Died 1897

Mary Gardner (or Gardiner) married John Stockbridge in Wellington in 1883 when she was 18 and he was 32. John was born in Wellington to Stephen & Mary Ann Stockbridge (buried at Bolton Street).

Initially the couple lived at ‘Kaiwarra’, although John had land interests at Ohiro. Together they had seven children: Ada, Eva, Alice, John, William, Harry and Annie.

In 1887 the family were living in Cottleville Terrace, Thordon. John was selling off their posessions: ‘8 chairs, 5 large pictures, 2 tables, 1 fender, I looking glass Being hard up, I will sell them cheap’.

Their fortunes must have changed as by 1889 the family lived in Russell Terrace, Newtown and John was letting out cottages he owned.

Mary died on 29^th April, 1897 aged 31. Her children ranged from 16 months to 12 years old.

John, ‘given to distraction by grief’ started drinking heavily. A medical professional was called to see him and he advised John to refrain from drink. He continued however, and on the Sunday took a bottle of whiskey home with him. On the 9^th of June his little daughter called in some neighbours for help. They found John ‘in extremis’ and he died shortly after. He was not ordinarily a heavy drinker. Dr Alexander who was called in when John died refused to certify as to the cause of death. The coroner did not deem an inquest necessary.

On 14^th July at the Magistrate’s Court, George Dennis of the Waverley Hotel Newtown, was charged with having sold a bottle of whiskey to a girl named Ada Stockbridge, a girl under the age of 13 years, for consumption off the premises. After calling several witnesses, Mr Gully said he could not press the case and the charge was dismissed.

John’s estate was managed by the Public Trust and was valued at £1100. Presumably the children were raised by the aunts and uncles. We can see that Ada, Eva, John and Willie Stockbridge attended St Paul’s Sunday School 1899-1900.

We traced what happened to John and Mary’s children:

Ada Stockbridge ‘of Kaiwarra’ married Alex Lindop in Carterton in 1905. She was given away by her uncle Charles Gardiner. There was a family with the surname Gardner living at Kaiwarra, including a Charles Gardner. They all worked as butchers. But we have not been able to connect Mary to them as their sister.

Alice ‘of Kaiwarra’ married Thomas Skipage in 1907. John junior fought and was wounded in WWI. Annie married William Hopkin in 1924. Eva married Edward Hawker in 1932. William trained as a butcher and married Sarah Darragh in 1928.

Plot: *Ch Eng/B/60

By Julia Kennedy

Stockbridge plot

Stockbridge headstone

200 Willis Street has recently been up for sale. It was originally known as the McGavin House as it was designed by the architect William Turnbull  for Major General Sir Donald Johnstone McGavin. It is in the Edwardian Tudor style. The house was built in 1907 and was both a home for Donald and his family and also consulting rooms for his medical practice.

Donald was born in 1875 in Chatham, England. He undertook his medical training at Mason University College in Birmingham and afterwards at the London Hospital. He served as a civilian surgeon in the Boer War before coming to New Zealand. In 1903 he married Mary Allan Chapple. The following year he commenced practice in Wellington as a surgeon.

In 1915, Donald went overseas on active service to command No 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital. This was initially located at Port Said and the Hospital received casualties from Gallipoli. In 1917 he was made DSO for his role in the evacuation of the wounded during the heavy offensive at Messines. In 1918 he was made CMG and in 1919 he was recalled to New Zealand. He was knighted in 1921 for his services to medicine.

From 1920 to 1924 he was honorary surgeon to the Governor General. He was a member of the Prisons Board and the War Pensions Medical Appeal Board and a president and trustee of the Wellington Club.

In 1930, the family relocated to a new house on Oriental Parade designed for them by the architect William Meek Page. It is in the Georgian Revival style.  Donald lived in the house until his death in 1960. Mary died in 1955. Both were cremated at Karori Cemetery.

Major-General Sir Donald McGavin, 1924. Courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19241023-43-01

McGavin house courtesy of https://wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz/buildings/301-450/351-mcgavin-house-and-surgery

300 Oriental Parade courtesy of https://wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz/buildings/151-300/244-apartment-building-300-oriental-parade

of Melbourne

Alexander was an importer. He died on the 17^th September 1909 on the S.S. Ulimaroa on the day it arrived in Wellington from Sydney.

Martin Ridley, tea importer of Manchester Street, Christchurch spent the evening of 16^th September with Alexander who told him he was suffering from rheumatic gout. At 12am Alexander took a whiskey but did not feel any better. Martin could see he was perspiring. He helped Alexander to bed, switched out the light and told the chief steward it would be good to keep an eye on him during the night.

