The group was formed in 1981 when Betty Bint and some local residents, interested in preserving the history of the area, wanted to make secure a collection of photographs, books and other printed material. An agreement with the Tasman District Council to house the collection in the district library allowed anyone interested in researching family and local history access to this material. It was especially useful to Marion Stringer who has written several books about the Waimea South area including “Just Another Row of Spuds” and its sequel “More Wakefield Spuds.”
The group is currently involved in fundraising to have the collection catalogued so that references to the material will be available on-line in the library. This will facilitate individual research and reduce reliance on the knowledge of library staff. (N.B. This task was completed by 2012. Book and photograph collection is now available on-line.)
WAIMEA SOUTH HISTORICAL Inc. 1981 
Hi, I live in Sydney Australia and have been researching the convict artict Charles Henry CONSTANTINI. He died in Waimea on the 9th October 1860. Would you be interested in some information about him? Also, are you able to tell me how I could find out where he is buried? Many thanks, Col
Apologies, Col, for not responding sooner to your request. I am working on this one. To date have drawn a blank, but don’t give up yet.
Any further information you could send me may assist in the search for his final resting place. Thanks, Roger.
Hi Roger – Not too sure I can add much more about Constantini’s death – He was born 1803. He is evidently listed on the Physicians File Index on the Hawaii Medical Library, specifically the Mamiya Medical Heritage Centre, instituted in 1999 by Richard Mamiya. Apart from that I only have information prior to him coming to Hawaii. Please feel free to email me direct if I can assist in any way. I would be happy to pay for a copy of his death certificate or could send you something from here if you wanted it in lieu of the $10 fee – by the time the bank fees etc are paid, I would rather spend the money on something better for you and simply post it over! Thanks for your help. Col
Col – I wonder if we are at cross purposes here. Your mention of Hawaii made we wonder if that is where Constantini died, not on the Waimea Plains near the city of Nelson in New Zealand where we are. Roger.—–Original Message—–
First you thump us in the Rugby and now this !! We are indeed at cross purposes. I actually worked in Aotereroa for a number of years so should have known better but, then again, I am ONLY an Aussie!! Appreciate you clearing that up for me. Had better start trying to email Hawaii, eh Bro! Thanks again. Stay well. Col P.S. That Haka at Eden Park was awesome.
I am a direct descendant of Thomas and Dinah Price (brass plate on St John’s Church wall, graves behind church). Would like to connect with the society. Are you having meetings this year?
Lynn Rain (nee Aplin)
Yes, Lynn. We would be delighted to have you at our meetings. The programme for July to November 2011 will shortly be posted. It begins with a visit to South Street, Nelson, on the 26th July. More specific details to follow.
When are you going to post again? You really entertain a lot of people!
Can you please advise where I can purchase Marion Stringer’s book “More Wakefield Spuds”. My Snowden’s arrived in 1842 and Schwasses in 1844
As far as I know, Fiona, this book is still in print and should be available from local suppliers. The ISBN number to quote is: 0-473-11287-6.
Cheers, Roger.
NB at the moment (20/02/14) I understand that this is out of print. You may get one at a second hand dealers.
HI, I live in Painton House on Edward St, Wakefield and am trying to do some research on its origins etc. We had a man call by last year who was a descendant of The Smiths who lived opposite before the Hotel. He sent us an article that I have misplaced which I am fairly sure said that the store that Grace had on other side of road was moved to become what it now known as Painton House. Although I can find reference to Painton House being established in 1876, this does not necessarily mean that it was built on situ in 1876. Do you have any information on when Painton House was built and whether it was in fact Grace’s store first. The photo of Grace’s store bears a striking resemblance to our house. Many thanks, Robyn
Your two essential references which may answer most of your questions are “From River to Range” published by Waimea South Historical (available from the Tasman District Library) p.89 and “Just Another Row of Spuds” by Marion Stringer pp.92-93. This book is out of print but the libraries hold copies.
Hi – while doing research for an article I wrote for the Prow website about John Ribet of Kawatiri, I came across this piece in Tony Nolan’s “Historic Gold Trails of Nelson & Marlborough”:
” Until recently I (Nolan) was always puzzled by the number of old- timers who told me their birthplace was Wakefield. Then in a conversation I learned that the township had a private maternity home, apparently for a long time the only one between Nelson and the West Coast.”
