ancestors


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Roland George Frean
5 May 1930 Dargaville 

Lived in lots of places growing up, as Fred taught at different country schools.

Boarder at New Plymouth BHS.

Went to Canterbury to do a BSc but switched to a BA in English & Philosophy. In mid 1950's, met "Miggs" through the Revue, which he was co-writing.

Margaret Irene Holford
27 Jan 1932 Taumaranui 

Boarded at Ngatawa, Marton. Went to Canterbury to do a BA in Geography and met Roly there. Was a NZ universities rep. in netball.

Married on Thur 2 Apr 1958 (is that the right year?) (Anglican, Taumaranui). 

195? Went to Boston (Roly did Masters in English @ Harvard), Toronto. Margaret worked while Roly did his PhD (on Walter Pater's "Marius the Epicurean").

1959, 10 Mar b. Nicola Mary Toronto. (m Rhys Owen, b. Peter and Sally). Upper Hutt.

Returned to Christchurch, where Roly lectured English and Philosophy.

1961, 15 Mar b. Jessica Margaret Frean (de facto Peter Daivis, b. Alastair and Kate). Melbourne.

1963, 25 Sept b. Marcus Roland Frean 

March. To Palmerston North when Roly became Professor of English at Massey (aged 32). He set up the new department, and sat on the University Council for many years thereafter. Became very interested in Joyce and Yeats, and was Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the State Literary Fund. 

1966 21 Jan b. Benjamin Guy (when with Kelly, b. Jordan). Now in Wellington.

Margaret co-founded the Mother's Helpers Association (volunteer). Living at Karina Tce.

(approx) Moved to 7 Union St. Margaret working at the Crippled Children's Center next door. Roly, Margaret, Nicola and Jessica went to the UK for several months: sabbatical in Oxford. 

197? Bought "the section" at 136 Atawhai Rd, with nothing on it.

1981 (approx.) moved from Union St to the new house on Atawhai Road.

Roly was invited to contribute to a new edition of the Collected Works of Walter Pater. They were travelling via Japan and Italy (esp. Florence) to Wolfson College in Oxford to do this when he suffered heart attacks and died at Interlaken Switzerland, 10 May 1983, aged 52.

  Margaret carried on working at the University and MAF libraries, and living at 136 Atawhai Road.

1990 travelled to UK on garden tour.

She died after a long illness with ovarian cancer, on 28 April 1992.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leslie Albert Holford
1894 
Irene Jemima Clements
d.o.b.?
married where/when? Christchurch (my guess) 

Leslie (Papa) was sent from Christchurch to Taumaranui by the accounting firm Wright Stevenson which he worked for. He fought in WW1 at Gallipolli (from which he suffered hearing loss in one ear) and in Egypt. Auckland Weekly News for 30 Aug 1917 says:

Commissions have been granted to the following on completion of their training:
Posted to Canterbury Regt:
BELL, T, CSM; BRISTED, E G, Pte; BROAMAN (sic), A M, Sgt; BROSNAN, R K B, Pte; BURNARD, A T E, Pte; CHOTE, F H, Pte; CORNFORD, E S, Pte; DALZIELL, N, L.Cpl; DAVIE, F L, Sgt; DAVIES, O Y, Sgt; ; AVIS, A G, Pte; DAVY, T H, Sgt; EDRIDGE, T, Sgt; ELL, A H W, Pte; FARQUHAR, A, L.Sgt; FODEN, W R, Cpl; GRAY, R N, Sgt; GREEN, J L, RSM; GRIFFITHS, D V, L.Cpl; HAROLD, H, Sgt; HOLFORD, L A, Cpl; HOSIE, R, SSM; HOWLETT, D, Sgt; KAY, H P, L.Cpl; KORNER, W, Sgt; MOGRIDGE, S J, CSM; MUIR, J, L.Cpl; NORTON, R H I, Pte; OXLEY, J V, Pte; SCOULLAR, W A, Sgt; SHALLCRASS, C A, Pte ; STRATFORD, H E, RSM; TREMEWAN, W H, Sgt; WANDEN, W M, Sgt; WEST, J A, Rflm
He was a keen trout fisherman and golfer. Both very keen on growing roses and playing bridge, Irene (Nana) being especially good. Nana was a skilled wood carver and keen stamp collector. She sold camellias and other flowers to the florist in Taumarunui and saved up enough to put Mum through Nga Tawa, which Papa would not otherwise have financed. Papa was. an "active" Anglican.

