George Henry Cooper

George Henry Cooper was the youngest son of Samuel Cooper &  Elizabeth Hill. He was born in Wellington, New Zealand in March 1843, eighteen months after the family had arrived in the colony.

Again, not much is known about his early life. It is likely he and his elder brothers attended school in Sydney Street, Thorndon, though records to verify this have not been found, perhaps do not even exist.

In June 1868, George’s brother Fred and brother-in-law Michael Twomey advertised in the Evening Post their plan to dispose of their Ginger Beer, Aerated Water and Cordial Manufactury Business on Molesworth Street by lottery. I believe this was the business they had taken on after the death of another of George’s brothers, Thomas in 1867. Two hundred tickets were to be sold at £1 each. A letter to the editor of the Wellington Independent dated 29 April 1867 and published 30 April signed by George indicates that he too was assisting in the business which had been his brother’s.

It appears that either 25 year old George had the winning ticket or that perhaps the lottery did not work and he simply bought the business. Whichever was the outcome, from 1868 George carried on the business, first at Mulgrave Street and then relocating later that year to Thorndon Quay in what eventually became known as the Hotel Cecil block.

In October 1868 George married Elizabeth Carrick (or Calvert), who worked alongside him in the business and also a small shop adjacent to George’s factory where she sold ha’penny cakes, lollies and of course ginger beer. A letter to the editor entitled “Old Wellington” published in the Evening Post 8 September 1934 in response to a previous reminiscent article helps to place these building on the Thomas Ward maps held at Wellington City Archives. (From the maps it would seem that the start/end points of Thorndon Quay & Lambton Quay may have changed over time.) Also in this block and adjacent to Elizabeth’s store was a general store identified as Osbourne’s. The writer also states that prior to being run by the Osbournes the general store had been Stagg’s. This was an exciting revelation as that meant that Frederick Stagg – cousin to all these Cooper boys was living right amongst the family in Wellington.

In 1869, when his mother died George was reputedly in Kaikoura as mentioned in a notice (not yet verified) in the Kaikoura Herald recording the death in Wellington of “mother of John and George Cooper. I’m not sure why George would be in Kaikoura, unless simply visiting his brother. He can’t have been living there as his business was established in Wellington by then.

George and Elizabeth had no children of their own. I have often wondered if they cared for the orphaned children of his brother Thomas. At least one of the children later worked in the bottling and cordial industry and may have had their start working for their uncle. However, when George died of a stroke aged 40 in 1883 he left everything to his wife Elizabeth to be hers and hers alone – free from the control of any future husband she may have. After her death the money obtained from the sale of his real and personal estate and effects was to be divided equally between the children of his brothers John (of Kaikoura) and Frederick (of Wellington). The shares of any of those nieces and nephews not reached 21 was to be held in investment until they were old enough. No mention was made of the children of his other siblings, Thomas, Elizabeth or James.

Elizabeth did remarry, in 1888 to Charles Brodie – another ginger beer manufacturer in Wellington. He seems to have assumed control of George’s business and absorbed it into his own company. Elizabeth died in 1911, her will was dated 14 March 1889 – a year after her marriage to Charles – and left everything to him. He was described in her will as a gasfitter – but at her death his affidavit describes him as a gentleman. A bit of a rise through the ranks of society – I wonder if any of John or Frederick’s children ever did benefit from their uncle’s estate.

Frederick Cooper

Frederick Cooper was the last of Samuel and Elizabeth’s children to be born in England before they emigrated to New Zealand. He was noted as aged 6 months on Samuel’s application for Free Passage to New Zealand in November 1840. After purchasing his birth certificate, his birth date as confirmed as 20 April 1840, and he was baptised on 10 May at St Catherine's, Montacute.

The family were first offered passage on the Lord William Bentinck to sail from Gravesend on 7 January 1841 when Frederick would have been just 8 months old. For some reason they did not take up this offer, reapplying instead and travelling on the Oriental which sailed from Plymouth 22 June 1841.

As with his older siblings, nothing is known of Frederick’s early life in Wellington. His obituary in 1908 seems a little tangled with the lives of his older brothers. He apparently went to the Otago goldfields and then on to Ballarat, returning to New Zealand to marry. The dates don’t seem to make sense to me.

Gold was discovered near Bendigo in 1852 when Frederick would have been 12 years old. From all accounts the goldrush in Otago began in 1861.

It may have been the Otago goldfields that brought his brothers back to New Zealand from the Victorian goldfields but I’m pretty sure Frederick either did not go at all, or perhaps went to Otago very briefly.