I knew that, lacking any medical facilities, early female settlers from Hampden (Murchison) would often make the trek to Westport or Nelson for their confinements, but haven’t seen mention of this Wakefield maternity home elsewhere. Can anyone please tell me anything about it?
Regards,
Anne McFadgen.
Marion Stringer in her book “Just Another Row of Spuds” writes about several nursing homes in and around Wakefield (see pp. 72-73) This book is now out of print but copies can be obtained from the Tasman District Library.
Hello Roger
I was born in the Home on Whitby Rd Wakefield, run by Sister Everett and Dr Closs, in 1937 also my sister Pat in 1935. Dr John Davies bought it years later and it has now gone,
Really enjoy your “About Waimea South” Emails-Many thanks for sending them
My best wishes
Joan Carmody nee Crichton Flat 2 154 Queen St Richmond Ph 5410055
Many thanks.
A further question – Marion Stringer mentions something in “Just Another Row of Spuds” that I’d really like to follow up on. Is she still involved in the W.S Historical Society and/or would it be possible to contact her?
Regards,
Anne McFadgen.
Sadly, Marion died in September last year. (See information on our website.)
I’m sorry to hear that. Sadly, the other contact I had who might have been able to answer my question now has dementia, so looks as if that question will have to remain answered.
Hello, I would very much like to be able to contact Warren Thomas of ‘The Gables’
Can anyone help me?
Thank you.
He is in the Nelson district telephone directory in Margill Way in Richmond.
my great greats are buried at marawera cemetery Wilhelm Pahl .Died Tadmor 1888 lam trying to find information about them ,.Would dearly appreciate any info
There are references to “Pahl” in “From River to Range” but not to Wilhelm: “Reuben Kinzett married Charlotte Pahl” (p.83) and “Sarah Ann Wells later Pahl” (p.106). They obviously lived in the district. I suggest a visit to the Tasman District Library, if you live locally, would uncover more information. The reference librarians are very helpful and there is a good deal of information on local families.
I am trying to locate where my 3 x Great Grandfather John SNOWDEN would have been buried. He died in Brightwater in 1851.
Is he the family patriarch who was a first settler and the man who donated “Snowden’s Bush” to the people of Brightwater? If so, it is very unlikely that he is not buried in the Brightwater cemetery.
However, the first Brightwater Vicarage was destroyed by fire in 1903 and many cemetery records were lost. Francis H and Stanley Roy Snowden are recorded in More Wakefield Spuds but not John.
He is the patriarch of my Snowden family but it looks to have died before a church was built. I visited St Paul’s Brightwater, this week but I couldn’t find any Snowden graves.
Is More Wakefield Spuds another Marion Stringer book?
Yes, it’s the sequel to “Another Row of Spuds.” If he is not buried near to the house in which he lived the question is where were people buried in 1851 who were living in the Brightwater area? (unless he lived somewhere else). Perhaps someone else reading this will be able to provide an answer.
Not sure if there was a reply to this but John T Snowden is buried in Richmond cemetery
also Eliza nee Webby. Her Parents are my Gr Gr Grandparents
Joan Carmody
Hi Joan, I am a descendant of Edward Webby and would be keen to make contact with you. I am publishing a book on the Webby Family in May this year (2017) which will be available directly from me. Look forward to hearing from you. Jacquie Webby
Hi, my grandmother was Helen Gertrude Webby and grew up at 88 Valley. I am interested in more information on that family as well as photos, old pictures. I have a lovely picture of Helen with her sisters
Hi, I am a descendant of Charles (son of Edward & Mary Webby), Webby, 88 Valley. I am looking for a copy of the two Marion J Stringer books: Just Another Row of Spuds and More Wakefield Spuds. Happy to purchase and pay postage. Many thanks. Jacquie Webby.
Unfortunately these two self-published books are out of print. We would love the copyright holders to have some more produced but to date this has not been possible. They are available in Nelson, Tasman and Motueka libraries.
Thanks, I did locate a copy of each. Jacquie
Hi Jacquire, I would be interested in buying a copy of your book. Please email me and let me know how much. Thanks Cynthia
yes i would be interested in the second book as well
John Thomas (Tom) Snowden is the son of John Snowden and my 2 x Great Grandfather. I am fairly sure that John (Snr) is buried in Hallowell Cemetery right in Nelson, as his sister Frances Foy is buried there. I don’t think that there are much in the way of records of the burials at Hallowell.