? b Maurice (m. Margaret, no issue. Died when?)

? b Guy (m. Patricia "Pat", b Lesley, Christopher, Nicholas, Jeremy, Philip, Sarah, Simon, Joanna. Pat died, and Guy later m. Jill). Now in Orewa.

27 Jan 1932 b. Margaret 

Leslie died in 1969, of a stroke.

  Irene died of a stroke after a fall, in Taumarunui.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Frederick Peek Frean
18 August 1902, Whitianga, Mercury Bay 

The youngest of 6 children. Caught typhoid - isolated for 6 weeks. Aged ~5 the family moved to Auckland. Primary education at Edendale School, secondary at Seddon Memorial Technical College, where he was School Captain, a keen gymnast and rugby player. Sergeant-Major in the Territorial Cadets. Lightweight boxing champion at Trentham MC in 1921, but not long afterward his father's shop burnt down. Having to earn money immediately, he became a teacher. During the next 2 years as a probationer-teacher, he met Dorothy. Rugby, athletics, dancing and singing lessons, boxing; jobs delivering milk and in a bike shop. Then training college. NZ Universities lightweight boxing champion. 

1925: Teaching at Wharehine, a remote school on Kaipara harbour, Port Albert. Lived in an ancient farmhouse in trees, rode his horse Sylvie to work.

1926: Teaching at Birkenhead school in Auckland (is this the right year?)

Dorothy Frances Mary Jones

d.o.b.?

Met Fred around 1922 through tennis.

married where/when? 

My guess is 1927/8 when Fred was at Birkenhead, Auck. 

1927: Ruawai. Fred established a new experimental High School, drove the school bus morning and night, taught 6 subjects to (and played rugby with) 32 teenagers of all ages, and played the saxophone or sung at Saturday night dances.

While in Auckland Fred gave regular recitals over 1YA. Billed at Auck. Town Hall for successive Saturdays, as Freddie Frean, boxer and as Frederick Peek Frean, Soloist. 

Moving around for Fred's teaching positions at Kawhia, Mangatawhiri, Matapu during WWII, Nightcaps (Southland), Ashburton, Geraldine, Christchurch (Waltham School), and finally Nelson.

1930, 10 May, b. Roland 

193? b. Barbara (m John Maguire, b. Laurie (m Keri, b. Richard, Jason; div., m Lynne (b Ashley), b Geoffrey & Sam), Teresa, Frances, Marion, Rachel, Andrew and Dorothy). Christchurch.

193? b. Peter. Brain problems stemming from difficult birth meant that he never matured mentally. Was institutionalised eventually, but prior to that a huge strain on Gran particularly.

Settled at 500 Atawhai Drive, Nelson. Fred headmaster at Nelson College. Built a bach at Cissy's Bay in the Marlborough Sounds, and moored the launch "Questa" there.

197? Dot died.

In 1982 Ruawai school established the Fred Frean Scholarship Fund and aged 80 he was guest speaker at their Golden Jubilee.

Went travelling in Europe and Sth Africa, moved to Palmerston North, then to Auckland when Roly died, then to Greenwood Park, Tauranga, and finally to Christchurch shortly before he died in April 1995.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
George William Frean
22 Oct 1860, Everton, Lancashire 

George had an English public school education, partly in France, of which he had fond memories. Didn't want office work with Peek Frean Co., and in 1880 at age 20, sailed as crew with a cousin to Christchurch NZ. Met Mary, returned to England and came back. In 1883 he was with the company L.D.Nathan in Ponsonby, Auckland, working with the Maoris as a carpenter and later as a cabinet-maker. NB: A Pickens came to NZ on "Roman City" in 1882 with a cousin, & settled at Waingaro, near Huntly. George had a cousin named Picken: it's conceivable this is how George came to be in Huntly and meet Mary!?

Mary Jane Dunn
31 May 1865, Auckland 

26th June 1865 baptised a catholic. She grew up near Huntly and the coal mines. Her father "drowned in a puddle" when she was 15. "Her childhood was not a happy one and it was better left unsaid" - (Aunty Rhoda).

