lasted. Boy with an outsized balloon, will it last much longer?
5.Brought Her Knitting. Mrs J Joe of Otahuhu with Katherine Ngan of Shannon.
6.Doctor's Orders? Anthony Law aged 3, don of Dr Roy Law of Wellington demolishing an ice-cream.
7.On Your Marks. Girls line up for the egg and spoon race.
8.Vigorous Protest. Made by Maureen Gow when her grandfather Mr H. Gow of Otaki suggested it was time to go.
From the New Zealand Freelance Pictorial Weekly Wednesday October 22nd 1952

Old Land Claim letter from George Moore

2010-11-10T22:32:00.002+13:00

These files were quite good, I'm always interested in the beginnings of our government here in New Zealand. The Land Claim Files (OLC 1 70 at Wellington National Archives) are mostly very hard to decipher. Here is one from George Moore dated 1851 which is legible. Click on image to read.

A Government Land Purchase file

2010-11-10T22:20:00.000+13:00

The Balfour Estate file at Wellington National Archives was a substantial one and dated 1914 - 1957. In the end the land was not purchased. I've imaged some of the files (appox 25%) to give you an idea of what such a file might contain.

The file contains a note from Sir Keith Holyoak.
A reply to Sir Keith Holyoaks letter.
Descriptions of the land by various officials.
A letter from the owner, Mr Williamson of Christchurch.
The 1914 official land to be taken for settlement notice.
Maps.

The Armed Constabulary 1860's

2010-11-10T20:48:00.002+13:00

Rummaging around in National Archives, I brought up a file (P1 2) on the armed constabulary. The filed contained correspondence from Tauranga, Taranaki, Picton and Wanganui. It consisted mostly of applications from settlers to join up. But one note was quite interesting. It was from Camp Matata dated 16th Sept 1869. Click on image to read.

Warrants Industrial Schools Act

2010-11-10T20:36:00.000+13:00

The example picked out here is for a James Fraser, one of four children whose father had been sentenced and whose mother was living at Palmerston was committed under the Industrial Schools Act 1882 due to destitution.

Caroline Carline, a housewife of comfortable circumstances from Caversham put up her hand to take James and his siblings. Caroline is a friend of their mother. It states that the father had left goal but hadn't been seen since.

This series of records are at Wellington National Archives. Click on images to read.

Picture Cards from Burnley England

2010-11-10T09:11:00.000+13:00

These two cards in my collection are needing a new loving owner. They cost me $18 for the two found in a Mt Eden seconds shop. I've no connection with Burnley (which I think is near Manchester) and the National Library rejected them for not conforming to their collection rules. Any takers?

Tawhiti Museum Hawera

2010-11-09T21:19:00.000+13:00

This has to be the best Museum ever. If you are contemplating a trip to Taranaki, its a must stop and leave plenty of time to appreciate it.

Although not strictly a family history stop for they have no archives, the curator and presenter has done wax exhibits that will wow you and make you laugh. The scenes he's created are true life ones of families doing ordinary activities in bygone days. It really gives a sense of being there in those days.

Coming from Auckland, turn off at Normanby, its signposted.

I spent an hour and a half here and I was on my own, I think if you could chat it would take even longer. They also have a bush railway, a maritime shop and a cafe. I didn't go on the railway which takes another half an hour or so.

Normally, I would straighten up my photos for you, but this time I'm not going to. Has anyone else got this handicap of eyes which see everything seemingly straight only to find its all on a slant. I can't hang pictures, check a sight line or write a letter with straight lines, but its a fairly consistent slant which is worse in bright light. I don't think there's a cure!

Our beautiful country

2010-11-09T18:18:00.001+13:00

I hardly ever go south of the Bombay Hills but when I do, I'm always struck by the beautiful countyside I'm driving through. Would you take it for granted if you lived there? I resided in Hawera for a short time and the mountain was a view out my front door but I never ventured up and I've always regretted it. I'm afraid that if I was seduced by the beautiful country to go and live there, I would ignore it like I did at Taranaki.