Thanks for that, Fiona. I have had no occasion to research any aspect of the Hallowell cemetery but I do know that reliable information about early settlers burials is difficult to find, made worse by the fact that many of them were buried in unmarked graves.
Hi there, I am looking to try and locate an area called “Schonbach” where several German families lived in the late 1840’s not far from Ranzau (hope). I would like to actually pinpoint where this location/ site was where at least 7 families lived. Has any of your members heard of this place, or have knowledge as to where it was. Family names that lived there were burning, siggelkow, lankow, fanselow and Wendelborn. Any information as to its location very welcome.
I have never heard of “Schonbach” but there was a Wendelborn family who lived at Wai-iti in the 1950’s. The father was a schoolteacher.
There were settlements of German families in Upper Moutere. I think the German name for the village was ” Sarau”. A Sigglekow family lived in a large two story house, which is still there.
Yes, all correct. Sigglekow, Fanselow and Wendleborn are all names familiar to me.
My research reveals Schonbach was an area bounded generally the Waimea River, Main Appleby Highway and Bartlett’s Road but possibly centred just south east of Blackbyre Road. Other families were Schwass, Lange pronounced Lan-ga, Paap, Schroder and others. My great grandmother Jordan, nee Schroder, was born there along with some of her siblings. I suspect David Lange’s (ex NZ PM) ancestors spent some time there. I believe at least one mud building built by Fanzelow still remains but I’m checking this for correct. I have other interesting anecdote’s if your interested.
That would be great. Please feel free to continue with any other anecdotes you have which would interest others. You never know who reads this post.
Hello there, any information surrounding Schonbach greatly received. I would be very interested if there is any remains of the Fanzelow residence survives. Thank you for sharing your research.
About 3 weeks ago I visited the property in the old settlement of Schonbach that was originally settled in the 1840’s by Heinri Curt Joachim Fanselow.
Im pleased to confirm the cob cottage built by Fanselow is still there.
It appears this is the last of the pioneer cottages in the settlement.
A previous owner of this property in 1980-90″s took great care in restoring the old cottage to almost its original state although, it appears, they did cover the ground dirt floor with wooden floor and fitted a corrugated iron roof the protect the building from the elements.
I’m pleased to see the current owner continues to maintain the building in first class condition.
I’m led to believe the other Schonbach cottages were swept in a flood in the early 1930’s but will try to confirm this later. At that time it seems the flood affected part of the original settlement was abandon and land was taken up by new generation of farmers in the later part of 1930’s.
R W.
That is fantastic, thank you for that information. Could you please advise me exactly where it is located. Any further info on the floods would be much appreciated, and if this was the reason they moved on. Best regards steve
Good morning Steve.
Understandably for reasons of privacy I’m a little reluctant to post details of current property owner of “Fanselow House” on this public forum however if you ring me I would be happy to give you the information. I’m in the local phone book.
For a number of years my thought’s are its unfortunate there’s been no public recognition of the pioneers who originally settled Schonbach and the important contribution they made to develop that part of Waimea’s into what we see today.
I believe lack of recognition is one of the reasons the name has all but disappeared.
I have a copy of Stan Jones’ “From Serfdom to Freedom”.
Its a history of the Schwass family and of course their descendants who settled in Waimea East. Schonbach is mentioned a number of times in this publication.
Copies of this are still available from one of the local copying businesses for about $30.00 each if anyone is interested.
Steve. In June wrote to you Re Schonbach. In my letter I put my email address. Please email me Ive lost your postal address and I have more information for you.
Thank you
Thanks Ross, I have the Sarah information looking specifically for schonbach.
Hi Steve – there is a bit about Schonbach and other German settlements at the Bensemann Family website, under the heading ‘Neuseeland”
http://bensemann.org.nz/neuseeland.htm
Schonbach was situated close to Ranzau (now Hope). You may be able to get more information by contacting Paul Bensemann, who runs this website.
Looking for Waimea South Cemetery, as per this advertisement:
FUNERAL
The friends of Mr Joseph Repper Gilbert are respectfully informed that the funeral of his late son, Albert Joseph Repper, will leave his residence, Wakefield, tomorrow (Saturday), at two p.m., for the Waimea South Cemetery. John McPherson. Undertaker. ‘Colonist’ newspaper. (Nelson, NZ) 18 November 1892.