Married 6 January 1886, Registry office, Auckland.

George was 25 and Mary Jane 20. One witness was Catherine Dunn (aunt or possibly a sister?).

Family living at Waipu in the north. George worked as an upholsterer, hairdresser.

1887 b. George (died at 16 months, drowned in the Waipu River).

??? Rhoda (m. Ted? Jennings, d 1990 aged 101).

1891: b. Alf (fought in WWI - visited aunt Agnes, m. Marge Savory, b. Elizabeth & Rosemary. d. 1960)

1893 b. Alice (m. Percy McCabe, b. Marie, Pat, Kathleen. d. 1970).

March, 1894. The family moved to Whitianga in the Coromandel: a kauri mill town of ~300 settlers, with many Maoris who came in to trade. Access by steamer once a week, or coach from Coromandel (22 miles). George spoke Maori.and had a business in crockery, drapery, footwear, jewellery, hardware, bicycles and phonographs, as well as being the town's photographer and barber! They had a boat; Rhoda recalls going up and down from Purangi in it. No water, drainage or bathroom.

1896 b. Tom (fought in WWI, m. Mary McGrath,.b. Rhoda, Doreen, b. 1936 "Zan" = Margaret. Tom d. 1960).
[Nb. Zan's daughter Susannah = principal "at" waiuku.school.nz... and has >= two brothers]

189? b. Dorothy "Jimmy" (m Henry Rodewald, b. Mim Ringer).

1902 b. Frederick 

Trips to Auckland by steamship. Moved there (to Pitt Street) around 1908. By 1910 the family had moved to 59 Gribblehurst Rd (formerly Elizabeth St), Mt Eden, Auckland. Gas lighting with water laid on, and heating by wood fires. There was an "earth closet". George ran a hairdressing shop in Mt Eden Road and also did picture framing. Later he ran a book exchange/ library on Dominion Road. His life savings were invested in the Whitianga shop however (being rented). The shop burned to the ground and the shock killed him (stroke), 21 Jan 1922. He is buried at Waikumete, Auckland

  Died at 59 Gribblehurst Road, 1952. She is also buried at Waikumete.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thomas Hender Frean
15 Sept 1833 Plymouth, England 
Rhoda Daw
also called "Agnes"
~1836, Devonshire, England
married 1 Oct 1859 Plypton St Mary, Devon, England

Thomas was a corn merchant aged 26, Rhoda was 23.

1860 living at 66 Queens Rd, Everton, Lancashire.

22nd Oct 1860 b. George William 

18?? b. Agnes (Aunt Agnes never married or had children and wrote many letters to George's children. She was visited by both Tom and Alf during WWII. Travelled to Scotland during the Blitz but returned. Took another family into her house. She died in Birkenhead in 1944.

Rhoda died in 1899.

1910 : living at 44 Norwood Grove, Liverpool. Thomas very poorly, as he has been "for years". Being nursed by his daughter Agnes who writes he has had 33 visits from the doctor, and that they have a live-in nurse when affordable.

April 1914, Thomas died. in his sleep.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
George Hender Frean
2 Sept 1793, Launceston, Cornwall 

George lived at Drake's Place, Plymouth, and served as Alderman (?) for many years.

Susanna Moore
27th Jan, 1797; Thurlestone, Devon
Married on 22nd Dec 1816, Plymouth
George was 23, Susanna was 19

All the children were born in Plymouth.

26 Nov 1817 b Susan Moore

28 Oct 1819 b Jane

1822 4th Jan b Mary Borlase (as a youth, visited Newgate Gaol with Elizabeth Fry. m. John Stidson. Had an accident on London bridge which confined her to bed for several years and left her very stiff. Visited convicts and from 1876 ran "Mrs Stidson's Lads", a group of up to 200 youths in Plymouth. Founded the Prisoner's Aid Soc., and ran the town's Saturday night entertainments).

9 Feb 1824 b George Hender (m. Hannah Peek and founded "Peek Freans". d 16.10.1903)

3 Dec 1826 b Priscilla

10 Feb 1829 b Elizabeth

12 Feb 1831 b John Hender

15 Sep 1833 b. Thomas 

2 Nov 1835 b Anna

13 Jun 1839 b Richard (went to Capetown).

28 May 1840 b Selina

George founded Sepple Daw, biscuit makers. 

