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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: Lucy2 on Monday 28 January 08 22:26 GMT (UK)
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Hi
Would be most grateful of a probate record look-up at Christchurch, please.
FOWLER : William Llewelyn - Hokitika - Draper - 1897
Agency : CAIF
Series: 20702
Accession: CH 300
Box: Box 50
Record: HK 653/1897
Very many thanks.
Lu :)
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Hi Lu,
Happy to do that for you later in the week.
Best wishes,
Stephanie
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Wonderful ! Thanks so much Stephanie. :)
Kind regards
Lu
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Hi Lu,
William Llewelyn FOWLER, died 5 July 1897.
Will dated 1894...
Executors and trustees - James HOLMES, painter of Hokitika and David John EVANS, clerk of Hokitika.
William bequeathed to the following:
John HOPKINS of Allandale, Victoria, 250 pounds
Elizabeth RICHINGS, his sister, 500
Sarah Ann FOWLER, sister-in-law, 500
Frederick J FOWLER, brother, 500
DJ EVANS, 250
Joseph Llewelyn FOWLER, nephew, 250
William RICHINGS, nephew, 250
John TAIT of Hokitika, 25 pounds
John ALLEN, storekeeper of Hokitika, 10
His wife Mrs John ALLEN, 10
The rest of estate to be divided equally between relatives - Elizabeth RICHINGS, Sarah Ann FOWLER, Frederick J FOWLER, Joseph Llewelyn FOWLER and William RICHINGS
There were lots of receipts and accounts in the file. The estate was valued at 8,428 pounds.
So - still chasing those Richings!! Hope this is useful!
Best wishes,
Stephanie :)
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Dear Stephanie
Thank you so very much. :)
Yes, that's great information.
Mmm ... still chasing the Richings "lot" .... you never know, there may be another great story, just around the corner ! ::)
Really appreciate your help.
Kind regards
Lu
* COMPLETED *
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Hi Stephanie,
William L Fowler was my great-great-great uncle.
The probate records you refer to - can they be viewed in Christchurch?
Thanks in anticipation,
Bruce
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Hi Bruce
... welcome to RootsChat. :)
I notice that Stephanie hasn't been online here since earlier in the year, but I can answer your question.
Yes, the probate record can be viewed at the Christchurch office of Archives New Zealand, once they re-open.
Here's the link to Archives :
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/
~ Lu
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Hi Bruce and Lu! ;D
I'm still around - just haven't been rootschatting for a while!
Bruce - as Lu said, ChCh Archives are closed due to the Feb 22nd earthquake. Not sure of the extent of the damage or when they will reopen.
Cheers,
Stephanie
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Hi Stephanie
Really lovely to hear from you.
I trust all is well ? You wonderful folk of Christchurch, remain very much in our thoughts. :)
Hi Bruce
Are you needing further information for William L. FOWLER ?
~ Lu
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Hi Lu,
Nice to hear from you too and thanks for the thoughts. OK here in 'munted' town. Life has changed in so many ways, but slowly getting used to a 'new normal'.
I'm working full-time now, so not much time to hunt the rellies. Plodding on, though, with my colourful West Coast lot.
Stephanie :)
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Hi Stephanie & Lu,
Regards to you and yours after today's news Stephanie.
Yes; I'm keen to learn learn all I can about William Llewellyn and his brother Charles Rickards Fowler (who was my gt-gt-grandfather). Very inspired by a recent visit to Wotton-under-Edge. Talk of orginal documents was very exciting. I hope to visit Chch soon and would love to try and access whatever I can - circumstancs permitting.
My Fowlers were incidentally still Hokitika residents down to my Dad.
Any advice welcome.
Cheers,
Bruce
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Hi Bruce
I have some snippets of information for William FOWLER which I'll dig out and post to this thread later today.
Yes, I've heard about the wonderful archive holdings in WuE, and am lucky enough to have been the recipient of documentation from that source, thanks to the generosity of fellow RICHINGS researchers. :)
Am I right in thinking that besides Charles Rickards FOWLER (and William) there was another brother who firstly journeyed (with Charles) to Australia before coming to NZ ? I just have a vague recollection - it's been a while since I looked at my notes. [I'm not connected to the FOWLERs myself - my interest here was in William RICHINGS s/o Elizabeth (nee FOWLER) who married Samuel RICHINGS, (the brother of my g-g-g/f, John ). ]
Will get back to you later today.
~ Lu
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Hi Lu,
William & Charles both ended up in Hokitika by way of Buninyong, Vic. William, as you probably know, had a successful drapery business and became mayor of Hokitika. Charles was a builder.
I'm not aware of a third brother heading downunder - though there were more Fowler sons. The following is from an (1851?) census;
J/LLEWELLIN/FOWLER/HEAD/MAR/50//CARPENTER MASTER/GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
J/ANN/FOWLER/W/MAR//45//GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
J/CHARLES R/FOWLER/SON/U/19///GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
J/OSBORNE P/FOWLER/SON/U/17///GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
J/LOUISA/FOWLER/D/U//15/SCHOLAR/GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
J/ELIZABETH/FOWLER/D///12/SCHOLAR/GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
J/JOSEPH/FOWLER/SON//6//SCHOLAR/GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
J/FREDERICK/FOWLER/SON//2///GLS/WOTTON UNDEREDGE/
I think Osborne died about age 30 but maybe Joseph or Frederick emigrated - though they are obviously much younger. Stephanie's '08 post mentions a brother Frederick.