In 1860 he had launched his seed and nursery business in Wellington where he first had a nursery at the top end of Taranaki Street. In 1863 he married Ellen Carpenter and the two of them worked at growing the business and established a store on Manners Street near Herbert Street (about where McDonalds is today). In 1864 he applied to be on the electoral roll and gave his address as Wingfield Street and his eligibility as a freeholder owner of a house and land at that address. Wingfield Street itself doesn't exist today. It ran parallel to Fraser's Lane which was pretty much where Aiken Street runs today and could be accessed from Molesworth Street or John Street which ran from Fraser's Lane. John Street today  looks like a delivery entrance running off Aiken Street between the National Library and the now demolished Defence Building and Freyberg Building (but is labelled Guthrie Street on maps). Frederick & Ellen had ten children; eight daughters and two sons between 1864-1879. Two of their daughters died in childhood, one aged 3 years and the other 9 years.

The family run business traded for more than 100 years before being sold in his grandchildren’s generations to their one time business rival business Yates. Frederick had nurseries in Taranaki Street and in Lower Hutt as well as the store in Manners Street. Bijoux Nurseries were in Woburn near where Te Omanga Hospice is today. Frederick traded globally, Cooper’s Seeds being in great demand. An article in the Upper Hutt Leader gives some history about the beginnings and development of the business in its 100^th year.

Frederick left notably the most well known footprint of all his family in New Zealand history. He was recorded on a number of documents throughout his life helping us to paint a better picture of who he was. He was amongst the witnesses at the inquest into his brother Thomas’ drowning in 1867. He also appears to have taken over and run Thomas’ business for a time after his death as mentioned here. His affidavit when his cousin Frederick Stagg died intestate in 1875 was a recent find, which lead to the discovery that other family members had also emigrated to New Zealand.

It was a surprise after all the discoveries of his great business success and legal interactions to learn that he died intestate in 1908 aged 67.

Elizabeth Cooper

Elizabeth Cooper, Betsy, was 10 years old when she and her siblings arrived in Wellington with their parents. She was baptised at St Catherine, Montacute on 17 April 1831.

Six years later, at just 16 she married Daniel Morrison a mariner who was 18 years older than her, just a few months before her elder sister was married. Betsey was the first of Samuel and Elizabeth’s children to marry.

In August 1858, Daniel died from injuries sustained when his ship was wrecked, leaving Elizabeth with their five children aged 2-11. Shortly after his death Daniel Wilson placed notices in the local newspapers asking for donations toward a memorial for Daniel and from September three others placed advertisements for subscriptions to benefit his widow and children who were left “wholly unprovided for”. On 8 November a concert in aid of the widows Morrison and Mackenzie (I don’t know of the connection between these two ladies, perhaps it was just fortuitous timing) was held at the Lyceum Theatre on Lambton Quay with glees, songs and instrumental music. Another researcher some years ago had found information at Alexander Turnbull Library reporting that the monies raised by public subscription enabled the public of Wellington to purchase a house for Elizabeth and her children.

Eleven months after Daniel’s death Elizabeth married Michael Twomey. He too was a mariner, they married at her private residence in Little Ghuznee Street (Now Egmont Street which runs between Ghuznee Street and Dixon Street).

They had a number of children together, possibly 10, although only 5 appear to have survived childhood. To make life interesting, or research tricky, Michael is sometimes recorded as Henry or Michael Henry. This was the case for the birth of one of their sons whose birth was registered by Elizabeth’s elderly mother in 1866.

Just yesterday I found advertisements in the local newspapers for 1868 where an

“old established GINGER-BEER, AERATED WATERS AND CORDIAL MANUFACTURY BUSINESS”

was to be sold by lottery. 200 tickets at £1 each. The business was being carried on by Messrs Cooper and Twomey on Molesworth Street, and the manager was noted as F Cooper. I have not been aware of this at all, but it would seem that this must be the business of Thomas Cooper who had drowned in February/March 1867, and that his younger brother Frederick and brother in law Michael had taken over to keep it afloat and possibly help to support Thomas' orphaned children.

At some time shortly after the sale Michael and Elizabeth left Wellington with their children. They made their way to the West Coast where Michael was involved in mining. It has been suggested that they may have spent some time visiting with Elizabeth’s brother John’s family in Kaikoura. In 1870 Elizabeth’s daughter Elizabeth from her first marriage was married to a local Kaikoura boy. By 1871 Michael and Elizabeth were in Hokitika area where their youngest two sons were born. They moved back to Kaikoura around 1894/95 and Daniel died there in 1897 described as a gardener.

I have often wondered if anyone in the family might have offered assistance to John Cooper’s wife Mary, who left him and took her three youngest children to Australia, creating a new life with Charles Nicholls there. It has been suggested that they sailed from Hokitika around 1876. Maybe it was Elizabeth. She and Mary would have been contemporaries, quite likely knew each other in Wellington before their marriages. They were two years apart in age and both married husbands a lot older than themselves. Perhaps Mary and the children visited or stayed with Michael and Elizabeth before their departure. Perhaps too, Michael’s network of connections from his time as a mariner helped them find passage on a ship bound for Melbourne. I have only just had these pieces of information fall into place in the timeline in my mind today.