1844 : After an interview with Prince Albert, George started "Powdermills", a gunpowder factory powered by huge water-wheels, on Dartmoor (between Two Bridges and Postbridge). Cost 12,000 pounds. He later received a commendation from the Prince for these works. Lobbied successfully for convicts to be sent to Dartmoor rather than being shipped to the colonies. A lifelong teetotaller, George was a pioneer in working for the repeal of the Corn Laws (?), and often went to London to give evidence on this for Sir Robert Peel, and also for a Parliamentary Select Committee. 

George died on 4 Sept 1868. Susanna died soon after (14 Mar 1869).

   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Richard Frean
1761 Devon, England 
Joan Hender
1764
married 22 Oct 1792

1793, 2nd Sep b. George Hender.

1796, 25 Dec b . Thomas (d age 2, on 5 Nov 1799)

1799, 12 Nov b . Mary (ie. just before Thomas died).

1802, 21 Aug b . Susanna Priscilla

1804, 13 Jul b . Jane

1806, 2 Nov b . Richard (ancestor of Sth African Freans)

Richard (snr) died 19 Oct 1813.

  Joan lived almost 30 more years, and died on 30 Jan 1842, aged 78.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lawrence Dunn
born in England
?
Laurence was a cooper (blacksmith). They lived in Lancashire.

1832 b. James 

(perhaps other children) 

   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
James Dunn
1832, Lancashire, England 

Enlisted in Liverpool.

Came to NZ ~ 1853. Major in NZ Imperial forces at the close of the Maori Wars.

Alice Jane Caffery
(also Alice Brown)
1847, Kent, England 

Came out to NZ when 2 yrs old. Father died and mother remarried when she was 5.

married 17 June 1863, Auckland
James aged 31, miner, had been in Auckland 6 months. Alice, aged 16, had lived there 13 years. She didn't sign her name on the marriage certificate (ie. probably illiterate). 

1865 b. Mary Jane 

1867 Family was living at Waihoihoi Caol Mine (Drury).

1874 Still at Waihoihoi 

1876 James manager of Kupapa Coal Mine, Huntly.

1878 Household living in Huntly Lodge.

22 Jul 1878 b. Laurence James - "Uncle Larry". Was a soldier in WWI. Died a bachelor in lonely circumstances in North Auckland.

1879 James supervising operations of the Waikato Coal Co.

18th July 1879 . The body of an unknown man found in Slippery Creek, Papakura, and later identified by Alice (then pregnant), who recognised her husband's clothes. He had been away from home for 2 months and was last seen drinking in the Slippery Creek Hotel. His death certificate says he had 3 male and 5 female children.

18th Oct 1880. b. Margaret May, Ngaruawahia. Known as "Aunt Peggy", d. after her husband was ruined by drought in Australia.

Larry & Peggy "both fine types of people and well loved by all" [Fred]. 

 

Died in Australia, some time after 1894.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Francis Caffery
b. 1808 County Cavan, Northern Ireland

Francis was a private in the 37th Foot Regiment, and a Fencible Soldier.

Alice
b. 1822

 

married 184?

1847 b. Alice Jane, in Kent.

1849 b . John.

1849. The family sailed for New Zealand aboard the Fencible ship "Oriental Queen", dep. 2am., on 16 May 1849, arr. in Auckland on 18 Sep 1849.

Lived in Hobson St, Onehunga, from 1850 onwards (even after Alice re-married).

1851 b . Catherine.

12th February 1852: Francis died "tragically", leaving his widow Alice in very poor circumstances with 3 young children and pregnant with a fourth.

 

Rest of 1852:

6 May b. Mary (died in infancy).

20 Sept. remarried, to James Brown, bachelor. 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
William Jones
d.o.b?
Jessie Morison
d.o.b?
married (when/where?) in New Zealand

d.o.b.? b.Dorothy (Dot) 

b. Dudley

b. Colin

b. Alan


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
? Reilly
Nth Ireland
Alice
Nth Ireland
Catholic

b. Alice (m. Johnny) 

b. Mary

b. John (wanted to come to NZ too rather than have his family be "slaves to landlords" [letter to Mary, 1878]). 