This could be the Spring Grove cemetery in Mt Heslington road. Unlikely to be the Anglican Cemetery which would be called St Johns. The only other cemetery is the one at Foxhill.
Hi – I’ve been working on an article about the ‘Ferry Inn” accommodation house at what is now Tapawera.
The “Ferry Inn” at Tapawera
http://rustlingsinthewind.blogspot.co.nz/2017/06/the-ferry-inn-tapawera.html
I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me with a photograph of Mrs Lucy Kite, associated with the “Plough Inn”, “Red Horse” and “White Hart” hotels in Richmond and later the “Ferry Inn” at the Tadmor Ford. i did find a photo in Jean Sutton’s book “How Richmond Grew”, but unfortunately this is actually of Mrs Kite’s daughter, also Lucy, who married A.G. Brock, licensee of “White Hart” following his mother-in-law’s tenure.
Good morning Anne. I cant help you with photo of Lucy Kite senior but I do have a little information regarding where Red Horse Inn was located if your interested. Sometime after the Red Horse Inn ceased trading the property was purchased by Joseph Best who owned the surrounding land. In 1900 William Coleman purchased 50 acres of land from Best. This was all the land including now known as 26 Gladstone Road to and including 48 Gladstone Road Richmond. The Red Horse Inn building was situated on what is now known as 28 Gladstone Road. William Coleman lived there until his death in 1918 but members of the Coleman family including Williams sister Isabella remained living on the property until about 1934. When Isabella died it appears the property was sold. William Coleman was mayor of Richmond in 1913-14. I believe the present house @ 26 Gladstone Road is a rebuild of the ground floor of the original 2 story Red Horse Inn. My interest is because of family connections. William Coleman was my great grandfather on my mothers side.
R Wagner.
Oops. Typo by me. Red Horse Inn building was located @ what is now known as 28 Gladstone Road NOT number 26. Number 28 is the rebuild of the original Red Horse Inn. The house @ 26 has an interesting story of its own. R W.
Thanks for this – very interesting to hear about your family connection with the “Red Horse”, a bit more about its history, and to pinpoint its exact location with a current address as a guide. Lucy Kite herself didn’t have a very happy relationship with the “Red Horse” – her husband Thomas built it and obtained a licence for it in April 1860 but died in August the same year, leaving his widow to struggle with a new business and a large family to raise. It seems that to set up the business Thomas had made a deal which tied him to Nelson brewery, Harleys’, which held the inn and land as surety. This sort of deal with one of the Nelson breweries was common at the time, but because it meant the innkeeper could only sell alcohol supplied by the brewery concerned at whatever price they cared to charge, it was impossible to make a profit on sales. Many innkeepers went under as a result of this sort of “tied house” arrangement and Lucy Kite was no exception. In July 1864 Joseph Harley put the “Red Horse” property up for auction and Lucy Kite was left homeless. She was a resourceful and enterprising lady, though. She survived bankruptcy and went on to successfully manage the ‘White Hart Hotel” in Richmond and the ‘Ferry Inn” at what is now Tapawera.
Sorry – just noticed that the link I posted earlier on this site to my article about the history of the “Ferry Inn” at Tapawera and its various licencees is incorrect. It should read
http://rustlingsinthewind.blogspot.co.nz/2017/06/the-ferry-inn-at-tapawera.html?m=0
Hi can I please use some of this information a I am a descendent of Lucy Kite I want to put a story in the Waimea Weekly about her
Hi – I am a descendent of William Hunt, bootmaker & farmer of Wakefield (1833-1915), husband of Sophia Hunt (Warmington). His son William Burdett Hunt was my Great, great granddad. I have researched them via ancestry and papers past but would really appreciate if anyone has more information about them or could point me in the right direction. I am in England so sadly I cannot look at local resources. Thank you in advance for any help.
Great to hear from you. You may not realise it but I also have a connection with William Hunt. Their daughter (Mary Sophia) married William Batt who is my grandfather. His son Carl is my father.
There is a good deal of information on the Hunts (and many other local families) in the book “Another Row of Spuds” by Marion Stringer. It is out of print at the moment but you may find a copy in a local library. William had 11 children and Thomas Hunt’s farm, Highfield, in 88 Valley you will know about.
The family, according to Marion, came from near Banbury and their home was named Shutford Hall. Whether it still exists would be interesting to find out. They emigrated in 1856 on the Cresswell.