After visiting a family member in Palmerston North, I ambled over to Feilding only to find the Library closed. Darn. Now I had time to kill. Part of my family first resided in Halcombe which is near Feilding, so I adjusted the GPS and handsome (he's got to be with a voice like that), Richard navigated me to it.

Well, Halcombe's had its day and wasn't very exciting even though there are new houses there. But I had a map showing some of the blocks of land my people owned so I went for tiki tour. I'm not a great map reader, hence Richard accompanies me most places, but I think I got it right.

I was looking for the block of land on the far left at Tokorangi and when I got over the hill, this is what I found. I don't think I could ever take a view like that for granted. (Map from the Feilding County Council).

Mokau Museum

2010-11-09T17:45:00.000+13:00

Wending my way south to Hawera a week ago, I was barely paying attention when passing through a town, Mokau the sign read, I noticed the Museum and thought wow, this town's lucky having such a facility. Mokau - oh wait, I have family who lived here!

Screech - that museum is traffic hazard for a record hungry family historian.

The lovely outside facade was followed by a delightful inside. The building is only 15yrs old and was built with the help of grants and donations. The Lions club made a big donation when it closed in the town and lately a local German farmer donated enough to start an expected extension soon, plus others have helped. So it's well supported and a must stop when on your way to Taranki. The extension is supposed to be completed by February.

The helpful museum volunteers, one of whom is Mavis in the photo, knew the family name and looked up records for me. I was very impressed, I think you will be too.

Spot the error in this Intentions to Marry record

2010-11-09T15:57:00.000+13:00

Click on image to prevent eye strain.

Coroners Registers

2010-11-09T15:40:00.001+13:00

I had a look at this register while at Wellington National archives last week. As you can see, it includes reports on fires around the country. I thought that was interesting. The example shown here was for 1902.
For a closer look, click on the image. Using the reference number on the right, the file can be ordered up.

A soldier of the 57th in NZ

2010-11-09T11:13:00.000+13:00

Great-aunt Agnes Stevenson nee Lockhart, widow, married George Menzies in New Zealand on the 1st Sept 1862. He was only a name to me until I found an article in Paperspast telling of his demise during a Maori ambush on the 18th Feb 1869 at Papatupu, north of Wanganui.

To find out more about him, I looked in the 'Discharged in New Zealand' book, written by Hugh and Lyn Hughes for the NZ Society of Genealogists, published in 1988.

George Menzies, Regimental No. 1789, Sergeant, had arrived in NZ with the 57th Regiment on the ship 'Castillian' which left Bombay, India, on the 27th Nov 1860 and that he had been discharged from the Regiment in Auckland to a pension on the 30th Nov 1867. He then became 'attached' to the 2/18th Royal Irish Regiment.

The AJHR had this to say regarding the incident:
Division Armed Constabulary, under Sergeant Menzies, was cut off by Big Kereopa ( a herculean savage of the Nga-Rauru Tribe,) by an ambush-party at a peach-grove on the opposite side of the Waitotara to the Karaka camp. The sergeant and his nine men had obtained permission to cross the river in a canoe in order to gather peaches in a large grove on the north side about 300 yards from the river. The foragers had scarcely reached the peach-grove when they were fired on by a large force of Maoris; the Hawhaus knew that the fruit was a tempting bait, and had laid an ambuscade in the edge of the bush above the grove and about 60 yards from it in the expectation of a visit. The Constabulary men raced for their canoe, but most of those who escaped the first volley were overtaken and tomahawked. No.1 Division, hearing the firing, hurried to the assistance of their comrades, but it was too late to do anything but exchange a few volleys with the enemy. They had killed Sergeant Menzies and six of his men; three only escaped. Tutange struck him on the temple with a manuka paddle which he snatched up from the canoe, and when the sergeant dropped back into the canoe stunned or dead a Maori named Toa-wairere slashed off his left leg with a tomahawk and carried off the leg into the bush, where it was cooked and eaten by Kereopa and some of his comrades.

Its most perplexing that I cannot find a death certificate for George, not in New Zealand nor in England. Is a dead constable/soldier a forgotten soldier?

At Wellington archives I searched for a mention of him and found a couple of references, one of which was for an unclaimed medal.

