As his middle name suggests, William came from an enthusiastic musical family. His father, Joseph was a musician in Honiton, Devon. William followed his father and brothers in this profession too. In 1848, aged 19, he appeared with his father in a performance of Handel’s Messiah. Joseph was the conductor and William played the pianoforte. In 1852, he was advertised as performing at a concert of Sacred Music, as the organist of Honiton.
[of the two obituaries that circulated in New Zealand newspapers after William’s death, one states that he was a First Life Guardsman and present at the Duke of Wellington’s funeral in London on 14 September 1852. We can find no evidence to support this and it does not match in with his performance dates.]
In 1856, William was the organist of St. Mary Redcliff in Bristol. He married Mary Ann Turner in Bedminster the same year. By 1861, the family had grown with the birth of their two daughters, Evelyn and Louisa. William now described himself as a music teacher and the Flood’s were still living in Bristol.
William next appears in the records in Melbourne, Australia in December 1862. His wife and children remained behind in England. Whether there was an intention for them to join him is not clear. For the next four months, he advertises himself as a music teacher before moving on to Dunedin, New Zealand. He set himself up as a music teacher. His wife died in England in 1863 and in 1865, William remarried to Ann Catherine Julietta Groube (daughter of Rev. Horatio Groube). The couple had seven children.
By August 1866, William had moved his family to Auckland where he opened a musical academy. This did not last long as by May 1867 he was in Wanganui where he was sued and lost in a civil case for £4. The Flood’s were living in Wickstead Place, Wanganui at this time.
[The previously mentioned obituary also stated that he served with the Wanganui Cavalry in the New Zealand war, but again there is no evidence of this. He is not included in Richard Stower’s ‘NZ Medals to Colonists’, 10th edition]
By 1869, William was made a bankrupt and the Flood’s were on the move again. They settled in Wellington it was here that their infant son, William Haydn Flood, died and was buried at Bolton Street Cemetery. By the late 1870’s the Flood’s were living in Napier. Tuning pianos was one service he offered. The New Zealand Police Gazette next picks up his story. In 1891, the Gazette published that he had deserted his wife in Napier, seven years prior. He was reported to have been living with another woman at Christchurch, and then Akaroa or Timaru. The description provided:
‘… about fifty years of age, 5ft. 11in. high, heavy build, rather clumsy, dark complexion, hair probably grey, addicted to drink …’.
The next time we hear of William is in 1908 with the announcement of his death at the Benevolent Home in Ohiro Road. William is buried in a pauper’s plot in the Church of England section. It is not marked. His second wife, Ann, died in Palmerston North in 1923.
Plot: *Ch Eng/X/98
Thanks to Wendy and Richard for providing some of the research and undertaking checks.
References:
England Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 9 December 1848, p7.
1851 United Kingdom Census Sample
Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, 21 May 1856, p5.
1861 United Kingdom Census
Advertisement, The Argus, 6 December 1862, p3.
Advertisement, Otago Daily Times, 16 November 1863, p7.
‘Mr Hayden Floor’, New Zealand Herald, 14 August 1866, p3.
‘Civil’, Taranaki Herald, 25 May 1867, p3.
New Zealand Electoral Roll 1868-69
Wellington Independent, 30 September 1869, p2.
Bankruptcy Files 1869: Flood, William Hayden, Archives New Zealand ref R23213874
NZ Gazette 1871
New Zealand Police Gazette 1891
Personal Matters, Evening Post, 18 July 1908, p5.
Personal Matters, Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 July 1908, p5.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/186691937/william-haydn-flood
