RANDOM MEANDERINGS

Minnie Deans and her nemesis Tom Long the Hangman

2011-12-10T12:32:00.021+13:00

It was an interesting exercise and and interesting night. We had our work Christmas function last night. Of course, it only took a couple of days to decide who I would be when I found out the theme was Heroes, Villains and Wannabees. Even on facebook, just dropping a super subtle hint my contacts all yelled out Minnie Dean. Of course I had to bluff that "of course it isn't" LOL as some of my workmates are on there. So yes...it was Minnie Dean and my partner Mike - we had thought we would make him the policeman that arrested me but eventually decided it had to be the hangman Tom Long, the Governmental hangman who was a drunkard and I'm pleased we did because the noose was a lovely accessory :)

Minnie was a natural for me. I love social history and she's been someone I've always seemed to have known about especially as I have an even keener interest in the darker side of New Zealand early history.

Minnie won me 1st prize as best dressed female! For that I got a very handsome cup and Jet boat ride for 2! Thanks so much Auckland War Memorial Museum!

During the course of the evening, I chatted to our director Roy Clare and did inform him that nothing from our collections was used in the process of gathering together my outfit LOL! I do now have a superfluous hatbox though. It's rather cool and i bought off trademe from an antique store. It still has remnants of very old label on it, hardly discernable, stating Lyttelton and Wellington, so it's had an interesting life. It may soon house a dried flower arrangement I think.

The outfit:

I hired the jacket, blouse, skirt and wig from Desiree - $65

The hat box I bought off Trademe - $29 and $22 for postage
             from Christchurch. It was a bargain, they are around $100
             in antique stores.

I bought the doll from The Warehouse - $16.99 and clothed
            it via the Salvation Army. Actually the gown I bought for the
            doll [$2] is rather old also. It has the name of the former
            owner embroidered onto the neck, I would say 1950's/60's.
           The shawl and booties - $3.

The hat cost $8 [a bargain...was originally $20] brand new
            from The Warehouse. I squished it down and sewed in place
             to give it the appearance of a day travelling hat and sewed
             on artificial lavender. I also bought off Trademe for $8
             a beaut very old hat pin to hold it in place on my wig.

As an aside...take a look at my work colleague Craig's Silverfish costume! He made it himself and it won him the Best Dressed Male! Every museum's villain [along with a few others]!

It was a fantastic night. Here are some photographs.

Further reading:

Minnie Dean-only woman to be hung in NZ

Another page on Minnie Dean

Baby in hatbox miniatures sold at her trial. I've been wanting one of these for YEARS!

A page about 'babyfarming'

Tom Long was a drunk who was charged often with this as an offence, he was the governmental hangman. He was killed 15 December 1908 while felling trees at Kauangaroa east of Wanganui.
Here's an actual photograph of him www.teara.govt.nz/en/violent-crime/2/6

©2011 Sarndra Lees

Christchurch post earthquake - insurance woes

2011-08-20T19:46:00.036+12:00

It has been a harrowing time the past few months and the future is uncertain.... I suppose everyone's future is, but sometimes we can buffer ourselves from unexpected nasty surprises. I used to be able to, but now through no fault of my own - I can't.

I am talking about my house insurance in post quake Christchurch.

I moved to Auckland 4 years ago...exactly - August 2007. I had always had house, contents and car insurance for at least a couple of decades with AMI but as I was renting my house out in Christchurch, I had to relinquish the house insurance as AMI at this time did not offer a landlord package. Instead I opted to go with Prosure Max Landlord Insurance through 'Insurer Services Limited' [now 'The Insurance Group'] in Auckland. This policy would be underwritten by China Taiping Insurance NZ [CTINZ], a fully registered NZ insurance company and comes under the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman.

I left the care of my house in the hands of Kennard's Real Estate REINZ as my property manager. More on that debacle in a later post. They ceased being my property manager on 10 February 2011 and another private entity who is a registered security guard and works for a multi national organisation as property facilitator is now managing it. Suffice to say my house has always been under the 'care' of property managers.

For four years I promptly pay my landlord insurance premium of nearly $1000 per annum well in advance of due date, as I do with all my bills. No mention or questions made of who manages my house and no contact made to me by the underwriter via my insurance broker.

Then the earthquakes:

September 4th 2010 the first earthquake measuring 7.1 First EQC claim.

Boxing day 26 December 2010 measuring 4.9 a quake epicentre was practically underneath the house. Second EQC claim.

February 22 2011 measuring 6.3 - more damage sustained [I was in Christchurch at this time awaiting the birth of my first grandchild]. Third EQC claim.

June 13 2011 measuring 6.3. Fourth EQC claim.

The damage compounded. Luckily my house is weatherboard and on piles. Athough damaged to quite a degree cosmetically interiorwise with walls coming away from ceilings, piles moved and architraves warped, there is some structural damage but not a huge amount. Driveway, fences courtyards appear stretched and damage occured in these areas. Not to worry...I have insurance... I feel secure...

After the February quake, contact is made with my broker and I arrange to meet China Taiping Insurance's independent assessor - Mainland Claims Management Limited. We go through the house, he takes photos and documents damage and other information; advises yes I will get loss of rent as it is preventing me being able to find another tenant [my tenant had moved out at the beginning of November 2010]. The assessor stated to me that I was only insured for $100,000 - I adamantly stressed I had full cover. Transpires I did have full cover and he was wrongly reading the section on EQC cover.

So months down the track - nothing goes into my bank account. Various lies from the insurance company and they finally admit that the assessor had not filed a report with them in relation to my house. In fact the assessor had LOST all the information. I even reduce CTINZ's responsibility to me as my insurer by finding a new tenant - at a much reduced rental rate due to damage.

Now, I'm an understanding person and if they had been open and honest with me, I could have accepted that, however they strung me along, lied and insisted that I meet again with the same assessing firm. I did not want this as I could no longer trust them, but CTINZ would not budge so Queens Birthday weekend 2011 I had to meet up with the principal of the same assessing firm - who turns out to be the father of the first assessor. To date CTINZ has still not received a report on my house from them. My house has been confirmed as being in the green zone and repairs can go ahead. I have not been contacted by my now former insurance broker [he 'resigned' on 9 August] nor China Taiping Insurance NZ and still do not know what is happening in relation to my repairs.
[Update 23 Aug 2011: The saga continues. Finally heard from insurance assessor via the broker. Looks like the ball has been dropped again as they want to assess my house for the third time by yet another assessor! To be continued...]

At this juncture I have to mention I have a dispute lodged with the Insurance Ombudsman about China Taiping Insurance NZ for other reasons, but this is an important point. I feel it also impacts on why CTINZ have dumped me as a client, leaving me totally without the capability to secure any insurance including earthquake cover.

Mid July, a month before my Prosure Max Landlord policy underwritten by CTINZ expires, I receive notification from The Insurance Group, my brokers that my landlord insurance will be lapsed due to "renewal not offered as outside facility rules". This transpires to be that CTINZ are insinuating I have no property manager.

What follows:

Insurance broker informs CTINZ that I do have and have always had a property manager
CTINZ insist on a letter from the current property manager
I provide this
CTINZ come back to insurance broker and insist this letter is not good enough [it is on letter head, has all contact information and all relevant details about the service he provides]. They insist because they have "not been able to locate any Yellow Pages or online presence or information in regards to the property manager" they don't see him as being a legitimate business. [Since when was it a requirement to have an internet presence to run a business!?] My current property manager is someone who does NOT need this type of presence. He is by word of mouth and so a whole raft of ridiculous questions get asked by the insurance company, who it is important to note NEVER AT ANY OTHER STAGE DURING THE TIME I HAD MY PROPERTY INSURED WITH THEM HAVE ASKED ME BEFORE. Also and most importantly, there is no requirement in the policy documentation to have a property manager [up to 1 July 2011]. CLICK TO SEE POLICY WORDING [POSSIBLE PENDING CHANGE - CHECK DATE ON BOTTOM OF WORDING TO ENSURE CORRECT VERSION BEING READ]

During the month I learned that CTINZ would not be reinsuring me and leaving me in a very precarious position, I have contacted:

Insurance Council of NZ who told me that they cannot do anything
IBANZ who inform that the insurance broker is not a member [however I'm sure their staff have been in the past]
Campbell Live via a TV3 news employee - they did not take the story up
Close Up - I never heard back from
Fair Go - who opened 1 of my emails but have not contacted me
Lianne Dalziel [my electorate MP] twice. No reply either time.
Brendon Burns MP [because i've been told insurance hassles are close to his heart] - no reply.
Gerry Brownlee has also been emailed with my predicament and also the link to my Press article. I've heard nothing back so far.

and of course...

I contacted my bank ... stupidly thinking because i have a mortgage with them they may actually care about my situation...and of course...they don't. Their underwriter, Vero are not writing any new insurance in Christchurch.

I contacted all insurance companies

AMI who contrary to what people think, have confirmed they are not writing new insurance in Christchurch and I still have my car insurance with them.
AA practically laughed in my face
State - not writing any new insurance in Christchurch
Tower - as above
Fintel - as above.

I have also contacted another broker who has also been through all avenues available to him (Vero, NZI and others) but to no avail.

And so a friend contacted The Press last Saturday which culminated in Ben Heather, quake story reporter contacting and writing an article which was printed on the front page last Wednesday 17th August. Most galling is the comment from Rob Cormack that I have "done myself no favours" - he is basing this statement upon my refusal to respond to his requests for endless details of the property manager - a property manager which according to the policy wording is not required.

Yes it has been stressful and remains stressful. Everything I've worked for is tied up in that house and if your own bank you have your mortgage with won't help you nor the associations that you think are in place to protect you...who will? We have to stand together in this situation...I am in it and I'm sure I won't be the only one. It will cripple Canterbury and affect the Christchurch economy for many years to come.

I appreciate the support from everyone around me at home, at work and my family in Christchurch, some of whom are in the red zone.

UPDATE 5 December 2011

Not a lot on the positive side has happened really.

INSURANCE
I still cannot get insurance. I have now been completely uninsured for just on 4 months. The stress does not get any easier.

Insurance and Savings Ombudsman

My complaint has now been in with the Ombudsman for several weeks. Contact was made by them a couple of weeks ago and i've been told it will be several more weeks before determination is made. The process of gathering all the information had been stressful in dealing with everything else also but i'm glad i've done it. Whatever the outcome I have to show that I am willing to stand up and be counted.

Exterior non EQC covered damage and Insurance

China Taiping Insurance NZ's assessor Mainland Claims Management Limited assessed my exterior [non eqc covered damage] at $22,000 including GST. I was given a new claims manager...surprise surprise. No surprises after the debacle i've been through with them already.

I was working on a cash settlement for the non-eqc settlement because hey...who the hell wants to get things fixed for them to be smashed again in another quake and you're uninsured? So i figure i will retain the money until i have the house up for sale and fix the grounds closer to that time...

THEN

...on 15 November my land was classified as TC3 [blue]. Oh joy. So I put a hold on accepting any cash settlement for the exterior damage as this could have a large impact on repairs. Shortly before the TC3 announcement though, luckily I had informed EQC that i was not accepting their assessment of my house and demanded a reassessment after having a private report completed. This report stated that the house in all likelihood needs repiling and the costs are unknown but would be significant and are dependant on geotech reports. EQC have not looked at my piles but instead told me that architraves etc in the house would need easing. Well duh..if they need easing that means the piles are out and i DO NOT accept that they are [according to EQC] "within the acceptable range". Everything was fine before the earthquakes. So here I sit in Auckland, waiting to hear back from EQC who told me several weeks back that it will be assessed before Christmas. The private report also found more roof damage that was not indicated in the EQC assessment. Adding repiling to my list of damages to the house will put me well over cap and I will once again have to deal with an insurance company that wants to see the back end of me - more added stress.

In the meantime I have also been dealing with Kennard's Real Estate whose shoddy property management of my home has led to them paying me out a substantial sum as compensation. I am still owed money for arrears on my house that their property manager allowed to eventuate. It has been before the tenancy tribunal and is now with Baycorp. That in itself is a farce. Kennard's do not inform me regularly with what is happening with the money owed to me and Baycorp have told me when I last enquired that they have sent letters to the tenant who defaulted and if I want, I can go around to her workplace and demand the money. Oh pppleaseeee! She has since had a second baby to another man and living on the benefit. She is INCREDIBLY easily traceable. I DO NOT recommend this business. I also know 2 other individual's whose dealings with this firm have been less than satisfactory. It has been an incredibly stressing 4 years dealing with their property managers. Only one seemed to know what she was talking about and all the others lied to me. Tenants were also not vetted properly and I have emails from a manager admitting to this. At one stage I had a white power member in the house.

Gerry Brownlee

To top it off, we now get the email from Gerry - Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery in response to one my partner sent on 17 August, the same day my article appeared in The Press

Dear Mr Brownlee

The woman mentioned in the Press article at http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5456223/Earthquake-damaged-home-loses-insurance is my partner. I am sure you will understand that she is very distraught at being treated like this. She and I have contacted all the major insurance companies and several brokers and are unable to find her any form of cover.

I am under the impression that the Government provided a lot of support (and in the case of AMI a massive guarantee) to insurance companies to minimise their exposure to Christchurch claims on the understanding that this sort of situation would not occur and that the insurers would continue cover that was already in place.

Can you please take action to ensure that Sarndra is able to get continued cover, either by reminding China Taiping of their obligations, or by suggesting to AMI that in light of their taxpayer funded rescue package they have a moral obligation to the citizens of New Zealand to behave in a manner which benefits NZ society.

Yours faithfully...etc

Gerry's reply today 5 December 2011

Dear Mr ...

Thank you for your email of 17 August 2011, regarding your partner's insurance cover. I regret the delay in replying to you. As you will appreciate, I have received a significant amount of correspondence following the Canterbury earthquakes.

I am sorry to hear about your partner's situation, and I appreciate the frustration and worry it is causing you both. I hope that your partner has been able to find a resolution since writing to me. The government is closely observing the performance of insurers in Canterbury, but at present I recommend that your partner attempts to resolve any issues with her policy directly with her insurer, where possible. The government is not intervening in individual insurance matters, as these are based on private agreements. If she is not able to resolve the matter she may consider approaching the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman (www.iombudsman.org.nz), which may be able to assist.

Again thank you for your email, and for your patience through this process. I wish you and your partner every success in the months ahead as Canterbury's recovery moves forward.

Yours sincerely

[signed]

Well Gerry...fat lot of good that is for me...I've done it all and still I, like so many others have got nowhere and obviously the Government isn't going to help us. Maybe i should send him my blog to read.

At least Gerry responded I guess. Lianne Dalziel hasn't replied to either of my emails and nor did Brendan Burns.

So Christmas is upon us shortly. I am off to visit my lovely family for a couple of weeks and have lots of cuddles with my gorgeous 9 month old grandson Joseph and visit with my parents who are still in the redzone, it being possibly the last visit to the house I grew up in and have known since the age of 2 before they move on.

... hoping 2012 brings something more positive to not just myself, but to so many people stuck in limbo out there. Thanks sooooo much to my incredibly supportive partner Mike who has been my rock throughout this.

Have a fantastic Christmas and a safe New Year.... no doubt i'll be back to update this page!

Remembering Canterbury's 150th Anniversary celebrations in the year 2000

2011-07-05T22:56:00.016+12:00

With the demise of so much of beautiful Christchurch's heritage and thus a lot of its history in the recent earthquakes of September 4th 2010, December 26th 2010, February 22nd 2011 and June 13th 2011 - I thought i'd do a blog about a special time I shared celebrating the city's 150th anniversary in the year 2000. At this time I was Secretary/Treasurer of the Canterbury Pilgrims & Early Settlers Association.

RE-ENACTMENT AT PILGRIM'S ROCK, LYTTELTON OF PILGRIM'S LANDING

Below is my account of the weekend. An article written in 2000 for the New Zealand Society of Genealogists.

December 16th 2000

My first personal priviledge, was to lay a handmade posy of roses at 7.30am on the memorial plaque in the 'Four Ships Court', Cathedral Square, bearing the name of my G G G Grandparents Robert and Sarah EVANS nee KITCHENER. They arrived aboard the CRESSY with their son Richard (2), later to become Patron of our Association [and was the second to last surviving original pilgrim off the first four ships] and their infant daughter Lucy (Later Mrs Benjamin PAWSEY). Robert and Sarah had a further 12 children born in Lyttelton and Rangiora.

Committee members of our Association turned up at the same time to lay wreaths at each tree in the middle of each area designated for the first four ships and at John Robert Godley's statue.

The service held at St Michael's and all Angels Church in Oxford Terrace at 8 am especially for members of our Association was extremely moving... the candles lit and the lights dimmed. One could not help to find their eyes drawn to the small Pilgrims Chapel within the church. This was built in 1900 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pilgrims. (Father Williams had informed our Association at a special service the week before that the church and land were the only allotments of the Canterbury Associations original land shares that were still being used for their original intended purposes).

After the service, we went outside to the bell tower where Father Peter Williams, with the help of an assistant rang the bell 150 times. This bell originally came out on the CHARLOTTE JANE with the pilgrims. We were then invited to write our names and our Canterbury connections (if any) down on paper and this is to be bound into a book to be kept at St Michael's and All Angels in recognition of our Associations service.

My daughter Jessica and I then went and lit a small candle each in the Pilgrims Chapel and just felt humbled by the sheer tenacity our forebears must have had...it was a very emotional connection for me. A Croissant breakfast was enjoyed afterwards at the church.

The service at Holy Trinity Church in Lyttelton was filled with laughter and was also an emotional experience. Reverend Howard Pilgrim (Yes that really is his name :o) has a wonderful sense of humour as does Rev. Jim Consedine, The Rt. Rev. David Coles and The Rt. Rev. John Patterson (who cracked the congregation up with his little aside about how he was the tenth successor to his title and so his family called him Mitre 10 ... think about it!

