John was born in 1824 and Mary was born in 1828. They were both from Northumberland. Their first son was born in 1859. In 1871 they were living in Durham where John was working as a Labourer.
They were married on 2 October 1878, 10 days before they emigrated from Plymouth.
They came to New Zealand on the ship Fernglen arriving off Nelson on 2 January 1879 along with 250 other government immigrants. As there was no demand for immigrants in Nelson, the ship was telegraphed and moved on to Wellington. They were 54 and 50 at the time. They were accompanied by their six surviving children.
In 1881 they were living in Thompson Street where John was again working as a labourer.
In 1882 Mary was renting rooms out to boarders in their Nairn Street house.
Bankrupted in September 1883. In 1884 he was charged with having driven a cart over the footpath in Willis Street and he was fined 10 shillings. In November he was charged along with his son with the assault of a boy called Florence McCarthy. Defence was on account of Florence having stolen some eggs and a bridle. They were fined 1 shilling. Their daughter Mary won sewing prizes at Te Aro School in 1884 and 1885.
The son Matthew was a member of the Loyal Orange Lodge.
In 1890 John was granted a lease of a small portion of the Town Belt for £10 per annum.
John died in August 1895. His funeral departed his residence in Nairn Street for Karori Cemetery. Mary also died at Nairn Street in 1913, aged 85, from heart failure. “North of England papers please copy”.