Maybe it’s true, it is mostly conjecture, but it does feel like it could add up.

What stories she could have told. Old enough to remember what life in England was like, old enough to remember her grandmother and aunts and uncles. She experienced travel on an immigrant sailing ship, life in the fledgling Wellington settlement, survived both the 1848 and 1855 earthquakes and was part of the gold rush on the West Coast before returning to the pioneer town of Kaikoura for her final years. Elizabeth died 27 May 1906.

Mary Anne Cooper

Samuel Cooper had two daughters named Mary Anne.

The first was his second child with Charlotte Hann. She was baptised at St Catherine Montacute on 31 January 1820, the day after her mother was buried. This suggests that she was born in January 1820 and that her mother may have died shortly after her birth. So far no record for her death or a marriage has been found. In the 1841 census there is an Ann Cooper living in Montacute of the right age. Could this be her ? All of the other Coopers in the church records and on the census seem to be connected to the one family, but this Ann has a daughter in 1841 and does not appear to have a husband. As yet, I haven’t been able to find her on subsequent census’ to gather more information about her.

So the jury is out.

Maybe she did die in infancy and the Ann on the census is just a red herring.

On 20 August 1828 Samuel and his second wife Elizabeth had their second daughter, Mary Anne, baptised at St Catherine Montacute. It doesn't make a lot of sense, would you give a new child the same name as another living child ? Perhaps. Stranger things have happened.

This Mary Anne was about 13 when the family left England in 1841 for their new life in Wellington, New Zealand. Six years later in 1847 she married Christopher Lockyer. He has lots of appearances in the local newspapers running into trouble with the law, appearing in court for drunkenness, fighting with his brother, being a vagabond, keeping a disorderly house (brothel), spending time in jail in his old age because the Benevolent Home would not have him. But there is never a mention of Mary Anne.

There is a death record for Mary Ann Lockyer in 1931, but the notice in the newspaper (New Zealand Herald, 27 August 1931) identifies her as the wife of Samuel Lockyer, not Christopher…and Christopher had died in 1904. There is also a marriage for a Mary Anne Lockyer and Joseph Sanders in 1849, but when that Mary Anne died her age is out by about 10 years. 

The search continues to unravel this story.

Charlotte Cooper

Charlotte Cooper was Samuel’s 2^nd daughter, but the first for him and his 2^nd wife Elizabeth. She was born on 28 April 1824 and baptised 23 May the same year at St Catherine, Montacute, Somerset.

Since we don’t know anything about Elizabeth before her marriage there are no clues about where the name Charlotte might have come from for their daughter. Perhaps it was her mother’s name, or a sister- hopefully it wasn’t chosen by Samuel to memorialise his first wife.

Not a lot is known about Charlotte’s life either as is often the case with daughters.

She was 17 when the family emigrated to New Zealand and I imagine would have been a great help to her mother on the voyage caring for her younger siblings – the youngest just over a year old.

No marriage or death records have been located for her although it has been suggested by some researchers that she may have died about 1857. Three of her siblings named daughters Charlotte around this time – a clue perhaps ?

Thomas Cooper

Thomas Cooper was born in Montacute in 1826. He was baptised on 30 July that year but no birthdate was recorded in the register.

Thomas was 15 years old when his family emigrated to New Zealand in 1841. He first appears on a Jury list in 1847 when he would be 21 as a labourer living in Thorndon Flat. By 1848 he was recorded as a shoemaker and this remained the same until 1850 when he was described as a publican.

Thomas was married in 1850 to Charlotte Pike, another Somerset native who had emigrated with her parents arriving a few months ahead of the Cooper family in 1841. By 1852 his aerated water business, making ginger beer, soda water and cordials in Pipitea Street was becoming established. Thomas had placed advertisements in local newspapers from at least 1853 wanting to buy bottles.

By 1866 Thomas and Charlotte had a family of nine children. For a short time in the mid 1850’s Thomas is thought to have left Wellington and ventured to the Victorian goldfields with his brother James. There is also a mention of him relocating to the Rangitikei area briefly before returning to Wellington to re-establish his ginger beer and cordial enterprise on Mulgrave Street.

It would seem that the business must have operated from the site now occupied by Wellington Girls’ College or across the road close to the site of the old brewery (Staples Brewery est. 1866, later Thorndon Brewery and then Lion Breweries) where New World is now located.

In October 1866, two months after the death of his father, Thomas’s wife Charlotte passed away leaving him with their nine children aged 2-16. Just four and a half months later Thomas mysteriously disappeared. A report of his disappearance appeared in the local newspapers. This one in the Wellington Independent on Thursday 28 February reads:

"MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. – We regret to state that Mr Thomas Cooper, a ginger-beer manufacturer, residing at Thorndon, has disappeared in a very mysterious manner. He left the Thistle Inn about eight o’clock on Monday night, and was seen shortly afterwards by a man named Allison to be going in the direction of Brown’s wharf. It is feared that Mr Cooper, who had been drinking, missed his way and fell into the water, and the drags were employed in that part of the harbour yesterday, but nothing was discovered that would throw any light on the fate of the missing man."