A medal was granted to Her Majesty's forces for service in New Zealand during the years 1845-47 and 1860-66. It was available to survivors and in those of the Royal Navy and was restricted to those men who actually landed.

An extension of the awardees was to men who served in the local forces was granted in 1869 and allowed the next of kin of those killed in action or died from their wounds to make a claim for the medal.

Although the Imperial Regulations did not allow for the medal to be claimed by the next of kin of those who died, there are seveal instances of it being issued to widows and mothers of Royal Naval personnel.

During the 1960's a number of unclaimed medals were sold by the Ministry of Defence to registered collectors with the recipients name 'Xed' out, and the Ministry stillo holds a small number. Of the 4,457 medals something in the order of 4.400 were issued.

The rules around the medal awarded changed over time and it is a subject for a website in itself, I've only mentioned a few things here, it's be no means comprehensive. This information came from a folder at National Archives in Wellington.

Another brief mention of him in a list was found in the reception area photocopy box just noting that he was killed. Thats it. I would love to know more.

National Archives Wellington

2010-11-08T11:56:00.000+13:00

I've just got back from a week in Wellington where I was house-sitting for a cousin. I spent three and a half days at the archives, riding the bus in from Newton with the commuters in the morning and returning with them after four in the afternoon. The weather except for my last day was brilliant but the occasional breeze still had a bit of bite in it and I was glad of my winter coat.

The archivists were extremely helpful and didn't bat an eye at my persistent need of help. I've been there before and have often come away so frustrated that I swore I'd never go back. But this time, because I had all week, I didn't get impatient when my searches turned up nothing. All the other times, I was terribly time constrained although my visits were well planned, the time spent waiting for records to arrive in front of me raised my blood pressure and if it was followed by a negative result, I could barely contain myself.

If you are in the position of being time constrained, be aware that things change at archives from time to time, they may put away a few fragile registers downstairs or change their system, or microfilm records that in the past you could order and this can be perplexing. They also develop new finding aids which would be helpful if you knew in advance about them. I do recommend an extended stay in Wellington rather than just flying in and expecting to get a result, then flying out again or employ an agent.

Their indexes do have mistakes in them, I found one of these by accident last week. On archway, the probate name was spelt wrong. They fixed it immediately. Sometimes you find what you expect to be a break-through record, only to open the folder and find one sheet of paper nearly empty of words!

There's no doubt about it, the archives do have amazing information, but the trick is - finding it.

The most helpful records for family historians are the probates which are being digitized at present by the LDS, the intention to marry records, also in the pipeline for the digitisation process and the WW1 serviceman records which also are being digitized slowly. This will leave the reading room for those researching material for books, government material researchers and those hardy souls who just love reading any records and who hope that luck will turn up something pertinent for their family history.

I should mention the coroners records which are also very helpful. I intend to highlight some of the records I found last week, but I warn you, they could be boring.

Bulls Museum

2010-11-07T18:00:00.000+13:00

I called in there yesterday, you can hardly miss it being in the main street when on your way north to Taihape.

It has a family history corner, although the archivist, Ann Simms, was not there when I called in, I took a photo of it some of the box files which looked very interesting.
To write
Bulls & Districts Historical Society, 81 High St, Bulls, 4818, New Zealand.

So if you are passing, do call in, they plan on updating the displays regularly.

Now, it hungry work, driving around the country and I've found a place to eat that is so scrumptious, don't miss it. ( I have no relationship to the cook!).

Its called 'Sugar Plum Cafe' and its just past the last turn off to Marton when on your on way to Taihape. So its out in the middle of nowhere but open for breakfast and closes at 3pm-3:30pm.

The building was originally a factory making electric fences and the present owner (a very good cook) has been there for six years.

National Archives beta trial search

2010-10-12T00:33:00.000+13:00

I just found this tonight. It's a new way of searching archives and they would like feedback. It's a work in progress by the look of it.

% of wrong fathers

2010-10-08T22:12:00.000+13:00

I was looking for statistics on incidences of the wrong father (social fathers) being listed on childrens birth certificates.

With DNA testing being increasingly available, I wonder if we will see a decrease in this type of fraud.