Alice also raised a girl called Mary Keelan from infancy. Possibly other children. No mention of her husband in Alice's letters to Mary & Edward in NZ, the earliest of which is 1864. Presumably the father had died by then.

  Daughter Mary went to NZ. Living at Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. Daughter Alice's husband Johnny died, leaving them "a miserable 10 pounds", with which they bought a cow. By 1868, Alice (snr) in "middling state of health" and living with just Mary Keelan, as Alice (jnr) remarried and to USA. Had a property with tenants but their rent not enough to cover repairs. Very poor and concerned about the Belfast murders of Orangemen and Catholics.

Died 26 July 1872 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edward Jones

d.o.b?

Nth Ireland

Presumably Catholic. Jones is a Welsh name, but widely distributed in Ireland. Had a sister Catherine, who went to America and lost her husband in a railway accident in 1870s.

Mary

Cecilia Frances Josephina

Reilly

d.o.b?

Nth Ireland

 

married ~1860

Came out to New Zealand. By September 1864 they've bought an estate and have a newborn baby:

1864 b. William

Also... b. Mary, Alice (m. Joseph Fischer), Thomas, Frank, Kate, Michael and Peter.

Rules & Regulations, made by the undersigned, which are to be strictly adhered to by the following members of this family until the winter is over,

1st Breakfast to be ready on the table on working days at 15 minutes past 7 o'clock in the morning, and on Sundays at 1/2 past 8 o'clock in the morning. 

2 Peter to provide and chop firewood for the day before breakfast,

3 Willy & Thos to do the milking every morning before breakfast,

4 Michael is to fodder the calves, and horses if necessary, every morning before breakfast,

5 Thos & Frank to cut and give green oats to the cows immediately after breakfast, - And to perform the same act immediately after coming from school - after which Thos is to geet the calves in and fodder them for the night - And frank is to fetch the cows up to the stockyard - then proceed to feed the pigs,

6 Thos and Alice is to milk the cows at night, and the Ladies is to have firewood in for night and morning,

Any person infringing on these rules through neglect or carelessness, will incur my displeasure, the result of which may not be very pleasing to them.

May 16th 80 Edwd Jones 




1881 Mary (snr) joined the "Living Rosary" at the Convent in Otahuhu.

1885 Living at Junction Farm, Alexandra. Frank ran away to Alice & Joseph in Cambridge (!). Edward furious and demanding compensation for earnings lost.

1886. Edward, Mary (snr), Kate and Mary (jnr) are living together in Auckland. Kate seems to have run away: Edward is furious with her for not giving him part of her wages. She writes to Mary (jnr) from Remuera that "I don't think it is safe to go home so I think I will go to the convent". 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
James Morison

1844

When 9 yrs old, cleared a section with his father at Hepburn Ck. No neighbours until he was 14, in 1858.

Mary Melville

d.o.b? where?

Arrived at Hepburn Creek as a girl in 1858.

 

married

b. Ivy (m. Becroft)

b. Mary (m. Goertz)

b. Bertha (m. Thomson)

b. John

b. Margaret (m. Clark)

b. Bella

b. Jessie

b. Amy (m. Wilson)

b. Janet (m. William? Moore, b. Lucy, Walter + brother)

Living at Kaipara Huts, vicinity of Port Albert (Fred mentions staying with them in `Songs My Father...'). 

James died in 1933, in his 90th year

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
James Ralston

Highland Scots

Flora

Highland Scots

married

b. Flora

b. Janet

Both parents died early.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John Morison

1803 Islay, Scotland

Travelled to Londonderry to an apprenticeship when a youth; then as a journeyman; became a Master builder (especially lathe and plaster). He then travelled to Glasgow, lived with his aunt and went into business. Was uninterested in girls and in his 30s, but told Auntie one morning that he had dreamed of the girl he would marry. Soon afterward he arrived home and announced he'd met the girl exactly as in the dream...

Janet Ralston

1823

Worked with her sister Flora in Glasgow, as a dressmaker.

Married in 1840. John was then aged 37 and Janet 17.

1841 b. A son. Business was bad and times hard. Agents were recommending emmigration, and New Zealand was the "new destination", so they decided to go.