Hon. Christopher Godley read excerpts of his G G Grandmother Charlotte Godley's letters written on 16 December 1850 that were sent to her mother. In these it mentioned, how on arrival Mr Fitzgerald's wife stayed aboard the CHARLOTTE JANE with a headache and did not disembark immediately...see guys ...the excuse has been used for years *grin*

The laying of floral tributes at Pilgrims Rock [see end of this item] was attended by a large number of the public which was heartening to see.... we appear to have gained several new members from this which is wonderful.

One of the most moving moments was after the release of the 150 pigeons beside Pilgrims Rock. Members of the Heathcote Players, adults and children, dressed in period costume walked up towards the rock through mist. They milled about the rock and enacted a small scene, which was delightful. It bought home really what it must have been like for those sea weary immigrants arriving somewhere totally alien to what they were used to.

My second personal priviledge was to lay another posy of roses at the Rock.... I had made a montage for both of my posies used that day of small pictures of my ancestors with their details and it was eerie seeing their pictures almost right beside where they would have walked into their new life.

I'm also extremely proud of my daughter Jessica. A 16 3/4 year old who can see how important it is to know of her heritage and to see the historical significance of the overseas guests that were in attendance at our church service at Holy Trinity...(Sir Humphrey Wakefield included).

I would also like to mention how pleased I was to be able to assist Association members Graeme and Noelle Oke who came over especially from Albury, New South Wales, Australia to take part in the celebrations this particular weekend.

Jessica and I are looking forward to the Grand Parade tomorrow. We will be in costume representing our Association. Neil Withell our President will be carrying the flag and Colin Amodeo, author of 'The Summer Ships' will be carrying our Associations banner.

Sunday 17 December ~ The Grand Parade and Victorian Garden Party
What a beautiful day it was today! The weather couldn't have been more perfect...overcast to start with but brightened up later after the parade.

There was a chance for Jessica and I to take each other's photo beside the CRESSY plaques as we had dressed in costume for the parade.

The service outside Christchurch Anglican Cathedral at 10am was certainly well attended by the public and the speech that was done for the 100th anniversary was repeated along with other dignitaries playing their part.

The Grand Parade started off with Ngai Tahu and 'pilgrims' walking over the stage and down Worcester Street towards Victoria Square. These had police car escort and the Town Crier. Our Association was not far behind, with only the NZ Navy Band in front who were absolutely delightful although the music at times was rather jazzy and got us walking to fast and nearly right into the back of Neil Withell and Colin Amodeo (carrying the Association banner)!

As the march continued, it was clear to see how our Association is becoming more recognised within the public. We were applauded as we passed it was a great thing to be recognised! The crowds lining the route were well attended, especially once we got back onto the Worcester Street section and towards the Art Centre.

A touching moment indeed was once we had entered the Botanical Gardens. As our Association's small party walked past the dignitaries who were sitting, they applauded us.... a truly humbling moment for this to have been done and I know, this act did not go unnoticed by others.

The Botanical Gardens looked resplendent with many of the public themselves in costume and with penny-farthings and other assorted early transport roaming about the place. People dressed in old-fashioned police uniforms and army uniforms. Everyone was having a wonderful time, you could tell by the reactions on peoples' faces. A truly positive spin off from the whole thing...the togetherness it seemed to promote. Each and every one of us having a special story within our families.

I had a beaut time with my camera....got a photo of the Mayor of Christchurch on a penny farthing [see below] and Jessica got hers taken with the nice old fashioned army guys and we also dared to go into the museum in our costumes and ask if we could take flash photos in 'Canterbury Street' which they kindly allowed us to do. I perched on the penny-farthing...pretended to be entering the photographers... took a photo of Jessica with the horse, all great memories for the future.

Long live the pride in our pilgrim ancestors.

And long may our Association continue to grow.

[I resigned a few months later to commence university studies]

**Pilgrims Rock:
This monument, situated in Lyttelton's historic precinct was erected on its current site in 1934 thanks to the planning of the Lyttelton District Community Arts Council. It was unveiled by the then President of The Canterbury Pilgrims Association Mr E R Webb.

On the day of the unveiling, a large square, red flag flew from the Flatmast of the Time Ball station on the hill overlooking the harbour, indicating that a sailing ship[the Charlotte Jane] was approaching down Lyttelton harbour.

The signal letters of the Charlotte Jane N.R.B.H. were then raised and stayed flying until sunset.

Because of land reclamation and the position of the railway lines, the stone was moved from its original position on the earlier shoreline at the spot where the Canterbury Pilgrims and Early Settlers landed, to its current location at what would have been the start of the original jetty.

Every year on the Anniversary of the landing, 16th December 1850, The Canterbury Pilgrims and other interested parties, place a commemorative wreath of flowers on the Pilgrims Rock. Prior to this, a Church Service is held in Lyttelton's Holy Trinity Church, where many of those early pioneers were baptised, married and held their funerals - [Neil Withell 2000]

Letter above written by Neil Withell - President, Canterbury Pilgrim & Early Settlers Association that was placed in the time capsule with list of the members in year 2000

Neil Withell [L] President of Canterbury Pilgrims Assoc. & Sir Humphry Wakefield [1] relative of Henry Gibbon Wakefield, who masterminded large scale emigration of the British to New Zealand

Myself [with pen] in the capacity of Secretary/Treasurer of the Canterbury Pilgrims & Early Settlers Association writing about my early Cantabrian ancestors along with other members at St Michael's and All Angels Church , Christchurch. The pages were later bound into book form to be kept at St Michael's. My daughter Jessica is in the foreground.

Father Peter Williams, with the help of an assistant rings the bell 150 times. This bell originally came out on the CHARLOTTE JANE with the pilgrims

Honourable Christopher Godley, 4th Baron Kilbracken and great great grandson of John Robert Godley - founder of Canterbuy, addresses the crowd at Pilgrim's Rock precinct, Lyttelton

Pages 4 and 1 of Holy Trinity Anglican Church service for Canterbury's 150th Anniversary

Pages 2 and 3 of Holy Trinity Anglican Church service for Canterbury's 150th Anniversary

Pages 4 and 1 of St Michael & All Angels Church service for Canterbury's 150th Anniversary

Pages 2 and 3 of St Michael & All Angels Church service for Canterbury's 150th Anniversary

Reverend Dr Howard Pilgrim states prayers and blessings

Mayor of Christchurch [at the time of celebrations] Garry Moore and his wife getting into the spirit of things

Neil Withell's President's report for the year 2000.

Turning point 2000 - Canterbury 150th Anniversary Celebration events

Generations and Gaps

2011-04-15T22:38:00.009+12:00

We had a lovely weekend last week. Mike and I flew to Christchurch on Thursday 7th April to spend some time with family in Christchurch and even better as that was also Jess's birthday. Whilst there we managed to get some lovely impromptu 4 generation snaps...

My mum - 1937
Me - 1962
Jess - 1984
Joseph - 2011

...got to be with Joe for his first innoculation....6 weeks already! Well, actually 7 at time of writing this...i can't believe how fast that's gone!!

...I got lots and lots and lots of wonderful cuddles with my gorgeous wee grandson....

... and even more cuddles!

and got to just watch him now and then....

...and got to show Joseph off to more family...here he is with great cuzzy Clare

Video of Joseph :o)

I also got to check in on my house in Christchurch, which i'm pleased to say even with it's interior and exterior earthquake damage, is looking the homeliest it has since i rented it out when I left Christchuch.

My new tenant [who was actually my nextdoor neighbour since i bought the house in 1993...her house was ruined in the February earthquake] has made it look so lovely after giving it a good scrub and putting her own nice furniture in - the previous tenants have not been kind to it. It is such a relief to walk in to the front yard and see it all nicely gardened and cared for....it's been a lovely home in the past for me and it has been devastating to see it being treated so badly by tenants.

I am currently having a trying time with my insurance company regarding getting anything done...like so many others - and this has added a huge amount of stress. I have a specialist landlord insurance and it seems they have a huge lack of communication between their independant assessor in Christchurch who has lied to me outright and the insurance company themselves. Dealing with that and EQC is sending me slightly dippy i think!! I have written a serious 'kick butt' email to my insurance company 'big wig' and cc'd my insurance broker in. I think it will have a desired result. I am also dealing with the firm that was meant to be [and i use the term VERY loosely] property managing my house. Currently having to force them to go to tenancy tribunal to get the bond back from my previous tenant and proving thousands of dollars damage to the interior of my house and contents among other things. I'm sure it will all work out in the end... but times are trying at the moment!

The last day in Christchurch, Mike and i did a quick trip over to Lyttelton... one word... devastating. :( Seeing the damage to the beautiful churches is beyond words made worse by car loads of sightseer's yelling their heads off; climbing on the stone fence and just being downright rude whilst i was standing quietly at Holy Trinity - just looking at it, surveying the damage and just feeling so upset - my ancestral links are also with this building. Reality is much worse than a photo.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church

St Joseph's Catholic Church

Lyttelton Parish Union Church

Randoms from Lyttelton

Damaged Timeball Station :(

and it wouldn't be like me to not add a cemetery photo :) - Lyttelton

I found leaving family and Christchurch very hard. I have such mixed feelings. Seeing the damage again upset me and i wish i could have stayed longer....

Earthquake + baby = rollercoaster ride of emotions

2011-03-10T11:07:00.006+13:00

snap of online geonet earthquake drum for McQueens Valley of the 6.3 earthquake 22 February 2011

This has been the most surreal 5 weeks. Firstly, meet my gorgeous little grandson Joseph David MCBREARTY, 8 pd 6 oz and 55 cm born 25 February 2011 by emergency caesarian, the latest new love of my life :) Thank you to my amazing and special daughter [and of course her hubby Hamish] for such a special wee fellow - I love you. His birth was not without stress and 'adventure' including being 13 days late! I flew to Christchurch on 3rd February from Auckland expecting to be leaving around the 16th. How wrong i was! I have just got home on 12th March.

3 hours old

Joseph 3 hours old and myself

11 days old

He was already 10 days overdue and i had moved my plane ticket forward to Auckland twice already to remain in Christchurch for his birth. Jess and her husband Hamish were driving to Christchurch Women's Hospital to have him induced when the 6.3 earthquake struck the city.

They managed to get to the hospital but it was a scene of panic and confusion with a toddler being triaged on the floor on the foyer of Christchurch Women's. It seems he had some masonry or similar fall on him. I don't know how he fared :-/ Meanwhile i had only just got in to Jess's car outside their garage. They own the rear townhouse of a block of 6. I had started to back out in to the main area of the asphalt driveway when the car started to lurch violently backwards and forwards and then side to side and ridiculously i just thought maybe i had the handbrake on and had my foot too far down on the accelerator. At this point i saw the neighbours car which was parked right next to Jess's come closer and closer but it was Jess's car being bounced [with me in it] towards it then bounced back again. My heart was racing and i felt sick with confusion. I looked up at the second storey of the townhouses and they were twisting side to side and swaying backwards and forwards. I then looked at the ashphalt driveway and it was just like waves of licquorice straps...it was only then i realised it was an earthquake.

I waited until the worst of the movement had abated but the aftershocks were hell scary. I got out of the car not knowing where to go and stood in the middle of the driveway, tried to phone my daughter and son in law but couldn't get through. Phoned my partner in Auckland who told me to get back to the house and stand in the porchway. Heart pounding and feeling sick and scared witless of further quakes i opened their door. To find this [click here for photo]

Only a few minutes earlier i had been sitting on the sofa by the baby bouncer [pushed further forward in the photograph in the previous link] and would have had the 75 litre aquarium smash on me if i was still there. Thank god i had decided to pop to my parents house instead and was sitting in the car at least. I was standing transfixed not knowing what to do... a text came through from Jess stating that she and Hamish were on their way home... obviously no inductions for babies would be done that day! I started to receive texts from family members - aunt and uncle's house in Cashmere was uninhabitable...most the bricks fell off it and inside damaged but they were fine. Couldn't get through to my elderly parents, they had cell phones but don't text and their phone batteries were flat. Their landline was not analog but cordless and relied on power [it was 8 hours before we knew they were ok]. There was no power or water.

I phoned my partner in Auckland again as just a voice to hear and a strong aftershock hit. I could hear the roar first and then it hit, i just screamed - it was so terrifying but at least he was on the phone with me.

Jess and Hamish got home 30 minutes later. What is normally a 10 minute trip took 40 minutes to their house in Addington. Poor Jess, coming home to such a mess and still heavily pregnant. We got stuck in and cleaned it up but of course the carpet sopped up the 75 litres of water and although we sponged as much we could it was impossible getting much more than 3 litres of it in a bucket [it dried out in the following week with dehumidifier on - they got power back on 9 hours later]. A massive aftershock hit as we were trying to clean it all up and Jess and i were thrown against her lounge wall. We just hugged each other terrified for the time it happened. Their bedroom was also a mess with chest of drawers and television tipped up and broken...but they got off lightly - couple of cracks in the exterior cladding of house and their patio concrete cracked.

We still had not heard from my brother [who works for one of the essential services] and his wife. Down the track it transpired that he was just outside the road tunnel working and scaringly looked up to see the boulders and rocks falling down in to Heathcote Valley [this residential area is one of the historical earlier areas of Christchurch and has lost 70% of its houses according to tvnz]; his wife was at the Palms Mall and terrifyingly had glass falling down around her and her daughter - my niece - who pushed her out of the way when a large shard falling towards her which ended up slicing the leg of a woman near her. [Again makes me thankful i was sitting in the car even if it was bouncing around!] I so feel for my brother who a few days later had to help clear a body in a 4wd vehicle from outside his work ... nothing was higher than the wheels and other ghastly sights xxx I love you bro and for what you have done for others during the quake.

My parents were physically fine. My ex husband managed to get to their house in his 4wd vehicle and check on them. Jess and I went early the next morning to attempt to get to their street in Avondale - one of the severest hit areas. It was such a damn scary drive and i was scared if we stayed out too long it would be our luck she came in to labour and couldn't get to hospital! We had to park in Avondale Road - the roads had deep potholes and liquefaction was everywhere. We carefully walked through all the mud and water to my parents house and they had sat up scared all night in the kitchenette. [Their house was severely damaged in the September 4th earthquake and now of course has sustained much more damage].

Jess heard from her midwife on the Thursday afternoon following the quake and had a couple of hours only to prepare for a second chance at inducing Joseph. We went up to Christchurch Women's hospital for the gel insertion [which didn't start anything!] and had to go back to hospital at 7.30am the next day to get things really going - Joseph's birthday. He got in to the newspapers!

"Quake not enough to rush Joseph"

"Christchurch earthquake: bundle of joy amid turmoil"

NZ Herald on youtube - Joseph

For the couple of weeks following Joseph's birth, I stayed with my parents in Avondale to ensure they were fine as it was just on two weeks all up after the quake before they got power and water back on to their house as they were in one of the hardest hit areas. I was also close to my house in Wainoni which had also received further damage to the previous damage in the Boxing Day quake when a couple of quake epicentres were only metres away, but even though cracks had opened up the driveway and backyard and the house had some tiles shake loose, foundation and pile damage, fence, wall & ceiling damage - the house is structually sound. Subsequently my next door neighbour ended up renting my house as hers is uninhabitable with collapsing walls inside and her chimney crashing through the back wall of her house. My insurance assessor has already been through and so i like thousands of others - wait for the outcome [update: confirmed green zone but having insurance issues]. I would like to thank my employer for being exceedingly understanding at this horrendous time and allowing me the precious time with my family in Christchurch to ensure not only that they are doing ok but that i also had the time for my own mental health to feel better about returning to Auckland and leaving them. I am sincerely indebted. I have spent the time since the quake crying for what my home town has lost, what my family history has lost or had damaged:

        My parents married in St Pauls Presbyterian Church, Cashel St in
        1959. It has gone from this to this and since, has been completely
        demolished although I believe the columns may have been saved.

Robert & Emma JOHNSTON nee ARBUCKLE

My Great grandparents married in the Knox Church in 1910 it has
gone from this to this

Great great aunts & uncles

this

this [scroll for pic]

Rosannah & Thomas LODGE formerly MACE nee WORT/WERT

Susannah HAMILTON nee LODGE

My GGG Grandparents & GG Grandmother are buried at St Peter's, Riccarton- from this to this

My aunt & uncle married in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament & i was bridesmaid in 1978 - from this to this.

Our local cemeteries have been badly damaged: Linwood; Barbadoes Street; Bromley I have ancestors buried in all of these.

I have felt honoured and priviledged to have been part of the incredible outpouring of community not just local but New Zealand wide. I've cried for the loss of New Zealanders and internationals alike - i like many others know of people that have have loved ones and friends die. My gratitude and deep appreciation go out to all those who have helped in search and rescue and keeping us and property feeling secure and safe; bringing us power and water not just back to homes but ensuring a good supply is accessible at points around the city. To people like Tim Baker - salt of the earth and someone who has embraced his local community of Aranui by providing a clothes washing service [who has also written in depth about the heritage and history of the local area and is also a local land agent] and whom was on the 40th Reunion Committee of Aranui High School in 2000 alongside myself. The wonderful uplifting people from Timaru who helped my son and myself shovel the silt from my parents back yard and the people from student army, Coalgate and Loburn who helped shovel out their driveway, words are just not enough but thank you so so soooo very much from the depths of my heart. The difference it made to my parents just to see the bulk of it gone was something special.

To my awesome son Roy THANK YOU for thinking of Nanna and Grandy by making up the lovely sandwiches, providing another gas cooker and containers of water, travelling to help me move the silt then after that travelling to Lincoln later that night to see your newborn nephew then having to drive all the way back home down South. You're a very special person.