In days gone by, the mother might have wondered herself whether her husband was the father of her new child but did not have the courage, nor the means to determine it and so kept it quiet, a secret which must have been heavy at times.

The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child provides for the right of children to be raised by their biological parents from birth. Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Convention address that right. Does this mean that paternity testing will become more normal?

"It has been shown that 30 to 40% of these men who deny paternity are falsely accused", (talking about men who have requested DNA paternity testing because they are suspicious).

With our interest in family history, we can only research our 'social family' and have no real idea of the truth.

Motivation or lacking it

2010-10-05T20:56:00.000+13:00

I've been thinking of why I've decided to take a break for posting. Its all to do with the records, or more precisely, how to get to them.

I've a list of 33 posts in draft which have headings a perhaps a sentence to two and I could easily come up with another 30 headings on top of these without raising a sweat.

The problem is that the information about these records is out of Auckland and a simple toll call won't get me the information I require in a lot of cases. The post on records of sanatoriums out of Auckland was a case in point. I spent over an hour talking to people who had very little information to share. It felt quite frustrating but I managed to get enough information, just.

Which brings me to why am I posting this now. Well, I've been reading a very interesting blog you may already have come across, dirtsimple. And in so doing, I realised that I'm just making excuses and getting so negative about getting the right information that it killed my enthusiasm. Well, that's just plain stupid, don't you think?

You know I love NZ history and yes, we have some draconian rules about some of it, and yes, some sections of the community want to dictate their view of it to us and yes, Wellington is far away and I wish sometimes I lived there and not here, (not for the weather though - you can't beat Auckland's weather and smiley faces), so I've decided to dig a little deeper around this city for record treasures before giving into spending a little time in our capital city with the long faces.

Auckland Parachute Club

2010-10-01T16:57:00.000+13:00

This club no longer exists but in its day it was a lot of fun. I have no idea what happened to the records or indeed if they ever existed.

The young chap in the glasses became a minister!

There were few formal meetings. But I guess someone always organised an aircraft or two and some pilots to fly, the booze for the after function every Sunday night. Maybe I was too young to notice who was doing what.

The club operated out of Ardmore Aerodrome and the 'drop zone' was moved to Clevedon at some time, I forget the name of the farm but it was an historic place. Although I didn't ever do a parachute jump, I and the other girlfriends and wives in the 1970's -80's were in demand to drive out to the drop zone and watch the antics and provide the little needed encouragement for the mostly guys and a few women who loved dropping out of aeroplanes. It happened nearly every weekend if the weather was good.

Then it was back to the clubrooms to talk about the last jump and refold the parachutes.

The club has had two re-unions since then and everyone is in their 60's and 70's now and I have a list of names and addresses. It's fun to reminisce. I wish I could tell you more details about the club but for me it just existed in a haze of crazy days.

The Lockhart family to NZ

2010-09-27T12:07:00.000+13:00

This family now has its own site with some interesting stories. I have so enjoyed putting it together.

https://sites.google.com/site/lyndear/

I guess its an example of people's ingenuity and energy in immigrating to a new country and building something for the next generations. So many have done this in New Zealand, Canada, Australia and the US. Maybe they didn't really want to move out of their home districts but faced too much grinding poverty to stay.

Britian before the dawning of the Industrial Revolution was a pitiless place if you weren't in the money class. Some third world countries are still like this in our time. At least immigration can still give the ones with 'the get up and go' the chance to do just that.

Passengers New Zealand Melbourne

2010-09-22T18:10:00.001+12:00

I was looking for ggrandfather, Sam Draffin today coming into Melbourne in the NLA newspapers but didn't find him, however, I did find the following passengers to and from New Zealand. They are not very well identified and of course, the steerage - need I say more!

If you would like to fix some text, I've created a new tag 'passengers to New Zealand', which you might like to use.

June 1899

CLEARED OUT - MAY 31 Taluni, ss , 1 370 tons, C Spinks, for New Zealand ports. Passengers - saloon, Mesdames Stewart, Meiklejohn, Godfrey, Mondy and child, Dufaur, Misses Swale and Ayling, Messrs Stewart, Francis, Drummond, A Stewart, Dufaur, Heid: and 10 in the steerage. D Mills, agent.