If you search under “Highfield” and “Hunt” in the “Looking For” box on this site, more information will appear.
If you have trouble sourcing Marion’s book, I could scan the relevant pages and send them to you via e-mail.
Regards.
Roger Batt
Hi Roger,
Thank you so much for getting back to me, I did not realise we were related, I think that makes us 3rd cousins, once removed, or something! Hello from England and how nice to be in contact! Sadly I can not get hold of a copy of Marion’s book, despite a lot of looking, so I would be extremely grateful for any scans you would be kind enough to send. Before beginning my family tree research we really knew nothing of our New Zealand ancestors, and sites like this are amazing resources.
My Great Grandfather was Norman William Hunt (born Harold Norman Hunt) grandson of William and Sophia, born in Wakefield 1885. Norman became a marine engineer, working on the SS Vine Branch and through his work travelled back to England and met and married Amy Critchley from Liverpool, England, in 1912. He was sadly killed in WW1 in 1916, but he left a son Harold Burdett Hunt (my Granddad). We have no photographs of any of the family in New Zealand, except one of Norman and know very little of what happened to his father William Burdett Hunt, as apparently my Great Grandmother did not speak of the tragedy.
The research I have done suggests William Hunt (senior) was born In Byfield, Northamptonshire, England (parents William Hunt and Jane Newman) and Sophia came from Drayton, by Banbury (parents William Warmington and Mary Birdett), they married in 1858 just before emigrating to New Zealand on the Harkaway. William Burdett Hunt, their first son was born in 1856, in Drayton, by Banbury and emigrated with them. Thomas Hunt, William’s older brother, his wife Ellen (Savage) and two children (Thomas Hunt of Highfield Farm and Mary Ann Hunt (plus maybe a baby – Sarah Jane Hunt?) also emigrated at the same time. The 1851 English census shows that prior to this Thomas, William and their younger sister, Sarah, were living together in Shutford, but the address is Sparrow Corner. As far as I know there is no Shutford Hall but I will certainly look into it and get back to you. Thomas was a shoemaker, William his apprentice and Sarah a servant.
I wonder if you can help with a confusion?– I keep seeing on various family trees people have done that William Hunt (husband of Sophia) is listed as William ‘Burdett” Hunt. As far as I can work out the name Burdett was most likely passed on from Sophia’s mother and so only their son’s William Burdett Hunt and Edward Francis Burdett Hunt actually have this in their names. The reason I ask is there is a picture on Kete Tasman :Waimea South Collection of a shop labelled W.B.Hunt Bootmakers and I am wondering who it belonged to – William (senior) or his son.
Thank you once again for your help. I really appreciate it.
Kind regards
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca
I am trying to track down a mystery in my family which might be related to your mystery of William Burdett Hunt. I am trying to find the origin of the name Burdett, which was given to my grandfather who was born illegitimate in Brisbane in 1897, with the father named as William Hunt, with the profession of surveyor. I have recently found a newspaper article referring to the breakdown of a marriage between a William Burdett Hunt and a Jennifer (Herwen) Hunt in Brisbane in 1901, and searching for these names brought me to this page and your information. I wonder if it is possible that these are your ancestors that you mention in your article, and possibly mine as well?
Kind regards
Michael Heim
Hi Michael,
Thank you for your message, that is very interesting. I believe that the origin of the name Burdett comes from William Burdett’s Grandmother on his mother’s (Sophia Warmington/Hunt) side who I think was called Mary Birdett, so I assumed it was just a variation on the name. I too have seen the article you mention and wondered about the breakdown of the marriage, perhaps you have found the reason! What was your Grandfather’s name? I am not sure about William Burdett being a surveyor though; I believe he was a bootmaker/shoemaker in New Zealand and then a refrigeration foreman at Eagle Farm Meatworks in Australia. I do know that he moved to Argentina around 1909 to work at La Plata Cold Storage in Buenos Aires. He also possibly remarried a lady called Adela, if that helps with your search. After that I’m afraid I can find any more information about him despite a lot of searching. Good luck with finding more details about your (and maybe also mine) family.