I'd like to mention my fabulous cousin Clare who has also had a harrowing time during all this due to the fact she lives right atop of Lyttelton and has been evacuated and returned to her home several times due to rock falls and also having to support her parents through all this when their own home in Cashmere was severely damaged has instigated the Trust for children with head injuries in the name of 8 month old Jayden Harris who died in the quake after a television fell on him - Clare i am so proud of you :) xx

To the people of the badly hit areas of Christchurch ... I feel for you, those aftershocks are so disconcerting and sickening - I hope you get some peace soon. Especially my special special family xxxx

Random videos and links relating to the earthquake:

The video shown at the Christchurch earthquake memorial service 18 March 2011

Graphic video by Daniel Tobin

Andy Madill's amazing inner cordon photos Pt 3

Damage in the 'burbs

Fairfax photographer photos

Raw amateur video taken seconds after the earthquake

Obituaries of those identified and confirmed dead

GGG grandparents Robert & Sarah EVANS nee KITCHENER

I loved this church - Holy Trinity in Lyttelton [oldest stone church in Canterbury dating c1860. Previously a wooden church was on the site built c1852].My pioneering family the EVANS's had strong links to it as settlers from 1850. In 2000 i attended special services as secretary to the Canterbury Pilgrims & Early Settlers Association to mark the 150th anniversary of Canterbury. It's devastating to see such damage :( [and since this post, collapsed in totality].

Some photos i took on a walk around my parents area of Avondale on 4 March 2011. [Now declared red zoned].

My Flickr photo's of Holy Trinity taken April 2011

Joe Morgan's video

Aerial shots

Major earthquake hits Christchurch - TV New Zealand

Sky news item

My Flickr photo's from after February 2011
St Joseph's Catholic Church - Lyttelton
Timeball Station, Lyttelton, Ami Stadium/Ferry Road and Avonside Drive
Timeball Station totally collapsed in the June 13 2011 quake
Lyttelton Union Parish Church
Damage to Linwood Cemetery
Memorial Service held at Auckland War Memorial Museum
Rutherford Street [Woolston] Cemetery damage

Ross Becker's fantastic photographs...

Great expectations

2011-02-06T19:03:00.026+13:00

39 weeks - so tired!

The time has come! Well nearly.

'Gordon' [don't ask me where on earth my partner got THAT as a nickname for the yet unborn grandson!] - his entrance in to this world is imminent. Due next Friday 11 Feb 2011 [11022011 - fabulous date!] and so i winged my way to Christchurch last Thursday morning to stay with my daughter and her husband until the 16th. Let's hope he's born on his due date! It was a risk booking before he was born, but hey - sometimes in life you have to do that!

It's lovely to be spending time with Jessica and Hamish before 'Gordon' arrives [they aren't letting anyone in on his name before he's born] and the build up to his expected due date is delicious.

Over the months since i found out i was to become a 'grammy' i have been working away on a 1:12 scale miniature child's bedroom. I was rather pleased with how it turned out.

Wrapped

Unwrapped [$1 coin to left for scale]

This was huge fun to do. My partner 'Poppa Mike' worked on the exterior so it could be a special gift from us both :-) Most in the diorama I made, and the baby doll is even anatomically correct [i bought this] but i have put a tiny little nappy on him off the nappy pile on the floor. I miniaturised real family photos and even included tiny little photos of his scans [back wall right].

The full set of construction photos are here.

When i got to Christchurch we went shopping for a new toy box as an extra present and to put all the presents in that i'd collected over the months.

Presents above before wrapping and below close ups

Special touches :-)

Token for baby and ephemera: From The Foundling Museum, London
bought when i travelled to England in November 2010

The lovely exhibition "Threads of Feeling" was on when i visited the museum - perfect timing. The poignant stories behind each real little token on display are heartbreaking. As a momento for 'Gordon' with ephemera from the exhibition i thought would be nice.

"In the cases of more than 4,000 babies left between 1741 and 1760, a small object or token, usually a piece of fabric, was kept as an identifying record. The fabric was either provided by the mother or cut from the child’s clothing by the hospital's nurses. Attached to registration forms and bound up into ledgers, these pieces of fabric form the largest collection of everyday textiles surviving in Britain from the 18th Century. "

Continuing with the baby's gifts...

I thought a parcel of care goodies and mainly clothes for an older age was probably order of the day as so much was given over the weeks for newborn!

Cutey little swimming costume amongst that that i couldn't resist! Note the luggage tag [with frog on] he can put on his wee suitcase when he comes to visit Grammy and Poppa Mike in Auckland :-)

And so we wait :-)

England jaunt 2010

2010-12-27T23:36:00.087+13:00

My 3 weeks in England in November were fantastic even if it did get off to a rocky start when i landed at Heathrow. I wrenched my right arm getting my hand luggage out of the overhead locker and couldn’t move my arm at all for the first day. [It is still not 100% right and apparently ultrasound has found a tear in my rotator cuff – hopefully i will be able to avoid surgery].

I arrived at Heathrow at 2.30pm and my aunt and uncle Anita and Tony, who live in Kent, picked me up. I had seen them briefly in March when they came to NZ for a holiday but before that it had been several years. We spent a couple of hours the next morning trying to sort out physiotherapy for my arm. I had taken out travel insurance via work and they had given me an emergency contact card that was at least 10 years out of date! The insurance company and all contact details were void! Anita selected a physiotherapist and i just went [which helped tremendously although still in pain, i could continue the trip and attend the workshop].

The biological preservation workshop at the Horniman museum in London was FANTASTIC! I learnt sooooo much. I feel confident now that shove a dehydrated 19th century specimen in a broken jar in front of me and i could fix it! From preservation fluid determining to making glass containers/cutting and grinding glass, rehydrating and refixing biological specimen, making glass rods and mounting with them or glass plate mounting and on and on. Following are some photos from the workshop. All specimens were from the Natural History museum in London that needed tending to.

The Mole task [2 of them]: rehydrate, re-fix, remount and re-house.

L to R top row: Dehydrated moles in jar; jar opened; moles rehydrating in water and Decon90 surfactant; moles rehydrating [took a day and half]; myself cleaning mould of the moles claws

L to R bottom row: ; another of cleaning the moles; using vacuum pump to remove all air from specimen; mounting moles on glass plate; mole mounting completed.

The grub task: Clean lipids off, determine preservation fluid, renew fluid and clean and re-lid jar.

L to R top row: Original specimen lacking preserving fluid and ‘dirty’ with lipids; jar opened; scraping old lid sealant & paper; cleaning jar; preparing to clean specimen in ethanol;

L to R bottom row: grub clean and in cleaned jar awaiting fluid top up; sealing lid to jar; touching up sealing; injecting top up of preservation fluid in to jar [hole capped afterwards] with polymer rod bung].

Completed Specimens

Full set of photographs available online:
For Moles and for Grub [just click the word links]

My first weekend in England although fraught with pain which was halfway controlled with some very strong Voltaren, was still exciting. Anita and Tony took me to Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn. The colours in the gardens were AMAZING and the castle is such a pretty thing even though undergoing much upgrading during the time the Astor’s owned it in the early 1900’s.

Hever Castle
Click HERE for my Hever Castle photos on flickr

On 5th November Anita and i went in to London so i could get the hang of the train/tube/bus system there, which i had been stressing over for weeks. I hate the unknown and it was totally unknown to me, however after one day of commuting i thought it was all pretty cool and efficient and i handled it with ease. We visited the Natural History museum and saw Darwin’s ‘cocoon’, and as much as that was fascinating, the architecture of that building is breathtaking! I also got to the Victoria and Albert Museum but alas - for 1 hour only!

Click HERE for my Natural History museum and V & A photographs on flickr.

6 -8 November Anita, Tony and I went to stay with my cousin [their daughter] Emma who lives at Kings Newton [near Melbourne pic below] in Derbyshire. It would be about 13 years since i had seen her and it was fantastic to catch up and meet her wee daughter Amelie [3 ½] and lovely husband Andy. Amelie and Emma had made cupcakes especially for our visit and had put our initial on each one! It was a fantastic weekend and we went for walks around Kings Newton and Melbourne... Thomas Cook of travelling holiday fame was born here in 1808. It is such a lovely wee place.

I left Emma and Andy’s on Monday 8th Nov. and Anita and Tony dropped me off at Elizabeth and Nigel’s house at Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. They are Mike’s [my partner] aunt and uncle. What fantastic hosts they were also, considering i’d only met them for 2 hours previously when they were last in New Zealand! They carted me to Kenilworth Castle in the pouring rain even though they’d been there before and Elizabeth gave a fascinating account of the history of the place, [that’s me in the fireplace in Queen Elizabeth 1st private anteroom - see below]. We were pretty much the only ones there and the atmosphere was fantastic! It’s a ruined castle but oh so very pretty and extensive.

Click HERE for my Kenilworth Castle photos on flickr.

The next day Elizabeth and I went for a walk around the beautiful and historic St Mary's Church and Warwick [click HERE for this set of photos]. She then dropped me off to Warwick Castle which is the opposite of Kenilworth. It was built in 1068 by William the Conqueror and quite complete... i had a fantastic 7 hours there including walking around the ramparts to see the amazing view, the dungeon, ghost tour and gaol tours – all up $NZ40 to visit but SOOOO worth it. Click HERE for my Warwick Castle photo set on flickr.

Getting my head cut off at Warwick Castle (c:

The three days with Elizabeth and Nigel was topped off with a lovely dinner out the night before i left them. Back to London on the 10th by train from Leamington Spa and then to Kent to touch base again with Anita and Tony. The next three days were a whirlwind of smaller museums in Russell Square and Holborn districts, London.

 The Foundling Museum [above]: London’s original home for abandoned children and Britain’s first ever public art gallery [it was here i observed the 2 minutes silence for Armistice day at 11am & had a huge meringue!]

 Petrie Museum of Egyptian archaeology – [above] OUTSTANDING! [Entrance below red sign in photo]. Photos of artifacts in museum here

 Sir John Soane’s Museum [above]: Architect [1753-1837] John’s actual home, has to be seen to be believed. Chock full of antiquities including the sarcophagus of Seti I [reigned 1290-1279 BC] in his basement.

 The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons [above]: one of the world's oldest anatomical collections side by side with the latest advances in surgery to reveal 400 years of medical history. A MUST SEE, full of specimen jars!

13th Nov i finally got to meet Ron and his lovely wife Jan.
I have been corresponding with Ron for many many years after connecting along the line of some genealogy research. We had arranged to meet on the steps

of St Paul’s Cathedral which would have been fine had the Lord Mayor’s Procession not been on! I couldn’t cross the road for and hour and a half! Some tube stations were closed and the amount of people in London was mind boggling. However, this turned in to an amazing day ending up walking along South Bank and watching fireworks and getting home around 7.30pm

14th Nov i left London again, this time for Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire to stay with my former sister in law Carolyn [us below], her new husband Chris and their dog Ruby.

This was a lovely trip via tube and train and I was so excited to be seeing her as it had been farrr too long! Again what fantastic hosts! I have been so lucky to have such warm caring people around me every step of the way to make the trip one i will never forget! Berkhamstead is AMAZING! [Click HERE for my Berkhamstead photos on flickr]. If i could get a museum job there, you could pick me up and plonk me there and i’d be as happy as if i had no ties here. The historic feel of the place is mind blowing and everywhere you look just screams heritage. Carolyn took me for jaunts around in her cutie wee car with heated seats [bonus as i experienced the coldest frosts there the whole time i was in England, -4]. We even ended up driving down a walled Roman road [see below]

Ashridge Forest [deer were running through here]

Roman road - muddier and more rumpty than it looks, especially in a sportscar!

which was rather scary as we didn’t intend to but crikey it was amazing! They took me to see the movie ‘Made in Dagenham’ at The Rix theatre which is also historic and itself has been filmed in for movies.

We also visited Tring [picture below and click HERE for my Tring photos on flickr], another beautiful wee rural town to see the Natural History museum , visited a couple of cemeteries and scoffed a lot of fantastic coffee!

It was memorial week whilst i was there and so everywhere i went there were parades, poppies and moments to remember soldiers long dead – i revelled in it. I love how the English embrace the importance of their lost military and civilian members. It puts New Zealand to shame.

And so my trip to England was nearly complete. I left Berkhamstead and back to London on the 17th. That night Anita, Tony and I had a lovely meal locally in Kent [see below]and i insisted on having an English wine. New Zealand wine is so popular over there!

I returned to New Zealand leaving on the 18th and arriving on the 20th November. I had no jet lag and i attribute that to my lovely Mike buying me a pair of noise cancelling headphones which i wore the whole time on the flights there and back.

It was an amazing time. I achieved everything i set out to do on the trip and i am so indebted to all the lovely, lovely people along the way who made the trip a memorable experience for someone who is a total whimp when it comes to travelling or experiencing anything alone! The weather was coldish but with my new coat all i needed was a t-shirt underneath! A week after i got home...all the snow struck England – i was most certainly lucky!

2010-10-09T21:53:00.039+13:00

So it's been quite a while since i've produced a post!

Jess's pregnancy is progressing fantastically and she has just passed the 22 week stage. Babe has been confirmed as a boy... I can't WAIT to give him such big hugs and raspberries on his tum. He's been causing quite a ruckus in Jess's tum lately and she thinks he's going to be a supporter of martial arts! She first felt him move on the weekend of the earthquake.. so quite appropriate!

19 week scan

The other exciting news is my upcoming visit to London! This has been instigated by my employer. I will be attending the fluid preservation course for biological specimens workshop at the Horniman Museum on 1-4 November.

I leave NZ on 28 October at midnight flying direct [refuel in Hong Kong with a couple hours stopover]. I will be staying with my aunt and uncle in London. I intend to visit the Foundling museum; Petrie museum of Egyptian archaeology; National army museum; Hunterian museum at the Royal College for Surgeons amongst others and hopefully get to see some churches that make themselves known on the baptismal and marriage certificates of my ancestors. I'll be visiting Royal Leaming Spa to stay with my partners aunt and uncle and visiting my cousin in Derby. I'll also be staying 3 days with my brothers first wife in Hertfordshire and visiting Tring Natural History Museum which i've heard has some amazing artifacts. I also want to catch at least 1 of the 'Magnificent Seven' cemeteries for a short while. Probably Nunhead which i will be closest to. It looks fantastic! I haven't done a lot of travelling apart from 3 weeks in Tasmania in 2005 and i'm a bit freaked out about it all but i'll be fine!

I get back to New Zealand on the 20th November chock full of knowledge and very tired i suspect! I've even shouted myself a new HP notebook for the occasion... so much more compact than my current laptop and super handy for the many trips to Christchurch to see my lovely little expected grandson :-)

©2010 Sarndra Lees

A new phase of life

2010-07-07T20:58:00.031+12:00

Congratulations to the new prospective parents to be!
[Photo - 12 March 2005]

Yes indeed, that it will be.

On the night of June 3rd i found out i am going to be a grandmother! Crikey how exciting is that! I had flown to Christchurch for the weekend of Queens Birthday to catch up with family and what perfect timing! My daughter Jessica and her husband Hamish picked me up from the airport and back to their place where i was staying. A cup of coffee was made and a piece of Nanna's [my mums] fruit cake served up for me on a plate.

I duly quaffed the coffee and finished the cake. As i was putting the plate down beside me, i noticed writing on the bottom of it.... [our writing has evolved into LOLSpeak we love the icanhazcheeseburger website]......

Well crikey that was a surprise! Jess had had a hip operation last year [don't let your kids do karate when they are young!] and i had thought they might start a family soon but expected it more to be next year.... what a lovely surprise and perfectly timed for my visit...how fortuitous! I even got to go to her doctors appointment with her the next day.

As the pregnancy was still in the early stages i've had to keep quiet until today! So now i can spread the word!

The next scan has been planned for when Mike [my partner] and I are in Christchurch at the end of this month ... it is so cool how everything is slotting in to place! :o) Baby is due February 2011.

They had their first scan this week... 'Boobirri' [my nick name for the youngan due to the fact that at one stage it was the size of a blueberry...and the name stuck - for me anyway] is currently 2cm and all looks well with a heart rate of 176bpm.

I wonder if Boobirri will be as tiny as his/her mum was http://sarndra.com/kidspage.html

Welcome to our world 'Boobirri' xxxx [8wks 4 days]

Love you to pieces already.

Mum Jess has a baby blog @ http://nzbabymcb.blogspot.com/
Dad Hamish has a blog also! http://www.newdad.geek.nz/

Wordless Wednesday - Robert & Sarah EVANS [nee KITCHENER] of Rangiora

2010-06-30T23:31:00.015+12:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/porkynz/2515222283/

Genealogists study part 5

2010-05-30T17:27:00.026+12:00

I finally got back in to my miniatures for a few hours this weekend. I started with good intentions of putting the wall paper on but ended up starting to try and miniaturise some documentation for the scene. I can't believe how long this took! I wanted to use some of my own genealogy documentation and although it is so tiny it can't be read, it's rather cool to know that all these 'little bits of my family and I' will be in the diorama.

2 photos below: I miniaturised a screen shot of my genealogy software [Family Tree Maker 2010] for the little laptop that is going in the diorama.

I did finally get around to printing out the wallpaper on acid free 120gsm card. This is light enough to print easily in my printer and flexible enough to attach to walls, but firm enough so that the glue will not interfere with the integrity of the end product. After printing, I sprayed with matt sealer.

Affixing the largest piece to the diorama.

First main strip affixed.

I used the blank edge of the sheet of A4 to enable me to line up the next piece.

Papered up to and around the window

Complete. I ensured the wallpaper went just around the front edges to hide the bare cardboard

Architraves affixed to the window to hide the wallpaper edges

For the ceiling, i decided to 'sponge dab' pale pink on to this.

Paper is placed in the diorama to protect the wallpaper from any paint.

Using the sponge gave a nice texture to the finished ceiling

Ceiling finished

'Mouldings' are affixed to the join at the wall and ceiling

Whilst waiting for the paint to dry, i painted one of the tiny framed photos i've made - that's my G G G G Grandmother Mary Ann PAWSON [later CASTLE] nee LAWSON and...

Made one of several little document filing boxes up

Fiddly fiddly...love it!

awwww how cute is that!