ARRIVED June 3 Mokoia, ss (Union line), 3,500 tons, W.C. Sinclair, from New Zealand ports. Passengers - saloon: Misses Cowper, Coote, Brettargh, Newton, Matson, Turner, Cope, Hodge, Isdale, Jokeman (two), Ayson, Logan (three), Jerram, Goldsmith (two), Millar, Mesdames Coote, Fisher, Cotton, Munro, Solomon, Gunson, Manifold, Haman, Yule, McDonald, Messrs. Suttle, Gaunt, Henderson, Middleton, Nicol, Fraser, Ralston, Solomon, Ayson, Mackay, Morgan, Baxter, McCallum, Cutclifffe, McNeill, Yule, McNab, Marshall: and 32 in the steerage. Huddart, Parker and Co. Proprietary Limited, agents.

Later it says, The Union Company's ss. Mokoia, Captain W. C. Sinclair, arrived from New Zealand ports at 10am on Saturday. She left Dunedin on 29th ult. and the Bluff on 30th for Melbourne direct.

CLEARED OUT June 6. Mokia SS. 3502 tons W.C. Sinclair for New Zealand ports via Hobart. Passengers- saloon: Mesdames Kelsey and child, Matheson, Beecham, Benjamin, Geddees, Murphy, Crombie, two children and nurse, Jones, Vail and children, Luke, Bigwood, Cantwell, Peacock and two children, Sayer, Amese and two children, Ellingworth, Buckley, Misses Burns, A Burns, Ballantyne, Heays, Swale, Pearce, Benjamin, Hopkins, Eeles, Moore, Robertson, Chambers, Dallimore, Messrs. Hardeman, Bown, Benjamin, Wright, Goodard, Thompson, Kutcherford, McKenzie, Geddes, Murphy, Luke, Ellingworth, Phelon, Smith, Green, Baker, Amess, Shields, Peacock, Gracewood, Langton, Colonel Buckley, J.R. Jones, S Jones and 32 in the steerage.

ARRIVED 15th June Wakatipu ss. (Union line) 2000 tons, R Neville, from New Zealand ports via Hobart, Passengers - Misses Whitmore, Munroe, Fowler, Livingstone, Giles, and Murrell, Mesdames McAlpin, Herbert, and Stewart (two), Messrs. Rawson, White, Lambert, Fuller, Hein, Coliner, Sheetakoff, James, Wischer, Highton, Livingstone, Matson, Rev J Muir, Captain Herbert: and 34 in steerage.

CLEARED OUT 19th June. Wakatipu, ss. 2000 tons, R Neville, for N.Z., ports via Hobart. Passengers- Saloon, Mesdames Lane, Cripps, Marshall, Ewen, Handle and two children, Scott and Infant, Grondona, Murphy, Suffern and two children, Kenworthy and child, Misses Galbraith, White, Whitbourn, Fletcher, Anderson, Girling, Stewart, R Stewart, M.K.J. Ewen, A Ewen, Messrs, Cripps, Marshall, Ewen, Kenworthy, Wertheimer, Rowe, Downie, Nixson, Whitbourn, Summonds, Ovendale, Lawrence, Nightingale, Grace, Smith, Murdock, Swan, Scott, Desailly, Cooper, Rev W Mackay, Blakemore, Lambert, Sargood, Masters D. A Ewen, A Ewan, and16 in steerage.

ARRIVED June 22. Monowai, ss. 2137 tons, H.W.H. Chatfield, from New Zealand via Hobert. Passengers - saloon, Messrs. Jas. Mills, Fraser, Wise, Dalrymple, Weaver, Cope, J.A. Booth, Stewart, W Deeking, McNab, J. Fuller, W. Fuller, J. Fuller, J. N. Hahn, Instone, H Bastings, Grove (two), J.W. Belstead, Masters Allan (two), Mesdames Pyke, Gourlay, R.W. Tate, Gieseking and child, J Mills, Weaver, Dallyn, Gray, Watosn, Dalrymple, Instone, Franklyn and child, Misses Mills, Excell, H Fuller, May Fuller, Mitchell, Instone, Harris, Pretyman (two), and Nurse Erp; and 26 in steerage.

