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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: jahall on Saturday 02 February 08 01:35 GMT (UK)
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trying to find how my great grandmother came to NZ and someone suggested posting here as you are experts in this! Here is the link...
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,283088.msg1664196.html#msg1664196
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There are a couple of families of LAWFORD in Auckland in 1893 electoral roll, so if they came early, then they could be possibilities
MInd you searching at Auckland libraries dbase http://0-www.aucklandcity.govt.nz.www.elgar.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/passengers/passenger.html a few Lawford families arrived mid 1880's, too early for yours.
Did you get her probate? Do burial records say anything, sometimes they will say how long resident in NZ
I wonder if her husband had a brother..
1909 there is a Madeline Lawford marrying a William Alexander Smith folio 2213???
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Hi Jahall,
There is a probate held in NZ for Olive.... www.archway.archives.govt.nz
SMITH Olive Margaret - Whitford - Married Woman
1944 High Court Auckland, Department of Justice Akld
You will have to ask nicely if someone in Auckland can go and look for it or contact Archives NZ and pay for the photocopy. No guarantee of how much info it will have in it for what is charged for the copy but you may find other family listed either in NZ or England.
And this could be her husband:
SMITH Frank Edward - Auckland - Retired Farmer
1976 High Court Auckland, Department of Justice Akld
Also held in Auckland Archives. Sorry I can't help as I'm in Wellington :)
And the place name in the marriage cert would be Tokomaru Bay and here's something about that place:
Tokomaru Bay is a bay and town located in the remote East Cape (Gisborne) region of New Zealand’s North Island, 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Gisborne city and close to Mount Hikurangi.
The seven-kilometre wide bay is small but sheltered, and was a calling place for passenger ships until the early 20th century. Captain Cook spent time here on his 1769 journey of discovery, and later European settlement included a whaling station.
The area around the bay has long been a Maori stronghold. The nearby pa at Te Mawhai was refortified during the battles between colonials and Maori in the 1860s.
The town's modern prosperity derives mainly from agriculture and forestry, with some tourism. Its population is predominantly Maori, with the area being a stronghold of the Ngati Porou iwi. The bay's name is taken from that of a traditional waka (canoe).
Cheers
Bunny 8)
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Thanks bunny...
I am in Auckland - have ordered the probate....
I remember meeting Frank - used to scare me! Had a war injury!
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I am only new to this forum so I have only just read your post. Olive and Madeline Lawford are the children of Margaret Jane Thomson who is the sister of my great great grandfather William Kerr Thomson. If I can help with any information, please let me know.
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I would love any information that you have on this side of the family.
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Do you have access to Ancestry? There is quite a lot of information there about the Thomson family who spent about 50 years in Melbourne after coming out from Scotland. Margaret Thomson married Lindsay Crompton Lawford in Melbourne, they had three daughters (Daisy Madeline and Olive). Daisy died as a baby. Margaret and Lindsay were divorced in Melbourne and after that we lost track of Margaret although we found Olive and Margaret in NZ. Lindsay's father was born in Belgium which is probably why they were educated in Belgium. Margaret's sister (Mary) married William Downie Stewart Snr (who was in NZ politics) and they moved to Dunedin which we think is probably the reason why Margaret moved to NZ after the divorce.
If you have any specific questions may be you can send your email address and I can answer them privately
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Sorry, that should read Margaret's aunt (Mary) - there are Margarets and Marys in two generations!
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http://www.gdc.govt.nz/online-cemetery-record-search/detail/50386?backLink=%2Fonline-cemetery-record-search%2FForm%3FFirstName%3D%26start%3D23870
this is the cemetery link for Madeline Lawford Smith in Gisborne. We thought this Madeline Smith had been previously married to Thomas Booth with five children and later moving and marrying Smith. A relative phoned and spoke to her foster daughter who Has since passed away. I see there is a book that might help you find some information on the family member Olive that you are looking for (see below) and I'm now not sure if this Madeline ever was linked to Thomas Booth?
Teamster and pianist : the Smith-Lawford story in East Cape, New Zealand
Author: Margaret M Bowater
Publisher: Auckland [N.Z.] : M.M. Bowater, 2010.
Edition/Format: Book : Biography : English
Rating:
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http://www.dreamwork.co.nz/FamilyHistory/TheSmithsofKaitaia/tabid/2535/Default.aspx
This webpage has Olive Lawford and who she married
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Interesting info on the Kaitaia Site.
For anyone interested;
TWP was in England in 1841 and it appears his Parents were from Ireland (well at least his Mother was) and TWP was born at Sea and Christened in Stepney;
Thomas William Portland SMITH Christened 07 October 1841,
Saint Thomas, Stepney, London
Parents ROBERT and BARBARA
It is on London Baptisms,
Fathers Occp, Policeman
Address, Arbour Square
1841 Census we have living in No 13 Arbour Square, Stepney, ;
Barbara SMITH, 20, born Ireland
Thomas William, 3weeks, born Ocean? (at Sea I presume)
Joanna (or Anna) Hickey, 4, born Ireland
Near Neighbours are Policemens Families
HO107/712/12/Stepney
Trish :)