The cabin steward arrived with his tea at 6:45am. Alexander didn’t answer his name when called and the steward later said ‘it struck me that he was dead’. The head steward was fetched and he felt Alexander’s body. He thought he had been dead for some hours.

An inquest was held following a post mortem. The doctor described him as a well-nourished man and that the cause of death was haemorrhagic pancreatitis.

His burial service was officiated by the Rev Dr Gibb. The burial entry describes him as 60 years of age but he was more likely 56. His wife (Elizabeth Ann Timbury) predeceased him in 1892. He left three adult children, the youngest being 24 years old.

Plot: *Public 2/J/171

Tod headstone before cleaning

Tod headstone after cleaning

Tod plot

Died in a Cemetery

Henry (Harry) Clement Morrell was found dead in Bolton Street cemetery in December 1902. He was a native of Wales, aged 50 and a painter by occupation. The inquest noted that he was of intemperate habits, of no fixed abode though he had lived about Wellington for many years. He had a wife named Mary (nee Farley) living in the Marton district and together they had seven children.

Dr Tripe said indications pointed to ‘death being due to a sudden stoppage of the heart’s action’. He had an abnormally sized liver but death was not due to alcoholism alone.

Harry was buried at Karori Cemetery on 5 December 1902. Mary remarried the following year to John Edward Jones. Coincidence that Harry travelled to New Zealand in 1875 in the company of a John Jones?

Plot: *Public/N/72

By Julia Kennedy

Morrell plot

James was born in Manchester, England in 1868. His father
James was a model and tool maker. By the age of 13, James was working as a
jeweller’s errand boy. A year later he joined the cocoa department at Cadbury’s.

On 13^th March 1890 he married Leah Alice Hopkins
and just a few weeks later they left London on the ship ‘Valetta’ for New
Zealand and settled in Christchurch. James initially continued his work as a
salesman for Cadbury’s but then started making his own chocolate and selling it
from his horse and cart. In 1911, the family moved to Wellington and his sons
James and Ronald joined the business.

To celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 1940, James
and Leah held a party for their eight children and fifteen grandchildren at
their home in Todman Street, Brooklyn. Leah wore a very heavy French silk
embroidered ensemble in clover, with a posey of magnolias at her shoulder. The
following day they held a cocktail party for friends before staring on their
‘golden honeymoon’ tour in the South Island.

Aside from his chocolate business, James was also an
executive member of the Manufacturer’s Association, a member of the Chamber of
Commerce, president of the School Committees Associations and the Civic League.
He was also involved with the Wellington Free Ambulance.

James died in 1947 and Leah in 1954.

Also interred in this plot are their daughters Leah Annie
Whittaker (1895-1974), Edith Aotea Bunckenburg (1891-1978) and Jessie Adams
(1898-1984).

Plot: *Public 3/H/334

By Julia Kennedy

A deep, rectangular cardboard box with a lift off cover. The box is navy blue with white stripes on top. The sides and ends display “Whittaker’s Toffee Milk, 2d.” Held six dozen pieces. One end of the base has been cut across its length. Courtesy of Puke Ariki ref A71.093.

James Henry Whittaker. Courtesy of www.businesshalloffame.co.nz.

MR. AND MRS. J. H. WHITTAKER, of Brooklyn, Wellington, who celebrated their golden wedding yesterday. They arrived in New Zealand in June, 1890. —S. P. Andrew photo. Evening Post 19 March 1940

Whittaker plot, courtesy of FindaGrave.

‘Mrs Mielsch who was murderously assaulted by her husband has slightly improved in condition’.

Maria Rosina Eleanor Sophia, was born in 1855 and arrived in New Zealand in March 1872 as part of a group of Scandinavian immigrants. Within a month she married William Cullen. Together they had six children. In April 1903, she sued William for divorce. Maria supported herself working as a midwife as she had done throughout her marriage.

Maria then married  [August] Ernest Carl Max Mielsch (there are many different spellings of his name) on 13^th January 1906. Ernest was a German born labourer who was about twenty years her junior. Ernest was previously married in Germany in 1896 and had two children according to Ancestry trees.

By 1^st June 1906, Maria and Ernest were already living apart.

On 15^th June, Ernest was convicted of biting Maria on the nose and fined 40s. Before the same judge, Maria made a separation order against Ernest. But she then later agreed to meet Ernest outside his lodgings on 23^rd June to talk. But when she arrived, he dragged her inside where he was lodging with Niels Rasmussen who was an acquaintance of Maria’s also.