And that's my effort for the weekend!

Genealogists study part 1

Genealogists study part 2

Genealogists study part 3

Genealogists study part 4

1:12 Genealogist's Study - part 4

2010-04-04T18:32:00.008+12:00

I was rudely interrupted in my quest to continue some headstone photography today as the weather turned quite rainy so back home it was to continue on my Genealogist's study :-)

I decided to complete the window and floor today at least.

Architrave and outer window sill made of balsa wood and fitted/glued

Interior architrave and window sill made of balsa wood and fitted/glued

I use Mylar* for the windows. This is perfect as it is clear and very firm to work with.

Cut 4 pieces of 'window framing', this will be fitted to the mylar.

Trimming the frames to fit the exterior architraves, i then carefully sliced down the centre of each piece of window framing, not fully through, but half way through the thickness and then slid the frame along the mylar.

The completed window with knob attached

Completed window - side

Completed window - front on.

I have glued it to appear open.

Beginning to paint.

A darker colour for the exterior frame.

Lighter colours for the interior

Completed painting the exterior window frame and sill. The sill is lighter colour than the frame.

The exterior of the box is still to be completed, so any rough edges of the painting will be obscured when that is complete.

Preparing balsa wood for the timber flooring

Affixing the flooring in sections to interior of room box

Flooring in place.

Skirting boards commenced.

Flooring and skirting boards in place.

First coat of water based polyurothane - 3 coats to do in total.

* Mylar, available from http://conservationsupplies.co.nz/lines/654.html

I buy all my conservation quality products from here. Highly recommend. SUPPORT KIWI BUSINESSES!

Genealogists study part 1 - http://invokinglibitina.blogspot.com/2010/03/well-its-been-while-since-ive-done-some.html

Genealogists study part 2 - http://invokinglibitina.blogspot.com/2010/03/112-scale-genealogists-study-part-2.html

Genealogists study part 3 - http://invokinglibitina.blogspot.com/2010/03/112-scale-genealogists-study-part-3.html

1:12 scale Genealogists study - part 3

2010-03-28T20:44:00.005+13:00

I've decided to only do bricks for 1/3 of the way up the diorama and doing a stucco type exterior for the rest. This will add a more interesting texture to the outside and not make it appear like a prison cell!

Having completed the brick section, i have commenced grouting inbetween the bricks tonight.

1. Using Polyfilla and mixing scrapings of soft pastels to colour i then put the mixture in to a syringe

2. Squeeze the mixture into the spaces of the bricks [harder than it looks!]

3. Using super thick Pams brand baby wipes, i then smoothed the grout into the gaps and wiped the excess off

4. Rear of diorama completed with the ungrouted bricks to compare on the right

5. Side section half completed

Part 1 - 1:12 scale Genealogists study

Part 2 - 1:12 scale Genealogists study

Part 4 - 1:12 scale Genealogists study

1:12 scale Genealogists study - part 2

2010-03-21T18:21:00.007+13:00

Another satisfying afternoon continuing on my diorama. This time, concentrating on making 'bricks' for the exterior.

Cutting the 'bricks' for the exterior. These are made from egg cartons.

After this, each corner of the brick is cut off ever so tiny so that it gives a more realistic look when glued on the diorama.

Colouring the 'bricks' with soft pastels until i get the shades i want.

The 'bricks' are then affixed to the diorama box

A 'spacer' is used to ensure level placement of the bricks and an even space to 'grout' later to complete the job.

Row upon row....

Close up of the 'bricks'. Egg cartons are fabulous for this!

Corner shot

Taking shape. VERY time consuming... preparation of these bricks and affixing took 3 hours, but VERY satisfying :-)

1:12 scale Genealogists study - part 1

2010-03-20T20:38:00.006+13:00

Well, it's been a while since i've done any miniatures, so today I began my next project, a genealogists 1:12 study. What better thing to theme it on - being the Genie nutter that I am :-)

The first cut!

The hole for the window

Drawer fronts

Drawer support section of genealogists desk

Drawer fronts shaped and painted

Desk components painted and the drawer fronts added

Genealogists desk completed

The basic box - it is a dome up one which is nice for a change

Some of the tiny photos i've printed out to add to the walls eventually. I'll make some frames for them. These are actual photos of my relatives....and there at the far left is a tiny wedding photo of my daughter and her husband :-)

The desk sitting in the box with $NZ2 coin for scale

The murder of Emily KEELINGAuckland 1886

2010-03-06T21:18:00.058+13:00

Emily and her parents grave*

Click for Updated photo of the grave by 'Timespanner' 1 January 2011

LOVE AND CRIME

Fearful double tragedy at Arch Hill

A young lady shot by her lover

A thrill of horror ran through the town last evening when it became known that the horrible crimes of murder and suicide had been committed at Arch Hill. The sad news was first conveyed to the Newton Police Station by a youth named Arthur Shannon, who at that time simply knew of the suicide of the murderer. Constable Clark sent word to the central police station, and at once proceeded to the scene of the crime. It was not until some time afterwards that it was known that the perpetrator of the rash act had also committed the fearful crime of murder. It subsequently transpired that, as usual in these sad affairs, love might be considered as the cause of the crime.

The Particulars

It appears that a young girl named...

Emily Mary KEELING...

...who would have been 18 years of age next month, was proceeding up King Street, Arch Hill, on her way to the Bible Class at the Alexandra street Primitive Methodist Church, when she was met by a young man named ...

Edwin James FULLER...

...with whom she had been acquainted for some time. He was seen by a young woman who was passing to address her, and then seize her by the arm, she apparently wishing to escape from his importunities. Immediately afterwards two shots were fired, Mr J. E. Thomas, who keeps a grocery store at the opposite side of the road, hearing the reports, ran across the street and got between the murderer and his victim. Fuller then ran rapidly along Stanley Street until he reached the corner of Brisbane Street, where he completed his crime by taking his own life.

Death of the Victim

Meanwhile the girl had crossed the street and sat down on the doorstep of the grocery store. Mr Thomas at once came over to her, and finding her in a fainting condition, he, with the assistance of his son, Mr W. A. Thomas, conveyed the unfortunate girl inside his house and placed her on a sofa in the parlour, where she died about twenty minutes afterwards. The girl retained consciousness until the end. Dr Lawson was quickly in attendance, and found that two bullets had entered her right breast.

The Scene of the Crimes

Scene of the murder - view of Thomas's store **

King Street, where Emily Mary Keeling was murdered, is the second street past the Newton West School, leading from the Great North Road to the New North Road. Stanley Street is the first thoroughfare parallel with the Great North Road. It crosses both King and Brisbane Streets. At the corner of King and Stanley Streets is situated Mr Thomas's store, in which the poor girl expired, and it was at the opposite corner that the murder was committed. The perpetrator of the crime then ran along Stanley Street past the rear of the public school until he reached the corner of Brisbane Street, which also runs parallel with King Street, and it was at this corner that he completed his work by committing suicide, just at the side of the residence of Mr George Stanton.

In his case, death must have been instantaneous, as the bullet passed through the mouth and a portion of the brain, and ultimately lodged in the nape of the neck at the left side.

The Discoverer of the Suicide

A boy named Arthur Shannon, aged 11 years, who resides with his parents in Stanley Street, states that he saw Fuller running rapidly towards Brisbane-street. He watched him turn the corner, and immediately afterwards he heard a shot fired. Shannon ran to the place, which was about fifty yards away, and he was horrified to find Fuller lying on his face in a pool of blood. The lad at once called his mother.

Meanwhile a youth named John Murphy, about 16 years of age, arrived upon the scene. He resides in Kepple Street, and hearing the shot, he immediately ran up to see who was firing.

The next to arrive was Mr Deerness, who immediately sent the lad Murphy to the police station. The news was received by Constable Clark at about 5 minutes to 7 o'clock, and he, with commendable promptitude, despatched the lad for Dr. Challinor Purchas. He then hurried off to Arch Hill, and arrived upon the scene about 7.10 o'clock. Almost immediately afterwards Dr. Challinor Purchas arrived, but at once pronounced life to be extinct. Constable Clark found Fuller lying on his right side, face downwards. In his right hand doubled under his body he held a British bull-dog revolver, apparently quite new. His thumb was upon the trigger guard. Upon examining the revolver, it was found that three barrels were loaded, and also that three had been discharged

Fuller was dressed in a black sac coat and waistcoat and light tweed trousers. In the pockets were found several letters, £3 9s 10½ d in cash, an open-faced silver watch, one pipe, and six revolver cartridges. The constable at once obtained assistance and removed the body to the house of Mr J. Jenkins, in King Street, It was while doing this that the startling information was received that the man they were carrying had also Murdered a Girl.

Further inquiries were made, and soon elicited the facts as stated above. The news had also been conveyed to the Central Police Station, and Senior Sergeant Pratt was soon in attendance, accompanied by Dr. Tennent and Detective Walker. Naturally large crowds soon gathered and all along the street there were for hours small groups of people speaking with bated breath of the terrible tragedy that had occurred in their hitherto quiet district. Other groups seemed to find special fascination for the pools of blood that had oozed from the body of the murderer as he lay in Brisbane Street.

Description of the Murderer

Edward Fuller, the perpetrator of the terrible double crime of murder and suicide, is a young man who has hitherto borne an excellent character. It is stated that he was always quiet in his style, and never exhibited any peculiarities that would have marked him as the perpetrator of such a fearful deed. He was between 21 and 22 years of age, about 5 feet 8 inches in height, of fair complexion, and moderate build. Did not wear a beard, but had a light moustache. He was the brother-in-law of Mr Jenkins, builder, who resides in his own house in King Street. Fuller was a labourer, and had worked for some time in the brick-yards at Henderson. About a year and a half ago he went to the Northern Wairoa district, but returned to town for Christmas, remained with Mr Jenkins, and assisted him at the building trade.

His Victim

Miss Emily Mary Keeling, whose life was so ruthlessly cut short, was the daughter of Mr George Keeling, bricklayer, and his wife Emily. Miss Keeling bears an excellent character, and appears to have been somewhat of a favourite with the neighbours, who all speak of her in the highest terms. She was decidedly good-looking, about medium height, with blue eyes and brown hair.
She was not engaged in any business, but resided with her parents in King Street, next door but one to the house in which he who caused her untimely end resided.

As previously stated, she was at the time of her murder on her way to attend a meeting of the Bible-class of the Primitive Methodist Church, Alexandra Street, at which, it appears, she was a regular attendant. We learn that the unfortunate girl was to have delivered an essay on April 16th, the title being "Mount Ararat." Her companions in the class describe her as an intelligent and engaging young woman, and she was evidently a favourite with all who knew her. Although the hour was early, strange to say no person actually saw the shots fired, though naturally there were people close at hand when the terrible crime was committed. It will perhaps be better to give their own versions of the sad occurrence.

Miss Pattie Burgess, who resides in Home Street, about 200 yards from the scene of the tragedy, states :— "At 20 minutes to 7 o'clock I was coming down past Thomas's store at the corner of King and Stanley Streets, I saw the young man Fuller standing at the opposite corner of the
street, and looking as I thought somewhat peculiar or strange. I saw the young woman, Miss Keeling, attempt to pass him. He took her by the arm, and said something to her. I passed by. Immediately afterwards I heard a shot fired, and then a second one. When I turned round I saw her running towards the shop. The young man first ran towards her, and then ran along Stanley Street. I returned to the girl, and found her in the arms of Mr J. E. I Thomas and his son,Mr W. A. Thomas, who carried her inside the shop. I was not then aware that Fuller had shot himself. After Miss Keeling had been carried into Thomas's I went down and told her mother what had happened."

Statement of Mr Thomas

Mr Jabez Edward Thomas, store-keeper, corner of King and Stanley Streets, stated : -"At about 20 minutes to 7 o'clock I was in my shop, when I heard the report of firearms l at once ran to the door, and looking across the street, saw a girl standing at the opposite corner. I heard her scream. I also saw a man standing alongside of her, but did not recognise him. I ran across the road and the girl cried, 'Oh, save me.' I went between her and the man to save the girl. The man then ran up Stanley Street towards Brisbane Street. The girl also ran across the road to my shop and sat down on the doorstep for a few seconds, when she fell forward and again said 'save me.' I then, with the assistance of my son William A. Thomas, took her into the house and my wife came to assist. We laid her on a sofa in the parlour. My son immediately went in a trap for a doctor and returned with Dr. Lawson, who arrived shortly after 7 o'clock. The doctor found that two shot wounds had been inflicted on her, both entering her right breast, and apparently penetrating the lungs and the heart. She was still living, and quite conscious when he arrived. She retained consciousness until the end, and died about fifteen minutes past 7 o'clock.

Statement of Mr Thomas Jun.

Walter Arthur Thomas, son of the above, states :— " I was lying on the couch of the parlour at 20 minutes to 7 o'clock, when I heard two reports. I at first thought that the shop shutters were falling. I ran into the shop, and mother said, 'Oh there's a poor girl shot.' I went to the door, and saw Miss Keeling lying on her back on the steps of the shop in my father's arms. She said, " Oh, save me." I assisted my father to carry her inside, and we laid her on the couch in the parlour.
I then rushed out to find a doctor. On going round the corner, I saw a cart belonging to Mr Campion. I jumped in and told him to drive for a doctor, as a girl had been shot. We drove to Dr. Lawsons residence, Karangahape Road. I found him at home, and he sent me to telephone the news to the police station. Upon returning with the doctor, the girl was just dying.

The Scene of the Murder

Our reporter also visited the scene of the tragedy this morning. Save in the mournful, subdued look of the residents of the vicinity there is nothing in the surroundings consonant with the hideous occurrence of the previous evening. He examined the spot where the shooting took place. It is a patch of rough scoria on the junction of King and Stanley Streets, about a dozen yards from Thomas's (late Cuckson's) store. The locality was examined with great minuteness, but not a spot of blood could be seen, neither were there any stains between the place of shooting and the store, distant about twelve yards. Thomas's is a small grocery store of the same type as dozens that may be seen in our suburbs. It is approached by a flight of three steps, on the lowest one of which Miss Keeling sat after her agonised run across the road with the fatal bullet in her breast.

Fuller's Body

Fuller's body as it lay in Mr Jenkins house this morning presented a most gruesome spectacle. It was placed in a pleasant looking, neatly-furnished, little room in the point of the house, which even the drawn blinds and the awful presence of death did not deprive of an air of cheerfulness.

The corpse was stretched on a rude temporary table, the top of which was apparently constructed of the door of a cupboard. The body was fully dressed, but was covered with a clean white sheet. When the upper portion of this was removed, the blood-stained visage of the murderer was exposed to view. It was the face of a very personable-looking young man of twenty two years, though he looked much older His ruffled hair was light brown, and a crisp little moustache of the same colour shaded the upper lip. With this exception, the face was shaved, there being a short stubble on the chin. The nose was slightly aquiline, with an uncommonly shaped point, and the nostrils were rather broad. The forehead was slightly retreating and the contour of the chin and lower part of the face indicative of considerable determination. On the back of the neck a small protuberance could be felt, occasioned, no doubt, by the lodgement of the bullet under the skin or a displacement of a portion of the vertebrae of the neck. On the face and especially the left ear were ghastly smears of blood, and a few marks of earth showing that he had fallen on his face.

Fuller's Antecedents and Peculiarities

One of our reporters interviewed Mr John Jenkins this morning at his house in King Street and was very obligingly furnished with a clear and straightforward statement concerning the deceased young man.

Mr Jenkins said :— " Edward James ' Fuller was my wife's youngest brother. Until three years ago he lived with his brothers and sisters in his native village of Drayton, near Norwich, in the County of Norfolk. His parents were both dead, and hearing that he was desirous of leaving Home, I sent to him to come out to New Zealand in order that he might better his condition. He accepted the invitation, and came out here by the ship Rangitikei, accompanied by a younger sister, who is now Mrs Yearbury. Dr. Erson was a passenger by the same vessel, and next month it will be just three years since he arrived. He took up his residence at my house, and worked with me on my building contracts for the first three months. He then seemed to tire of carpentering and as he had been brought up on a farm he had a longing to go farming again. He accordingly went out to Avondale in search of a job and being offered employment in a brickyard there he took it. He remained at this place for six months boarding and lodging out at Avondale, but coming home to us on Saturday nights and returning again on the following Monday mornings. Towards the end of this period he obtained a job at the Arch Hill Brick Yard and left Avondale in order to take it. About the same time he seems to have made the acquaintance of Miss Keeling, whose parents house was only separated from his brother -in - law's by that of Mr Mclntosh. He was too reserved by disposition, however, to take anyone into his confidence or to talk freely of his affairs.

The girl was very nice, and as innocent as a child. My brother-in-law worked at the Auckland Brick Yard for over 12 months. When it was shut up, as usual, last winter, he left along with the other men. He bought a double-barrelled gun and some powder and shot and went up to Dargaville to do some shooting of game. While there is whare took fire in his absence and his gun and other belongings were destroyed. He was left merely with what he stood up in. Up till that time I do not think he had any intention of stopping in the Wairoa, but after that he got work as a carpenter on the Railway Wharf, which was being constructed at Kaihu. He wrote to us saying that he would come down to town about Christmas last, but he did not arrive until after the New Year. Since then he has remained with us and been without employment. He had a little money saved, and wanted to pay us for his board and lodging, but we declined any payment, telling him to keep his money. He had money deposited in the Auckland Savings Bank (some £12 13s), and gave his deposit book to my wife to keep for him. As I have already said, he was habitually reserved, but during the last few days we can now recall the fact that he was more reserved than usual, although the difference may not have impressed us much at the time. He kept more to his room, appeared to sleep longer, and shewed no inclination to see the STAR when it reached us the last two nights. This was the more remarkable, as always before he had been the first to ask for the STAR and was invariably more eager to look through and read it than to have his tea."