Cheers,
Bruce
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Hi Bruce
Ah ... afraid I got it wrong, yes it was of course William L. who travelled to Vic. with Charles. :D
Obviously I'm not sure just what info you already have, however I'll post these links to some snippets for William FOWLER.
From our wonderful PapersPast website :
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
"West Coast Times" -- 6 July 1897 - page 4 - Obituary
William L. FOWLER
Also "West Coast Times" > >
-- 20 December 1886 - Death - page 2
A notice placed by William L. announcing the death in England of his beloved mother Ann, aged 81 years.
-- 13 June 1879 - Advertisement - Page 3 - column 1
W. L. FOWLER elected to the Committee of Management - Westland Hospital.
-- 17 March 1886 - Resident Magistrate's Court
At some earlier date William L. had been appointed as a Justice of the Peace, and did his duty hearing cases in the local Court.
-- 23 August 1895 - page 2 - column 1
Advertisement (one of many), for the drapery business, West of England House - announcing goods from Paris and London, and that it was both a wholesale and retail operation.
[Hmm ... must have been a great little business, despite the dwindling population of Hokitika. Back in the early 1880's there'd even been a branch store at Ross. ]
see next >>
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.... a man of many talents. ;)
-- "Star" (Chistchurch) - 20 October 1885
- Applications for Patents
William L. FOWLER of Hokitika, draper and clothier, for a process of "extracting volatile oil and other properties from New Zealand vegetation" :
----------------------------------------
I think that William L. FOWLER's obituary gives a delightful description of the man he was. :) However, if you need to know more, there's plenty to be had by picking through all the various advertisements and articles at PapersPast. (Most I found, under the search term "W.L. FOWLER". )
William Llewellyn FOWLER seems to have had a particular fondness for his nephew Will RICHINGS. Will spent several years in Hokitika with his uncle where he too also made a very favourable impression on the locals. He was a talented singer and actor, involved in numerous sporting and social clubs as well as all manner of community activities.
Will had made a decision to go back to live in England shortly before William's death, but on hearing the news of his uncle's passing, he returned promptly to Hokitika. Around 1900 he moved to Wanganui and set up his own very successful clothing and drapery establishment, married Caroline M. PAUL in 1905 and later retired to Papakura (Auckland) where he had a small farm. There was no issue of the union. I feel sure Will RICHINGS learned much from the examples set by William L. FOWLER. :)
~ Lu
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Thank you both.
Yes, I have searched around in Papers Past - what an amazing resource! Thanks for taking the time to share the links.
I didn't know about the patent - fascinating.
The story about Will really adds another dimension; I don't expect you have a photo of him?
Cheers,
Bruce
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Hi again Bruce
Oh yes ... PapersPast certainly is a fabulous resource !
It's possible (in many instances) to gain so much more understanding of the lives of our relatives, by picking through articles and ... especially the advertisements (which often yield "surprises"). And worth re-visiting the site from time to time as different newspapers are added and the dates are extended. :)
Unfortunately I don't have a photo of Will (must try sometime though and see if the Wanganui Museum or Library have anything as it was there he spent over a decade in business and serving the community.)
Will RICHINGS died 13 January 1936 at Buckland (Auckland). His short obituary focused more on his time with the local (lawn) bowling club. :D However I do like to think that the article published on his departing Hokitika in 1897, is a fitting tribute.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
'West Coast Times" - 30 January 1897 - Social to Mr. Richings
[And your Mr. FOWLER gets a mention too. ] ;)
~ Lu
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Don't know if you were following up on Elizabeth (sister to Charles and William L. FOWLER) ?
Some census snippets I had on file ...
1881
Indexed as "RITCHENS"
-- Elizabeth - widow - 40 years - b. Wotton-under-Edge
occupation : Inn Keeper
-- Emily Kate - dau - 13 years - scholar - b. WuE
-- Samuel - son - 11 - scholar - b. WuE
Living at Fox Inn, Hawkesbury, Gloucester
___________________
Another daughter -- Louisa Ann - 19 - is with her uncle (William Richings) and aunt, at Park Farm, WuE :
And young Will RICHINGS - 16 years - draper's assisant is living with your 3 x gt/grandmother Ann FOWLER at Bradley Street, WuE. ;)
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Hi Lu,
William & Charles both ended up in Hokitika by way of Buninyong, Vic. .
I'm not aware of a third brother heading downunder - though there were more Fowler sons.
Hi Bruce
Ah ... found it :D ... it was brother Frederick who paid a visit to Hokitika following William L's death.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
"West Coast Times" - 11 August 1897 - WC Times WEDNESDAY
"The clearing sale at West of England House ...
Mr F. J. FOWLER will arrive from Melbourne about the end of the month while Mr RICHINGS is expected from England by the "Ruahine" due at Wellington about 6th. The fate of the long established drapery business .... will not be known until their wishes are consulted."
see next >>
~ Lu
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....
"West Coast Times" - 21 March 1898 - WC Times - page 2
"F. FOWLER and W. RICHINGS on a temporary sojourn, leave us again today.
Mr. FOWLER goes to Wellington and from there probably to Sydney (his future location not yet decided).
Mr Richings goes to Wellington, thence to Christchurch and proposes returning to Engand via Vancouver ... " :
[Haven't followed up on this, so unsure just where Frederick FOWLER ended up ?] ;)
~ Lu