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A-I of biographies of local Franklin women who voted in the historic 1893 General Election in New Zealand.

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Published by NZ Society of Genealogists - Franklin Branch, 2018-09-18 17:10:32

NZSG Franklin: Suffrage 125 Vol1 2018 original

A-I of biographies of local Franklin women who voted in the historic 1893 General Election in New Zealand.

Keywords: suffrage franklin nz

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1043 Surname: GERAGHTY
Given names: Bridget Sen
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

Bridget GERAGHTY (nee BRADY) was born in 1845, Co Cavan, Ireland. Bridget married Patrick
Geraghty on 10 May 1864 at Killinkere (The little black Church), Virginia, Co Cavan. Ireland.

Six months later they boarded the Ganges at Cobh, Cork, Ireland to New Zealand. Little did they
realise the nightmare journey they would have, what Bridget would have to endure can only be
imagined now. (Ganges ship record shows their names as GERHTY, Patrick and Bridget).

Bridget would give birth to their first child, a son Bartholomew Ganges Geraghty, on the journey.
He was the first of their 12 children.

The settlers were unable to go straight to their land, the main cause was a delay in surveying the
allotments. They were held at Onehunga Transit Camps where they were housed in poor conditions
longer than usual because of sickness. Some were ready to be sent to Drury but delayed because of
an outbreak of typhus.

They later moved to Pokeno, living in tents before they moved onto land confiscated from Maori
then in Tuakau living in a whare until they built their house. A lot of very hard work went into their
land over the years.

Bridget Geraghty died on 29 July 1923 aged 78 in Tuakau.

Source: Geraghty Family History: A Thousand Goodbyes Written & Compiled by Bridget Geraghty

Researcher: Maureen O’Connor

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1044 Surname: GERAGHTY
Given names: Ellen
Occupation: household duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

Ellen GERAGHTY was born on 1 October 1866. She was the second
child of Patrick Geraghty and Bridget (nee BRADY).

Ellen never married. According to a family member she was a cook
at the Tuakau Hotel at some stage and was reputed to stash bank
notes in her garter. She also lived with her sister Bridget WEIR for
some time.

Ellen died on 23 August 1941 and
is buried at Tuakau.

Sources: Geraghty Family Tree Book, Written & Compiled by Bridget
Geraghty (2006)

Contributed by Maureen O’Connor

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3507 Surname: GHEZZI
Given names: Mary Ann
Occupation: household duties Address: Maioro

Qualification: residential

Mary Ann Laurie CURTAIN was born in Limerick, Ireland c1845. Her Father was Patrick James Curtain

born c1820 in Cork, Ireland.
Mary Ann married Luigi GHEZZI at St Johns Church, Cape Town, South Africa on 21st January 1861.

Luigi was born in Parma, Italy in 1829 with two of his children’s birth certificates stating Borga
Sandino, Italy. As a young man he went to Argentina, but didn’t stay there long and while on a
voyage to India he was shipwrecked on the South African coast, and landed at Cape Town where he
met and married Mary Ann. Mary Ann and Luigi had their first two children, Anastasia and Joseph
Augustus before sailing from the Cape of Good Hope on 26th October 1864 on the brig ‘Reiherstieg’,
which was one of the 13 ships that were part of the Waikato Immigration scheme.

When the family arrived, there was no room for the passengers at
the Onehunga Immigration barracks, so they were put in tents. On
23rd January 1865 they were forwarded to their settlement at
Maioro opposite Port Waikato, where the men were able to find
employment. It was not until 31st March they were in possession of
their allotments. Each family was provided with a bag of flour, a
camp oven and 5 acres of land. Over the years this grew to 500
acres which is now mostly owned by the New Zealand Steel mill at
the end of Ghezzi Road.

Luigi and Mary Ann produced a further eleven children over the
years, and Mary Ann would have been a very busy farmers wife,
feeding and clothing her large family.

In 1882 their son Louis (Luigi Jnr) aged 11 years was admitted to
hospital from Waiuku, owing to injuries he received when he was on a bullock dray and his heel
caught in the wheel and guard iron. Only 5 years later in 1887 young Louis was drowned in the
Waikato River where he was going up the river on a barge, when a boom struck and knocked him
into the water. His body was eventually found. The New Zealand Herald dated 1st October 1890
states that the infant son of Mr Luigi Ghezzi, a child of 2 years or so (Louis Francis Thomas) died
suddenly at home. An inquest was held.

Son Alf (Alfred Peter John), after returning from service in the Boer War, got the travel bug and in
1904, he left for adventure, new air and scenery and also to look for his older brother Orlando who
had previously struck out for the goldfields of Alaska. It took him 11 years to finally meet up with
him. Alf also gave his sister Rosetta a huge fright when, after 56 years absence from New Zealand,
when he was 78, he knocked on her door. She had not seen him since she was a teenager.

Mary Ann passed away on 3rd December 1905 at her residence in Maioro after a long and painful
illness. She was in her 60th year.
Luigi passed away on 23rd December 1917 and they rest quietly together in the Waiuku cemetery

along with other family members, where they are lovingly remembered by their family.

Acknowledgements: Ghezzi Oral History, Mrs Joan Brough, Waiuku Museum, Paperspast, NZ Archives
By: Gillian Conroy

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1069 Surname: GILL
Given names: Jane
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

Jane SANDER was born on 14 July 1834 in Bow, Middlesex, England
to John Sander, a draper, and his wife Sarah [nee WELLINGTON]. She
was baptised on 8 August 1834 at St. Mary's Church, Stratford Bow,
Middlesex. Very shortly after her 19th birthday, on 13 August 1853,
Jane married Edmund GILL in the same church in which she had been
baptised. Edmund, the son of Nathaniel Gill a distillery brewer, had
been born in Bromley, Middlesex on 30 June 1832 and worked as a
clerk at the prestigious Bank of England.

Jane and Edmund quickly settled into married life while living in
various parts of London. Edmund continued his work as a bank clerk
while Jane was kept busy at home caring for their rapidly growing
family. In the first 21 years of their marriage Jane was delivered of
15 children – 11 girls and 4 boys. She sadly lost both of her parents within the space of six months in
1867 and with Edmund believed to have had failing health, the family undertook to emigrate in search
of a better climate. Jane and Edmund and 11 of their children departed Gravesend on 13 February
1875 on board the Dunedin and arrived in Auckland on 18 May 1875. Unsettled weather in the
harbour delayed their landing for at least a day before being accommodated at the Immigration
Barracks. Jane had a further four children in New Zealand – the youngest being born when she was
46. The family eventually settled in the Tuakau district.

Jane suffered the tragic loss of her husband on 16 March 1894, when he was travelling away from
home for his work as a commercial traveller for Trenwith's boot factory. He collapsed and died on the
Taupo Road between Tarawera and Upper Mohaka from the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain.
Edmund had made his will on 1 January 1889 and instructed that Jane be appointed the sole executor.
He also left her all his real and personal estate and as a pensioner of the Bank of England he
bequeathed that all monies coming to him from the Bank Provident Society be paid to Jane in a lump
sum. It is hoped that this provided Jane with some financial certainty and security for her coming
widowhood which was to last for just over 30 years.

Jane spent her later years living with one of her younger daughters, Emma (Mrs. Hugh H. ABBOTT).
Family tragedies continued to be a part of her life and 1918 would have been a more difficult year
than most. She lost her next but youngest son Benjamin when he was killed in action on the
battlefields of France on 30 March; and then her youngest son Samuel died later that same year of
influenza-pneumonia on 1 December in Palmerston North - part of the worldwide pandemic. But there
would have been many happy moments as well as the younger generations of her family expanded.

Jane died at Emma’s home at 16 Fairview Road, Mt. Eden, Auckland on 15 August 1925. She was
survived by 14 of her 19 children; and there were 53 grandchildren and 42 great grandchildren. Jane
and Edmund are both buried in the Tuakau Public Cemetery at Tuakau.

Sources:
Papers Past website: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Photo of Jane GILL: https://www.ancestry.com

Researcher: Christine Headford

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3516 Surname: GILLON
Given names: Fanny
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Mauku

Qualification: residential

Fanny BUTTIMORE was born in about 1868. Her parents, William and Anne (nee LATHAM)
BUTTIMORE arrived in NZ on board the Bombay on 26 November 1864.

On 8 May 1894 Fanny married Robert William GILLON. Robert was the son of Rachel nee HILLIEAR
and Robert Gillon of County Kildare, Ireland and brother of Eliezer.

Fanny and Robert had 3 children:

• Annie born 1895, died 1971
• Arthur born 1896 at Bombay, died 1970
• George born 1904, died 1950

In 1900, Fanny and Robert were farming at Mauku. From there they moved to Waipipi, and by 1914
were farming in AkaAka.

Robert died in Hamilton on 13 February 1943 aged 76 and Fanny died on 18 December 1947. Both
were buried in Waikumete Cemetery.

Sources:
BDM-dia.govt.nz
Google
Researcher: Barbara Raven

Electoral Roll: Franklin 4039 Surname: GILLON
Given names: Frances Ellen Address: Mauku
Occupation: domestic duties Qualification: residential

Frances Ellen BACKHURST, daughter of George BACKHURST and Maria nee HILLIEAR was born about
1869 in Maidstone, Kent. The family sailed to Auckland on the Celestial Queen arriving in 1872. Four
more children were born in New Zealand.

On 25 November 1892 at St James’ Mangere, Frances married Eliezer GILLON, son of Robert GILLON
and Rachel nee SHIER of Alby, County Kildare, Ireland.

Frances and Eliezer had 3 children:

• George Robert, born 1895
• Frances Henry, born 1897 in Auckland, died 27 September 1917 at N.Z.E.F. Training

Camp, Featherston. He is buried in Pukekohe cemetery, with a memorial at St
Bride’s, Mauku.
• Norman Leslie, born 1898 and buried at Pukekohe cemetery.