The following week, on 5 March, 10 days after his disappearance his body was found by a lighterman taking ballast out to a ship moored in the harbour from near Plimmer’s wharf. The witnesses at the inquest held the same day at the Te Aro Police Station included a friend who had been with him at the Thistle and his younger brother Frederick. They, and the lighterman who also knew Thomas, identified him by the clothes he was wearing. Ten days in the water is not gentle on a body.

His death certificate records his date of death as 5 March 1867, the day of the inquest, when it is more likely to have been 25 February, the date which he was last seen alive.

I have done a little bit of research and have been able to identify the location of Brown’s wharf. Very close to the Thistle as it happens. Anyone familiar with Wellington will know the stories about patrons of old, including Te Rauparaha, pulling their dinghies or waka up on to the beach near the hotel. The steps outside now take you from the pavement to Kate Shephard Street (formerly Sydney Street West) but back in the days before earthquakes and reclamation the shoreline was right there.

In 1867 some reclamation had begun and of course the earthquakes of 1848 and 1855 also contributed to the changing shoreline. Browns wharf is described in the New Zealand Electronic Text Collection “Early Wellington” published by Whitcombe and Tombs Limited in 1928, as being

“opposite the Royal (now Cecil) Hotel”

The site of the Royal Hotel which later became the Cecil Hotel, was known as the Hotel Cecil Block and was situated on Thorndon Quay where the Wellington bus terminus now is.

Plimmer’s wharf will have been located further along Lambton Quay, close to Plimmer’s Steps near the Old Bank Arcade (formerly Bank of New Zealand). 

Who was looking after the children all of this time while their father was missing ? Who assumed responsibility for them after his death ? More about Thomas’ business can be found here. 

 

 

 

 

John Cooper

John Cooper, my 2 x great grandfather, was born in Montacute, Somerset most likely in the summer of 1822. His baptism is recorded in the church register for St Catherine on 10 June 1822. He was the first born son of Samuel Cooper a tailor, and his 2^nd wife Elizabeth. 

Nothing else is known about John before his arrival in New Zealand, and even that is shrouded in mystery. John was listed on Samuel’s application for passage for his wife and family, first for the Lord William Bentinck and then the Oriental. At the time that the Oriental sailed he would have been 21 years old, perhaps that caused confusion and he should have been recorded separately to the rest of his family because of his age. Whatever happened, he isn’t recorded as disembarking in Wellington with the rest of the family once they arrived after 3 months at sea.

This sailing of the Oriental in 1841 was under charter to the Plymouth Company, ostensibly bringing settlers to settle in New Plymouth in the Taranaki, but arriving by way of Wellington. News of unrest in the Taranaki apparently caused some settlers to abandon their plans to travel on further and some disembarked in Wellington. I am not sure if the Cooper family’s intention was to settle in New Plymouth at all. Since their first application was for a voyage to Wellington, perhaps Wellington was their chosen destination all along. We have wondered though, whether John travelled on to Taranaki after the rest of the family disembarked to survey the situation and report back. However, he is not recorded as disembarking there either. Only recently I discovered that after delivering the remaining settlers to New Plymouth, the Oriental returned to Wellington before preparing to leave to return to England via India. So did John join the crew for the trip to New Plymouth and back and just not get recorded anywhere ?

However, we know he did arrive because we are all here as proof.

Occupationally John followed his father and become a tailor, although on the earliest Jury Lists for Wellington he was recorded as a labourer. In 1860/61 he placed regular advertisements in the Wellington Independent advertising his business on Lambton Quay next to the Eagle Tavern. I have tried several times over the last ten or more years to find out where the Eagle Tavern was situated. No luck at all until last week. Did I choose different search words or just see something I had completely missed before ?

Turns out Lambton Quay didn’t end where it does today, at Stewart Dawson’s corner. For some time it extended around that windy corner into what is now Willis Street – and that was where the Eagle Tavern was; a few building beyond the Commercial (which eventually became the Grand), about opposite Chew’s Lane.

In 1850, John married Mary Ann Barratt. She had arrived in Wellington with her parents and siblings in May 1842. When they married Mary was 17 and John 27. They lived in Wellington until about 1861 when they moved, along with some of Mary’s married sisters, to join her mother and youngest siblings in Kekerengu north of Kaikoura where John had secured a position as a tailor on the sheep station. Their first 6 children were born in Wellington and a further 4 at Kekerengu. About 1871 they moved further south to the township of Kaikoura. It has been suggested by another family historian, that the move to Kaikoura may have been prompted by the Tetley Affair. This involved some mismanagement of finances on the part of the owners of the Kekerengu Station and would likely have had follow on effects for those employed to work there. Another 3 children were born in Kaikoura.