His Doings Yesterday

"Yesterday morning he went out after breakfast and was away for a short time, He was back for dinner. He stayed in the house for the rest of the day, and this reminds me that he had not been out of the house the previous day. Yesterday afternoon he spent mostly in his room. When tea was ready he was called and came and took a place without speaking a word. He did not ask for the STAR, but took his tea very quickly indeed — so quickly, indeed, that although I was half finished when he came he was done before me. After tea he sat down on the couch by the window and gazed out of it in the direction of King Street, of which it commands a view as far as Thomas's shop. It was Miss Keeling's custom to go up the street about this time with her little foster sister in her arms in order to meet her father arriving from work and Fuller was evidently on the look-out for her. He had a patent medicine pamphlet in his hand, but seemed to give no attention to it.

While I was out in the yard, and Fuller was at the window, I saw Miss Keeling go up the street with the baby in her arms. She returned some time afterwards, having evidently failed to meet him and I have since learnt that that evening he came home by way of the paddocks, lower down the street. She must then have gone home to change her dress in order to set out for the Bible class. I was still in the yard, my brother-in-law left the house, going out, I believe, by the back stairs, instead of by the front door, as usual. Outside I understand he met one of my little boys, and gave him a packet of lollies, telling him to give Annie (my little girl) some. Another of my boys — some years older than the one just referred to— saw the deceased a little later standing at the corner of Stanley Street and addressing him familiarly said, "Hallo, Ted," but received no answer. He was then apparently waiting for Miss Keeling, and a few moments afterwards they must have met. He would have completed his 22 years this month, So far as I could judge, he was not a man of nervous temperament, but he was very reserved in manner, and always has been so. He was addicted to light reading, and perused with much interest the stories which run through the Star and "Herald." He was also a heavy sleeper. In this respect he was strange. I have known him when leaving the house in the morning for work to run back if a shower of rain has been falling, and go to bed again. He would stop in his room for days together. I remember saying to him once, banteringly,
" Ted, There Must be Something Wrong with you. You must have some disease. You are always so ready to lie down." There is no doubt that he was very fond of Miss Keeling, but it is wrong to say that he had asked her in marriage. He may have intended to marry her, and doubtless wished to do so, but he had not asked her to marry. His desire seemed to be to be allowed to keep her company, Latterly he appeared to be very miserable, but kept the cause to himself Mrs Jenkins corroborated her husband's statement, and also added that after Mr Jenkins left the house her brother did not speak. He went out quietly while she was undressing the baby.

Miss Keeling's Dying Moments

Our reporter subsequently interviewed Mrs Thomas in her shop and that lady, with much emotion, described the affecting death of the poor young girl. She said : I was in the shop, when I saw a flash of light on the opposite side of the street and heard a report. I felt no alarm at the report, for I thought the noise was made by some children playing, but the flash attracted my attention. It was followed by a loud and piercing shriek of agony, and I went towards the door. The night was dark, but I saw a girl running across the street towards me. She sank down on the lowest step from the door, and then slid gently towards the ground. As she sat down she exclaimed, "I am shot ; save me. Take me in." My husband had meanwhile heard the report also, and rushed across the street. He came back, and assisted by my son, carried the poor young thing into my parlour, which is just off the shop. We laid her on the sofa and I saw that she had been shot just below the right breast. There was a hole where the bullet had entered, and her clothing around it was singed. I undid her dress, and saw a wound. Blood was slowly trickling from it. She said, 'Take off my boots and gloves, and put my feet up. Oh, my mother.' In a little while, as her life seemed to be ebbing away, she put up her arms to me saying, ' Love me, l am dying." I answered, "Yes, darling, I will, God bless you." I asked her who had shot her, and she replied " Ted Fuller did it." Her parents came in, and she recognised her mother and when asked by her who did the deed she returned the same answer that she had given to me. I gave her some wine, and she remained concious until just before she died. She passed away so peacefully, that the change could hardly be noticed. About twenty minutes after she came to the shop she was dead. Meantime my son had gone for medical aid and he arrived with Dr. Lawson just two minutes before death. When the doctor came the poor girl was gasping for breath.

Sundry Particulars

It only remains to add to this moving narrative that Dr. Lawson afterwards probed the wound for the bullet and that Detective Walker and Mr Thomas carried the deceased to her parents' home. Our reporter visited them this morning, and found them quiet and composed, although stricken hard by their sore distress. The Rev. A. J. Smith was present offering consolation. Both father and mother were anxious to give all the information in their power touching the sad affair. The deceased was a modest-looking and handsome girl. She was of the average height of women, of a light and graceful figure, and regular and very pleasant features. Her brown hair slightly overhung her forehead in a short fringe and behind her neck it fell in short ringlets. There was nothing flashy or vain about her appearance. She was evidently a quiet, well-behaved girl and an affectionate and obedient daughter — a girl in short, who would have made a loving and loveable wife. From inquiries made this morning at the Newton branch of the Auckland Savings Bank, our reporter learned that Edward James Fuller opened his accounts there on March 14th, 1885, and that closed it on Wednesday last, March 31st, by drawing out all he had to his credit, viz. , £12 16s 8d. Mr J. W. Watts paid him the money.

The Mother of the Victim

Shortly after the occurrence, one of our staff visited the residence of the parents of the murdered girl in King Street, and naturally witnessed a most distressing scene. The mother appeared scarce able to realise the terrible bereavement which she had sustained and as the big tears rolled down her face she could only say, " Oh, sir, she was my companion ; my only girl," and as she held the light in order that the body of her child might be seen, she said, "to think that not an hour ago she went out to Bible Class all well." Meanwhile the father stood by bearing his sorrow with the stern, stoical silence of one who was stricken sore, but still determined to bear it like a man. The mother further stated :—"My daughter, Emily Mary Keeling, was 17 years of age, and would have been 18 next month. She had been acquainted with Fuller for about two years. He lived in the next house but one. She had not been keeping company with him. He was away at Dargaville for some time, but returned at Christmas, and since then had been constantly annoying her. Her daughter had told her mother that she had done everything to get rid of him. He had asked for her two years ago, but they had refused because she was so young, little more than fifteen years of age. Last night my daughter went out to go to Alexandra Street Church Bible class and I know nothing more except what Miss Burgess told me. We have one son, 19 years of age, who is now residing in Brisbane. She was our only girl. We have no other children except a little boy that we have adopted.

THE MURDER PREMEDITATED. Letter by the Murderer

It will be seen from the following letters, which were found upon the body of the assassin by Constable Clark and produced at the inquest this afternoon, that Fuller had fully laid out his plans, that he deliberately determined not only to commit suicide, but also to murder the unfortunate girl for whom he had conceived such a violent passion. The letter was written in red ink, and all the characters are evenly formed, there being no evidence of haste, as the note paper was closely ruled, and in no instance had the lines run into each other. This proves conclusively that the whole of the crime had been carefully premeditated. The following is the letter, which is headed Friday afternoon, but no date is appended : —

"Dear Sisters and Brothers,— This will be the last time that I shall be able to
write to you, for by the time you get this letter I shall be dead, as I am going
to shoot myself to-night, Life is a misery to me now. I love Emily Keeling as no
one ever loved before, and she cannot go with me because she is afraid her
father would make a row again. If he had consented when I asked him the first
time, this would never have happened. I don't think she likes me so well now, as
she did then It don't matter were I go. I cannot stop, and that is the reason I
could not stop at Henderson’s Mill, so I have made up my mind to shoot myself,
as I cannot live without her. I shall speak to her to-night, and ask her whether
she will have me without her father's consent. If she objects, we will both die
together. You can divide my money between you and Lizzie. So now I bid you all
good-bye forever. — I am, your loving brother, Edwin James Fuller

Love Letters Found on the Murderer

The following letters wore also found in the heart pocket of Fuller's coat-. They are signed by the name of his victim and no doubt were written by Her. Both letters were written in lead pencil and must have been carried for some time in the pocket of Fuller as they were almost undecipherable on the outer side. In fact the greatest trouble was experienced in reading them. It is apparent from these that the unfortunate girl had been clandestinely keeping company with Fuller. The first letter is addressed " Monday," but, unfortunately, there is no date. The letter is as follows : —

" Dear Edward, —l am writing this letter to you on the quiet. My mother told me
was not to write to you. We are going out to night to the tea-meeting down at
the church. If you are anywhere about I will speak to you. I don't know whether
we are going out on Wednesday night. I am very sorry that I cannot see you, but
you know that it is not my fault. My mother says that if father saw me with you,
he would not let me go with you at all and she says she will try to make him let
me go with you before I am eighteen. I would go with you if I could, you know
that. On Sunday morning I think my father saw you go out, because he said he
might be up on the New North Road and I did not want to be caught. I do not
think you love me as much as you say you do, or else you would not do things
that you are ashamed to let me see. I thought it made you look very low to be
smoking a pipe. If ever I hear of you drinking — even if you only taste it
—I shall give you up, although it would be hard for me. My mother was very much
surprised at you; she would not believe it was you till we got up to you. Bessie
gave me such a scolding on Sunday, but I only laughed at her and told her she
was an old maid. You must not be offended ; I don't mean anything by what I have
said. Please write to me as soon as you can. You must excuse the writing as you
know I am unwell and I am sitting up to write this to you and I am in my night
dress and it is cold. My very best love to you and a kiss — I remain your true
Emily M. Keeling.

" Dear Edward,— lf ever you wish to speak to me, or see me about
anything, go up to the paddock on Thursday morning, so as father may not see
you. I think that you seemed rather white or sick. Is anything the matter with
you ? I love you as much and better than I have done before, so cheer up, l am
having such a time of it. My father is so cross and angry, we' can't move or
speak for him. My best love to you and a kiss. —I remain, your affectionate
Emily Keeling.

Excitement in the Neighbourhood

When the full extent of the crimes committed by Fuller became known, the people in the neighbourhood were worked up into a great state of excitement, and stood around in groups discussing the distressing events. Owing to Constable Clark being quickly in attendance, most of those who knew anything of the affair were easily secured as witnesses. Strange to say, however, the most important of all the witnesses (Miss Burgess), who was close at hand, was allowed to go home without any of the bystanders obtaining her name and address. The consequence was that Constable Clark experienced considerable trouble in discovering her whereabouts. After wandering up and down break neck roads, and traversing several miles, the young lady was at length found not above 200 yard from the scene of the tragedy. Fortunately Miss Burgess proved a most intelligent woman, and gave the information in her power in a lucid manner As the party of searchers were wandering along the various by-streets, little groups of persons were constantly encountered discussing the matter. From one of these groups the information was vouchsafed that prior to her daughter leaving the house Mrs Keeling had called her back and said, " Won't you kiss me before you go." Poor mother, she little dreamt that it was the last kiss she should ever bestow alive This slight occurrence shows clearly that there were no strained feelings within the family circle.

THE INQUEST

The inquest on the bodies of the murderer and his victim was opened by Dr. Philson, District Coroner, in Mr Jenkins's residence, at 2 o'clock. The following jurors wore impannelled : - James Skeen, George Sinnet, William James McDermoot (Foreman), William Piper, Henry Chapman and John Morrow.

After viewing the body the following evidence was adduced :—
Dr. A. Challinor Purchas deposed that at 7 p.m. yesterday he was called to see Fuller and found him lying on his face on the ground at the corner of Brisbane and Stanley Streets at Arch Hill. He was dead and the body was quite warm. Blood was flowing from his mouth and nostrils. On putting his finger into deceased's mouth, he felt a breach in the hard pallet of a ragged character and at the nape of the neck under the skin, he felt a round lump. On cutting up this, he extracted the revolver bullet produced. One side of it was deeply grooved as if it had passed along a bone. It would have fitted the barrels of the revolver. Another bullet produced was evidently the same kind. The revolver produced had six chambers. It was found by deceased's side, close to the fence. Three barrels of the revolver had been discharged and three were still loaded. The revolver was of the kind named the British bull dog and appeared to be quite new and of modern design. He discovered no other marks of violence upon the body and his opinion was that death was caused by injuries to the base of the scull [sic] of the brain. Death must have been instantaneous. The witness believed the wound to be inflicted by the deceased's own hand, and that he must have put the barrel of the revolver into his mouth and pulled the trigger.

From the condition of his body he appeared to be in good health previously. Constable Clark, of Newton was with the body when witness arrived, and he was informed by the constable that deceased had shot himself, while the crowd stated that he had shot a girl. The bullet was opposite the cervical vertebrae. In answer to a question by Mr Chapman the coroner said it had not been thought necessary to go to the expense of a post mortem examination.

Another juror did not think the doctor was justified in saying that deceased had been in previous good health John Murphy, bootmaker, deposed that he had known deceased for the last six months. He last saw him alive one day last week. He was then sitting on a doorstep of Mr Rowe’s grocer's shop. It was about 5.30, and deceased bade witness good night. Observed nothing strange in his manner. Last night about 6.45 witness was on his way home from the Domain, when he saw someone lying on the ground beside Stanton's house, at the corner of the shed. He was at first thought to be a drunken man, went up had a look and said, "Get up " Received no answer. It was dark at the time, and witness waited two minutes, when a Mr Deames’s came past. Witness struck a match but could not make out who the man was as he lay on his face. Witness went for a constable and brought Constable Clark, of Newton. It was then ascertained who the man was. He remained till the body was removed. The body was distant about 250 yards from deceased's residence.

To the Coroner : The revolver produced was in deceased right hand when witness found him.

Arthur Shanaghan, 11 years of age, and son of John Shanaghan, City Council labourer, residing in Stanley Street, Arch Hill, deposed : At dusk the previous night, he was standing by his father's gate, when he heard two pistol reports quite close at hand. He saw a man run past up Stanley Street and immediately afterwards there was another pistol report. He ran after the man and saw him lying down on the ground Witness went back for a match and when he returned Murphy was standing by the body. Gave him the match, and he struck it. Deceased had a revolver like the one produced in his right hand. Did not know who the dead man was until some boys told him.

Jabez Edward Thomas, storekeeper, carrying on business at the corner of King and Stanley streets, deposed that about 6.40 on Friday night, while in his shop, he heard a pistol report, followed by a scream. He went to the door and saw a man and female on the opposite side of the street, about 40 feet distant. The man had on a dark coat and light pants He heard the female cry out, " Will no one save me ?" Witness said, " I will," and as he started there was another flash and pistol report. He ran across the road and saw a girl standing there. He rushed between her and the man and told her to go into his shop. She ran over and sat down on the step. Witness then turned round to look at the man and found that he had started to run up StanleyStreet. He heard no further report. Deceased's clothing answered to the description he had given of the apparel of the man who ran away.

Constable Henry Clarke, of Newton, deposed that a few minutes before 7 o'clock the previous night he was told that a man had shot himself at Arch Hill. He went to the place indicated, and found deceased lying face downward at the corner of Brisbane and Stanley streets. was quite dead. Witness removed the body to the house of John Jenkins, brother-in-law of deceased, having previously searched his pockets. He had on a dark coat and waistcoat and grey trousers. There was no blood upon his clothes. Witness found the revolver produced in deceaseds right hand. It appeared to have been recently discharged, as it smelt of powder. He also found an open faced silver watch, six revolver cartridges, suitable for the revolver produced, a purse containing £3 9s IOd, a pipe, tobacco, kerchief, and four letters, one of which, addressed to his sisters and brothers, stated his intention to kill himself. It was dated Friday afternoon.

John Jenkins, carpenter, residing in King-street, Arch Hill, deposed that deceased (Edward James Fuller) was his , (witness's) wife's brother. He would have been 22 on the 26th of this month. [The . witness then proceeded to repeat the statement which he had previously made to our reporter and which was published in our last] Witness did not know that deceased had a revolver in his possession, but he had that day found a box of revolver cartridges (produced) in deceased's clothes' box. He identified the letter read by Constable Clarke as being in deceased's handwriting. He had started for Henderson on Tuesday morning, and worked till dinner time, when he returned home. Witness asked him what was up, and he replied that he would have to start a fresh week on Monday next (to-day). From his manner and conversation witness now thought his mind to have been affected. Heard of his death at 7.30 on Friday evening. His Savings Bank book had not been found, nor any money, except that got by Constable Clarke. He had £12 odd in the bank. He was of sober habits. He believed the letters from Miss Keeling found in deceased's pockets were written two years ago. This being all the evidence, the jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of felo de se and that deceased had been under a great mental strain. The Coroner remarked that the letter showed that deceased was evidently fully aware of what he was doing.

Inquest on Emily Mary Keeling

The same coroner and jury having viewed the body of Emily Mary Keeling, proceeded to inquire into the cause of her death. Emily Keeling, mother of deceased, and wife of Geo. Keeling, bricklayer, deposed that she resided in King Street and that deceased was her daughter. She was 17 years old last April and would have been 18 on the 18th of the present month. Last saw her alive the previous night at 6 35 o'clock. She was then leaving home for the Alexandra Street Primitive Methodist Bible Class and had bade witness " Goodbye." She was in perfect health and in good spirits. She went out alone. About 5 or 10 minutes afterwards a young man named Barrett came to witness's house and called out, "Mr and Mrs Keeling, your daughter is shot." He also said she was in Thomas's shop and Mr Keeling at once ran off thither, while witness picked up the baby and followed. When she got there, she saw her daughter lying on a couch in Mr Thomas's house and in a dying condition. She was quite sensible, and said, "Oh! mother, mother, I shall die." She also asked her father to raise her legs from the couch. Mrs Thomas cut her clothes off above the bullet mark, and blood was seen on her underclothing. Dr. Lawson arrived very soon afterwards, and examined the girl. Witness saw him probing a wound under her right breast, from which the blood was flowing. She seemed to die at this time. Witness only knew of Edward James Puller as a neighbour. Two years ago he wished to pay his addresses to deceased, but her father refused, thinking her too young. He then went away, and returned about Christmas time. Since then he seemed to manage to meet her whenever she went out, although she told him her father had forbidden her to go with him. Still she did not seem to have any fears of him. Fuller used to meet her going to or coming from church or Sunday school. Dr. George Langrigg Leathes Lawson, deposed that at 6.50 o'clock on the previous evening he was called to visit Emily Mary Keeling. He found her lying on a couch in a room of Mr Thomas's house in King Street. She was apparently suffering from difficulty of breathing and loss of blood. She never spoke to witness, nor made any movement with her limbs. He felt her pulse, and found it very weak. On stripping her he discovered a circular wound of a gunshot character, half an inch in diameter and situated on the right side over the 7th rib. The wound penetrated the chest and fractured the 7th rib. He did not notice any escape of wind from the wound, and there was not more than a tablespoonful of external bleeding. He asked the girl no questions, as he had been told she had been shot. The pulse stopped about two minutes after he saw her, and the breathing continued gaspingly a little longer. To the best of his belief, death resulted from a gunshot wound, causing internal hemorrhage. A bullet from the revolver produced would be sufficient to cause death. He probed the wound for an eighth of an inch, and concluded that the bullet had entered the chest. He had not extracted the bullet, but from the hemorrhage the previous night, and the escape of wind from the that day he had no doubt that the right lung had been wounded, thus accounting for the internal hemorrhage.