Between 1892 and 1938, Eliezer and Frances farmed at Lot 5 and 6, Puni, Mauku. Eliezer died in
March 1936 aged 68.

Frances moved to 17 Onslow Ave, Onehunga and lived there until her death on 27 August 1950,
aged 80. She is buried in the Mangere Cemetery.

Sources:
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz
NZ Electoral Rolls
Google
Find a grave
NZ Passenger Lists
nzhistory.govt.nz
Researcher: Barbara Raven

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3518 Surname: GILLOTT
Given names: Phoebe
Occupation: household duties Address: Kohekohe

Qualification: residential

Phoebe KIMBERLEY was born c.1849 in Allesley, Warwickshire, England. She immigrated to New
Zealand along with some of her siblings and lived in Onehunga where she met and married her
husband Astley GILLOTT on 31 Jan 1882, in the Office of the Registrar of Marriages, Auckland, New
Zealand.

They then moved to Kohekohe, where they took over the original 10-acre block that was allocated to
the family in 1865 on the right of Awhitu Road near Coopers Road. [Family later sold to Barclays].
They added to that block, by buying out other block holders until they had amassed a farm of about
110 acres. Phoebe and Astley had 2 children.

In 1903 when Astley’s brother’s wife died just after giving birth, Phoebe and Astley took on this very
young baby and brought him up as their own.

Phoebe died on 29 April 1932 at Kohekohe and is buried in the Kohekohe Cemetery.

Sources:
Ancestry
Family memories
Historical BMDs

Researcher:
Carole Prescott (Great Granddaughter)

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1092 Surname: GILMOUR
Given names: Eliza Dickie
Occupation: household duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

ELIZA Dickie GILMOUR nee TEMPLETON was born in 1846, the daughter of
James Templeton, carpet manufacturer of Ayr, Scotland. She married Hugh
Kerr Gilmour on 10 February 1871 in Ayr, Scotland.

Hugh Kerr Gilmour was born in Glasgow in 1842 and was engaged in the
manufacturing of brush-ware.

Four sons were born to Eliza and Hugh in Scotland: Matthew born 1872, James
born 1873, Hugh born 1874 and William born 1876.

The family prospered with their successful brush-ware business. In 1881 Hugh
decided to move his family to New Zealand and they left London on the Raikaia. The arrival of the
Raikaia is recorded in the Bay of Plenty Times of 13 August 1881: “The ship Rakaia, arrived in Auckland
from London on Wednesday, after a smart passage from land to land. She brings a large number of
passengers, a considerable proportion of whom come with well-lined pockets...” The Gilmours
occupied a Second Cabin.

On arrival Hugh and Eliza settled in Howick and Hugh continued his business of manufacturing brush-
ware for several years before buying a large property at Buckland which he farmed with his four sons
eventually handing the management to his sons and retiring with Eliza to Howick.

Both Eliza and Hugh were prominent members of the temperance cause and they jointly started the
first local Band of Hope at Howick, in August 1888.

Eliza died on 2 June 1944 aged 98 years. She is buried with her husband at St Andrew’s Presbyterian
Cemetery, Howick.

Sources:
Cyclopedia of NZ Auckland Provincial District
Findmypast
Findagrave NZ
Paperspast.

Researcher Mary Mercer

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3521 Surname: GIVIN*
Given names: Mary
Occupation: household duties Address: Pollok

Qualification: residential

Mary GIVEN* [spelt GIVIN on the Electoral
Roll] was born at Rahoney, County Tyrone on 7
January 1817 to Richard GRAHAM and Mary,
nee JOHNSON. We know that she had two
brothers: Arthur 1805 - 1887 and Hugh c1822 -
1904 and three sisters: one not known,
Rebecca c1816 - 1898 and Elizabeth c1824 - ?.
Her father was a farmer.
She was married to James Given by the
Reverend St George, Rector of the Parish of
Dromore on 13 October 1842. The report of
the marriage in the Belfast Newsletter states
that she was the third daughter of Richard
Graham Esq. which proved her parentage. She
and James had eight children: George 28 July
1843 - 1899, Richard b4 July 1845, Catherine
Jane b5 October 1848, Mary Rosetta Victoria
b16 August 1851, Margaret
Beck 19 Aug 1853 - 26 Dec 1854, Susan b13 Jan
1856 and twins John and James b25 Aug 1858.

She, along with her husband and family, left London on 14 February 1864 by the ship 'Queen of the
Deep' arriving in Auckland on 14 June 1864. They settled on 260 acres in Waitara [Pollok] which they
received for paying their fares out.

Her daughter Catherine's obituary stated that several times during the Maori Wars they were
expecting an attack and a watch was kept at night, but they were never troubled.

Her brother Arthur went to Wagga Wagga, Australia and she visited him there.

She died on 24 May 1911 at Pollok and is buried in the family grave in the Pollok Cemetery.

Sources:
Family Bible
Pollok Burial Register and Cemetery Headstone
19thC Newspapers – Belfast Newsletter
Paperspast
Family Correspondence

Researcher: David Walter

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3522 Surname: GIVIN*
Given names: Susan
Occupation: household duties Address: Pollok

Qualification: residential

Susan GIVEN* (spelt GIVIN on the Electoral Roll) was born on 13 January 1856 at Drunquin, County
Tyrone, Ireland.

She came to New Zealand with her parents James and Mary (nee GRAHAM) and her siblings, leaving
London on 14 February 1864 by the 'Queen of the Deep'.

They arrived in Auckland on 14 June 1864 and she went with her family to Pollok where she lived
on the farm (land off Awhitu Road going down Given Road). She did not marry but lived with her
mother as a companion and after her mother died she was left an annuity and the use of the
house in which she lived on Daisy Farm for life. She died in Devonport in 1954.

Sources:
Family Bible
Mother’s will

Researcher: David Walter

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3524 Surname: GLASGOW
Given names: Lillian Sloane
Occupation: household duties Address: Patumahoe

Qualification: residential

Lillian Sloane GLASGOW was born on 23 June 1870 in Epsom, Auckland. Her parents were Robert
Glasgow and Ann (Nancy Ann) SLOANE who had emigrated from County Tyrone, Ireland with their
first three children, in 1865 on the American brig ‘Empress’.

Lillian grew up in a farming family, helping her mother, as she was the eldest living daughter. Her
marriage to William WILLOUGHBY on 10 April 1894 took place in the home of Mrs Susan Willoughby,
Graham Street in Auckland. She was 24 years old. William was the son of John and Alice Young
Willoughby and he was born in County Wicklow, Ireland in 1863.

Lillian and William started their married life in the Franklin area with William farming and where
their first children were born: son Robert John, and then their baby daughter Daisy in 1896 who
passed away aged 3 days. When their next daughter was born a year later in 1897 she was named
Daisy May.

Over the years Lillian and William moved around the country and in 1900 were living in Coromandel
where William was a storeman. Amy Isabel (1899) and Joseph Edward (1901) were born here. They
then shifted to Paeroa where William was a wharf labourer and 2 more children arrived: Walter in

1903 and Miriam in 1904.

By 1907, the family were living in Auckland at Canal
Road, Avondale where William was a labourer but
eventually retired to be noted on later electoral rolls as a
settler. The last 3 children in the family were born in this
family home: Alice in 1907, Nancy Lillian in 1909 and Lucy
in 1911.

Robert enlisted to serve in WW1 and died of wounds
received in action on 27 March 1917, aged 22 years. He
is buried in Trois Arbres cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord,
France.

Lillian and William lived in Canal Road, Avondale for the
rest of their lives with various family members, until Lillian passed away on 28 June 1941 at a private
hospital in Auckland aged 72 years.

William passed away 3 years later at the residence of his brother-in-law, at Totara Point, Thames on
29 November 1944 aged 79 years. Their daughter Miriam also resided here. William’s service was
held in Auckland. He lies quietly with his dearly loved wife Lillian in Waikumete cemetery.

Acknowledgements: Glasgow oral history, Willoughby oral history, Rachel Willoughby, Papers Past, NZ
Archives, Ancestry, Historical BDMs

By: Gillian Conroy

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3525 Surname: GLASGOW
Given names: Nancy Ann
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Patumahoe

Qualification: residential

Ann SLOAN was born in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, in July c1834. Her father was John Sloan.

Ann married Robert GLASGOW on the 15th September 1857 in Ballyclog, Cookstown, County Tyrone.
Robert was born on 6th July 1830. Neither Robert nor Ann had any formal education. They signed
their wills with a mark.

The family sailed for New Zealand on the American clipper ‘Empress’ which embarked from
Gravesend, England on the 3rd February 1865 and dropped anchor in Auckland Harbour late in the
evening of the 14th May 1865. They are recorded on the ship’s passenger list as Robert, Ann and
children William, Samuel and Sarah Ann. They were assisted passengers. They had been in New
Zealand no more than a fortnight when Ann gave birth to their son Robert on the 25th May so it
appears she had been expecting throughout the voyage. Sarah Ann died of atrophy on the 27th May
having been born on 19th January in 1864 in Cookstown. Robert is shown on her death certificate as
a labourer. They appear to have had a very difficult start in the new country.

Ann was known as Nancy Ann and there were nine children born
altogether, with the additions of Charles, Lilian, Joseph, and the
twins Amy and Walter. Robert took up farming in various districts
over the years. In 1880 there was a government land sale on behalf
of Messrs HUNTER and NOLAN for stock and farm implements at the
residence of Mr Robert Glasgow, Epsom. Their son Samuel spent the
early part of his life farming with his father at Mangere and
Patumahoe.

In 1889 while living at Puni, Pukekohe West, the 6 roomed wooden
dwelling that was their home was totally destroyed by fire. It was
accidental as the family were absent, being at work on the farm. The
building was insured. Robert’s land at Mauku was freehold in 1890.
The family were living in Patumahoe in 1896 as Robert had
complained to the school committee about the treatment of his little
girl – Gertrude Maud Glasgow. The complaint was not upheld. Robert and Nancy Ann appear to
have brought up this little girl as a Glasgow from a young age. Gertie never married and was a
companion to her foster mother until Nancy Ann passed away.