Electoral rolls and jury lists show his occupation as tailor, apart from 1847 where he was listed as a labourer. His death certificate in 1895 records him as a gardener and a photograph has recently been shared with us of him standing outside his shop in Kaikoura where he is “J. Cooper, Fruiterer”.

W - Whanga-nui-a-Tara, Te

Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara, the great harbour of Tara, Wellington Harbour, Port Nicholson, Poneke.

Tara was a son of the Polynesian explorer Whatonga whose descendants lived in the area. Māori tradition tells that Kupe first discovered the harbour when he visited in the 10^th century. There are a number of places within the harbour whose names commemorate Kupe; Te Tangihanga o Kupe or Te Raranga o Kupe (Barrett Reef) and Te Aroaro o Kupe or Te Ure of Kupe (Steeple Rock). Kupe also named the two islands within the harbour; Mākaro (Ward) and Matiu (Somes). 

Legend tells that the harbour itself was once a lake in habited by two taniwha (guardian spirits). Whātaitai and Ngake. Whātaitai lived in the north of the lake where the harbour now is and the water was calmer, like his nature. Ngake, lived further south and was a little more cantankerous. He didn’t like being confined to the lake and could hear the waters of Raukawa Moana (Cook Strait) pounding to the south. He decided he would escape to reach the tumultuous sea. To gather speed he spun around at the north of the lake and headed off rapidly to the south, where he crashed into and through the rocks at Te Turanga o Kupe (Seatoun) and headed out in to the pounding sea. Whātaitai watched and then tried to follow Ngake but instead of taking the same route he chose a different path. The water was rushing out of the lake into the sea by this time and Whātaitai hadn’t built up as much speed as Ngake. He got stuck on the sand and stayed there for many generations until he was lifted high onto the land by a great earthquake. His soul left in the form of a bird Te Keo and flew high above the harbour and wept for the taniwha. Today the suburbs on the hills immediately below Tangi Te Keo (Mt Victoria) is named Hataitai.

European settlement began in earnest in 1840. It was into this harbour that two branches of my family sailed after four months at sea, The Coopers in 1841 and the Barratts in 1842. We used to joke that they had got blown in the harbour by a good southerly and couldn’t get back out. Turns out it could have been true. In Jenny Robin Jones’ book “No Simple Passage”, the London, arriving in May 1842 with my Barratt ancestors on board was in sight of land but had to turn back and sail away to ride out or avoid a storm.

The New Zealand Company led by Edward Gibbon Wakefield bought from Te Atiawa chief Te Wharepouri around 160,000 acres. Known as the Port Nicholson Purchase. This was 90% of the land surrounding the harbour. The remaining 10% known as the Wellington Tenths was seat aside for Maori and today more than 4500 descendants of the original "tenths" owners have their interests in the land managed by the Wellington Tenths Trust. Settlers were allocated two properrty lots; an acre in the township and another back country block worth £1 per acre. Maybe this is why I have often found my ancestors on two electoral rolls at the same time - once against their "town" address and additionally at an address outside the outskists of the main part of town. Unsurprisingly many were not happy with their share, apportioned sight unseen - and if you know Wellington, most likely not flat or arable ! 

Samuel Cooper was a tailor, his son John followed him into the same trade and had business premises on Lambton Quay next to the Eagle Tavern at one time. A couple of John's brothers ventured into the soda manufacturing business. Thomas reputedly was the first in Wellington to establish such a business. Another brother Frederick established a plant nursery and Cooper's Seeds. He was possibly assisted in this enterprise by his brother James who had a similar set up in Invercargill. Importing plants from Australia. DNA suggests this link, I have yet to confirm it. Their cousin Frederick Stagg ran a grocery business on Lambton Quay.

Wellington certainly gets some wicked weather and is the brunt of non-Wellingtonian’s jokes. I imagine my ancestors wondered on some days why they had chosen to come to such an inhospitable place. But then there are those great days, the harbour is like a millpond, the breeze just a gentle zephyr…You can’t beat Wellington on a good day.

Coolest little capital in the world.

 

#52Ancestors, Fire

An open fire on a cold winter night invokes thoughts of cosiness, comfort food, a book to read snuggled under a blanket. An outdoor campfire brings back memories of fun times at camp or at the beach with friends.

But fire, was much more of a necessity to our ancestors than it is to us today with electricity or gas connected right to our homes. There have been several instances of fire wreaking havoc on the lives of my own ancestors.