Jabez Edward Thomas deposed that when he heard the pistol report and saw the man run away from deceased, no one else was near. While she was sitting on his doorstep he asked her who shot her and she replied "Ted Fuller." She then fell on to the ground and his son and himself carried her into the house and put her on the sofa, after which witness gave her a glass of wine, which she swallowed without difficulty. His son had gone for the doctor, and witness sent to the girl's parents. The latter arrived first and Dr. Lawson soon afterwards. Deceased told her mother also that Ted Fuller had shot her. He only knew the girl by seeing her going up and down the street. She was a general favourite. Pattie Burgess, a young woman residing in Home Street, Arch Hill, deposed that she was not acquainted with deceased. When she (witness) was going home at 6.40 o'clock the previous night and passing along King Street, she saw a young man standing at the corner of King and Stanley Streets. She also saw Miss Keeling, whom she knew by sight, approaching along King Street. Deceased was going to pass the young man, but he took her by the arm and stopped her. Witness passed on, but had not gone more than a few steps when she heard a pistol report. It was followed by screams, and witness thereupon ran back. She saw the young man running after deceased across the street. Then there was a second pistol report, and the young man ran up Stanley Street. She did not recognise him. She went to the assistance of deceased, who was then sitting on Thomas's doorstep. Witness did not speak to deceased, but she heard her tell another person who had shot her. Witness ran to tell deceased's mother of the occurrence, and returned with the mother to Mr Thomas's. Detective John Mitchell Walker deposed that in consequence of a report reaching the Police Station he went to Mr Thomas's shop the previous night, accompanied by Sergeant Pratt and Dr. Tennent. Deceased was lying on a couch there and was dead. He assisted her father to carry her home. The witness then produced deceased's jacket, corset, chemise, and flannel, all bearing the bullet-hole, and the underclothing being stained with blood. The outer garment was also singed and scorched as if the muzzle of the revolver had been placed close against it when the weapon was discharged. This being all the evidence, the jury at once found a verdict of "willful murder" against Edward James Fuller.

The Funeral of the Murdered Girl

At 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon the funeral of the unfortunate girl took place. Never before has there been witnessed in this city such an affecting sight as was presented when the funeral cortege passed along the streets on its way to the cemetery. The younger children of the Alexandra Street Primitive Methodist Sunday school, led by Mr David Goldie, preceded the hearse, which was decorated with white plumes. Then followed a mourning coach, containing the bereaved parents and two lady friends. A long procession of the senior young women's classes of the Sunday School came next, each wearing a mourning badge upon their arms. After these followed the remainder of the scholars and an unusually large number of friends It was estimated that nearly two thousand persons took part in the procession. Besides those who joined the procession several thousands of people crowded along the sides of the road, and still larger numbers were waiting at the cemetery. When the funeral cortege reached Karangahape Road, the crowd was so great that it became troublesome to move along except as carried by the constantly increasing crowd. Amidst the throng there were many sad sympathetic faces as the carriage bearing Mr and Mrs Keeling passed by and in not a few instances wet eyes were visible, while even men could be seen striving hard to repress tears. "The procession was undoubtedly one of the longest that has ever passed along the streets of Auckland. Mr Jenkins, who has been brought into connection with this sad affair by means of his unfortunate brother-in-law, Fuller, was present at the funeral and appeared much moved. Judging from the immense crowds that lined the roads and collected at the cemetery, there must have been from nine to ten thousand in attendance . At the grave the scene was most affecting. The coffin was covered with flowers and when it had been lowered into its narrow resting place, the many young friends of the deceased literally covered the casket with flowers until the grave was more than one third tilled. The bereaved mother, who had been so rudely separated from her only daughter, stood at the edge of the grave. Her grief was terrible to witness and at length she was so overcome that Mr David Goldie, the superintendent of the Sunday School, was necessitated to support her. The people for many yards around the grave were compelled to give way to their emotion and to their honour be it said, that even strong, rough men broke down as the coffin was lowered out of sight. The Rev. A J. Smith, pastor of the Alexandra Street Primitive Methodist Church, read the burial service. At the conclusion of the ordinary service he made a few remarks to those assembled, in the course of which he said that it was a satisfaction to know that their departed friend had been an obedient child. It might, perhaps have seemed to them from what had been published in the evening papers that this was not the case and that she was carrying on a clandestine correspondence contrary to the wishes of her parents, but he might inform them that those letters which had been published had been written by her two years ago when she was a mere child. In fact, it was in consequence of her obedience to her dear parents that she had met her untimely end. It was a difficult matter to offer consolation to the friends in such bereavement, but he reminded them that He who stood by the grave of Lazarus, and wept with those sisters, was still the same, the Friend of the suffering and sorrowing. Their deceased sister was a devoted member of the Bibleclass, and it would be a comfort to her sorrowing relatives to know that when she met her untimely end she was going not to any place of amusement but to the Bibleclass, to the House of God, to study His holy word. The scholars sang the appropriate hymn— "When peace, like a river, attendeth my soul, "When Borrow like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul." Before the friends separated the old hymn, " Here we suffer grief and pain" was also sung by the scholar". The sorrowing friends then departed to their several homes.

Funeral of Fuller

When the verdict of felo de se was returned by the jury on Saturday afternoon the remains of the young man whose unbridled passions had led him to commit the awful crimes of murder and suicide were, by the consent of the Coroner, interred in the cemetery at five o'clock in the evening.

A hearse and mourning coach were provided, and Mr Jenkins and his sons were the mourners. About a dozen neighbours followed the carriage and hearse. The time of the funeral was not publicly known, and consequently there was not a crowd present to witness the lowering of the coffin into the grave.

End.

* Small stone in front of tall stone:

Sacred to the memory of Emily Mary the beloved daughter of George & Emily KEELING of Arch Hill who was shot on her way to the Primitive Methodist Church Bible Class, Alexandra Street April 12th 1886 aged 17 years.

Larger stone behind:

In memory of Emily, the dearly beloved wife of George KEELING who died 4th December 1920 aged 73 years and 8 months; George KEELING, died 9 September 1931 aged 90 years

**Stanley Street no longer exists where murder took place. This would have been absorbed in the building of the motorway. Link to a map of the area now http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=arch+hill&sll=-36.760071,174.593831&sspn=0.012618,0.014656&g=alexandra+street+auckland&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Arch+Hill,+Auckland&t=h&ll=-36.867081,174.749157&spn=0.004652,0.009602&z=17

References:

Article and sketches taken from Paperspast website, National Library of New Zealand
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TAN18860410.1.5&e=-------10--1----0emily+keeling-all

The Coachhouse, Balcairn, Nth CanterburyNew Zealand 1870 - 1993

2010-02-27T20:15:00.007+13:00

The Coachhouse at Balcairn [32 Cornwall Terrace] was built around 1877 by John LISTER who was born in 1833 at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. He arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand onboard the Clontarf* on 5 January 1859[1]. He was listed as 26 and a shepherd. It seems that Sarah MARTIN aged approximately 27 also was on the Clontarf [with possibly her sisters].

John "was a churchwarden for many years and taught in the Sunday school, was a member of the school committee, and always ready to help in any good cause or assist a neighbour." [9]

John and Sarah LISTER nee MARTIN[8]

They had at least 9 children:

Sarah Ellen LISTER born 18 April 1862 [4]

Fanny LISTER born c 14 April 1865, Balcairn [2nd daughter] - Died 6 June 1925, Christchurch from 450 Durham Street. [2]

married John THOMSON [sometime manager of the New Brighton Tram Company who was tragically drowned aged 39 on 13 July 1902] on 22 December 1885 at St Pauls Church, Leithfield, Canterbury. Both buried in Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch,

Photos of their grave at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch here

Mary Elizabeth [Polly] LISTER born c 14 October 1866 - died 20 Feb 1891 [3rd daughter]

married Joseph Frederick ASHWORTH 15 April 1890 Presybyterian Church, Leithfield, North Canterbury, eldest son of Mr Ashworth, Addington [Christchurch] [3]

Emma LISTER b 6 Oct 1869

[an Emma LISTER wed Alexander THOMSON on 30 April 1895 could this have been a brother of Fanny's husband John?] [4]

Peter LISTER b 11 October 1870
Probable marriage 8 September 1897 to Alice BRUERE [Born 12 May 1878 to Graham & Elizabeth BRUERE of Balcairn] - She died 14 January 1932[4] Their Children:
Gwendoline Bruere born July 19th 1898 parents of Stanwell Farm, Balcairn married 5 Jan 1927 Vernor Hugh HAMIL[4][5]
Kathleen Bruere LISTER born 18 April 1901[4] died 9 March 1902 aged 10 months[4]
Alice May born 19 June 1902[4]
John Graham born 1 January 1905[4]
Kathleen Bertha born 24 March 1906[4]

Child born born 3 February 1907 but not named[4]

George Henry [Henery] LISTER b 3 April 1873 d 18 April 1922 buried Linwood Cemetery with his parents, sister and brother in law.

John THOMSON [his brother in law] and George mentioned in this article

Lucy Ann LISTER b 3 April 1873 married 19 March 1902 John Tennant SUNSHINE and she died 25 April 1941 [4]. Both Lucy and John are buried at Balcairn Cemetery.

I have reason to suspect that SUNSHINE is an error in NZ BDM index as i have come across his name entered as SMELLIE.

John Tennent/Tennant SMELLIE died 18 January 1934 [4]

Children:

John Lister SMELLIE born 14 January 1904 [4]

Frederick Alexander SMELLIE died 24th January 1907 at Clarendon Terrace, Radley [Christchurch] [10] Cause of death: Mesenteria [11]

Percy LISTER b 30 October 1889

Ellen Muriel LISTER born 15 January 1891

[A Helen Muriel LISTER married 20 September 1917 to Andrew Abercrombie JOPP] [4]

John LISTER born unknown

There was talk that The Coachhouse was used as an illegal alehouse. I did write to HANZ [Hotel Association New Zealand] in the 1980's who confirmed that no licence was granted. From an item in 'The Star' newspaper on 9 June 1883 it was stated that:

"J. Lister applied for a public-house license at Balcairn, and submitted plans to the Committee, who adjourned for 15 minutes to consider them, and on returning into Court they refused the application. Mr Lister desired to make a statement, which the Chairman said was needless, as the Committee were decided upon the matter. Mr Lister: Am I to take this decision as now and for ever ? The Chairman replied that it was a very improper question to put, and declined to make any answer to it." [6]

John died 6 July 1897 at his son in law John THOMSON's residence New Brighton, Christchurch after a lingering illness[7].

Sarah died 19 May 1927 from Moncks Bay, Christchurch both are buried [with son George, daughter Fanny and Fanny's husband John THOMSON] at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later, the CORNELIUS's were to purchase the Coachhouse around the 1930's. They stayed there for approximately 50 years and 'renovated' it in the early days. This consisted of a new pinex ceiling, which when we pulled this down in the late 1980's had all sorts of animal skeletons contained therein! Rather a nightmare. Old man Bill [if my memory serves me right] Cornelius visited us in the early 90's to see back through the house and talk to us about the roses he had such pride in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In January 1989 my (then) husband and I and our 2 kiddies aged 3 and 5, went for a picnic out North Canterbury way. We had been looking to buy a place out in the country, but on this particular day property buying was not on our agenda instead, a family picnic was, UNTIL... we drove through Balcairn and saw this property. Ironically, the then owner was at the house for some reason... he did not live there anymore even though the house was full of his rubbish (and weirdly also, his girlfriend was a woman I had gone to school with in the 1970's in Christchurch), so David, the kids and I got to have a look through.

The place was a dive. It had to be seen to be believed. There was human excrement over the walls, mice droppings everywhere, 2 fridges in the kitchen that were full of spoiled food, filthy carpets, broken windows, the ceiling bowed in the middle about 5 inches, watermarks all down the inside walls, the attic room was unlined and had been used as a bird avery, the house piles were all 'rumpty', the old bricklined cellar underneath the house had plastic bags full of potting soil and was rigged for irrigation of some very sick looking marijuana plants!...and despite this..we both fell in love with the place. We could see the potential 'The Coachhouse' had. So we bought it for $60,000 which was top dollar for the place back then (with over an acre of land) and we shifted into The Coachhouse in June 1989. My parents came along...my mother cried! Our daughter Jess (5 at the time) cried all the way and didn't want to go to 'the stinky house'... we arrived at the house ready to shift in, only to discover the previous owner hadn't shifted ANY of the junk out that was inside the house...it was raining... the kids were crying...all in all a disastrous start.

I had an interest in the area from the start. My G G G aunt and uncle Lucy (nee EVANS) and Benjamin PAWSEY farmed at Balcairn in the 1870's onwards. It was a warm fuzzy thought that they had possibly even been inside, so we started on the renovations. These were awesome, because no matter what we did, EVERYTHING looked better than what it had previously. At one stage when we were renovating the attic that was to become our bedroom, we found the signatures of some of the Lister children on the inside of the walls.

Before [1989]

After [1991ish] photos

As was when we bought it, 1988 - and part way through renovations 1990

1990 - view from vegetable garden

1988 with the later addition of raised roof and walls for attic

1988 - dining area, shortly after moving in [sucky camera...sorry]

1991 - dining area

Hallway upstairs when we moved in - looking out thru front window
Reverse: looking in to attic room which became our bedroom area - note the water stains

Kitchen when we moved in 1989 and after 1991 - we moved the bathroom from the end of the kitchen
That's a 12 foot long bench!

Attic bedroom [14x33 foot]
Rejibbed ready for plastering, new coalrange flue through, newly stippled ceiling.
This had been used as a sort of bird aviary previous to us moving in. Was all unlined.

Room painted

Placing macrocarpa beams to lift the living area ceiling. It had dropped about 5 inches.

The living area as it was when we moved in, 1988.
Friends child.

Living room afterwards 1991

It's a bit unfortunate that our marriage ended in November 1992 and we never realised the dream of seeing The Coachhouse completed [and it has changed slightly internally since these photos were taken]. It was up for sale January 2007 by the people who bought it off us originally in March 1993 and has been for sale in 2009 also. We sold it for $123,500 in 1993. The brass nameplate on the front with the name and date of the bulding, I had made for my then husbands birthday one year. Cost a fortune at the time $139.... about 1989... funny what sticks in your mind!

YES.... we did have some unnatural things happen while there. Amongst several interesting spooky events, our son (3 years old at the time - 1989) picked out a picture of Sarah LISTER, the wife of the original owner/builder in the 1870's in a scrapbook I had. He said she was the 'lady in the wood wall' that he had seen the night before, (we had by that stage taken the scrim lining off his bedroom walls and it was bare planks); lights would turn on in the house; I would hear footsteps upstairs when only I was home and my brother absolutely refused to come out to visit past dark and he didn't believe in ghosts! But it never felt malicious at any time :-)

As a bit of a spooky footnote, the guy we bought The Coachhouse off in 1989 reappeared in my life in 2002. He bought a section of land in Mataura that my now deceased Uncle had owned, quite random really!

REFERENCES:

[1]

http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlists/clontarf.html [conflicting information from the Encyclopedia of NZ states he arrived 1862].

[2]

Christchurch City Council cemeteries database [also states she was born in England - not confirmed]

[3]

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18900426.2.9&srpos=1&e=-------10-PubMetaTS-1----0mary+lister-all

[6]

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18830609.2.35.2&srpos=4&e=-------10--1----0lister+balcairn-all

[4]
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Home/

[5]
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18980723.2.24&srpos=1&e=-------10--1----0lister+balcairn-all

[7]

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18970707.2.19&srpos=11&e=-------10-PubMetaTS-11----0john+lister-all

[8]

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d4-d27.html

[9]

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d4-d27.html

[10]

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS19070126.2.57&srpos=38&e=-------10-PubMetaTS-31----0smellie-all

[11]

http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=23059

Fred AYRES epitaph

2010-02-19T21:49:00.011+13:00

In Loving Memory

Fred AYRES

who died 23rd January 1925

aged 60 years

Fred hadn't much time for religion

But thought his own was the best

So we trust that Jesus our Saviour

Has numbered him with the blest.

Hillsborough Cemetery

Auckland

New Zealand

14 February 2010

A glorious afternoon for graves.

2010-02-14T17:52:00.011+13:00

Ernest B[urrow] BAIRD

Passed away 30th June 1933

Aged 54 years

"To memory ever dear"

One of the disappearing graves

And so it was and so we did....

Hillsborough cemetery [Auckland] isn't far from where we live and so, because time was limited today but such a lovely day to get out for a couple of hours, we trotted off down there.

It had been a while since we had sprayed ['30 Seconds'] the grave of 'our' policeman Adam Begg so this was first on our list. After that, we wandered around looking for military headstones. It is a cemetery rife with Lichen so we were armed with a largish container of the famed 'spray and walk awayyyyy' for a few headstones.