1841 Boarded the ship "Jane Gifford" to NZ. Both very sad that Flora wouldn't come too. The ship was overcrowded and had poor food, which was rationed by the end. Arriving at Auckland on 10 Oct 1842, Janet was so ill she had to be carried ashore. Very little was prepared for them; their little son was very ill, and died after a few months. John got work as a builder; did the ceiling of St Andrews church, designing the ornamental ventilators himself.

1844 b. James

Then born a daughter and a son, both of whom died in infancy.

1850 b . Edward (m. Annie Taylor, 8 children)

1853 b . Margaret (m. John Melville, 7 children)

John and James travelled to land up the Hepburn Creek of the Mahurangi River, 4 hrs by boat from Auckland. Cleared a section and puilt a punga hut. (No neighbours until the Melvilles arrived ~1858).

1855 b . William (m. Mary Taylor, 5 children). One month after William's birth Janet and the children moved to Hepburn Creek from Auckland. Edward, being helpful and boiling a billy for a cup of tea, burnt down the punga hut!

1857 b . Flora (m. Percy Smith, 6 children)

1859 b . Mary (m. Robert Taylor, 4 children)

1861 b . Robert (m. Ellen Drake, 6 children)

1863 b. Dugald (took over the homestead in 1887. m. Nellie Catchpole, 5 children).

Great readers & animal lovers. House had a very large sitting room and became a social center once neighbours arrived. John loved trees and planted many unusual specimens. He and Janet educated the children until 1858, when a school was started 3 miles away through the bush.

NB: 3 children m. Melvilles & 2 m. Taylors. All children lived into their 80s except Margaret (64). There are 50 grandchildren!

1877 John fell from the staging of a tall chimney and died.

  Janet went to Rose Cottage in Warkworth, and also with Margaret Melville at Kaipara flats. She kept in close contact with all her children, and walked alone the 14 miles from Kaipara Flats to Edward's at Red Bluff just 3 weeks before she died, ~1897.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alexander Melville

where from?

Mary Lochead

where from?

b. Mary


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dugald Morison

Islay, Scotland

Margaret McLean

Islay, Scotland

1803 b. John


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
George Holford

20 August 1862 Sydney

Was an apprentice of some sort at time he came to NZ.

Maggie Jane Long

26 March 1861 Isle of Magee,

Northern Ireland

 

They met each other on a ship en route to New Zealand. In 1887 George was 1st mate on the ship Rakaia sailing from Auckland to Lyttelton.

Married

Like his father before, George was a Captain and harbour-master at New Plymouth.

1890. b . George (m Eileen McKnight, b Gordon, Ian (m Katherine) and Suzanne (m John Thomson) ). d. 1947.

1892 b . Ida Apolina (m. Les Cookson, b.Helen, Barry & David)

1894 b. Leslie 

1896 b. Elsie (she and Leslie got on well).

Nov 1918 George (snr) was lost at sea in the Bay of Biscay. - killed by "friendly fire" while towing a target for planes to practice bombing.

  Maggie and Elsie lived with Ida and Les Cookson: Ida who was a lively social butterfly and Maggie was grumpy and disagreeable. Elsie was something of a dogs-body, hence "poor Elsie".

Died when?


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John Henry Holford
1820; Guensay (?)

In 1854 John was captain of "Big Emma" in NZ.

Annie (Alice?) Brooking

1838

Arrived in NZ aged 3.

married

John was harbourmaster of New Plymouth port for many years, so they lived mainly in Taranaki.

1858 b. Henry Brooking, Taranaki

1860 b William Taranaki (d. at 1 year)

1862 b. George, Sydney

1863 b. William Whidden

1865 b. Samuel Bishop (also became a sea captain; d.1908)

1867. b. Alice Hannah (matron of the 1st St Helens Hospital in Auckland. Said to have been the advice behind Sir Trubi King, founder of Plunket Society. Moved to Dunedin. d. 1966). NZ Dictionary of Biography says this:

"Nurse, midwife, hospital matron. Alice Hannah Holford was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand, on 12 November 1867, the daughter of Annie Brooking and her husband, John Henry Holford, a mariner and later harbourmaster. From an early age her ambition was to nurse. Her aunt, the mother of 13 children, always sent for Alice at times of illness, and local doctors asked her to care for the families of their patients. Apparently she applied to become a probationer at New Plymouth Hospital in 1886 when the first trained matron was appointed, but her father, a man of strict principles, thought it a 'terrible thing' for a daughter to leave home except for marriage. Holford thus did not begin her hospital training until June 1897, shortly before her father's death. She graduated in 1901, the fourth nurse to qualify at New Plymouth Hospital."