I mentioned one in a previous post which I had only recently learned of. A fire in Kaikoura in 1935 which destroyed three cottages in the night. Something left on a cooker ? An ember that landed on some fabric or a wooden floor ? A bird’s nest in or on top of the chimney ? No-one appeared to have been harmed in that fire, but two people lost not only their cottage but also their belongings.[1]

In Wellington on 22 August 1869 my 3 x great grandmother Elizabeth Cooper (nee Hill) died aged 70. The cause of death is given as “Accidentally burnt”.[2] Was she cooking a meal ? Did her shawl drop into the flame ? Did her skirt brush lightly across the fireplace ? Did a sudden gust of wind or breeze force the flames without warning in a different direction to where she was expecting ?

In Nelson in the early hours of 7 August 1866 there was a great fire.[3] Twenty buildings were burned at the four corners of Bridge and Collingwood Streets. The fire was discovered at the Nelson Hotel, one of three hotels on or near that intersection to be burnt. Ironically the Temperance Hall was also burnt and the YMCA rooms as well as some dwelling houses and shops. It was later established to have started in a bedroom of the Nelson Hotel.[4]

One of the shops destroyed was the bakery of Edward Laney, my 3 x great grandfather, which was adjacent to the Royal Hotel. He had been in business for twenty four years with premises in Richmond, on Nile Street East and on Bridge Street throughout that time.[5] On the night of the fire there was a strong south westerly wind which caused the flames to take hold on all corners of the intersection. This was the first great fire to occur in Nelson since the arrival of the first English settlers in 1842.[6] No lives were lost, but many lost all their belongings. Later in the day an inquest was held to determine the cause of the fire.[7] A meeting was held in the evening of the same day to raise subscriptions or pledges from the townsfolk to assist those who had suffered in the fire.[8]

The fire, which by sheer luck was the first of its size since settlement began was also the impetus for organising a Volunteer Fire Brigade.[9] The Nelson Evening Mail ran a series of editorials in the days after the fire lobbying for action and responsibility to be taken. This had been attempted once before, and the town even had two fire engines available.[10] But the disorganisation, delay and lack of available men on the night of the fire, meant that it was at least 20 minutes after the alarm had been raised that the smaller engine had been pulled to the scene of the fire.[11] Time which may have saved some of the premises which were lost.

1866 had been quite a year for the Laney family. William, the eldest child, who like Edward was also a baker, had died in April of Bilious Fever aged 24, leaving a widow and two young children.[12] In June, Edward’s wife Mary passed away.[13] Around this time it is possible that, Ann, Edward’s step-daughter returned to live with the family. Ann was a widow with three young children; in early June she was living in Hope Street when she placed an advertisement advertising a business premise in Trafalgar Street to let.[14] Before her marriage Ann had also worked in the bakery, running her own business since the age of 15 at the premises in Bridge Street.[15] After the fire Ann placed a thank you notice in the Nelson Evening Mail, thanking the “Ladies and the Public generally” for the kindness shown by them by supplying clothes for herself and her sisters since the fire.[16] Those sisters were Edward’s youngest children Sarah and Mary, whether his younger son Edwin was also there is unknown.

Edward’s premises were insured and by October 1866 he had rebuilt on the same site – in a slightly more expansive manner.[17] Just a few short years later he closed up shop and removed to the Wairau Valley.[18]

---

[1] ‘Three Houses Burnt’, The Press, 28 June 1935, p.18.

[2] ‘An Old Woman Burnt to Death’, Taranaki Herald, 4 September 1869, p.3.

[3] ‘Serious Fire Eighteen Houses Destroyed’, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 7 August 1866, p.2.

[4] ‘Inquiry into the Cause of the Fire’, Nelson Evening Mail, 8 August 1866, p.3.

[5] ‘Old Established Bakery’, Nelson Evening Mail, 17 October 1866, p.4.

[6] ‘Serious Fire Eighteen Houses Destroyed, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, p.2.

[7] ‘Inquiry into the Cause of the Fire’, Nelson Evening Mail, p.3.

[8] ‘A Public Meeting’, Nelson Evening Mail. 7 August 1866, p.3.

[9] ‘Meeting of Committee Appointed to Organize Fire Brigade”, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 16 August 1866, p.3.

[10] John Wilson, Thematic Historical Overview of Nelson City for the Nelson City Council as part of the Nelson Heritage Inventory Project – Final Draft, October 2011, J Wilson, Christchurch, pp. 40-41. http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/assets/About-nelson/downloads/1176312-thematic-historical-overview-of-nelson-city-OCT2011.pdf

[11] ‘Disastrous Fire’, Nelson Evening Mail, 7 August 1866, p.2.

[12] ‘Deaths’, Colonist, 17 April 1866, p.2.

[13] ‘Died’, Nelson Evening Mail, 1 June 1866, p.2.

[14] ‘Desirable Business Premises’, Nelson Evening Mail, 4 June 1866, p.1.

[15] ‘Established Eighteen Years’, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 23 February 1861, p.4.