Kind regards
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca
Lovely to hear from you. thank you for replying. My grandfather’s name was Basil Burdett. He was a journalist. He was killed in plane crash in Sumatra in 1942 during the allied evacuation of Singapore. (He was also an ambulance driver on the Western front in WW1. Where was your Norman killed?) His mother was Lillie Jane Gray, who had emigrated from Southampton to Brisbane as a sixteen year old with her family in 1887. I have two stories. One, from my mother, Basil’s only child, is that her Granny Jane was “seduced by a bounder named Hunt form New Zealand” who already had a family, and who “ran away to South Africa where he died of Blackwater fever”. My mother had a fine sense of the dramatic. This story may have come from Basil’s wife, my grandmother Edith Birks.
The other story that I discovered recently from Lillie Jane’s brother’s descendants, is that she went to work for a businessman in Brisbane, who was already married, and they had a long relationship, at least six years, that produced two children, one of whom died in infancy.
Basil’s birth registration has him as illegitimate and the mothers name as Lillie Jane Gray. The baptism certificate has the parents as William and Lillie Jane Burdett. The link to Hunt is my mother’s story. So it is still a mystery.
Do you know the name of the mother of your Norman William Hunt (Harold Norman Hunt), whether it was Jennifer or not?
Please let me know if you discover anything else, and of course I will let you know too.
Kindest regards
Michael
Hi Michael
Such interesting family stories. I had a look on Queensland BDM site and there are two children registered with the mother Lillie Jane Gray; one of course is your Grandfather, who was registered as Basil Burdett Gray and the other is a Berthie Burdett Gray, born 3 years earlier in 1894 who died aged 3 weeks (in other record it is spelt Bertie). So maybe the second account from your Great Grandmother’s brother’s descendants is the right one? Perhaps if you search the Queensland business directories you may find a William Burdett that fits the timings. Norman William’s mother was definitely Jenny Herwin/Hunt but it is certainly a mystery as to why their marriage broke down. Norman William was in the 20th Battalion Kings (Liverpool) regiment and died in the Battle of the Somme. I am sure you have already seen this but your Grandfather’s military records can be viewed, for free, on the website for the national archives of Australia and there is a lovely photo of him aged 43. Good luck with your search, I will update you if I discover anything else.
Kind regards
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca
I wonder if you are still engaged in your search, and if you have found anything further about William Burdett Hunt? I have started on a serious programme to write my grandfathers story, and I am interested to pursue this avenue a bit further.
Kind regards
Michael
i’m hoping someone might be able to tell me something about the site and/or history of a property in Wakefield known as “Bank House”. During the 1870s it was occupied by Robert Hooker, formerly proprietor of the Upper Motueka Hotel at Gordon Downs (also known as the Gordon Downs Accommodation House) and the Belgrove Inn. For a time in the 1860s Hooker was the owner of “Allington Farm” on the outskirts of Brightwater, once owned by George Duppa.
This draws a blank with me, Anne, so I will ask our members. Do you have any idea of where the house was situated?
Cheers, Roger. ________________________________
Hi Roger – unfortunately not. All I have is the death notice for Robert Hooker’s wife in the NEM 17 June 1875: “Hooker, 14 June, at Bank House, Wakefield, Margaret, wife of Robert Hooker”. I noticed that someone has given this place of residence as “Sunnybank”, but don’t know if that was a mistake or not. The electoral roll has Hooker in Waimea West around this time but doesn’t give a section number. I wondered if there could have been a connection with the ‘”Bankhouse” sheep station in Marlborough, but can’t find a link to the Monro family, though it’s quite possible Hooker knew them. Hooker is interesting because he was in with everyone who was anyone in the Waimea area – Kerrs, Bells, Redwoods, Silcocks, Duppa, Acton Adams etc and was a steward with the Waimea South Steeple Chase, but seems to have disappeared through the cracks as far as local history goes, probably because he moved with his family to Lower Taueru, Masterton, in 1880 and died up there in 1901. Hooker & John Kerr Jnr (later of Lake Station) were partners in a butchery business on Bridge Street in Nelson in the early 1850s and were also brothers-in-law – Hooker’s wife Margaret nee Rae was John Kerr Jnr’s wife Elizabeth were sisters.
Hi Anne, I am the 3rd great granddaughter of John Kerr Jnr and Elizabeth Rae, would love to chat to you about them please, look forward to your reply. Kalina 🙂
Hi there,
Am I able to order a copy of ‘From River to Range’ please
I would be happy to send you a copy but we will need a postal address. If we make email contact, I can arrange payment. The book costs NZ$10.00 plus postage ($5.00 within NZ). Roger.