1869 b. Kate (d. 1920)

John died on 20th September 1897.

  Annie lived with her daughter Alice in Dunedin, and died on 14th September 1920.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John Brooking
Elizabeth
Married 

1838 b. Annie

Also... b. William, Kate and Harriet.

1841, Nov 2, all 6 of them dep. Plymouth aboard the "Timandra" (430 tonnes, 209 passengers), arriving in New Plymouth on 23 Feb, 1842.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John Brooking (snr)
b. 2 Jan 1791
Harriet Whiddon
b. 1792
Married 

This info from Henry Lebovic (hlebovic at bigpond.net.au): "My two main sources have been the Brooking Society in Devon and some other resources on the Internet."

"They had a total of 8 kids. Apart from the three that came to NZ in 1844, another sibling, Thomas, came to Australia some time later as a seaman, and jumped ship while here. There was a reward for his capture. He ended up marrying (I have the certificate), and had 1 child who, it is believed, died as a teenager.

John Brooking was born in Malborough, Devon. According to info I have just received from the Brooking Society, his mother was named Orange Brooking (26 May 1769-10 Nov 1801). There is no info on the father. It interesting that John has 3 sibling, also named Brooking. How this came about I can't say. I have 2 fairly significant family trees for 2 of the siblings, one named James (6 Sep 1795-?) who married a Harriet Masters. The most recent decendant shown is Diana Brooking who married a Nigel Tucker. They presumably still live in Devon. The other sibling was Thomas Brooking (3 Sep 1797-?) who married Elizabeth Burner. Their tree is quite extensive. Their tree shows about 16 families of descendants not older than 50 or so, most of whom appear to be in England, if not Devon.

This Orange Brooking of whom I spoke appears to be the daughter of Edward Brooking (23 May 1736-1 May 1800) and Elizabeth Windcott (?-?) They had 3 kids, two younger brothers to Orange named James and Nicholas. Not much in the tree from them. It appears that Edward has a previous marriage to a lady named Orange Hellier (?-10 Jul 1766) who born him 2 sons. However, the story takes an odd turn as his parents as shown as John Brooking (13 Aug 1710-?) and another Orange Hellier (?-16 Apr 1775) Talk about marrying a girl like dear old mum !!!

Anyway, this original couple has 11 kids. There a fairly extensive tree for just one of them, I am told by Ian Logan from the scoiety that this whole branch of the family (known as L-branch) is being cleaned up and broadened to include new info, but that it is unlikely to be up to date until early next year. He describes the tree he sent me as 'sketchy' "

d. 1838. d. 1868.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(no info)
Orange Brooking
b. 26 May 1769
Married 

This info from Henry Lebovic (hlebovic at bigpond.net.au): "My two main sources have been the Brooking Society in Devon and some other resources on the Internet."

John Brooking (snr) b. 2 Jan 1791.

There is no info on the father. It interesting that John has 3 siblings, also named Brooking. How this came about I can't say. I have 2 fairly significant family trees for 2 of the siblings, one named James (6 Sep 1795-?) who married a Harriet Masters. The most recent decendant shown is Diana Brooking who married a Nigel Tucker. They presumably still live in Devon. The other sibling was Thomas Brooking (3 Sep 1797-?) who married Elizabeth Burner. Their tree is quite extensive. Their tree shows about 16 families of descendants not older than 50 or so, most of whom appear to be in England, if not Devon.

This Orange Brooking of whom I spoke appears to be the daughter of Edward Brooking (23 May 1736-1 May 1800) and Elizabeth Windcott (?-?) They had 3 kids, two younger brothers to Orange named James and Nicholas. Not much in the tree from them. It appears that Edward has a previous marriage to a lady named Orange Hellier (?-10 Jul 1766) who born him 2 sons. However, the story takes an odd turn as his parents as shown as John Brooking (13 Aug 1710-?) and another Orange Hellier (?-16 Apr 1775) Talk about marrying a girl like dear old mum !!!