In 1900 the family were residing in Mangere but still owned freehold land in Pukekohe. Their
youngest daughter Amy married James HUNTER of Patumahoe at the bride’s parents’ residence,
‘Burnley Villa’ in Avondale. In 1911 the electoral roll listed Robert as a settler, Nancy Ann as married
and Gertrude as a spinster.

Robert, late of Pukekohe, passed away on 5th August 1914 aged 84 years, at his home in Avondale,
and is buried at Waikumete cemetery. Nancy Ann continued to live at home until she passed away
on 7th September 1917. Her death notice notes that by request there was to be no mourning. She
was privately interred at Waikumete cemetery.

Acknowledgements: Glasgow Oral History, Papers Past, Historical BDMs

By Gillian Conroy

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3523 Surname: GLASS
Given Names: Mary
Occupation: household duties Address: Maioro

Qualification: residential

Mary was born 29 October 1863 in Cape Town, South Africa to Margaret (nee RYAN) and Michael
NEIL. Michael was ex 1st Royal Regiment of Infantry and employed as a Constable at Cape Town
Convict Station.

Mary Neil arrived in New Zealand as a young seven-month-old child with her parents, Michael and
Margaret, and her three year old brother Thomas, on board the ship “Reihersteig” in 1864.

On 23 January 1865 they moved into a settlement and on 31 March 1865 took up their allotment at
Maioro Bay near Waiuku. There were no roads only bush tracks, the land needed to be cleared, a
home built, crops planted, children to be taught and looked after. Thomas and Mary were among
the first settlers’ children to attend Maioro School. The family was to grow with six children namely
John, Denis, Samuel, Elizabeth, Alice and Robert.

Mary married Archibald GLASS on 9 February 1881 at the age of 18 and they lived at Maioro. They
had five children – William 1882, Margaret Alice 1883, Alexander 1887, Frederick Michael 1891 and
Allen 1893.

On the 1880-81 Electoral Roll Archibald was recorded as being a farmer with freehold land of 75
acres at Maioro and the family continued to work and develop this property. By the early 1900’s
William, with Margaret Alice, was farming at Otaua.

Sadly Archibald passed away on 22 August 1914, aged 71, and was buried in Waiuku Cemetery.

On 22 March 1915, Mary married Charles Albert TARRANT, a former foreman in the Traffic
Department of N.Z. Railways. Charles was from a Woodhill farming background but together they
settled for a city lifestyle with homes in various areas like Onehunga and One Tree Hill and then to
17 Lewin Road, Epsom where they both enjoyed a quieter lifestyle although Charles was still working
as a gardener.

Charles passed away at home on 29 May 1931, aged 73, and was buried at Hillsborough Cemetery,
Auckland.

A very fond memory Mary had of her granddaughter, Alice Glass, who she was very proud of, was
her being the first woman to be granted permission to ride astride her horse at the Pakuranga Hunt
after they held a Special Meeting.

Mary eventually moved to a smaller home and passed away on 27 November 1953, aged 90. She
was buried with Charles at Hillsborough.

Sources:

PapersPast – AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME LXII, ISSUE 126, 30 MAY 1931
PapersPast – OBITUARY – AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME LXII, ISSUE 144, 20 JUNE 1931
NZ BDM Historical Records

Researcher: Leone Neil

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1114 Surname: GLASSON
Given names: Louisa Samina
Occupation: household duties Address: Karaka

Qualification: residential

Louisa Samina Glasson
(1850-1915)

Louisa Samina Glasson was born at Clontarf, Dublin, on 10
September 1850. She was the sixth of seven children born to
solicitor Richard Benson Worthington [1805-1884] and his wife
Mary Jane (nee Wilson) [1819-1870].

On 14 June 1860, ten year-old Louisa and her family set sail from
Liverpool on the White Star clipper Northern Bride. The journey
to New Zealand took almost four months – the Northern Bride
finally arriving in Auckland on 12 October – having lost a man
overboard on the way.

The Worthington family settled in Drury where Louisa’s father served as a Clerk of the Resident
Magistrate’s Court.

Tragically, only three years after arriving in their new country, Louisa’s eldest brother William (19)
was killed in the battle of Tītī Hill in Mauku on 23 October 1863. It was the second tragedy for
Louisa’s family – her elder sister Maria, died at age 12 before the family left Ireland.

On 15 November 1870, Louisa married Robert Glasson [1841 to 1917], second son of Karaka pioneer
John Glasson IV and his wife Anne. They were married at Drury, by the Rev. Joseph Bates.

Robert and Louisa lived on the 900 acre farm owned by Robert’s parents in Karaka (and eventually
taken over by Robert). They had 10 children – five sons (including identical twin boys) and five
daughters. All ten children were born at “Linwood” – the original Glasson homestead on the banks
of the Whangamarie estuary in Karaka. The damp conditions close to the creek eventually became
too difficult for Louisa who was crippled with arthritis, so the family built a second “Linwood” on
higher ground across the road.

Louisa passed away at her home on 2 January 1915 aged 64 years. Her funeral service took place at
St Brides Church Mauku on 4 January 1915. Louisa, Robert and five of their children are buried in St
Bride’s churchyard, Mauku.

Sources:

Lindesay Family Archives
Auckland Star, Volume 1V, Issue 1040, 21 May1893
New Zealander, Volume X1X, Issue 1825, 23 March 1863
New Zealander, Volume XV1, Issue 1512, 13 October 1860
Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 262, 5 January 1915
Church records – www.irishgenealogy.ie
Mauku NZ Wars memorial – www.nzhistory.govt.nz

Researcher: Dianne Lindesay

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3526 Surname: GLEESON
Given names: Julia
Occupation: household duties Address: Kohekohe

Qualification: residential

Julia was born in Coventry England to Irish parents (Martin and
Katherine LOWRY). She was one of three children. Sadly, her father
died in London and so did her brother Bart. Julia’s mother Katherine
remarried some time later to Michael HAYES. They all immigrated to
New Zealand on the ship Mattock landing in New Zealand.

In 1865 Julia met her husband William GLEESON when aged 16yrs.
Julia was working on REID’s farm in Glenbrook. She worked milking 8
cows morning and night and helped to look after 4 children. Julia was
paid one shilling a week for her wages for working at Reid Park.

Once a month on a Sunday she would walk over to have a picnic
lunch with William at Waipipi on land he was clearing that he had
bought from success with his gold claim when he was in Thames.

Julia and William married when she was 18yrs and William 35yrs. They settled on the land on
Gleeson's Rd and built their first little home on the hill in approx.1870. They had 13 children
including a set of twins but sadly their son John died at 3mths. Maggie was the girl and she was
healthy. They also lost their son Patrick in a house fire at a young age. Julia tried to save all the
children while calling out to William. He was clearing land not far from house and he rushed in to try
to get Patrick out only to have his beard and clothes catch on fire. Julia was pulling him out and
dousing him with a bucket of water as she thought better to save him than lose them both. What an
awfully sad choice she had to make so quickly. Julia and William were very devoted to their children,
each other and their land and faith. They prayed the Rosary kneeling down in a circle every night
without fail.

Julia was sadly widowed at 49yrs old and her youngest child Daniel was only 9yrs old. William had
developed asthma which only got worse and took his life aged 66yrs. She continued to work hard
and with the help of the older children was able to keep the farm going. At age 87yrs her own
health was hit when she developed gallstones and she died on 8 January 1939 at Mater Hospital,
Auckland. Doctors said her heart was strong, but gallstones poisoned her system. Nowadays they
could have operated and who knows how much
longer she would have lived.

Julia and William are buried in the family plot in
Waipipi Cemetery.

Source: Family Knowledge
Researcher: Jo Brighouse

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1126 Surname: GOLDING
Given names: Sarah
Occupation: farmer Address: East Pukekohe

Qualification: residential

Sarah Jane AITKEN was born in Omagh, County In 1891 Sarah and James moved to a property
Tyrone, Ireland in 1864. Sarah apparently left previously owned by Governor HOBSON’s
Ireland with her mother and sister to go to Estate and called it Hobson Farms on what is
Sydney, Australia where she became a now known as Golding Road, where some of
barmaid. In 1881 Sarah Jane married James the family still live today. In the 1893 Electoral
PATERSON. It is not known if Sarah became a Roll Sarah gives her occupation as farmer and
widow in Australia or in New Zealand. It was James is recorded as a butcher, owning part lot
said at the time of her marriage to James 16 Pukekohe freehold.
GOLDING that she put her age up by five years
and James put his down by five years. Sarah Sarah died in 1920 at the age of 56 and is
was actually 20 years old when she married buried in the Pukekohe Cemetery. James died
James. He would have been 41 at the time. on 2 October 1931 at the age of 87 and is
Sarah and James’ wedding took place on 27 buried beside his second wife, Sarah Jane.
October 1884. It would have been a busy start
to the marriage as James already had three Researcher: Brien Golding, grandson of Sarah Jane
surviving children from his first marriage to compiled from family knowledge
Maria CHARLES nee MOORE.

On coming to New Zealand in January 1865,
James Golding worked in Auckland for a few
years before the lure of the goldfields took him
to Coromandel. Here he and a friend, Mr C
MILLS, set up a butchery business. In 1871
they went their separate ways. Eventually
James sold the business and owned a hotel
called the Diggers Rest along with some mining
licences. It was here James met his first wife,
widow Maria Charles, and they married on 14
January 1873. In 1876 James and Maria moved
to Pukekohe where James opened the town’s
first butcher’s shop at his father-in-law’s
general store. Later they built their own home
on Manukau Road. Sadly Maria passed away in
1882 from hepatitis two months after their
youngest son Thomas was born.

In October 1884 James married Sarah Jane
Paterson, nee Aitken. Sarah Jane gave birth to
17 children, including two sets of twins. These
would have been difficult times for Sarah as
ten of her own children died before reaching
the age of five. Life must have been hard back
then with large families and small houses, not
like today’s large houses and small families.