Hi. I am a descendant of James Sutton (1842 – 1890) and Mary Ann Webby (1845 – 1926). They lived and farmed at Bateups Road on the Richmond/Hope border and had 11 children. I am doing some family research and I am trying to locate any photos of James and Mary Ann with their children or any photos of the children together.
Thank you. From Sue Prebble
I have passed your comment on to someone in the Webby family who should reply to you soon. There was a family reunion at Easter and a family history has been published by Jackie Webby.
Hi, I am descended from John and Ann Batt via their daughter Mary Ann, who married William Bale Andrew. I would like to get in touch with Roger Batt directly to try to fill in some gaps on this side of my family tree. Best regards, Robbie
Hi Robbie. Good to hear from a descendant of John and Ann’s first child. I am descended from William (their 7th/11) If you contact me by phone in (Nelson phone book) we can exchange e-mails and if you want the whole package I could arrange for the family history to be printed which has the detailed family tree in it plus other bits and pieces.
Cheers,
Roger Batt
Richmond
28th August 2018
Hello my name is Colleen and I live in Australia born NZ. I am interested in the Brookes/Adamsons family. I am also wondering where I can purchase thebookd More Wakefield Spuds and Just another row of spuds. I look forward to your reply cheers Colleen
Hi Colleen. Good to hear from you. You are not the first to want copies of the “Spuds” books. Unfortunately they are out of print. We have tried to make contact with the Stringer family to persuade them to do another printing but have not been successful so far.
Your best bet is by contacting second-hand book shops. “Bookfinder” is a good on-line site to start with. They have listings of shops in NZ who may have them. I”m pretty sure that “Richmond Antiques” in Salisbury Road, Richmond, will have some copies so you could try them first.
Best of luck,
Roger Batt
Thank you Roger
Greetings.
I am a descendant of the KERR, PALMER, KITE and COLES families all of the Waimea region.
I am an avid Genealogy researcher and would be keen to hear from any long lost relatives.
I can be contacted at: gargun99@hotmail.com
Regards
Ray PEENE
Hi Ray, I have sent you an email 🙂
Hi. I have heard that there may be a Knapp Family reunion coming up. I haven’t been able to find anything about this and wondered if you have any information in this regard.
Many thanks
Don Knapp
Hi- I’m wondering if anyone can help me untangle the ownership details of a Brightwater store, described as being a 3 and a half acre property in the Brightwater Township, with store and 2 dwelling houses, being part of Section 1 on the Plan of the District of Waimea South. This store originally belonged to Herbert Edwin Hall and was bought by Alfred Daniell in July 1886. In Sept 1891 it’s advertised as a mortgagee sale and Alfred moves to Ngatimoti where he sets up a new.store and lives for the rest of his life. Alfred and his next-oldest brother, George Daniell (the youngest sons of Henry C. Daniell, Nelson’s Commissioner of Crown Lands for many years) married sisters, and appear to have played swapsises around Ngatimoti and Brightwater, where both lived at different times. George was based at Ngatimoti in the 1870s when he was running a store at the Baton from a room at John Taylor’s accommodation house, and later became a store keeper at Brightwater, where he settled for the rest of his life. What I’m trying to establish is whether George’s Brightwater store was the one which brother Alfred had to quit or another one altogether? The timing would suggest it might be the same one. Cheers, Anne.
Hi I’m interested in being involved with the group. Could I get some details please.
Thanks
Lance Kenyon
Hi, my name is Kalina Batchelor and I am writing to you as I came across the Waimea South Historical Society in one of my online searches when looking for further info on my family.
I notice the name Brian Batchelor in one of your articles, unfortunatley I see he has passed. Which leads to my question of it you are able to put me in contact with his family at all please, as Brian’s great grandfather Arthur Nicholas Batchelor and my 2nd great grandfather Frederick Craven Batchelor were brothers.
Also I would be interested in anything on the Kerr’s as well. As Frederick Batchelor married Elizabeth Kerr the granddaughter of John Kerr Snr.
Thank you for taking time to read my email and I hope to hear from you soon. Kalina.
Researching the Hildreth family of Mt. Heslington Waimea South. The Nelson Pioneer Museum provided me with a book page showing a drawing of their first house on the property and supposedly a photograph of the second. Would the Society have any knowledge of the photograph and its origin ?