Sometimes this research is just triggered by an interesting name.
Ethel was the only surviving daughter of John Charles Frederick Beu and his wife Mathilda Nilson.
John was born in 1854 in the Pomerania region, Germany. Back then he was Johann Carl Frederick Beu. Mathilda Nilson was born in Sweden in 1853. It is presumed that Mathilda came to New Zealand by herself, as no record of her parents’ deaths are found here. The pair married in Wellington in 1883.
Their children were Frederick, Edward, Anna (died young), Reinhold, Albert, Otto, Gustav and Ethel.
John became a naturalised citizen in 1885, at which stage he recorded his occupation as Storeman and was living in Martin Square. He later worked as a fruit dealer living in Adelaide Road and was chairman of the South Wellington School Committee and the Rintoul Street School Committee. Peculiarly in 1902, he requested of the Lighting and Fire Brigade Committee not grant his son’s driver’s licence application. He was a member of the Excelsior Lodge of Druids.
John died after a long illness in 1907, aged 53, and was the first to be interred in the plot. Mrs Beu expressed her thanks to the many friends who had shown sympathy, including the Christian Endeavour Societies of the Berhampore Baptist Church.
Ethel died aged 17 at her home, “Stralsund Villa” Berhampore in 1910 after an illness. It wasn’t uncommon for immigrants to name their home after their city of origin and Stralsund is not far from where John was born. Memorials were placed in the newspaper by her “loving mother and brothers” and touchingly Ruby and Hilda Pettersson also inserted one “in remembrance for our dear friend Ethel”.
Of John and Mathilda’s sons, Gustav, Reinhold, Frederick and Otto all served with New Zealand forces in WWI and saw action in Europe. All were discharged unfit for service due to illnesses or injuries contracted during their time in War.
Mathilda died at Wellington Hospital on 4th January 1924, aged 71.
Also interred in this plot are John William Horace Beau, aged 3 months (died 1909), Jane Beu (died 1932) are Barbara Beu (nee Cooke) wife of Frederick (died 1944).