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1129 Surname: GOLDSWORTHY
Given names: Sarah
Occupation: household duties Address: Mauku

Qualification: residential

Sarah Ann McGECHIE was born on 9 July 1845 in Warkworth, the third daughter of John McGechie
and Esther ARNOTT. Her father was born in Drumquin, Tyrone, Ireland during the time his father
was an Army Surgeon. The family were Scots and returned to Scotland in 1832.

John and Esther married in the Episcopal Church Paisley on 25 October 1839. They left Greenock,
Glasgow on 31 October 1839 on the Bengal Merchant and arrived at Port Nicholson, Wellington on
29 February 1840. They later took passage on the Chelydra, arriving in Auckland on 21 February
1841.

Esther died in August 1867, aged 45 and was buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery and John
McGechie died in January 1890.

Sarah Ann (as she appeared on the marriage notice) married William GOLDSWORTHY on 9 February
1869, at the residence of her father, Roseville, Papatoetoe.

GOLDEN WEDDING: GOLDSWORTH - McGECHIE. - On February 9. 1869. at the residence of the
bride's father, by Rev. J. Macky. William, fourth son of (the late) John Goldsworthy Matakana to
Sarah Ann third daughter of John McGechie. Roseville. Papatoetoe. late of Mahurangi. Present
address; Eureka. Pukekohe. Papers Past, NZ Herald 10 Feb 1919

Sources: Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz;BDM –
www.dia.govt.nz
Researcher: Rosemary Lewis

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1167 Surname: GRAHAM
Given names: Edith
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Buckland

Qualification: residential

Edith was born Edith COCKER, the third child of Joshua Cocker (1842-1905) and Margaret LEIGH
(1840-1904), in Pilsworth, Lancashire, England in 1872.

Her father was a farmer with 107 acres in Pilsworth, employing four labourers and her mother had a
servant, so life was probably fairly comfortable for the Cocker family.

Edith had seven siblings – three brothers and four sisters and five of them did not marry. She was 14
when the family arrived in NZ and after a short time in Auckland they moved to a farm in Buckland –
just outside Pukekohe and although near the railway must have been a remote location in those
times.

Edith was the third wife of Samuel Sargent GRAHAM when she married him in 1892. They had two
sons – Ernest and Eric before Samuel died in 1895, aged 56. Eric died in 1895 age 1.

On 3 November 1898, Edith married William WISEMAN, a saddler from Waipawa, Hawkes Bay who
was a widower with six children. William and Edith added another four children to the family, a
daughter and three sons. They lived in Waipawa for a number of years before shifting to Dannevirke
where William continued his saddlery business.

Edith died on 26 November 1922 and is buried at Mangatera cemetery, Dannevirke.

Signature from her will

Sources:
Probate: www.familysearch.org
NZ electoral rolls – ancestry.com
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz
UK census – ancestry.com

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1170 Surname: GRAHAM
Given names: Ellen
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Pukekohe

Qualification: residential

Ellen was born Ellen BOWMAN in Galway, Ireland about 1844. The daughter of Frank Bowman, she
married James Augustus GRAHAM in November 1864 in Cape Town and travelled with him a month
later on the ship Maori to New Zealand. Her husband died in November 1880 and they are buried
together in the Catholic Cemetery in Pukekohe.

Sources:
Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz – NZ Herald 30 May 1923
Family member – Alan Dalton

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3529 Surname: GRAHAM
Given names: Ellen Constable
Occupation: household duties Address: Pukekohe

Qualification: residential

Ellen GRAHAM was the fourth child of James Augustus Graham and Ellen BOWMAN. She was born
in Pukekohe on 12 Sep 1871 and received her education at the Pukekohe Convent School.

She married John MICHIE in April 1906 and they had three children – Augustine Thomas, Mary and
Ellen Coleta.

Ellen died on the 29 June 1928 and is buried with her husband who died 28 March 1937 in the
Pukekohe Catholic cemetery.

Auckland Star 2 July 1928

Sources:
Family History – Alan Dalton
Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
NZSG Franklin Branch cemetery records
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz
Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1173 Surname: GRAHAM
Given names: Isabella
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Pukekohe

Qualification: residential

Isabella was born Isabella PLATT in County Armagh, Ireland on 24 February 1841, the daughter of
William and Martha Platt.

Isabella married James GRAHAM in Ireland in 1861. They left Cork in 1864 with three children and
sailed for NZ on the Ganges. They landed at Onehunga on 14 February 1865.

Their son James was born on 2 August 1866, the first European child to be born in Pukekohe.
Another two sons and four daughters were to follow. They farmed on Lots 243 ansd 244 ‘Hillside’ in
Pukekohe until James died on 30 October 1907.

Isabella died at Thames where she was residing with her daughter Martha Jane and her husband
David RUSSELL, on 22 May 1910. Isabella and James are buried together in the Pukekohe cemetery.

NZ Herald 24 May 1910

Sources:
NZSG Franklin Branch - Cemetery photos
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz
Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1169 Surname: GRAHAM
Given names: Mary Ann
Occupation: dressmaker Address: Pukekohe

Qualification: residential

Mary Ann GRAHAM was born at Pukekohe in 1866, the eldest child of James Augustus Graham and
Ellen BOWMAN. Her occupation was given as dressmaker on the Electoral Roll and the obituary
from the Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, 9 February 1923 describes a kind, community minded woman.

She died a few months before her mother on 6 February 1923 and is buried in the Pukekohe Catholic
Cemetery.

Sources:

Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Family member – Alan Dalton

NZSG Franklin Branch cemetery photos

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3530 Surname: GRAHAM
Given names: Mary Eleanor
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Pukekohe West

Qualification: residential

Mary Eleanor GRAHAM was born in Pukekohe on the 31st August 1870. She was the third child of
James Graham (1835-1907) and Isabella PLATT (1841-1910).

Mary was a probationer nurse at Auckland Hospital from 1894 to 1906 and re-registered again in
1933 (NZ Gazettes) after Arthur’s death.

Mary was 41 when she married Arthur James GATLAND in 1911 and could have had her own
property as a request was made to the Council for a reduction in the water rates – (see article below)

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, 17 Dec 1924

Arthur, a miner, and Mary lived in Tiki Road, Coromandel after their marriage but by 1928 they were
living in Parnell, Auckland, where Mary continued to live after Arthur’s death in 1931. They had no
children.

Mary died on 10 Feb 1947 and is buried with her husband at Buffalo cemetery, Coromandel. They
have no headstone.

Sources:

BDM – www.dia.govt.nz
Cemetery records – NZSG collection
NZ electoral rolls – ancestry.com
Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1171 Surname: GRAHAM
Given names: Matilda
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Pukekohe

Qualification: residential

Matilda Gertrude (Tilly) GRAHAM was the third child of James Augustus Graham and Ellen
BOWMAN. She was born in Pukekohe in 1870 and educated at the Pukekohe Convent School.
She did not marry and died on 16 March 1938. She is buried with her brother Frank at the Pukekohe
Catholic Cemetery.

Sources:
Family history & photo – Alan Dalton
Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
NZSG Franklin Branch – cemetery photo
Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1196 Surname: GRAY
Given names: Eliza
Occupation: household duties Address: Pukekohe East

Qualification: residential

Eliza (Lizzie) was born on Sunday 7 July 1872 and was eldest daughter
of Robert and Anne Jane (nee SIMMS) McNALLY. She did her
schooling at Pukekohe Primary School although there are no starting
dates for her. The 1879 class lists for Pukekohe Primary show Lizzie
to be a fairly good pupil, passing Reading, Spelling/Dictation and
Arithmetic at each exam. Writing defeated her a couple of times and
she was not so good at Geography. Her last day at school was 17 July
1885.

On 16 August 1893 Lizzie married William GRAY at her father's
residence in Pukekohe. William was born in England in 1864 at
Southrepps in Norfolk, England and was the second child Everett and
Priscilla (nee BEASY) Gray.

For the next 15 or so years Lizzie and William made their home in
Pukekohe, where their eldest children were born - Olive, Annie
(Nancy), Emily, Everitt (Hec), Norman, Irene (Rene), Kenneth and
Evelyn (Lyn). Around 1905/06 they moved to Alfriston to their own small farm called 'Bushy Lodge'
just before the birth of their youngest child, Elsie. Lizzie was kept busy with her large family as well as
making her own butter and keeping some hens. She was a tiny thing, standing only 4’10” but she
certainly kept everyone in line.

In 1911 they moved to Mangaiti where they stayed for five years. Their original house there burned
down (date unknown). In 1916 they moved to the farm at Waihou. Their move was made by train; at
the Waihou Station, Charlie Woodman the local carter, collected them and their belongings, taking
them by horse and cart to the farm. Their house was a four-roomed cottage – a little small for their
large family, so they employed a builder from Te Aroha, to enlarge the cottage. It was around this
time that husband William fell ill with heart problems and went to Hamilton and Thames for
treatment.

The family depended for their livelihood on Emily milking the cows, growing their own fruit and
vegetables and what could be sold. They relied on the windmill for water for the stock. Rene recalls
having to bucket up the water from the well for the stock. William was back home by this time but
was too ill to help. Later he was in Hamilton Hospital for two weeks before he died on 5 October 1918
aged only 55.

In Waihou Lizzie was an active member of the Women's Division of the Federated Farmers, the
Women's Institute and the Red Cross Society. During the two World Wars she did a great deal of
patriotic work. She was a life-long and active member of the Methodist Church.

Lizzie died on 13 January 1959 in Hamilton aged 87 and was interred beside her husband in the Te Aroha
Cemetery.

Sources:
From County Armagh To A Land Afar – The Story of Robert & Anne Jane (nee Simms) McNally by Anne Miller
Papers Past – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Researcher: Anne (McNally) Miller

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3538 Surname: GREENHEAD
Given names: Eliza Annie
Occupation: household duties Address: Waiuku

Qualification: residential

Eliza Annie was born on 4 December 1856 at Gilston, Hertfordshire, England to John and Sarah
HOLMES.