CLEARED OUT June 27, Monowai ss. 3000 tons H.W.H. Chatfield, for New Zealand, via Hobart. Passengers, saloon, Messrs Maude, Inglis, Turall, Herbert, Dugdall, Gibb, Belstead, Forsythe, McNeil, Robertson, Stoneham, Brown, Pennington, Hynon, Forsyth, Mackay, Phillips, Levy, Page, Hardie, Squire, Kennon, Macfarlan, Williams, Barton, Cooke, Booth, Mesdames Maude, Bond, Herbert, Dugdall, Evans, Brown, Booth, Misses Greig, Mose, Gordon, Gordon,. North, Cuddon, Miller, Midwood, Farr, Upham; and 40 in steerage.

Proctor Library

2010-09-22T07:26:00.001+12:00

The Proctor Library, named after an old couple who bequeathed $250,000 to get it started, has a new archive project to gather in all the old photos, letters and documents to do with the Far North.

It's the brain child of Florence Annison, local history buff and its been adopted by the Far North District Council.

It will be housed on the mezzanine floor of the library, so if you are going north and need a history fix, drop by or better still, donate something to the collection.

Archive wants your old documents. (2010, July 10). The Northern Advocate,A.14. Retrieved September 21, 2010, from ProQuest ANZ Newsstand. (Document ID: 2077327781).

Recent probates

2010-09-21T17:48:00.002+12:00

There are some pretty good reasons why we might like to see a recent probate at times. These reasons might have nothing to do with family history in the wider sense but everything to do with more recent family history.

There have been a few tears amongst my family and friends when one of the parents has died and the other parent has married again but did not outlive the new spouse. The children of the first marriage have found themselves cut out of any inheritance which was built up in their parents time. I'm sure this wasn't envisaged when the laws changed some years back.

I read an article whilst waiting in a hospital waiting room some months back, explaining the new laws and their pitfalls. I didn't have time to re-read it but I'm sure everyone knows someone who's been affected by this strange and unjust transfer of wealth.

If the probate you are looking for is a comparatively recent will then it is held at the Court of Record for a period of 12 years or thereabouts before being transferred to National Archives. Certainly that is the case for the Auckland High Court. It also depends on the amount of storage a court has before it transfers it to archives as well. So the local High Court is the best place to try if the death has occurred in the last 12 years.

Thanks to Stuart for this information.

Porirua Lunatic Asylum records

2010-09-21T11:41:00.000+12:00

From the Poriura District Council website :- Wellington area mental health patients were first housed at a wooden building next to the goal from 1844. This was followed by a facility in Karori which was in turn replaced by a facility at the Basin Reserve named Mount View Asylum. In 1887 patients went to the new Porirua facility which closed for good in 1970.

Before you are put off by the process of gaining access to the records, be assured that lots of people are successful in doing this. Archives NZ holds the registers and the Poriura Hospital registers are at the Wellington branch.

To get permission to view the registers or to have someone in Wellington view it for you, write to The Ministry of Health, The Mental Health Section, PO Box 5013, Wellington.

Kenepuru Hospital records department hold the patient files and permission I'm told, needs to be obtained through the Official Information Act.

If you are like me and have missing people, especially if you have a birth certificate but no further information, this avenue would be good advice. Children were taken in as mental defectives and never heard from again. Their death certificates will turn up in the usual way or not maybe, I'm not sure.

Karitane Hospital records

2010-09-21T10:17:00.000+12:00

A decrepit old book

Where you a plunket baby? Plunket began in 1907. The records of this organisation are at the Hocken Library in Dunedin.

It is a large collection of approx 150 metres and the only use it might have for you and me is if our ancestors or ourselves were admitted to a Karitane Hospital. Otherwise the records consist of administration, research or staff training records and nurses employed.

All medical and staff records are restricted and permission to view these has to be obtained from the Plunket Society through the Hocken Library. There are no plans to make them freely available.

NZ BDM death records

2010-09-20T15:16:00.000+12:00

I posted an explanation of these records back in July. I didn't realise then that when searching for deaths, if a person was 80yrs or older when they died then we get their birth date as well, rather than their age if they died after 1972.

