The Newsletter
Te Awamutu
Branch
NZ Society of
Genealogists
No 186
August 2008
Convenor: John Graham 871 8986
Email: jmrg@xtra.co.nz
Secretary: Karen Glew 871 7778
Email: kglew@xtra.co.nz
Treasurer: Sandra Metcalfe 871 3250
Email: Metcalfe@wave.co.nz
Editor at large: John Graham
Te Awamutu Website:
Email: jmrg@xtra.co.nz
www.teawamutu.net/genealogy
New Zealand Society of Genealogists Inc. www.genealogy.org.nz
Meetings are held in the Parish Lounge at St John's Anglican Church, Arawata Street
(parking off George Street), Te Awamutu, at 7.30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each
month – February to December. Visitors are most welcome.
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Next Meeting: 5th August 2008 - Mid winter International Pot Luck Dinner & Quiz
evening commencing at 6 pm. – Please bring a dish from one of your ancestor’s
countries and if members could bring their own plates and cutlery that would be good.
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Convenor’s Corner: The July meeting was well attended on an exceptionally cool
evening to hear Anna Kerr describe her research on "Keeping the cost down with Daisy and
Basil". She estimated that she had put in about 100 hours into this project and her financial outlay
was $20! Anna shared her research steps sourcing information for free from a variety of sources
which included: church records, newspapers, libraries, military records and closer to home,
members of her local genealogy branch by just asking the question do you know ……….?
Waikato University Library Visit: Again a very informative presentation by Kathryn
Parsons and John (library staff) and an opportunity to do research with their help. 18
attended (13 members and 5 visitors). See page 3.
Looking ahead: September meeting – Questions you want answers to. This is mainly
for the new members that we have. We would ask members to submit questions so
that we could do a bit of research first if necessary. We also want to have a few
laptops and the groups DVD’s at the meeting.
September 11 a trip to the Hamilton Public Library has been arranged for 1.30 pm,
meeting at the Rose Gardens, opposite the Information Centre at 12.45 pm to car
pool. Anyone interested in going please contact Karen by our September meeting i.e.
2nd September.
Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 186 – August 2008
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
Page: 1
A sad occasion in the Graham family, my mother passed away on 15 July up in
Pukekohe. She celebrated her 91st birthday in March, so has enjoyed a good innings.
You can shed tears that she has gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she’s gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Rest in Peace Joan
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New and renewed members names of interest:
Neil DENZIZE:
Auckland
DENIZE arrived in New Zealand in 1855 – Onehunga,
Joyce SMART:
SMART – England
CRUICKSHANKS – Scotland
BERTRAM – Jersey Island
BURTON – England
Chrissie MANKELOW
PROFFIT, pre 1874 – England
SINCLAIR, pre 1874 – Scotland
MANEKLOW, pre 1874 – Kent, England
GOUGH, pre 1874 – London, England
JENSEN, pre 1874 – Denmark
BURNETT, pre 1874 – Kent, England
LYFORD, pre 1874 – England
Janet HARRISON
WEBSTER, 1848 – Old Montrose, Scotland
CLARKSON, 1840? – Masham, England
HEY, 1896 – Bradford, England
BRETT, 1868? – Featherston, New Zealand
Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 186 – August 2008
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
Page: 2
University of Waikato library visit
18 people (15 members + 3 visitors) attended the Waikato University Library visit
today. Kathryn and John were very helpful telling us what was available from a
Genealogy point of view and then being available for queries later.
Bruce Owen asked me to pass on this generous offer (members on email would have received
this)
"I have another two weeks left of a 30 day subscription to http://www.findmypast.com/
Anyone can look up for free to see if an ancestor is listed on this very comprehensive list of
passenger on ships ex UK from 1890 till 1960, but they need a sub to view the details. If anyone
wants me to look up a relly, then email the details which they have within 2 weeks (deadline
4/8/08) and I will look up them for. Include your phone number if you wish to avail yourself of this
special offer!!"
Bruce can be contacted on bsowen@clear.net.nz
Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 186 – August 2008
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
Page: 3
The following article was in the Nelson Branch Newsletter, April 2006 which could
be helpful to the newer members:
Important Dates in Vital Statistics from Pauline Coman
1538 Parish Registration Introduced
(Christenings, Marriages and
Burials) Written on pieces of paper
– often misplaced or unreadable.
The registrars were elected by the
rate payers to keep the records. For
Christenings, the date of birth and
parents were named. It cost one
shilling – expensive for the day.
1597 Parchment Registers were
introduced. The old records were to
be copied into the new books. Some
just were started from 1597 and
other older books were thrown away
a. Bishops transcripts were started.
An annual copy was to be sent to the
Bishop. These transcripts can today
survive while the originals do not.
1648-60 The Interregnum. The
Commonwealth period with no
monarch. Oliver Cromwell, :-(ord
Protector tries to stamp out Popery.
Some clergy buried their registers
for safety and not all were
recovered.
During this time many church
records are not complete.
1693 It became compulsory to
register baptisms that took place
outside the Anglican Church. There
was a rise in Non-Conformity. A tax
was to be paid for each baptism.
This lead to children not being
baptised or registered. Children born
in earlier troubled times were
baptised as adults. Repealed in 1706.
1698 Parliament introduced an act
taxing all Marriages. This lead to
gaps especially with poorer families.
Repealed 5 years later.
1753 25 Mar Hardwiche’s Marriage
Act. Separate registers to be used for
marriages. Each entry had to have
signatures of the couples, witnesses
and Clerk. Had to show marital
status and parish of residence.”
Smile a While ☺
Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in
the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend
Finney. "Did you see the paper?" asked Gallagher. "They say I died!!"
Yes, I saw it!" replied Finney. "Where are ye callin' from?"
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Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 186 – August 2008
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
Page: 4