The family embarked for New Zealand in 1864 and appear to have been assisted migrants and
travelled on the ‘Matoaka’ to Auckland, arriving in January 1865.

John and Sarah with five of their children, including Eliza Annie who was eighteen, went to
Queensland, Australia in 1875 and in 1876 settled in Kings Creek, Pilton.

She was known as Annie and on 16 July 1879 Eliza Annie married Charles Henry (Harry) GREENHEAD
at Kings Creek, Darling Downs in Queensland. It is thought that John and Sarah returned to New
Zealand first around 1882 but it is not known when Annie and Harry came back.

Harry was always described as ‘Gentleman’ on documents.

Quoting from the Holmes story written for the
family reunion in April 1982 “Annie was a talented
dressmaker and a great horsewoman taking prizes
at shows for riding side saddle on her own black
horse, Jock.

She also took prizes for dancing which she enjoyed
in her younger days.”

Eliza Annie and Harry had eight children, Sarah
Harriet was born in 1880, Hetty Annie 1882, John
Henry 1884, Percival Maurice 1887, Rhoda Evelene
1889, Isobel 1891, Emma Florence 1893, Elizabeth
Evelyn 1897.

Harry died in 1936 and Eliza Annie on 15 March 1943 aged 87 and they are both buried in Waiuku
cemetery.

Source: The Holmes family history

Researcher: Irene Luhrs

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3535 Surname: GREGORY
Given names: Eliza
Occupation: household duties Address: Punui*

Qualification: residential

Eliza was born Eliza UNDERHILL, the daughter of Thomas
Underhill, an agricultural labourer and his wife Louisa, in
Worchestershire in 1849.

She married John GREGORY in 1871 and they had two
children before the came to New Zealand in 1874. The
Gregorys were to have a family of 12 children, all of whom
lived to adulthood and 11 of them to old age. Son, Arthur was
killed in France in 1917, during WW1.

John and Eliza were involved in community activities,
especially the Anglican Church and school affairs and they
gave the land for the first school to be built in the district.

Eliza appeared on the electoral roll with the address Punui (should have been Puni) but like so many
of the men in the district, John gave his address as South Mauku. They farmed here until 1903 when
they moved to Mt Albert Road where John had a carrying business and then later to Balmoral Road.

Eliza died on 19 December 1930. John died on 12 May
1941 at the great age of 93 and there were reports of
each of his birthdays from 90 years in the papers.

They are both buried at Hillsborough cemetery, with a
memorial to son Arthur and their son George and his
wife Jane.

*Punui should be Puni.

Sources:

Family Tree – www.familysearch.org – photo and
information – by Harley Couper.
Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
NZ electoral rolls – ancestry.co.uk
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz

Researcher: Judith Batt Compiler: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1203 Surname: GRIFFIN
Given names: Ann
Occupation: settlers wife Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

Ann SPRATT was born about 1838 in Enniskillen
which is in County Fermanagh. On 3 June 1859 she
married John GRIFFIN in Enniskillen. John was
born about 1834 in County Fermanagh. He was a
Crimean War veteran and as a young man he
enlisted in the 85th Light Infantry Regiment and
was later transferred to the 19th Foot. He was
wounded whilst taking part in the Crimean War
and received the Crimean War medal with three
clasps, together with medals for the battle at
Alma, Inkerman, and Sebastopol. He was also
awarded the Turkish medal and also wore the
Veteran's medal.

They came to New Zealand with their two
daughters Catherine aged 5 and Mary aged 5
months. John was a labourer and their land details
were Lots 111, 112, 121, & 122, Suburban Section
1 Pukekohe, each being 5 acres. They also were
given two lots in Tuakau, being Lot 18 Subs
Tuakau, 25 acres and a town lot, Lot 182 Tuakau

North.

Ann and John first settled at Papakura, then at Pokeno and finally at Tuakau where they were farming.
During their marriage they produced three sons and five daughters. Ann died on 27 November 1901
aged 62 and her death notice appeared in the NZ Herald on 29 November. There was also a
condolence card published in the Herald on 7 December 1901. John outlived Ann by 14 years and he
eventually passed away on 8 May 1915 at his son’s residence in Onewhero aged 81. Ann and John are
buried in the Tuakau Cemetery.

Sources:
Papers Past- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Waikato District Council Cemeteries database

Researcher: Ross Miller

Electoral Roll: Waipa 1012 Surname: GUINNEN*
Given names: Mary
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Rama Rama

Qualification: residential

Mary was born Mary BARRY in 1843 in Tipperary, Ireland and married Patrick GUINIVEN* in 1859 in
Tipperary.

Patrick age 30, Mary age 27 and their son William age 4 were passengers on the Reiherstieg arriving
in Auckland December 24 1864 from Cape Town as part of the Waikato Immigration Scheme, which
indicates they had been living in South Africa for sometime before deciding to come to New Zealand.

Below are two accounts of the trip and the conditions they must have found an ordeal when they
arrived. The Guinivens settled at Ramarama, or Maketu as it was called then.

Mary and Patrick had a family of at least six children –
4 still living and named in Patrick’s will of 1895. They
had farmed and owned 20 acres near the house and
422 acres called the hill country.

Patrick died in 1896 and Mary fifteen years later on
21 December 1911 and they are buried with three of
their sons including John who was the Mayor of
Takapuna from 1931 – 1950.

Sources: Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz;
Waikato Immigration Scheme passenger lists – Auckland
Libraries; BDM – www.dia.govt.nz Probate –
familysearch.org

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1215 Surname: GURNEY
Given names: Sarah
Occupation: farmer Address: Pukekohe

Qualification: residential

Sarah SMITH was born on 3 January 1850 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. She was the third
daughter born to Henry and Jane Smith, (nee RESTALL) who had seven children in total, five girls and
two boys.

The family immigrated to New Zealand on board the ship Cashmere departing from Gravesend on 16
June 1851 and arrived in Auckland on 19 October 1851. They lived in Auckland, the later three
children all being born there.

Sarah met James GURNEY and they were married on 16 January 1866 in Auckland. James was quite
a bit older than Sarah; he was born around 1828 in Lower Cumber, Londonderry, Ireland. The couple
had ten children together, seven boys and three girls. Sadly they lost two babies, a very young a girl
Celia and son James.

Sarah and James lived for a time in Bella Street, Grahamstown in Thames. James was listed in the
local directories in 1875 with his occupation as a carter. By 1880 the family had moved to Pukekohe
onto the land and had become farmers. Sarah was a homemaker and a farmer, and a busy mother.
All the living children went on to marry into various families around the Franklin area and surrounds.
There are many descendants from these families who still live in the district today.

Sarah died suddenly on 9 March 1897 at her home in Puni, she was aged only 47. The newspaper
death notice said she had passed away after a painful illness. In fact she had died of poisoning and
an inquest was held. There has been many a tale about her death through the descendants, with
the romantic idea of foul play by the hand of husband James. In fact the inquest found that she had
died by her own hand, “temporary insanity”.

Sarah is buried with her husband James (who died years later in 1917). She was buried on 19 March
1897 in the Pukekohe Presbyterian Cemetery.

Sources:
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
UK Free BMD, Birth registration Ma. Quarter Aylesbury vi 347
The Southern Cross newspaper, Tuesday, 21st October, 1851
New Zealand historical births deaths and marriages
Thames Directory 1875, Pg 54
New Zealand Herald Newspaper, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10398, 24 March 1897, Page 4, Death
Auckland Star Newspaper, Volume XXVIII, Issue 67, 22 March 1897, Page 4, Inquest
Auckland Star Newspaper, Volume XXVIII, Issue 68, 24 March 1897, Page 1

Writer: Del Saunders, descendant

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1230 Surname: HALFPENNY
Given names: Annie
Occupation: household duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

Annie was born on 29 August 1871 Lurgan, Co Armagh, Ireland to James and Margaret HALFPENNY.
Annie was the youngest of four children who arrived in New Zealand aboard the Carisbrook Castle in
September 1875.

Settling in Tuakau, Annie’s father James farmed Lots 41,44,57,60.

Nothing is known about Annie, but it may be assumed that she lived at home with her parents and
probably looked after them during their advancing years. James’s will favours her with half of his
farm upon his death, the other half being left to his wife Margaret.

Annie died a spinster at Papatoetoe in 1949 aged 82 years. In her will she bequeaths £100 to her
nephew Arthur John HOLLINGER and the remainder of her estate valued £680 to her nephew
George Joseph HOLLINGER, sons of her sister Mary-Jane HALFPENNY.

Annie is buried at Tuakau Hill Cemetery beside her parents
in row A Plots 1, 2 and 3.

Sources:
Findmypast
Familysearch
Myheritage
NZSG Franklin Branch Pioneer Register
Researcher: Mary Mercer

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1231 Surname: HALFPENNY
Given names: Margaret
Occupation: household duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

Margaret McCARTNEY, born 1833 in Lisniskey, Co Armagh, Nth Ireland, married James HALFPENNY
from Lurgan, Co. Armagh on 8 May 1853. The marriage took place at the Parish Church Seagoe.

Margaret and James’s five children were all born in Lurgan:

• James 1856
• Mary Jane (Minnie) 1860
• Isabella 3 December 1862
• John 29 Mar 1867 died 25 October 1867
• Anne (Annie) 29 August 1871.

In 1875 James and Margaret boarded the Carisbrook Castle
considered to be a most magnificent clipper ship of her time.
The Carisbrook Castle brought 238 Katikati settlers known as Mr
Vesey STEWART’s special settlers and 125 Government
immigrants. The Carisbrook Castle had sailed from Belfast on 8
June and arrived in Auckland 8 Sept 1875.

It’s not known which group James and his family were in as the earliest recording of James is in 1880
at which time he was farming lots 41,44,57 and 60 at Tuakau, land he owned until his death in 1913
when it passed into his daughter’s hand.