Hillsborough was one of the first I visited when I relocated to Auckland and I wasn't concentrating too much on the military ones at the time, so it was nice to give a touch of love to someone long forgotten. I will contact the authorities to get some work done on the military headstones especially the ones that have come apart from their graves.

Also today, I photographed many of the ones that will soon not be around. Deteriorated and falling apart. They may just be ordinary people but at least their grave will be documented :-) I'll hunt around on the net and try and get small biographies on them if i can, so keep watching my flickr pages!

Mike multi-tasking: on the phone and scrubbing :-)

Headstone of Rifleman Thomas Joseph COOK 22782 NZ E[xpeditionary] F[orces], WW1

died 23 March 1930 aged 43

Using a soft bristle brush to get the Lichen that has grown in the engraving grooves

Rifleman Thomas COOK's headstone [fallen off grave and placed beside it]

It is better than it was but the '30 seconds' will continue working. We will return in a few weeks and respray.

Moving to another WW1 soldier:

Corporal William Henry ASTON 24/37 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade

A Canterbury soldier :-) a wee way from home - I can relate!

Corporal ASTON's grave - you couldn't even see the cross before Mike started

Witarina Te Miriarangi Parewahaika HARRIS QSM ceramic

2010-02-04T23:13:00.004+13:00

Witarina Te Miriarangi Parewahaika HARRIS QSM ceramic
Originally uploaded by SandyEm
This is the most amazing grave ceramic i've photographed thus far i think... she looks just so sweet and the ceramic had a real 'pull' to it... she is so vibrantly staring out from her headstone..what a statement! Lovely to have her parents and two grandfathers included in her ceramic also...how special ... a special lady also [click on the photo to go to my flickr page for more information].
Taken at Kauae Cemetery, Rotorua, New Zealand 17 January 2010

2 mystery WW2 New Zealand WAAF ladies

2010-01-31T19:11:00.004+13:00

Last week I purchased on trademe from a second hand goods store in Geraldine, 2 framed portraits of women who were serving in the Airforce in WW2. The hat insignia looks that of the New Zealand WAAF's [Woman's Auxiliary Air Force] and the arm flying badges confirm they were in the airforce.

There appears to be no identifying information on the photos except for the second photo - however this is sparse and photo looks to be to Jack from Marge.

"To Jack with best w... from Marge[?]"

Do you recognise these women? I'd love to be able to give them back to their families.

William Wight SMITH, Charles O'Hara SMITH JP, Sergeant Major SMITH and their father Captain John SMITH 41st Regiment

2010-01-28T21:15:00.035+13:00

A couple of years back I took this photo of a grave at Purewa Cemetery in Auckland and thought what interesting people to one day research.

Grave* of William Wight SMITH memorialising also his brothers Sergeant Major Sidney SMITH, Charles O'Hara SMITH and their father Captain John SMITH

Tonight I came across the photo again as I was editing on Flickr. So I decided to do a bit of a trawl on the net and thought i would add here what i've found.

William Wight SMITH

The only person buried in this grave is William Wight SMITH. William was a Commission agent of Wellington. Searches of him on National Library's 'Paperspast' site show him as the plaintiff in a claim for commission on the sale of land in 1907. He died intestate.

Sergeant Major Sidney SMITH

Williams brother Sergeant Major Sidney SMITH, is memorialised on the headstone. He was a telegraph linesman prior to enlisting and serving in the Boer War. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal (Cape Colony and Orange Free State Clasps) and King's South Africa Medal (South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 Clasps) [3]. He was killed in action 31 January 1902. His Embarkation record and Cenotaph database record.

Captain John SMITH

Captain John Smith of the 41st Regiment is buried in the Karori Cemetery, Wellington and mentioned - along with a map indicating where he is buried, in the 'Warriors Walk' a brochure for this cemetery from the Wellington City Council. Maybe someone who lives locally would like to take a photo of his grave so I can add it to this post? Maybe i'll take another long weekend sometime to do it myself, it looks fabulous! Kudos to the Council for putting this together!

Charles O'Hara SMITH J.P.

"Mr Charles O'Hara SMITH - Auditor of Land Revenue for New Zealand, who had a good deal to do with the suppression of dummyism [practice of purchasing land for someone who is not legally entitled to] in Taranaki, is a son of Captain John Smith, late of H.M. 41st Foot, an old Crimean veteran, who holds a medal of the French Legion of Honour.

Mr. Smith was born in Malta, and educated at the private school of the Rev. J. B. Smith, Sizar and Moderator of Trinity College, Dublin. Arriving in New Zealand in 1872, he passed the Civil Service examination and joined the Treasury as a cadet. Having developed considerable ability, Mr. Smith was transferred to the Audit Office in 1879. Subsequently he was appointed an audit inspector, and for many years performed arduous duties in auditing the Government accounts and those of local bodies in various parts of the Colony. The districts which were under his charge at various times were Marlborough, Nelson, Wellington, Taranaki, Auckland City, and the North of Auckland.

Charles O'Hara SMITH [1]

It is well known that while on the West Coast, North Island, Mr. Smith was successful in detecting many irregularities, causing large sums to be disgorged, and he was instrumental in bringing many defaulters to punishment. He also discovered that frauds were being perpetrated through certain land offices by means of fraudulent scrip. In consequence of these and other discoveries, the Legislature constituted the Department of Audit of Land Revenue by special Act as a branch of the Lands Department, and the control of this branch was given to Mr. Smith in recognition of his services. The usefulness of this section of the Civil Service is becoming more apparent as time progresses, the officers being experts in their special work.

Mr. Smith was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and belonged to the Wellington Lodge No, 1521, E.C., of which he was elected W.M. for two years successively. He has also been a member of the District Grand Lodge.

In boating Mr. Smith has been prominent for some twenty years; he was one of the founders of the Star Boating Club, and for several years rowed the stroke oar in both the inrigged and outrigged races. Mr. Smith was on one occassion [sic] successful in winning the sculling championship in Wellington, and possesses several trophies.

He was an enthusiastic volunteer, and served for six years in the D Battery, New Zealand Regiment of Artillery Volunteers.

In 1884 he married Miss Talbot, daughter of Mr. George Talbot, J.P., Mayor of Richmond, Nelson, and chairman of the Nelson Education Board, and has five children—four daughters and a son." [2]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well that WAS an interesting lot. I'm glad I get so sidetracked when editing. No doubt I will find more to add!

* Headstone transcription.

In loving memory of William Wight SMITH
Died March 6th 1910 [aged 48]
also

Sergeant Major Sidney SMITH [memorial only]

6th Contingent N.Z.M.B. Killed in South Africa January 3rd 1902

and

Charles O'Hara SMITH J.P. [memorial only] - Auditor of Land Revenue

Died Bathurst, N.S.W. September 10th 1896

sons of Captain John SMITH, 41st Regiment

who died Wellington, March 10th 1899

Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand 30 December 2007

References

[1 & 2] NZ Electronic Text Centre - accessed 28 January 2010

Shared via http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nz/

[3] Cenotaph database - Auckland War Memorial Museum, accessed 28 January 2010

Grace CLULEE's family, where are you?

2010-01-23T20:54:00.029+13:00

Last weekend my partner and I toddled off to Rotorua for the weekend.

On the way, we stopped at Paeroa and did the circuit of many and varied antique stores. At 'Arkwrights Antiques', I happened upon a small Holy Communion book [scroll down for photos] that was inscribed to Grace CLULEE on the occasion of her confirmation on 15 April 1894 at St Paul's [cathedral], Dunedin from [Reverend] J W A Melville* [interestingly enough he performed the marriage ceremony 2 months later for well known NZ barrister Alfred Charles Hanlon and his wife].

A nice thing to happen also tonight after getting it out to photograph, I thumbed through carefully and found the page for Holy Communion and there was a tiny pressed flower - what a delight! I'd like to think that this was put there on the day she was given it, but of course cannot be sure of that.

Grace CLULEE's family, if you are out there i'd love to give you this wee token of her life if she is on your family tree. It would be lovely to know what happened to her.

A search of the indexes for historical births, deaths and marriages shows

A Grace CLULEE born to Jeannie Comming and Alfred CLULEE and registered 1876 [1].
Further searching of the indexes shows that a Grace CLULEE wed Angustus Nixon SCOTT c1913 [2] . If this is my Grace then presuming she was 7 or 8 at first holy communion, she would have been born around 1886 and therefore approximately 27 if this was her marriage. This then would not be the Grace CLULEE whose birth I found in the indexes, unless it was a later communion and she was 17 or 18 and this scenario also is possible.
There is a death registered in 1947 [3] for a Grace SCOTT dying aged 73 [thus born circa 1874]. The years are out by a couple but this is not unusual as personal information received by registrars is often only provided by relatives and can be incorrect. In the end i've found in other cases, even purchased certificates are not 100% reliable.

Searching the National Libray of New Zealand's Paperspast website produces:

an article from Otago Witness 22 February 1894 mentioning a Grace CLULEE being recommended by inspectors for appointment [Caversham school?]
an article from Otago Witness 17 June 1895 mentioning a Grace CLULEE passing her annual examinations for pupil teachers.
an article from Otago Witness 26 March 1896 mentioning a Grace CLULEE gaining a second pass class in freehand drawing as a student at the Dunedin School of Art and Design, the Science and Art department in connection with the School of Design at South Kensington [London].
an article from Otago Witness 14 January 1897 mentioning a Grace CLULEE passing her annual examinations for pupil teachers with second class merits. This mentions 'Caversham' and gives the clue she possibly was teaching there?
an article from Otago Witness 18 February 1897 mentioning a Grace CLULEE gaining a second class pass in elementary model drawing in the London Science and Art Department's examination held in Dunedin the previous year.
an article from Otago Witness 2 March 1899 on a Grace CLULEE gaining a partial pass in the Otago Teacher Examinations.
an article from Otago Witness 8 March 1900 on a Grace CLULEE gaining a Class D pass in the teacher examinations in the Otago district.

Interestingly enough I have come across this surname one other time. Many years back I was in Kumara cemetery on the West Coast of the South Island and there is a CLULEE buried there.

The pressed flower marking the Holy Communion page

These are the pages the book fell open at the most easily

Back cover

* Assistant at St Paul's pro-Cathedral 1893-1895 [4]

References:
[1] NZ Department Internal affairs - Births, deaths and marriages index search website
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Home/

registration 1876/10838

[2] NZ Department Internal affairs - Births, deaths and marriages index search website

https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Home/

registration number 1913/592

[3] NZ Department Internal affairs - Births, deaths and marriages index search website
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Home/

registration number 1947/30567

[4] http://muir.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/10179/633/1/02whole.pdf

Past Christchurch/Canterbury Personalities 2

2010-01-10T20:40:00.019+13:00

Colonel De Renzie James BRETT M.L.C

1809 - 1889

Her Majestys 108th Foot Regiment

His age on his headstone is wrong. Should read 80 years.

LINWOOD CEMETERY, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

I took the photos of Colonel BRETT's grave because i felt it had a story to tell and it most surely does!

I find it sad that such prominent people of the past have passed in to history and the origins of their legacies are not taught or talked about in our schools. We take for granted we have the city or country we do today but too often don't stop to think [nor educate others] about those brave, entrepreneurial people who have walked and worked our soils [and other countries as well] to become the productive places they are. De Renzie James BRETT is one of those men.

He was one of 25 children. This probably gave him his tenacious abilities and proclivity to fight for his rights!
His military service from the age of 16 reads like a novel! It's a must read...see his obituary below.
He arrived in New Zealand in 1865 onboard the 'Greyhound' .
He purchased 1000 acres just out of Courtenay in Canterbury and this was developed in to what is now Kirwee a name connected to his military days in India.
He was a provincial Council member for the Selwyn district and a proponent for successful water race schemes that lead to arable lands in Canterbury.

His obituary from The Star, 17 June 1889 says it all really. I have copied this below.

OBITUARY.

THE HON DE RENZIE BRETT, M.L.C.
Another familiar face will be missed from the streets of Christchurch, and from the benches of the usually quiet Upper House this session. A brave old soldier has fought his last fight with the universal enemy of all men — death; and a warm hearted, impetuous, outspoken Irishman has made his last speech in that Legislative Chamber, whose serenity he was wont occasionally to disturb so terribly. Colonel Brett— as he was always called among us, though we believe he might rightfully have claimed the General's title— died shortly after one o'clock yesterday afternoon. He had seen yet another ten added to those three score and ten years which the Psalmist assigns as the- allotted span of life, and his death must be ascribed rather to collapse through sheer old age than to any other cause. Within the last few days he had taken his usual morning walk to the Christchurch Club to read the papers and chat in the smoking-room, and though his condition . was known to be very critical on Saturday afternoon, people generally were not aware that the old soldier was ailing. An old warrior he was— and looked; a man who had served his Queen and country in many climes, and who was proud of it; one of the type of fighting Irishmen, familiar enough in the pages of our novelists, and in real life in the Old Country, but rarely met out here, and as full as any of them of the strange combination of those emotional Keltic qualities which endear them to men of the colder British temperament, in spite of extravagances of thought and speech and action which they can neither emulate nor understand. Colonel Brett was born in Wexford, Ireland, in the year 1809, and two months ago completed his eightieth year. His father was a barrister, and resided at Clobemon Hall, Wexford, of which County he was Captain of the Yeomanry Cavalry. His school days were passed at Portora, near Enniskilllen. The headmaster at the time being Dr Knox, who was subsequently raised to the Episcopal Bench. Colonel Brett married at St Michael's Church, Limerick, in 1845, Harriet Baker Harris, daughter of Colonel Harris, of the 24th Regiment of Foot. He leaves three sons and two daughters, who survive him. The Colonel was one of twenty-five children the issue of the same parents.

HIS MILITARY CAREER.

Colonel Brett entered the Indian Army on May 6, 1825, when he was gazetted as Ensign to the 31st Madras Light Infantry. In this regiment he served for twenty four years, nine of them as Adjutant of the regiment, and for some time as Fort Adjutant of Bellary. In the Coorg campaign of 1834 he was under General Waugh, commanding the Northern column. During this service, when a Lieutenant, he was frequently in command of one or two companies, under heavy fire in extended order, covering the front and flanks of the advancing column. On one occasion he commanded the rear guard and repulsed several attacks made by the enemy, who were endeavouring to capture the military cash chest and commissariat stores. Finding the bullocks of the carts conveying the cash chest shot dead, he broke open the chest and distributed the bags, each of which contained 2000 rupees, to his men, taking down each man's name and general number. Two casks of spirits which were with the cash chest, he emptied into large leather water bags and thus succeeded in bringing into camp the whole of the money and a large quantity of spirits. For this valuable service he received the personal thanks of his General. Another affair at which the Lieutenant was present was the capture of the Cassinhully stockade, which was gallantly defended by the Coorgs. Lieutenant Brett was subaltern of the storming party of the Bakh stockade, situated in a very strong position on the summit of a high hill, surrounded by a dense forest and thick wood,. The desperate character of this assault can be estimated from the fact that his regiment lost six out of eight officers, and forty-seven out of sixty men killed and wounded, while H.M. 55th Regiment had seven out of nine officers and ninety-eight out of one hundred men killed and wounded. William IV., on opening Parliament, expressed his admiration of the gallantry displayed by this small force, and his regret for the unprecedented loss it had sustained. In de Warren's "History of India" honourable mention is made of Lieutenant Brett's gallantry during this campaign. In one page he is spoken of as that " heroic Brett," and in another as " the bravest of the brave." The few remaining men of this force were compelled to retire, and on their rejoining the column, below the hill, Lieutenant Brett received the thanks of his General in the presence of the whole force. The expedition was, however, successful in capturing the Rajah in his own capital, and the Lieutenant's share of the prize money was £800. Shortly after this the Lieutanant was promoted to a Company, and returned for a time to Ireland. In 1853 he had obtained a majority, and in the second Burmese war he served as a volunteer, and second in command of the Thirty-fifth Madras Native Infantry. In this position he commanded a post on an island of the Irrawady River, near Prome, five hundred miles in advance of the army, and beat off several attacks made by the enemy, for which, services he received the thanks of Admiral Austin, with whom he was cooperating. He also commanded the flank companies of the 35th Regiment at the taking of Prome. Major Brett for several months commanded a wing of the same regiment at a post two or three miles from Prome, where he repulsed several night attacks of the enemy, for which he received the thanks of General Sir John Cheap, K.C.B. Major Brett received a medal and clasp for this war, and a small sum as prize money. When the Crimean war began, the Duke of Newcastle, then Minister of War, applied to the East India Company's Directors for Major Brett's services, and appointed him to the command of four regiments of the Osmanlie cavalry, with the rank of Brigadier. On his joining the force he was immediately sent to Syria to raise a regiment, six hundred strong, of Albanian cavalry. He accomplished this mission within three months, with the assistance of only an interpreter. Major Brett embarked his new force at Alexandretta in two large transport steamers, and they reached the Dardanelles without the loss of a single man or horse. Subsequently he marched, in command of seven regiments of Osmanlie Cavalry, over the Balkans to Shumla. In recognition of the services of Brigadier Brett, and at the recommendation of the British Ambassador, the Sultan created him Leva Pasha (with the rank of Major-General) and a Knight of the Medjidee of the third class. At the close of the Crimean war he was ordered home to give evidence on the trial instigated by General Beatson, and when a few months later, intelligence of the Indian mutiny reached England, he after but twenty-four hours' notice left England to join his regiment in India. Immediately on his arrival at Madras he was ordered to join a flying column at Kurnool, and was placed on the personal staff of General Whitlock, commanding. Subsequently this force was augmented by Colonel Brett's regiment, the 3rd Madras European, when the force set forth to the relief of Delhi and Lucknow. The Nabob was defeated in a general engagement, and his fort and treasure were captured; and Colonel Brett was appointed President of the Court, whose duty it was to apportion the prize money. Sir George Whitlock led his forces on to Kirwee, where there was a strong fort in possession of a mutinous Rajah which was captured without any great resistance, the Rajah being taken prisoner, with a treasure exceeding three-quarters of a million sterling. The General gave over the command of the fort and the custody of the Rajah to Colonel Brett, who subsequently took the prize-money, under the protection of a strong escort, to Allahabad. In recognition of this service, Colonel Brett received the command of a regiment of Irregular Cavalry, with instructions to join the regiment immediately. In command of this regiment, with two guns and two companies of Europeans mounted on camels and elephants, he was for nearly two months in pursuit of the rebel chief, Tatiatopee, who, however, managed to escape capture. This duty terminated, the Colonel retired on full pay. He returned to England, there to prosecute the claim of Sir George Whitlock's column, as the actual capturers of the Banda and Kirwee booty, and, with the assistance of others, carried the case to the Admiralty Court. For his services in India, Colonel Brett received a medal and clasp, and some £5000 in prize-money.