[16] ‘The Undersigned’, Nelson Evening Mail, 21 August 1866, p.3.

[17] ‘Local Improvements’, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 14 December 1866, p.4.; ‘Old Established Bakery’, Nelson Evening Mail, p.4.

[18] ‘News has been received in Nelson’, Nelson Evening Mail, 21 August 1882, p.2.

Another whirlwind

Quick trip

Because our trip back to New Zealand in October seemed so pushed for time and rushed we decided to do it all over again. Only thing is, it became a bit the same – not enough days.

Air New Zealand for some unexplained reason changed our flight from late afternoon to early morning which just messed up the plans we had had to do things before leaving. The night before we had been to Hanson’s String Theory at QPAC (Queensland performing Arts Centre) and it was amazing. But having to rush home and make sure we were packed for a 5.30am departure from home just took the edge off the whole evening.

We made it though and before we headed north to Blenheim we had a quick look around Christchurch and Lyttelton at the changes, and also at some things which are still yet to change, and caught up with a couple of friends. Then we hit the road next morning, stopping for the occasional photograph and then coffee at Cheviot, eventually making it to Blenheim mid afternoon.

We managed to catch up with people and gave ourselves an extra day in Wellington too. But the week still ended up feeling like a half visit when you factor in the half day travel at each end to get to and from the airport in Christchurch.

When we had booked flights last year I was dismayed to learn that my favourite Canadian rocker, Bryan Adams, was going to be touring Australia and New Zealand at that exact time. Typical, I had thought, I will miss out on seeing him. But that dismay turned to joy when I looked at the dates – no show in Brisbane at all BUT a show in Wellington the week which we would be in New Zealand. WIN. Then tickets – and as luck would have it my friend Jill had bought two but hadn’t got as far as finding a friend to go with her. What a great night it was too.

Then, on the Friday afternoon while filling in time, waiting for the flight back to Blenheim came the unfolding news about the massacre in Christchurch. First thoughts were to my friends who lived there and others who had travelled there that day.

Were they safe ?

Why Christchurch?

What the H  E  double hockey sticks ?!!

Those last days in Aotearoa were a little sombre, people were numb and outraged. Still, some made racist jokes and didn’t hear the irony in their speech. Sure, some of us have different beliefs or ideals but they have never come between us outwardly before; fuelled by bigotry and xenophobia. Everyone gets along with everyone – right ? Extremism has no place on the planet and definitely is not welcome in this small island nation. This is New Zealand, Aotearoa, we are better than that. Love is Love. We Are One. You Are Us.

We left early Sunday to drive to Christchurch and that plane. Stopping on the way to see the seals at Ohau Point in their new, redeveloped post earthquake home and a bit further on stopped again, captivated by the largest pod of dolphins I have ever seen from the shore. A fellow observer loaned us his binoculars and said that the day before there had been whales doing the same. There must have been some mighty fine dining out there on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

We had enough time when we got to Christchurch to take flowers and lay them along the fence of the Botanic Gardens where people of all ages, walks of life and nationality walked and stood in quiet thought. Supporting each other and those around them. News crews lined the streets reporting on the atmosphere and talking to people. We tore ourselves away, feeling a little like we should be staying to help in some way like we felt leaving Blenheim after the 2016 earthquake.

And then we were home.

Hello from the other side

 - of the Tasman, that is !

The last few weeks have been a blur of boxes and sorting and selling and packing. I'm glad that part is over.

After farewelling workmates and saying goodbye to the stress of packing and cleaning we headed south for a couple of days in Wellington. Time to catch up with friends and family there as well before that early morning flight.

On the way we stopped in Taupo and caught the sunset - and got up early in the freezing morning to catch the sunrise too. 

In Wellington we were reminded of the weather we had left behind. Idyllic one day, horrendous the next; but that is what makes it great at the same time. Not enough time to see everyone though. Maybe on the next trip.

We were up bright and early 3.30am ! and off to the airport for a relatively smooth trip arriving in Melbourne at 8.00am. We needed to visit the bank where we had opened our accounts, so we caught the bus into the city and found a great place to get some breakfast (no food on the plane for our fare option).

It had been awhile since my last visit to Melbourne - maybe 12 years ? surely not that long. But it all still felt so familiar. We enjoyed wandering around in the sun before catching the bus back and picking up the rental car. 

Bendigo (new home town) is just 90 minutes from Melbourne and has regular bus and train services, so I KNOW we will be back that way to catch a show or two, or to just wander the streets.

Mother Nature sends us a reminder

So, like I said in my last post, we had made a surprise trip to Blenheim for Dad's birthday.

Turns out we surprised more than just Mum and Dad - the nephews had been kept out of the loop as well ! We all went out for dinner that evening which was enjoyable. We spent Sunday - birthday proper - catching up, sharing morning tea with other family...and inevitably discussing a bit of family tree. 