This has been a great help to me lately. Some of the deaths I've been looking for were only a few years ago and I was delighted to get the extra information.

Sunnyside Hospital Christchurch records

2010-09-20T14:41:00.001+12:00

Christchurch Public Library has an article on the history of this mental asylum and says:-

Sunnyside Hospital, Christchurch’s first mental asylum, was opened in 1863. It was built to house those who were considered insane, until then held at Lyttelton jail.

Archives New Zealand in Christchurch holds registers of admission, death registers, casebooks from 1854-1956. Patients sometimes had a page of information to view in the casebooks.

The patients have been indexed to around the 1920's at the archives, but there is a 100yr restriction on viewing these records so even if your person has been indexed, you may have to wait awhile or write to Canterbury District Health Board's solicitor for permission outside of the restriction.

The patient's names will not be listed on Archway, but you can search for what National Archives holds on Archway.

Another Public Trust mystery

2010-09-19T12:39:00.000+12:00

The following extract from the Evening Post in 1924 explains a strange occurrence of missing but lucky Walter Neilson who after abandoning his family in New Zealand and roaming the world on ships and after being sunk four times in WW1 was found in England by a relative and inherited money to live out the rest of his life on.

But what is even more strange is that when I went looking for Catherine (Katherine) Lockhart Neilson's probate, it could not be found. Surely you must agree that it must exist somewhere? I have had a good look, have even phoned Public Trust in Wellington. Another researcher had a look as well but no record can be found. I think Public Trust are delinquent with our National Heritage. Please make me eat my words!

Evening Post 31/3/1924 CLAIM FOR INHERITANCE. That truth sometimes is indeed stranger than fiction was proven to a certain extent at the Supreme Court' on Saturday before his Honour the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, when Walter Neilson, a seaman, Who has been absent from the Dominion for almost sixty years, applied to have revoked an order that had been made declaring him to be dead. This course was necessary to enable the applicant to claim an inheritance consisting of cash amounting to £4402 4s 2d in the common fund of the Public Trust Office and bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum.

The applicant was represented by Mr G. G. (i. Watson, Mr. E. P. Hay appeared for Neilson's wife and family, and C. G. Rose watched proceedings on behalf of the Public Trust Trustee.

According to Mr. Rose, Catherine Lockart Neilson, of Wanganui, died on 12th June, 1905, and by her will she bequeathed the residue of her estate upon trust to pay the income to her four children, Christina Carey, Janet Hunter, Walter Neilson, and Bella Hall, in equal shares, provision being made for the children of any deceased child taking their parents' share-of the income. One of the children of the testatrix, named Walter Neilson, had at the. date of the will been absent from New Zealand for several years, and his whereabouts was unknown to the testatrix. He had left New Zealand for Melbourne, but thereafter could not be traced.

He was a married, man, and had four children, who remained in New Zealand, and were now of full age. He was separated from his wife, and had never communicated with her or the children since leaving New Zealand in 1888. A sister had received letters from him up to October, 1855. Under these circumstances, the testatrix made special provision for her son, to the effect that if he had not communicated with her trustees within two years from her death, the son's share should be paid to two other daughters.

In 1909, the trustees, not having heard from Walter Neilson, approached the Supreme Court for an interpretation" of the will, and as to whether they were to presume that he had died before the testatrix. On 24th April, 1909, the Court made an order that the death of Walter Neilson must be presumed from the expiration of seven years from the date he was lastheard of, and that he therefore must he presumed to have pre-deceased the testatrix. After this order was made, the Public Trustee became trustee of the estate. In 1918, however, a sister received a letter purporting to be from Walter Neilson, her brother, and recognised his handwriting.

The discovery was somewhat novel in that a nephew named Walter Hunter, while on active service, met a man in England who claimed to be his uncle, and turned out to be Walter Neilson. Neilson had produced evidence as to his identity, and the Public Trustee was satisfied that a strong case was made out. The man was now a ship's cook in South Shields, Durham, England, and had not sufficient means to enable him to come out to New Zealand. In 1921, the Public Trustee approached the Court for directions as to whether he was justified in treating Neilson as being alive, and treating as cancelled'the order made in 1909 presuming him to be dead. The wife and children of the man would not admit the identity.

