In early February, we were happy to help a couple visiting from Scotland who were searching for the plot of a great uncle, Duncan Munro. With a bit of team work he was located and we offered to clear his plot at last Tuesday’s Working Bee. Our visitors were pleased to receive the photos of our efforts. In due course, the headstone will be washed also. This is Duncan’s story:
Duncan was born in 1876 in Croy, Nairnshire, Scotland. His father Alexander was a shepherd. In 1881 the family were living in the Shepherd’s House at Carnoch. At this time, Duncan was the middle child between elder brother George and younger brother John. By 1901, their father had died and the family, which had grown to six children, were living with their widowed mother. George, Duncan and John were all working as shepherds.
Duncan arrived in Wellington from London in 1902 and his brother John followed in 1908 on the ‘Ionic’. Both obtained work on farms in the Wairarapa and participated in country life.
Duncan rode ‘Irish Queen’ in the Blairlogie hunt in 1908. He also worked on the station. He later became manager of Ica Station which belong to John Chapman Andrew (see our story about John’s son https://friendsofkaroricemetery.co.nz/john-chapman-andrew/ ).
In 1906, Duncan became a member of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society. He was also the secretary of Langdale Sports event held at the Langdale Domain in 1910. This sports meeting had 28 events and £70 in cash prizes in addition to medals and trophies.
Duncan began ailing in 1913 and died at a private hospital in Wellington in October 1913. His only family in New Zealand was his brother, John. In his Will, he bequeathed the proceeds of his Life Insurance policy of £200 to his mother. To his sisters Elizabeth and Jeannie, he gave £50 each. The rest of his estate he left to his brother John, who was station manager at Awapiripiri and also the executor of his will.
In 1918, an appeal was made to the Military Service Board to retain John as manager at Awapiripiri. Justification being that the owner was a prisoner of war and the property was very inaccessible. The outcome is not recorded in the newspaper.
John eventually returned to Scotland and it was his granddaughter, Lilian Cockburn (nee Munro) who had come in search of Duncan’s grave.
Plot: *Public 2/O/135