It had been pretty wet on Saturday, but was looking a little brighter on Sunday. Lauren was keen to go see "her" cob cottage. She even mentioned it as we had crossed the Wairau River on our way from Nelson to Blenheim on Saturday. But the river was so high with all the rain I didn't fancy driving along the riverbank. On Sunday, the river levels had begun to drop but the road up to the cottage is unsealed and alongside a small stream (including a ford) which was likely to have been running higher than normal - so again the opportunity was lost.

And so to bed - late as usual. Only moments after I had turned off the light, but long enough to have been half asleep, I suddenly became aware that the earth was moving. Initially, I lay in bed listening to the coathangers clinking against each other in the wardrobe, then it became more violent. The house felt like it was twisting and turning and trying to lift itself off its foundations. I remember thinking in blurry half asleep thought "where is this happening if I can feel it this strongly in Auckland ?" and then "Gah !! I'm not in Auckland, I'm in Blenheim". About the same time things began banging, and crashing and falling. I decided then that the door frame might be where I should be, so I shot out of bed and stood there, holding the frame while the house bucked and twisted and things crashed about. I'm usually a freeze on the spot person, wait and see. Earthquakes don't scare or terrify me. They are just one of those things that happen. It's where we live. But I had never felt anything like this one in all my time living in Wellington or Christchurch. And then it stopped.

The power was out, so the light on our cellphones came in very handy. We all checked on each other - no injuries - and began checking to see if anything was broken. Miraculously just a few cd cases were casualties having been thrown across the floor when the cd towers had fallen over. An orchid in a pot was strewn across the floor as well, and the vases of flowers on the dining room table had fallen over and emptied water over the table and onto the floor. Ornaments had fallen or been thrown from the large wall unit, but landed without breaking on the carpet. Glasses of water on bedside tables had tipped their contents on the floor or on the beds. All the while we could feel aftershocks. Since there was no power, there was no wifi either. Dad had his little radio on. Radio New Zealand were great - imagine doing that show !! So 7.8 near Culverden. Crikey.

Eventually we managed to get some signal outside - yay for mobile data. I text everyone I could think of in Wellington, Marlborough and in Christchurch, checking they were all okay and reassuring them that we were. Neighbours checked on each other and nephew #1 called by to check that we were all okay on his way home to be with his Mum and brother. An hour or so later, with things tidied up and other things moved to the floor - just in case we headed back to bed to try and get some sleep. There was some sleep, but it was interrupted with the earth wobbling constantly. 

In the morning on the tv we began to see the effects and damage. Kaikoura, Waiau, Mt Lyford, Ward, Oaro. Small rural and coastal communities, completely cut off from the rest of the country. Just crazy. I had a few messages from rellies overseas checking in to be sure we were all okay. 

We didn't have time to look at much as we needed to fly back to Auckland. It felt odd leaving it all behind. If not for work, we'd have preferred to stay and help in some way. It felt even more peculiar to be so far removed from it all that we couldn't even feel the shaking - having been in the thick of it initially.

Over the next few days as the media were able to get access to the impact zone our newspapers, online and tv news, social media were flooded with images and stories. The force of Mother Nature is just awe inspiring, yet freaky. Great chasms forming new valleys, monster landslides, uplift of the land and seabed in place up to 2 metres ! giant boulders tossed to the ground, the railway line thrown across the coastal highway and on to the beach, the road subsiding and cracking, the movement north, east and west of parts of the country.

Slowly things are returning to whatever normal is, some roads have reopened, the trip from Picton to Christchurch now takes 7 1/2 hours instead of 4, the earth is still moving. Many buildings in Wellington were damaged and some are being demolished - that was a surprise since the quake wasn't felt as strongly there as it was in North Canterbury and Marlborough. Doesn't bode too well for that big quake they are still expecting. 

My heart is with Kaikoura though, it is where my family settled after first being in Wellington - and leaving after the 1855 quake. Some of them where already there though as they are referenced in diaries and accounts of that quake and its damage to Flaxbourne (Ward) and the Clarence.

Check out these sites if you are interested in seeing the destruction that can be wrought in minutes, by natural forces
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86416304/Live-7-8-New-Zealand-earthquake
https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/75-north-canterbury-quake-shakes-new-zealand-ck-196636
http://www.sciencealert.com/new-zealand-s-earthquake-was-so-powerful-it-dragged-the-sea-bed-2-metres-above-ground
http://info.geonet.org.nz/display/quake/2016/11
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/21/502889609/watch-drone-footage-shows-aftermath-of-new-zealand-quake
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11757659
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/kaikoura-earthquake/318101/the-earthquake-aftermath-in-pictures
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/86460020/Earthquake-More-cows-stranded-on-an-outcrop-of-land-after-three-saved

and many more - and in case you are wondering, the cob cottage at Bartletts Creek is still standing.