Margaret died in 1917 but had been in
poor health for some years.

She is buried with her husband and
daughter Annie in Row A plot 1, 2, 3
Tuakau Hill Cemetery.

Sources:

NZSG Franklin Pioneer Register
Familysearch – probates
Ireland marriages 1619-1898
Paperspast – Arrival of Carisbrook Castle. Obituary Margaret Halfpenny.

Researcher Mary Mercer.

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3541 Surname: HAMILTON
Given names: Agnes Wallace
Occupation: household duties Address: Awitu

Qualification: residential

Agnes Wallace McCRAE was born on 30 June 1870 in Parnell, Auckland, the daughter of George Roome
McCrae and Jessie Stevenson RANKIN in a family of 10 children (six girls and four boys).

Mr McCrae was a cooper, at that time an important and lucrative trade for the production of the
buckets and tubs being used in all the households, as well as the barrels normally expected of them.

She moved with her family when they went to live in Remuera, Auckland. Her youth would have been
spent at the Mangere home her father bought later, where there was no doubt plenty of ‘domestic
duties’ to perform as well as the country pursuits that young ladies like.

She married on 27 April 1893, in Auckland, to Robert HAMILTON, after having known each other all
their lives.

Like nearly all young couples at that time, they faced a hard life in the isolation of the countryside,
rather different from her previous life in the town and broad lowlands of Mangere.

Agnes knew what she was facing since there had been holidays spent with the Hamilton family, which
will always have entailed the difficulties of travel by boat across the Manukau Harbour to Awhitu and
the general lack of communication.

Agnes and Robert had seven children –
o Jessie Stevenson Rankin
o Robert Chadwick
o George McCrae
o Agnes McCrae
o Florence Glover
o Glover McKerrow
o Stella

– all of whom grew to adulthood and began their own families, one of them in Otago.

Agnes passed away on 7 January 1946 in Greenlane Hospital, Auckland, at the age of 75 years.

Agnes was buried in the Waiuku Cemetery (Row 16) with her beloved husband Robert, who had
passed away on 9 September 1933.

Source: family records and information
Researcher: Clyde Hamilton

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3542 Surname: HAMILTON
Given names: Elizabeth Agnes
Occupation: household duties Address: Awitu

Qualification: residential

Elizabeth was born on 2 November 1870 to John IRWIN and Mary nee McGORLICK. She was born at
Awhitu Central and was raised on the farm in “The Gully”.

By the time of her marriage her mother and the younger children had moved from the lower original
house to the new one on the higher ground near what is now Manukau Heads Road. Elizabeth
would have attended the Awhitu Central School before learning all about domestic duties from her
mother.

The Irwin parents had come from Drumquin, a small village in Northern Ireland, where religion and
its expression were very austere, perhaps even more so than that of the Scottish Covenanters. In
the swiftly changing world of the first half of the twentieth century, the Irwin children were known
for their very strong and strict moral standards on the expected behaviour of children and youth.

The church will have always been a major part of her life, especially through her youth, and it will
have been at church events she became aware of the young James HAMILTON.

The marriage of Elizabeth and James – on 22 November 1888 at her home – was the first of several
marriages between descendants of the original Irwin and Hamilton parents.

Elizabeth and James had six children: Mary Jane (1889) James Templeton (1891) Margaret Eunice
(1893) Ivy Lillian Althea (1889) Oswald Lance (1906) and Donald Hilton (1911).

At the time of the first vote for women, Elizabeth was the mother of two children and contemplating
the arrival of another, and in no mood to join in any unnecessary social life, even if she fully
understood the matters to be decided.

James passed away on 4 December 1924 aged 61. Elizabeth left Waimatuka, Awhitu and made a
home in King Street, Waiuku. It was there she passed away on 25 June 1944 aged 74. Elizabeth and
James are at rest in Waipipi Cemetery.

The bond Elizabeth and her sisters had
was strong and lasting even when one
moved away. There is a bond between
the family descendants today.

Sources:
Family Records and Information
Papers Past

Researcher: Clyde Hamilton

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1260 Surname: HAMILTON
Given names: Margaret
Occupation: household duties Address: Mauku

Qualification: residential

Margaret HAMILTON was born in 1871, the daughter of Hugh and Rebecca HAMILTON.

She lived at Mauku from 1893 until about 1900 when her parents moved to Pokeno.

In 1905 Margaret married Richard WARN. They had one daughter: Ellen Margaret, born in 1907.

Richard and his parents, John and Bridget (nee LANDRES) Warn, from Bothwell, Lanark, Scotland
arrived in Auckland on 22 December 1864 on board the Helenslee. The family settled in Pokeno,
where another son, John Martin, was born in 1868.

Margaret died on 2 October 1933, aged 62 and was buried at the Pokeno Fraser Road Cemetery as
was her husband, Richard, who died on 17 July 1940, aged 79.

Sources:
BDM – dia.govt.nz; NZ Electoral Rolls; Ancestry.co.uk; Headstone photo – Waikato District Council

Researcher: Barbara Raven

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1265 Surname: HAMILTON
Given names: Margaret
Occupation: farmer Address: Pukekohe East

Qualification: residential

Amongst the 24 HAMILTONs recorded on the Thomas died on 18 December 1885 aged 42,
1893 Electoral Roll for Franklin were Margaret leaving Margaret a widow with eight living
Hamilton, and her two eldest sons, Thomas children, her youngest child Annie having been
and Samuel. They were the only Hamiltons born just two years before. A son, Frances
giving Pukekohe East as their address. Robert, born in 1869 had died in 1874 at the
age of 5. It was a long widowhood for
Margaret was born Margaret GORDON, about Margaret as she passed away 31 years later at
1843 in County Down, Ireland. In November the age of 73.
1863 she married Thomas Hamilton in Kilkeel,
Co Down, Northern Ireland. Thomas was from Margaret and her husband Thomas are buried
Annalough, Co Down, Ireland. in St John’s Anglican Cemetery, Drury along
with their daughters Minnie (Mary Margaret
We can’t be sure but Margaret and Thomas Hamilton) and Annie Hamilton, and son Frank
may have come to New Zealand on the Hamilton.
Caduceus. Among the second cabin
passengers listed for the Caduceus which
arrived in Auckland in March 1865 were a
Thomas and Margaret Hamilton. The
Caduceus brought 262 passengers, some of
whom were assisted by the government, and
she anchored off the Queen Street Wharf,
Auckland Harbour on 26 March 1865. A report
the following day in the New Zealand Herald
noted the following:

Margaret and Thomas had a family of nine In Loving Memory of Thomas Hamilton, died 18
children, all born in New Zealand: Thomas, December 1885 aged 42 years. Also his beloved
Samuel, Frances Robert, Mary Margaret, wife Margaret, died 29 August 1916, aged 73. Also
Elizabeth, Eleanor, Emily, Lucy and Anne. their son Frank, died 11 September 1874 aged 5
There were three boys and six girls. Thomas years, and also their daughter Annie, died 24 July
jnr, their eldest, was born on 11 September 1936 aged 51 years. Minnie died 30 December
1865, six months after the Caduceus arrived in 1941 aged 70years.
NZ. The girls were all enrolled at Pukekohe
East School. Sources include: 1893 Electoral Roll, NZ Historical
bdms, Papers Past, School Records.
Compiled by Christine Madsen and Lynda Muir

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1262 Surname: HAMILTON
Given names: Margaret G
Occupation: household duties Address: Awitu

Qualification: residential

Margaret was born on 16 April 1836 to John GLOVER and Jean McKERROW in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire,
Scotland.

Margaret Glover is reputed to have had tightly curled hair, which has been a feature of all the
generations of her descendants, so that the ensuing family became known for its hair. Seven
generations of curls can be affirmed, and it would not be surprising if several more generations show
at least some tendency toward curls. In stature she was short and stout. It is not known from which
side of her family the curls originated, maternal or paternal and now there is virtually no close family
left in Scotland.

It was in Kilmarnock on 16 April 1857 that Margaret married James HAMILTON and they had three
children – Thomas who died young, then John Glover and Jane McKerrow – then the family of four
left for New Zealand arriving in 1865. Due to the land wars at that time the Hamiltons lived in
Auckland for two years then settled on a section of land in a valley at Awhitu now accessed from
West Coast Road. There six sons were born – James, Robert, William Glover, Archibald McMichael,
Hugh Hulbert and Chadwick Neilson.

There do not appear to have been any traditions handed down about the life of Margaret, but we
can be sure that it was one of seemingly endless toil. Statistically, she had been pregnant, off and
on, over a period of 20 years, giving birth to nine children. Her first-born child died in Kilmarnock
when almost two years old. A pregnancy had made the voyage from Scotland very uncomfortable,
when such voyages were difficult under the best possible conditions. During the birth of William
Glover an umbrella was used to shelter the mother from rain due to the roof leaking.

Through her lifetime the chore of laundry work was entirely manual, while the dress code and
fashions of the time made for more of this work than modern women would tolerate. The
preparation of food required a proper understanding of food hygiene under completely natural
conditions when meat and vegetables could begin to rot within hours of killing or picking. Margaret
had to stand by as eight-year-old Archibald became ill with diabetes and died. She was not alone in
these trials, but that does not diminish the fact of her strength and determination in carrying out her
allotted tasks. Only in her later years did she have any home help. For the women of her time, their
greatest support came from their own solid faith in the religious foundation of their lives and their
belief that God Himself was at their side day by day.

Margaret and James were to later buy a large farm at the end of Hamilton Road, Awhitu Central.
Run with the help of the sons it was a successful venture and by the late 1890s the six Hamilton
brothers had a cheese factory at Hamilton’s Gap.

It was at Puketapu that Margaret passed away on 19 August 1898 and she is buried at Awhitu
Central Cemetery.

Descendants of “the original Mrs Hamilton” farm on the Awhitu Peninsula including at Puketapu
today (2018).