Anyway, this original couple has 11 kids. There a fairly extensive tree for just one of them, I am told by Ian Logan from the scoiety that this whole branch of the family (known as L-branch) is being cleaned up and broadened to include new info, but that it is unlikely to be up to date until early next year. He describes the tree he sent me as 'sketchy' "

(no info) d. 10 Nov 1801.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guy Clements
5th Jan 1861

Werwaglory (sp?), Co.Tyrone, Nth Ireland

Educated at the Omagh Model School where he was a boarder, and then worked on his father's farm. Decided to come to NZ and left home in November of 1879 aboard the shiop Waimate, arriving at Lyttelton 1 Mar 1880. Settled in the Courtenay district for 12 years. Contracted for handling of meat at Islington freezing works.

Jemima Long

1.5.1859 in Co. Antrim

Became a seemstress, and had a sewing school with her sister (which one? where?).

married in 1888

Lived in Islington, Christchurch.

b. Anne (m. Ellis Joseph, b.Kathleen (m Paul Shelley) and Guy)

b. Irene

b. Kathleen Venita, ie."Auntie Nita" (m. John Vincent, b Anne (m Eddie Dittmer), John (b 1) and Guy (m Barbara, b 2, adopt 2).

Mr Jim Dysart was a great friend of Guy's for over 50 years. Mum has written "Came out from Ireland to Mr Dysart, walking via Rangiora and Waimakariri" - I don't know what to make of this - or is it just that Islington is up the Waimakariri?.

Later bought a 300 acre farm at Annat, producing lamb and mutton for export. The Waimakiriri was notorious as an escape route for rogues - the girls met one on their way for a swim once.

Jemima and Guy were "Granny and Grandad" to mum.

Guy Clements died in 1953, aged 90+, at 117 Fendalton Rd, Christchurch.

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thomas Long

Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland

Jemima

Co Antrim, Northern Ireland

Lived in Co. Antrim. `Springfield' (if that's a town).

1846 b. Robert (drowned at sea, 1870)

1849. b. James (Jim) lived at Sheffield (m. Aunt Clara, who was huge and looked after 38 state children. She had a baby on the side of the road when travelling on a dray - Jim had boiled a sack & she used that).

1851 b Sarah (Sallie) - stayed behind in Belfast when others to NZ.

1854 b. William (drowned at sea 1884)

1856 b. Lizzie.(m. Jim Milliken).

1859 b. Jemima.

1861 b. Maggie.

1863 b. Annie.

1866 29th Feb b. Mary (d. infancy, 23.7.1867).

Thomas Long came out to NZ first (when?) and sponsored the rest of the family, who (apart from Sallie) followed later. 

(If he's the same person as "Tommy", he worked at the flax factory in Foxton, was with "Jim" in Islington, and was something of an amateur cartoonist.).

My guess is they ended up living in Islington near the freezing works and that's how Jemima met Guy.....?


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hamilton Clements
Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland 

Had 2 brothers: Guy (had a son Robert who bought Greenmount Castle, no issue) and John, and a sister, Mary (who married James Clements [no relation])

Anne Jane Cunningham

Co. Tyrone

Had two sisters and two brothers -Margaret, Catherine, David and Thomas. Her grandfather (or father? - just guessing, as there are 3 girls mentioned, & no boys) was a commander of the yeomanry and had guns & ammunition kept in his his home. Rebels came and his 3 daughters charged the guns while he fired them out all the doors and windows (muzzle loaders) [her son Guy's story].

Married 

Farming of some sort, in Co. Tyrone.

b. Thomas Alexander (died aged 50).

b. Ellen Marie (m. Robert S. Clements, Killadroy, no issue).

b. Maggie Jane (m. Richard McAlister, Cookstown, 5 children).

b. Andrew Robert (bachelor)

b. Isabella Francis (m. Frank Kirkpatrick).

b. Hamilton (d. 3 or 4 yrs, whooping cough)

1861 b. Guy. 

Anne died in this childbirth.

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The name Frean is said to have come from du Fresne ("ash tree"), an aristocratic French family who fled the French revolution. I thought it was Hugenot - does that tie up? They fled to Flanders, the name became Frenne (meaning "alien"), and they became millers. Frenne then became Frean (a name which came to England with the Vikings).