HIS CAREER IN NEW ZEALAND.

Colonel Brett arrived at Lyttelton in the Greyhound in 1865, and soon afterwards purchased the Kirwee estate, at Courtenay, where he took great interest in local matters. In 1872 he was elected a member of the Provincial Council for the electorate of the Selwyn district, and before the Abolition initiated the Malvern water-race scheme, of the success of which he was justly proud. Since 1871 Colonel Brett occupied a seat in the Legislative Council, to which he was appointed by Sir William Fox. In the Council a couple of years ago, in moving the Address- in-Reply, he gave an eloquent panegyric on Her Majesty's Jubilee, in which he displayed the enthusiastic loyalty which was his most striking quality, and concluded with the following words, "I must solicit the indulgence of the Council for having trespassed so long on their attention, my only plea being my well-known devotion to my Sovereign, whom I have faithfully and loyally served for sixty-two years of my life." In connection with this speech it may be mentioned that Her Majesty's nephew, the Prince of Leiningen, sent the Colonel the following autograph letter : — "Admiralty House, Sheerness, "June 15, 1887. "Dear Colonel Brett,— l am much obliged to you for your kind letter and the copy of Hansard, which contains a report of your speech, and which I have read with great interest. Indeed it is a long time since we last met, and I am delighted to find you are well and occupying a high position at Wellington. My time is drawing to a close here, at Sheerness, as I haul my flag down early in July on promotion to full flag rank, which I suppose means the end of my naval career. Wishing you every happiness.— -I remain, very sincerely yours, " Leiningen." "Our successors, in the latest Burmese war, have bad plenty of fighting and rough work."
THE FUNERAL. The Hon Colonel Brett will be buried tomorrow, with military honours, and those who read the above record of his services will admit that seldom have such honours been better merited. The hour appointed for the funeral, to leave his late residence in Chester street East, is 2 p.m.

END

De Renzie James BRETT's death notice in paper:
http://tinyurl.com/yjz8mu4

Article in the Dictonary NZ Biography [with photo]:
http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=2B38

Search found basic online tree:
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/y/a/Charles-W-Ryall/ODT1-0014.html

There is a Harris De Renzie BRETT who fought in the Boer War on Cenotaph database is this his son [mentioned in the online tree further below? However on that tree it states his son was De Renzie Harris BRETT b1857.] De Renzie Harris BRETT is also mentioned on the following website as being in the 8th NZ South Island Contingent http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/1928466/boer-war-new-zealand-8th-new-zealand-south-island-contingent/ it seems likely that Cenotaph has the wrong information or that it has been wrongly transposed and then transcribed.

His military personnel files can be ordered via Archives NZ here

[please see the comment from JAMIE in the comments section]

1891 - His daughter Susan BRETT marries Englishman William EASTON

12 September 1901 De Renzie's wife dies in Christchurch at son in law W EASTON's property 'Bangalore', Opawa

She is buried in the grave with her husband [1]

Probate record information at http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?OID=19518030

REFERENCES: [1] http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=21185

Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade 1881 - competitors

2010-01-05T22:32:00.014+13:00

Whilst browsing around Ferrymead Heritage Park at the end of December, i just couldn't help myself on discovering old framed photos just propped up against display cases in the 'Hall of Flame' museum at the park.

Armed with my digital camera i just had to take individual photos of the fellows in at least one of the fabulous momentoes, you never know who may be researching them and not have a photo of them as yet! So here they are. The names are underneath the photo and in correct order.

For larger and downloadable photos, see this set on my flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/porkynz/sets/72157623019060571/

some of these men have more information on flickr.

Paperspast article mentioning the games http://tinyurl.com/yhzw5uj

Competing teams of the Christchurch
Volunteer Fire Brigade
At Friendly Societies Fete December 26th 1881
(for Engine Competition)

Larger photo at top of the 16 men - Superintendent E SMITH

No 1 team [winners]
Time 41 4/5 seconds

Foreman E SMITH
Engineer J FRASER
Branchman P M JOHNSTON
Branchman J ANDERSON
A ANDERSON
Treasurer C D MARSH
A HALL
A EMPSON

No 2 Team
Time 42 2/5 seconds

Engineer A PILLOW
Asst Engineer A W HILLIER
W HISCOKE
A H KELSEY
A WATT
W HARRISON
W CONDON
H WEST

Past Christchurch/Canterbury Personalities 1

2010-01-05T17:13:00.030+13:00

Sali MAHOMET
'Ice cream Charlie'
1866 - 1943

As a child, one of my favourite memories from the 1960's and '70's was the treat it used to be when dad would come in the door after work now and then with a large brown paper bag full of small cartons of 'Vanilla ice' from the 'Ice Cream Charlie' van. Scrumptious and drizzled with cream and a delicious diluted version of homemade raspberry jam filling the gap that had been punctured in the top with the serving spoon after it had been scooped into the carton.

It is only after becoming an adult I can appreciate how Sali Mahomet alias 'Ice cream Charlie' had created if not a Kiwi icon, then at least a Canterbury Icon. I still enjoy an 'ice cream Charlie' if i get the chance to have one when i'm in Christchurch.

It was fortuitous to have happened upon his icecream cart at Ferrymead Heritage Park when I visited there over Christmas. I took some photos with the intent to write up a post about him, so imagine my surprise when I went to Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch a few days later to look up a few graves and I walked right by his grave also!

The information board beside his original ice cream cart states:
"Mystery surrounds Sali's history. It is believed he was born in 1866 in Central Asia. He travelled with his father to Australia, then Dunedin [New Zealand]. Together they worked as 'hawkers' selling goods around the South Island.

In 1903 Sali arrived in Christchurch, a bustling Edwardian city with entrepreneurial opportunities. He set up his ice cream business, operating it in Summer. Sali not only sold ice cream, he made it too.

Sali's original ice cream cart

Milk and cream came from the Tai Tapu Dairy Company. Rising before dawn he created ice cream in a hand-operated churn. In later years he used a Westinghouse machine producing four batches a time.

Sadly in 1943 ill health meant Sali could no longer continue as Ice Cream Charlie. He died that year in October. The Ice Cream business, however, continues to this day."

A fuller and very good biography on Sali is accessible here He had rather a sad ending.

The cart below is a later version probably used by his "successor".

At this juncture i'd like to commend the work done by Alexandra Gilbert of Christchurch and the Friends of Linwood Cemetery group. Their hard work upgrading the cemetery, reassembling broken headstones and 'having a heart' for the past relevance of people - both the ordinary person and others of historical significance buried in this cemetery, has made it a relaxing, open and friendly place to wander around. Below is Sali Mahomet's grave with an obvious later repair.

In loving memory of

Sultan Mahomet

1836 - 1905

Sali Mahomet

(Ice Cream Charlie)

1866 - 1943

Florence Wylie

(nee Mahomet)

1916 - 1998

Gunner H H TELFER 239095 Royal Field Artillery

2010-01-03T21:26:00.024+13:00

On my Christmas break in Christchurch I caught up with my aunt and uncle. The conversation turned to things historical as they do!

My Uncle brought out to the kitchen the British War and Victory medals his Uncle Harold had earned for being a soldier in the ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY serving at the Ypres Salient. These had been put on a swing mount and had a metal name bar to sit above the medals. Engraved on the bar was H H TELFER. I asked my uncle what Harold's full name was and he didn't know, so I presumed it must be something akin to Harold Henry...how wrong I was!

H H Telfer's medals on his bible

My uncle also brought out Harold's wallet with hand embroidering; his bible; a newspaper clipping about him retiring after 42 years as a butcher [see further down]; a couple of his uniform embellishments and a letter dated 1920 written to Harold by a nephew. Out came also, a photo of Harold outside his butcher shop in Hexham, Northumberland, Christmas 1924...

We chatted for a while about Harold and I suggested I try to learn more about him as my uncle didn't know a lot. Harold was married to my uncles mothers sister and they lived in England, whereas my uncle was born and lives in New Zealand.

After returning to Auckland from Christchurch last night, I got stuck in to finding more about Harold. After 5 hours research I had amassed quite a bit of information on him from the free BMD website; ancestry.com for census records; National Archives UK and various other sites.

I now have the following basic information, but most importantly I discovered from his medal card his name was Hodgson Harold TELFER!...he was...

Born 1884, Bellingham, Northumberland. Seems he was known as Harold rather than Hodgson.

A Butcher by trade from at least the age of 16 according to the 1901 census .

His father was James TELFER born 1842 and baptised at Birdhope Craig Presbyterian Church, he to was a butcher of Bellingham and Hexham

Harold [or Hodgson's] mother was probably Eliza Anetta or Johannah nee HODGSON [this would certainly explain Hodgson's unusual forename]. These two are sisters who married at the same time in September 1881, possibly a double wedding. One of them married James, the other married a Roger SMITH. Both these women died within a year of each other - I suspect Hodgsons mother is possibly Johannah, as Hodgsons youngest sister Johanna was born 1889 around the time of death of both these women, so possibly named after her mother who may have died in childbirth or shortly thereafter. The Hodgson sisters were the daughters of William and Elizabeth HODGSON. William according to the 1871 census was a farmer and Innkeeper of the Black Bull Inn at Bellingham.

Harold married Margaret GOWANS date unknown, although Harold was single at the time of the 1911 census. I have searched up until 1930 for his marriage but haven't found it...i'll have to hunt again, probably easily overlooked.

His siblings were William Stanley b1882 and Johanna b1889.
[Hodgson] Harold Telfer died 1967 aged 82 in the Northumberland West district [Vol 1b page 441].

Newspaper clipping of Harold's retirement

So yes, I'm quite pleased with the amount of information I have already. It's a great start! Upon seaching google I happened upon a fellow in Hamilton, New Zealand who is an agricultural journalist and was born in Bellingham just like Harold was! He has given me a few contacts I can persue. What a small world it certainly is :-)

Look after those documents!

2009-12-24T09:00:00.005+13:00

Burnt in the safe of a solictor in the Warkworth fire, 1931.

On exhibition
Warkworth Museum
New Zealand

Grandma Edna May nee TURNBULL, nearly 100

2009-12-24T08:01:00.007+13:00

Photo taken 1938, Christchurch, NZ

Dads mum Edna who would have been 100 on 26 December [Boxing day] 2009. She died 24 October 1993. That's my dad in the cane pram aged about a year, he's 73 next June.

She married on 2 April 1934, St Peters Church Manse, Woolston, Christchurch to grandad John William [born 7 December 1908, Craichmore, Leswalt, Wigtownshire, Scotland - Emigrated to NZ onboard the Tainui with his mother and brother - 1925. He died 23 May 1986].

Her mother Eva TURNBULL nee HAMILTON [control F on page to find], was born in Christchurch on 27 December 1877 and married in 1899, in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Henry [Harry] Fitzroy TURNBULL who had an untimely death in 1902 in his early 2o's. She had two children to him Henry Alexander bc 1900 and Annie Rose Elizabeth bc 1902. After Henry's death, she came back to New Zealand and had 4 more children, fathers unknown.

Leslie Frederick born at the Samaritan Home in Christchurch 8 April 1905. He was adopted/fostered by his great aunt and uncle William and Elizabeth LODGE and died 12 March 1957. He resided at Oaro near Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand
Gladys Vera born25 December 1907 in Papanui, Christchurch. Died 3 March 1909 of Meningitis and is buried in a paupers plot in St Pauls Church, Harewood Road, Papanui. She was fostered out at birth to Mrs Brooking of the Saxon Hotel, Lyttelton.
Child - Male. According to his mothers death certificate in 1935 as issue.
Edna May born 26 December 1909. Fostered out aged 10 weeks to 'Granny Wren', a midwife from Christchurch. Granny had a daughter Lena who i always knew as Aunt Lena [b1903]. Edna's father is down on her birth certificate as Henry Fitzroy Turnbull... but as mentioned earlier, he died in 1902, so really i have no idea who her father was but do have Henry's line [to compensate!] back until 1750.

Eva worked as a cook for many years. Working at New Brighton Hotel and the Silver Grid hotel. She was the Grandaughter of Rosannah and Thomas Seth LODGE

Seedy hotel room diorama - Part 3

2009-12-12T22:19:00.004+13:00

Continued with some more of my diorama tonight.

Previous diorama posts

Seedy diorama part 1

Seedy diorama part 2

The 'stained' mattress and pillow. Seemed a shame to stain it cos it looked so nice with the new material but would have looked silly to have had a new looking mattress in the scene, so using a wet teabag i made gross stains :-). Stuffing out of bottom of mattress to add perception of age.

Close up of the fork on pizza box and there's the coat hanger...

Close up of rolled up legal documents and also on the floor behind the bed

There's the fork and i was particularly pleased at how real the mattress looked!

Toilet paper, floppy disks to shelf; danger sign to door; coat hanger on side of bed.

Seedy hotel room diorama - Part 2

2009-12-06T17:38:00.006+13:00

Another couple of photos from yesterday.

Stuck some comics on the floor and a donut too; made a shelf and stuck some 'dimp' on it; a can of drink on the end of the bed and pizza slices in a box under the bed.

I thought comics would be more g rated than 1:12 porno mags LOL!

There's that shelf with the dimp and a coin to scale

Seedy hotel room diorama - Part 1

2009-12-05T17:17:00.008+13:00

I started this diorama at the beginning of the year but lost interest because i was getting frustrated with trying to make a clay person LOL...i now understand clay people are not my forte... so with my success with 'Life of Grime' i've been spurred on! It didn't start out as a seedy hotel room...destiny picked that out when after adhering the green 'wallpaper' to the walls, the PVA soaked thru and i thought "wayyy cool that looks grotty" LOL!

I begun with a plain brown box from Spotlight. I then printed the green wallpaper; made the skirting boards; door architrave and door; window frame, plonking photo of city behind. The room exit needed a bit of something for depth, so i scaled down a hallway scene [that's a can of coke and some power points included in it] and adhered.

Today i sort of 'distressed' the skirting boards, window frame and door to appear dirty.

Added the peeling paper on ceiling.

The right hand corner with peeling ceiling paper.

Affixed the printout of a hallway to give some depth

I made the bed when i started the diorama. Furniture is a challenge to me LOL but i'm relishing it :) I painted it rather roughly as i want the appearance to be old. I'm going to handsew a 'kapok' mattress for it later. Note the coin for scale.

Bed close up

Bed from above

Cement ruins, museums and tearooms

2009-11-30T22:31:00.033+13:00

With my lovely daughter staying with us for a few days, it was a good excuse to go for a drive up North for the day. Along the way we stopped at the cement works ruins, Warkworth.

We also visited Warkworth Museum which was a delight and worth every cent.

On the way home we stopped at historic Puhoi for the scrummiest Devonshire tea at Puhoi Cottage Tearooms, reputed to be the oldest running tearooms in NZ to serve Devonshire teas.

Look at that photo for a setting! There's Jess and my partner Mike waiting for our eats :-)

The tearooms had the most adorable kitty and the owner provided the very cruisy live guitar music as entertainment...what a delight this place is and the scones were HUGE!

Tea room kitty :-)

A lovely day in all, although i did hyperventilate having to drive past cemeteries i didn't have time to stop at and wander through!

Photos of Waiwera beach, Warkworth disused cement works

Photos of Warkworth Museum, Puhoi, Puhoi cottage tearooms, trip back to Auckland central.

Little sparrow on Stanley's fence

2009-11-24T22:07:00.006+13:00

Little sparrow
Originally uploaded by SandyEm

I took this photo several months back in the Jewish section of the Symonds Street Cemetery here in Auckland. I love this cemetery :-) He is resting at little Stanley SIMON's grave.

Symonds Street cemetery history

My Symonds Street cemetery set on flickr

2009-11-21T22:32:00.002+13:00

I wanted to attempt making miniature sushi so i have. My friendly entomologist at work suggest i make a cockroach to put on them, so i did and have made a sushi board and cockroach just for him!

Sushi board and cockroach

3 little cockroaches - talk about fiddly to do..i'll have to perfect them too but from a distance they look rather cool :-)

One sushi cane does many sushi make! i must have got about 300 of them all up.

LIFE OF GRIME pt 3

2009-11-17T21:17:00.010+13:00

Distance shot with extra items to date added.

Coin at base for scale

Lollipop on shelf under bench;

bag of lollies by vegetable basin;

apple cut in half on shelf under bench;

icky apple core at front of bench

Softdrink cans on shelf under bench;

garden terracotta pot holding knives, forks and spoons

tipped over, spoon hanging over edge;

Brush and mug tipped over;

apples in sink with false teeth on top;

cork from spaghetti jar by apples, with spaghetti

over sink;

mussels and shells beside fish;

apple core front of bench;

Lollipop under benchtop

Icky half eaten apple, top and front of bench;

apple shortcake front of bench;

half peeled apple by leeks; spaghetti jar fallen over

back of bench with spaghetti fallen out in to sink;

loaf of bread partially sliced with crust off

Life of grime - Part one

Life of grime - Part two