Sources:
Family Records and Information

Researcher: Clyde Hamilton

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1259 Surname: HAMILTON
Given names: Martha Jane
Occupation: household duties Address: Mauku

Qualification: residential

Martha Jane HAMILTON was born in 1860 in Ireland. She accompanied her parents, Rebecca and
Hugh and two siblings to Auckland, NZ on the Ganges, arriving on 14 February 1865.

Martha lived in Mauku from 1893 until about 1900, when she moved with her parents to Pokeno.

In 1908 she married Robert STEWART (1857-1930) and they farmed in the Pokeno area.

Martha died on 16 September 1933 in Pokeno and although her will directed that she be buried
alongside her husband, there is no record of this and her name is not on Robert’s headstone.

Auckland Star 28 Oct 1930

Sources:
NZ Electoral Rolls, Cemetery Records – Ancestry.co.uk; Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz

Researcher: Barbara Raven

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1261 Surname: HAMILTON
Given names: Rebecca
Occupation: household duties Address: Mauku

Qualification: residential

Rebecca HARPUR was born about 1837 in Ireland. On 26 January 1858 she married Hugh HAMILTON
at Termonamongan, Co Tyrone, Ireland.

The couple sailed from Queenstown, Ireland on 4 November 1864 to Auckland on the Ganges
arriving on 14 February 1865 with their children:

• Hugh born 1864, died 1938 in Auckland
• Martha
• William born 186, (one of the 54 children who died on the voyage out).

One further child was born in 1869 in New Zealand.

From 1885 until about 1902 Rebecca and Hugh farmed in Mauku on Lot 38, in the Parish of Puni.
They then moved to Pokeno. They were both buried at the Fraser Rd Cemetery – Rebecca on 30
August 1912 (aged 75) and Hugh in September 1914 (aged 83).

Sources:
NZ Electoral Rolls
BDM – dia.govt.nz
AncestryUK

Researcher: Barbara Raven

Electoral Roll: Waipa 3236 Surname: HAMLIN
Given names: Agnes
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Pokeno

Qualification: residential

Agnes was born on 3 November 1858 in Auckland. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas (1836-
1879) and Frances Louisa (1834-1870) PHILLIPSON (nee CAWKWELL). Agnes had five brothers and
two sisters.

Agnes married Sydney Henry Clough HAMLIN, 2nd son of James Hamlin (Jnr) and Isabella Donne
Hamlin (nee SMALE) on 17 December 1892 at St Peters, Onehunga. Sidney was a farmer at Pokeno,
Franklin. They were both 34 years old.

After their marriage they set up home in Pokeno staying there while their four children, two
daughters and two sons were born: Lucy (1894-1976) m Conway W. JONES; Sydney Arthur (1895-
1970) m 1) Minnie MOORE (1901-1941) and 2) Mavis Beatrice HALL (1909-1997); Alfred Benjamin
(1898-1989) m Catherine Mary SLOPER and Elsie Agnes (1901-1996) m Robert T. KELLY.

Sydney had a position in Onehunga as a Clerk (1890 Electoral Roll) and in all probability met Agnes at
Church, both being of the Anglican faith. He was also listed as a land owner having inherited, along
with many of his cousins, a portion of his late grandfather’s, Rev. James Hamlin, Waipuna Farm.

On the 1896 Franklin Electoral Roll Agnes’ occupation was Domestic Duties while Sydney was a
farmer. However they were looking for a change and took the offer of a position at the Waimakariri
Hatcheries, just below the Okoroire Springs. Four years later (1905-1906 Electoral Roll) the young
family had moved again to a farm in Tirau, South Waikato. This was where they were to live out
their life, being very involved in community affairs. Their son, Sydney Arthur also a farmer joined
them in Tirau.

Agnes passed away on 3 August 1927 at Tirau and is buried in the Tirau Cemetery. Sydney died 16
years later on the 8 October 1941.

Agnes Hamlin (nee Phillipson)
1858-1927

Source:
www.dia.govt.nz
ancestry.com
NZSG. Kiwi Collection 2
The Missionaries James & Elizabeth Hamlin
LINZ
Electoral rolls
Researcher: Rosalie-Ann Nicholson

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3544 Surname: HAMLIN
Given names: Alethea Sophia Osborne
Occupation: teacher Address: Waiuku

Qualification: residential

Alethea was 23 years old when given the vote, the second daughter of Ebenezer and Sarah Grace
HAMLIN (nee BARRIBALL) born 1870.

Her father, Ebenezer gave land for the school, named “Brookside” after his farm. Lethe, as she
became known, was a foundation pupil (1877) along with her siblings. She usually walked to school,
however sometimes was taken on the sledge. Occasionally wild pigs would come out of the bush
and roam around the school, the pupils were not afraid of them. As politics took up most of his
time, Ebenezer sold “Brookside farm” to Mr GOBLE in 1880. The family moved into Waiuku where
Lethe’s schooling was continued.

Lethe started teaching on 26 January 1886, as a pupil teacher. Teaching positions were held in
Waiuku (her old school Brookside, 1912 called Glenbrook), Auckland and Pukekohe, for thirty years
as infant mistress and teaching for a total of forty-one years. It was estimated that 1500 pupils
would have been under Lethe’s tuition. She eventually was known to be teaching her first pupils’
grandchildren (quoting Mr John PATTERSON, Chairman of the School Committee at Lethe’s farewell
presentation).

The school was situated near Cemetery corner and Lethe had
at times to resort to wearing gumboots to walk from the
township to school, even having difficulty in negotiating the
duck pond on Mr McCORMICK’s property in Queens Street.

Lethe was a member of the Waiuku Holy Trinity Church Choir,
St Andrews Ladies Guild Pukekohe, and also organist for a time.
In her spare time, she painted and was known as an
accomplished wood carver, pieces in each medium being
amongst the family today. On her retirement Lethe went to
live with her mother and sisters at 3 Bracken Ave, Epsom
Auckland, passing away on 30 January 1958.

Alethea Sophia Osborne Hamlin
1870-1958

Sources:
www.dia.govt.nz
Glenbrook (Brookside) 1877-1957
N.Z. Herald 11 July 1927
Werrington to Waiuku: A History of the Barriballs of Waiuku; Joanne Robinson; 1997. KB Print Ltd
The Missionaries (Hamlin family)

Researcher: Rosalie-Ann Nicholson.

Electoral Roll: Waipa 1064 Surname: HAMLIN
Given names: Mary
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Pokeno

Qualification: residential

Mary HAMLIN (nee HUTCHINSON) was the eldest daughter of Mary and William Hutchinson (nee
MOUNSEY) and was born on 25 December 1868 in Windermere, UK. She arrived in NZ in February
1880 from Falmouth after 93 days at sea aboard the “British Empire”. Mary was one of seven children.

She married Benjamin James Hamlin son of James (1816-1868) and Isabella Hamlin (nee SMALE)
(1868-1908) on the 17 October 1885 at his dwelling house, Pokeno. Witnesses were Sydney Henry
Clough Hamlin and Agnes Anne Hutchinson.

After their marriage they set up house where Benjamin was stationmaster for Pokeno. They were to
have nine children over the next twelve years: their first child Isabella Constance E. b1886, followed
by Nelson James 13 months later in 1887, then Hector Charles b1889, Reginald b1891, Benjamin Leslie
b1893, Dorothy Stella b1896, Iris Faith b1899, Victor b1901 (dying 18 months later) and Winifred Alice
1903. The children all started their education at Pokeno School until 1911 when the family moved to
Market Rd, Remuera, Auckland. Benjamin continued as stationmaster for Remuera and held this
position until his retirement. My father, Eric MELLSOP along with his brothers boarded the train at
Papatoetoe for Auckland Grammar School 1913-1918, and being normal youths, gave their cousin a
hard time when they alighted at the Remuera station.

Benjamin died on 4 February 1922, and is buried at Waikaraka Cemetery, Auckland. Mary died at
Napier 12 February 1923, 12 months after her husband. She had been staying with her son, Alfred
Hamlin.

Mary Hamlin (nee Hutchinson)
(1868-1923)

Source: www.dia.govt.nz
Benjamin family papers
The Missionaries James & Elizabeth Hamlin.
Southern Cross Newspaper

Researcher: Rosalie-Ann Nicholson

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3545 Surname: HAMLIN
Given names: Sarah Grace
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Waiuku

Qualification: residential

Sarah Grace was the youngest daughter of Charles and Ann BARRIBALL, born on the family farm at
Epsom, Auckland, and moved to Eden Hill, Waiuku about 1861. Eight years later with her parents’
blessing the 19-year-old Sarah married Ebenezer HAMLIN, youngest son of the Rev James Hamlin, at
Eden Hill, Waiuku. In 1868 Ebenezer was voted for the Provincial Council, later elected as Independent
member for South Franklin a position he held for just on twenty years. He did not stand in 1896 due
to ill health.

Sarah and Ebenezer had moved to Bell Rd, Remuera. It was here that Ebenezer died in 1900, leaving
Sarah to bring up the younger members of their family of ten children. Irene, the youngest, was only
nine years old. After Ebenezer died she moved to Elizabeth Street, and finally to Bracken Avenue,
Epsom. Sarah continued her interest in politics and took an active part in the Church. Gardening was
a life interest, along with needle work, which she gave up once her eyesight failed but she still
continued to rule her household of my four maiden aunts.

Sarah passed away at the great age of ninety-seven in 1946. She is buried in St Marks Churchyard
Remuera, along with her husband Ebenezer.

Sarah was born in Epsom, Auckland in 1849 and known to have never travelled out of the Auckland
Province in her life time.

Sarah Grace Hamlin (nee Barriball)
1849-1946

Sources:
www.dia.govt.nz
St Marks Church Remuera
The Missionaries (Hamlin family)
Hamlin family photographs

Researcher: Rosalie-Ann Nicholson

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3546 Surname: HAMMOND
Given names: Margaret Emma
Occupation: household duties Address: Waiuku

Qualification: residential

Margaret Emma KING was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1860. Margaret came to New Zealand
with her parents Mr and Mrs Basil King on board the “Maori”, arriving here about 1863. The family
settled in Pukekohe.