On 12th April, 1921, an order was made authorising the Public Trustee, pending further order, to retain the share of the income which would belong to Walter Neilson if alive, and not to pay it to his'children. The Court also ordered that notice be sent to Neilson in England that if he wished to prosecute his claim and have the order made in 1909 presuming his death cancelled, he must instruct some person to take proceedings in the Supreme. Court.

In 1922 a Westport solicitor who was in England interested himself, in the matter, and the present application before the Court was the result. By affidavit, Neilson had sworn in England, said Mr. Watson, that he was the son of the testatrix, being born at Wanganui in October, 1856. He was married at the Registry Office, Wanganui, and had four children, all residing in New Zealand. In 1887 he left New Zealand for Melbourne, then joined different boats trading on the Australian coast, then to Mexico and San Francisco. At the latter port he met a schoolmate of Wanganui, who had been informed that his people understood that Neilson was going to New Zealand. He left the vessel and worked ashore it Oakland for twelve months, after which he joined a sailing ship bound to France. He then followed a general seafaring life, touching at ports all over the world.

From 1903 to 1910 he was on no fewer than 13 ships, and from that date until 1919 he served on 18 vessels. He had remarkable luck during the war in being survivor of four wrecks, namely, Rosalie (Sunk 12th August, 1915), Wilston (sunk 15th February, 1916), Hindustan (sunk 21st March, 1917), Annie Sofie (sunk 23rd July, 1918). In the affidavit Neilson described how he was eventually identified by his nephew while in hospital in England during the war. His Honour granted an order revoking the previous order of the Court presuming the man to be dead.

And in the Truth Newspaper

The American Gate

2010-09-18T22:37:00.000+12:00

When A. H. Spicer wrote to his mother from Coromandel in 1858, he mentioned an intriguing thing. He said,

Soon after we passed through a gigantic gate hung on a pivot on the top of a strong post. The pivot ran through the top rail of the gate which extended double the length of the under rails and was of massive timber. This extension caused the gate although so heavy to be easily moved as the height of the gate was counter balanced by the propelling beam of the upper rail on the opposite side of the pivot. This is an American notion of the proprietor a man named Paget and although clumsy looking, is very simple and effective and where timber is so plentiful and cheap enough. No hinges would probably be strong enough to support so massive a gate.

I pondered this for awhile, trying to imagine what it might have looked like. One day, I mentioned it to my son who after reading the passage drew the following illustration:

You always wanted to know that, didn't you!

Book: Sailors and Settlers

2010-09-18T20:47:00.001+12:00

Review in the Rural News

I haven't seen this book, another person told me about it. However, it will be a great addition to your NZ history book shelf. It's written by John McLean.

This definitive and detailed history traces the migration of clansfolk from the Highlands of Scotland to Nova Scotia and then on to New Zealand in the mid ninetheenth century.

Speaking their native Gaelic language, they settled at Waipu in the northern part of New Zealand; by the twenty-first century their descendants numbered more than 70,000.

The Christian settlement that they established at Saint Ann's on Cape Breton Osland, in 1820 moved en masse to New Zealand in the 1850s, thereby making Waipu Scots New Zealand's oldest continuing European community.

In addition to their six ships the authur also writes about seven other vessels that brought settlers to New Zealand at the same time from Prince Edward Island and other parts of British North America, thus creating the only real demographic link between the sister dominions of Canada and New Zealand.

Research organisation

2010-09-16T17:33:00.000+12:00

Lately, I've been researching a family down from an 1851 immigrant, Christina Lockhart. She had nine children and most of them came to New Zealand.

Originally, as always advised, I started with myself and worked up to this ancestor, then I concentrated in finding her story in Scotland. That was quite a few years ago.

Now that I'm going back down the family in New Zealand, I'm finding that it is a most interesting one and I am enjoying the time spent with them in the records. Then I found as the family widens over the years, its difficult to keep track of who's who and have it all to hand when I visit a library or such. And its so easy to look for them these days, even when I'm in my pyjamas. Below is my attempt to keep track of all 109 of them and growing by the day.