The three talked together and Maria said ‘I would never trust a man who  tried to bite a woman’s nose off, because a man who would bite a woman’s nose off would murder her’. This enraged Ernest and he grabbed Maria by the arm again and took her into the yard. She saw him raise an axe. She did not remember anything further until waking in the hospital suffering a wound to the head. Dr Hogg who had attended the scene said the wound was about 4 inches long and penetrated the skull.

Ernest ran off after attacking Maria and arrived at his friend Henrich Bornholdt’s house to say goodbye. Henrich thought he was mad and told him to leave the house. Ernest was arrested on 25^th June in Upper Hutt. He was later found in his cell with his throat, temple and wrist cut, lying in a pool of blood. Both Maria and Ernest survived their wounds.

In August, Ernest was found guilty of grievous assault on his wife and was sentenced to two years imprisonment, a concurrent term of one week was  imposed for the attempt to commit suicide. From his police record we know that he had the following tattoos: ‘E. R. MIELSCH’ and ‘1893’ on left arm, ‘dancing girl on ball’ on right arm and that he was photographed at Waiotapu in 1907.

In November 1907 Maria sued her children for maintenance. The rebuttal was that she had walked out on them seventeen years prior and that her husband ‘who mistook her for a length of firewood’ (NZ Truth) was the proper person to support her. A friend of Maria’s had a letter published in the NZ Truth refuting most of these claims and that she was a good mother.

Maria died on 8th August 1908 at Wellington Hospital, aged 53. She is buried in an unmarked plot.

Ernest remarried in 1910, but after his young son died in 1912, he was found living as a vagrant in Auckland and was admitted in 1913 to Auckland Mental Hospital. He died there in 1915.

Also interred in this plot with Maria is her son Thomas Cullen who died in 1905 aged 26.

Plot: *Ch Eng/U/132

By Julia Kennedy

Evening Post 29 November 1900

Mielsch / Cullen plot courtesy of FindaGrave

Patrick died in 1890, and according to the Karori Cemetery Burial Register was buried in this plot in December 1909 …

Patrick was born in Kerry, Ireland in 1841. He married firstly Nora Brosnan in 1859 and they had two sons before Nora died in 1873. The following year he married Hannah Kelly in London and shortly after they set off for New Zealand. Eight children were born in Wellington and all lived to adulthood.

Patrick worked for the Wellington Corporation for many years, latterly in the Yards.  On 31^st October 1890 he returned to his residence at Tinakori Road and complained to his wife of feeling unwell, having pains about his body and so went to bed. Later that evening Dr Cahill was sent for. He attended at 5am and found that Patrick was dead. Mr Cahill made a post mortem examination and at the inquest said he believed death was due to fatty degeneration of the heart. Patrick was buried at Mount Street cemetery.

By 1893, Hannah had opened a store on Tinakori Road which later also served refreshments. The location was described as ‘Orangikaupapa at the Botanic Gardens’. It also served as a polling station and a venue for public meetings. She also rented out several properties along Tinakori Road, many described as being near the Botanic gardens gate.

In 1897, Hannah remarried to Michael O’Shea, a labourer, but in 1902 she was granted an order of separation with protection from him.

Hannah died on 11^th November 1909 at her home in Tinakori Road. She was 59 years old. Her funeral was held on 13^th November at the Sacred Heart in Hill Street and then at Karori Cemetery where she was the first interment in this plot.

On the day of Hannah’s death, her son and daughter John and Hannah Kearney wrote to the Minister of Internal Affairs requesting that their father be disinterred from Mount Street and buried with Hannah at Karori Cemetery. The required warrant was granted and on 7^th December 1909, Patrick was buried with Hannah.

According to FindaGrave, the relationship of the other six interments in this plot are:

* John Joseph Kearney (a son 1880-1925)
* Michael Patrick Kearney (a son 1886-1946)
* Hannah Kearney (a daughter 1889-1974)
* Arthur Edward Kelly (a grandson, from daughter Christina Julia, 1908-1911)
* Dorothy May Kearney (a granddaughter 1916-1918)
* Kenneth Edward Kearney (a grandson 1918-1919)

We were lucky to find several photos of the family and their businesses online to share with you.