Margaret married Alexander HAMMOND in Pukekohe (1878). Alexander was originally from Ireland,
moving to South Africa with his mother and brother after the death of his father. Alexander arrived
in New Zealand on board the Steinwarder in 1864.

Margaret and Alexander together farmed the land. They first lived in Whiriwhiri Road later moving
to half way along Otaua Straight. Alexander also worked as a builder and was responsible for
building the Otaua Hall.

At the time of Margaret’s death on 8 June 1932 they had been married for 54 years. Margaret was
survived by three sons, six daughters, 17 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

Alexander died on 30 July 1938. Margaret and Alexander were buried in Waiuku Cemetery.

Sources:
OBITUARY.NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME LXIX, ISSUE 21205, 10 JUNE 1932
OBITUARYNEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME LXXV, ISSUE 23106, 3 AUGUST 1938
Researcher: Joan Taylor and Penny Prescott

Electoral Roll: Waipa 3239 Surname: HANCOCK
Given names: Isabella
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Bombay

Qualification: residential

Isabella HANCOCK (nee LAURENSON) was
born 6 October 1853 in West Burrafirth,
Shetland Islands, to Laurence Laurenson and
Johanna SINCLAIR. She left London on the
‘Brodrick Castle’ in 1875, arriving in Auckland
16 March 1876. She married John Hancock, a
farmer from Bombay, on 31 August 1876.
They had eight children; Hannah, Lydia,
Thomas, Laurence, Reginald, Ernest, Percy
and Leslie. The family suffered the loss of
both Reginald and Percy in WWI. John and
Isabella farmed John’s father’s farm in
Bombay, living in the family home,
“Hillswick.” John built a flour-mill on the
farm in 1889.

Isabella had an eventful passage to New
Zealand with the ship the ‘Brodrick Castle’
encountering terrific storms a few days into
her journey and narrowly escaping total
wreck. During these storms the very worst damage was wrecked on the single women’s quarters,
where Isabella was housed, with the end of one yard-arm smashing a hole through the deck just
above the quarters, water pouring in with every roll of the ship. To make
matters even worse, the store-room wall then gave way and two large casks
of flour went rolling into the quarters, smashing and causing a very doughy,
sticky mess.

After finally being towed to Falmouth and repaired, the ship set sail for New
Zealand again on 14 December 1875. The second attempt at the passage
was thankfully, much less eventful.

Isabella died at age 76 on 16 March 1930 at home in Bombay. She is buried
in Bombay at St Peters in the Forest cemetery with John who died in 1909.

Researched and Written by Susan Burns and Petra Burns (great, great
granddaughter)

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1277 Surname: HARDING
Given names: Lizzie
Occupation: household duties Address: Runciman

Qualification: residential

On the Electoral Roll as Lizzie HARDING, she was born Elizabeth BRUCE, the eldest of three daughters
of Alexander Bruce (1812-1897) and Anne CRONKSHAW (1836-1869). Her parents had married in
New Zealand in 1858. Lizzie was born at Drury in 1859, where her father was a sawyer owning
freehold land, Lot 14 Section 7, Drury.

In 1879 Lizzie married Henry Holmes Harding, a drover/ stockman for Buckland and Sons who were
livestock dealers in the district, and raised a family of at least 10 children.

She died in Auckland after a brief illness on 11 March 1901 leaving 10 children (6 daughters and 4
sons), the youngest only a few months old. Her husband Henry (or Harry as he was known) was still
recovering from a serious accident when he and his horse had fallen some four months earlier.

Her funeral was reported in the newspapers of the day as being ‘largely attended and the coffin
covered with many beautiful wreaths and conducted by Rev HEWLETT at St John’s Anglican Church in
Drury’. Lizzie is buried at the church cemetery with her husband and son William Alexander who
was accidentally drowned in 1904, aged 16 years.

Sources:
Family Tree & photo – ancestry.co.uk, by 1_jan43
Old newspapers – paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
NZSG cemetery records
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 3548 Surname: HARKNESS
Given names: Mary Address: Tumata
Occupation: housekeeper Qualification: residential

Mary was born on 20 July 1845, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, the daughter and eldest child of William
Alison MOYES (1822-1901) and Agnes JAFFRAY (1827–1905). She had three brothers and a sister.

She married Thomas HARKNESS, who had been with the Otahuhu Militia and Drury Light Horse
Brigade, in 1868 and they farmed at Tuimata. The spelling of this district was recorded on the
electoral roll in several ways – Thomas was at Tuimata, Mary at Tumata and their daughter Agnes at
Ihumata, while other residents were at Tuhimata. This district is to the north of Pukekohe and
adjoining Ramarama.

Thomas (1841-1909) was born in Ireland and
owned 60 acres freehold on the 1893 electoral
roll. In his death notice his residence is
referred to as ‘Poplar Grove’

Mary and Thomas had at least 8 children who
were schooled at Ramarama.

Mary died on 23 Jan 1908 and is buried in the
Drury Presbyterian cemetery with her husband
Thomas.

Sources:

Family Tree My Heritage – G Rudd
BDM – www.dia.govt.nz
School records - NZSG
Probate – www.familysearch.com
Headstone photo – www.findagrave.com – G Fergusson

Researcher: Heather Maloney

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1294 Surname: HARRIS
Given names: Amelia Jane
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

New Zealand born Amelia Jane HARRIS, eldest daughter of Major Benjamin and Jane Harris
of Tuakau, was a twenty-three-year-old unmarried woman when she enrolled for the 1893 election.

As a young woman she had close ties with the Tuakau Anglican Church as a scholar and Sunday
School teacher. Her name appears in the reports of various musical evenings and it is recorded that
no name was more popular than hers with concert goers.

In December 1895 she married Mr W H C GLASSON JP and moved to his property, ‘Sylvan Falls’ in
Onewhero. In 1897 a son, Harold Charles Scott was born and in 1899 a daughter, Evelyn Grace.
Amelia’s husband took an active part in public affairs, chairing the committee which campaigned to
have a bridge built over the river at Tuakau.

Sometime prior to 1910 they left Onewhero and are thereafter described as being resident in Drury
and owning a dairy and poultry farm in Runciman. Her husband was once again prominent in public
affairs as chairman of the local Roads Board and active in dairying and poultry organisations. During
WW 1 Amelia is listed as a member of the Women’s Patriotic League.

In 1921 her husband died unexpectedly and shortly after the farm at Runciman was sold. After her
death in 1955 at the age of 85 Amelia was buried with her husband in the St John’s Anglican Church
cemetery, in Drury.

Sources:
Births, Deaths and Marriages. Https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search
Papers Past website. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
St John’s Church Drury. Cemetery records.

Researcher: Janet Pates.

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1288 Surname: HARRIS
Given names: Charlotte
Occupation: household duties Address: Pukekohe East

Qualification: residential

Charlotte MEARS was born at Crum Cottage, NZ Herald 3 April 1939: The death has occurred
Mt Eden on 29 May 1853, to Abraham Mears of an old Auckland identity, Mrs Charlotte
(1822-1864) and Charlotte Strathey WILSON Harris, at the age of 85 years. Mrs Harris, who
(1829-1913). In 1879 she married James lived all her life in the Auckland Province, was
Pascoe HARRIS (1846-1929) who had come to born at Mount Eden, the second daughter of
New Zealand in the 1870s from Cornwall. Mr and Mrs Abraham Mears, who were very
early settlers. Her mother arrived in New
Charlotte and James had five children: Zealand on the ship Delhi in 1840 and her
Edwin Trelawney Harris, born 1880 father came to the colony a few years later. In
Arthur John Harris, born 1882 1879 she married Mr James Harris, remaining
Albert Eden Harris born 1885 for a while in Auckland, but later moving to
Selina Jane Harris born 1887, who lived only Pukekohe East. From 1894 until the death of
five weeks her husband in 1929 she resided at Bombay.
Ethel Mary Harris born 1889. Mrs Harris was closely connected with the
Methodist Church, being a member since 1868.
In 1894 Charlotte and her husband moved The funeral took place on Friday at the Bombay
from Pukekohe East to Bombay, taking up the Anglican Cemetery, the service being
Baird’s farm there and establishing the Roslyn conducted by the Rev L Foulkes. Mrs Harris is
Jersey cattle stud. survived by three sons and one daughter. There
are 18 grandchildren.

Charlotte’s husband predeceased her in 1929
and was also buried at St Peter’s in the Forest,
Anglican Cemetery, Bombay.

Sources: Papers Past; Historical NZ BDM; Family Search
Researched by Christine Madsen & Lynda Muir

Electoral Roll: Franklin 1295 Surname: HARRIS
Given names: Jane
Occupation: domestic duties Address: Tuakau

Qualification: residential

Jane was born in Auckland in 1848, the only daughter of Archibald and Eliza Jane SCOTT. In 1867 she
married Major Benjamin HARRIS, pioneer settler who owned land at Tuakau but had left it for several
years whilst engaged in the Land Wars. Soon after their marriage in Auckland they moved to the 400
acre block in Tuakau which they named ‘Harrisville.’ By 1873 the surrounding district had also become
known as Harrisville with a school of that name opening in 1877. There were two sons and three
daughters from the marriage. In 1879 Major Harris was elected to Parliament as representative for
Franklin electorate, a position which he held, off and on until 1896.

The farm in Tuakau was their home for forty-four years, after which they retired and moved to a home
in Clyde St, Epsom which they named ‘Taumaihi’.

Jane is buried in the Pukekohe Cemetery. The headstone marking the graves of Jane and Benjamin
also commemorates the death of their eldest son, who died of typhoid in 1893 aged 24 years. Their
second son served in the conflict in South Africa.

Sources:
1893 Electoral Roll
Cyclopedia of New Zealand. (Auckland Provincial District)
Papers Past Website.

Researcher: Janet Pates.


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