Plot: *ROM CATH/H/40

By Julia Kennedy

Group portrait of the Kearney family taken on Christmas Day, 1899. From left to right they are, back row: Wm (William?) Bowden, May Bowden, unidentified, unidentified. Second row: Julia Kearney, Hanna Kearndy, Len Kearney, Mrs O’Shea, Mick Kearney, Mr O’Shea, Jack Kearney and Eddie Kearney. Courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library. Tiaki Reference Number: 1/2-067529-F

The Kearney family, in front of their shop on Glenmore Street, Thorndon, Wellington, in the 1890s. From left: Julia, Len, Mrs O’Shea (formerly Mrs Kearney), Hanna, unidentified, Mary. A sign in the wondow advertises Cadbury’s Cocoa. Photograph taken by W Farrell & Co. Courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library Tiaki Reference Number: 1/2-067530-F

Botanical Refreshment Rooms, Glenmore Street, Wellington. Ref: 1/2-122098-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22900947

Kearney plot

of Manaia, Tarakani

William was admitted to the Mt View Asylum on 19th November 1895, from New Plymouth. He was suffering from melancholia and his body condition was very weak. He was inclined to refuse his food and had to be fed by force on occasion by doctors’ orders.

His mother visited him regularly and tried to get him to eat without success. On the day before he died, he took to his bed. His mother was told his condition was critical.

He died quietly at 3:50am on 28^th January 1896. An inquest determined his death was caused by brain disease and a failure of the heart’s actions due to weakness. He was single, a farmer, and 34 years of age.

William was one of six children born to William Hutchinson and his wife Mary (nee Mounsey). They died in 1902 and 1904 respectively and are buried in Hawera cemetery.

Plot: *Ch Eng/C/53

By Julia Kennedy

Hutchinson headstone

In the house of John Hamilton:

HOTEL KEEPER AND FIREMAN

FIGHT IN A COTTAGE

This amusing cartoon was published to illustrate the trial of Francis Gordon Waddell, charged with assaulting Samuel Gilmer of the Royal Oak Hotel in John Hamilton’s house.

One morning in March 1906, Samuel Gilmer had called at his Uncle John Hamilton’s house, ‘Blaney Cottage’ in Marion Street to go for a walk. The two men were 64 and 82 respectively. Whilst waiting for his uncle to return and talking with the housekeeper Mrs Woodward, Francis Waddell strode into the house and brandishing a long chisel over her head and exclaimed “Now I’ve got you, I’m going to murder you!” to the housekeeper.

Samuel came to Mrs Woodward’s aid and a struggle ensued for about 15 minutes until Samuel managed to overpower Francis and pin him to a post of the verandah outside. Both men were covered in blood and in the house the furniture was overturned and strewn with broken china. Francis was taken away in handcuffs.

At his trial, Francis said that he had been out of employment for some time, and had purchased the chisel in order to make a sea chest. When he saw Samuel in the street, he recognised him as the man who had put him out of the Royal Oak Hotel and so had followed him to John Hamilton’s house. Francis was found guilty and sentenced to eighteen months hard labour. Witnesses attested to his good character but the judge would not be moved. We don’t know what became of Francis after he completed his sentence as he used so many aliases.

And what of John Hamilton himself? He was born in Castleblaney in 1824, Ireland and married Sarah Rainey in 1850. According to his obituary, he came to New Zealand in 1863 which meant that he left Sarah and four young children behind. His son eventually settled in Australia and at some point, and his daughter Dorothea joined John in New Zealand and qualified as a teacher in 1891. She died following an attach in influenza while acting as relieving teacher at Hamua School. She was the first interment in the plot in 1904.

John’s will stipulated that his grave should have a headstone not exceeding £100 in cost. He left a legacy and the lifetime use of his cottage to his housekeeper Mrs Woodward, provided she did not take to drink. His other property (the Imperial Hotel Cuba Street, two shops in Ingestre Street and property at Cobden on the West Coast) were to be divided between his two remaining children. His estate was worth just under £20,000.

Plot: *Public 2/J/7

This headstone reads

‘sacred

to the memory of Wilfred Cheesman

Feb 1901 -1921

Cyril Cheesman

1899-1932′

Wilfred alone is buried in this plot.

Wilfred and Cyril were two of four children born to Arthur and Sarah Cheesman (nee Parrish). Arthur was a butcher and President of the Operative Butchers Union. His father Thomas Taylor Cheesman had emigrated from Sussex via Victoria. Arthur, Sarah and the family lived in Hall Street.

Wilfred was an employee of the Tramways Department. He died aged 20 after falling from a yacht into Evans Bay. It was assumed that his heart was affected otherwise he should have been able to swim to safety. The coroner commended the gallant effort of his brother Cyril in his attempt to save Wilfred.

Sadly, the sea claimed Cyril in 1932. On the 5th July he set sail from Napier on the launch Advance with George Howell and Robert Pembo on a course for Wanganui. It never arrived at its destination. Several air searches were undertaken. In October 1933 an Inquest was held. The coroner determined that the vessel was un-seaworthy and that the three men lost their lives when the vessel foundered.

Plot: *Public 2/L/311