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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: charlotteCH on Wednesday 21 May 08 10:04 BST (UK)
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Can someone tell me what sort of place Rangitaeki was in 1956?
Was it a township? village? Where was the nearest city? a Guess at the population numers back then..
What sort of dwellings were there?
Is Wharerangi Cemetery in Rangitaeki? or how far away?
Just had someone turned up as living there at the time of his death in 1956, so am curious, and anything anyone can tell me will be of interest.
Thanks,
charlotte
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lol, my guess is, its still same, :D
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lol, my guess is, its still same, :D
Trouble with that is, I don't know what it was to start with! ??? ???
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Hi,
Wharerangi is a suburb of Napier (east coast of the North Island)
The Rangitikei River starts in the Kaimanawa Mountains, (central North Island) and flows west to end up in the Tasman Sea. So it is not an area as such.
Who is your person? Have just read the other posting.
Jean
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Thanks Jean,
When you say"it's not much of an area", are you referring to the size of it as a settlement or to its affluence?
The reason I'm trying to get an understanding of it in 1956 is that Edward Hastings- my man- had left England in 1927 under a cloud. In England he'd been "of independent means" but the death info I now have shows his occupation as "roadworker". So I am wondering under what conditions he had lived in NZ.
I'm also interested in whether he married in NZ- all the usual family history stuff.
Thanks for you reply- NZ is a mystery to me but I am learning a little now.
charlotte
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Hello Charlotte,
We are getting into a quagmire here.
Rangitikei is not an area, village, locale, etc. It is a river which flows through about three provinces of NZ. (If you are in England then translate province into county).
I have relations who would say that they live in the Rangitikei - but they really mean the Manawatu which is a large region on the lower west side of the North Island.
I do wish some North Islanders would step in here!!!!
Jean
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Hello Jean and thank you for your help. Let's wait to see if some N. Islanders step in with some local knowledge.
Thanks again,
charlotte
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Hi Charlotte
Use google maps you can get a satellite view.
It is spelt Rangitaiki
http://maps.google.com/
Thanks heaps Christine
PS - Wharerangi Cemetery is in Cato Road Napier, found a great satellite view.
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Christine,
Thanks for your interest and for the spelling correction. What I had came from the archives- maybe a typo and maybe that explains why google had such a poor offering when I put it in incorrectly.
Will go to google now and see the view.
Thanks again,
charlotte
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Hi Charlotte
Found this .... it had a few spellings
http://www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz/document.php?action=null&wid=102
Check out my home town of Whitianga New Zealand on the google map
Do you have a death certificate for your Mr Hastings??
Thanks heaps Christine
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Hi Charlotte
If you google Rangitaeki you will find refences to the Rangitaeki River being near Galatea and Murupara, which by modern maps would mean the Rangitaiki River….
This area would have been part of the Kaiangaroa State Forrest back in those days and given that he was a “roadworker” that would fit…….
This is pretty REMOTE and rugged sort of country.
http://www.smaps.co.nz/nz/rotorua/kaingaroa+north/
If you drag the map down, you will also find an area called Rangitaiki on the Napier Taupo Road, so this is probably where he “lived”.
No shops or any sort of civilisation in these areas.
Bren.
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So he probably was living in a road gangers hut that got moved along as the road was made.
What a change of existence- and he was older than the age he gave- born 1887 but apparently passed as 65 in 1956. Seems from what I have been told by the Napier archives that he had a roadman warrant [below]. Does anyone know what this means and how I might explore that further?
What would RSA mean?
"Occupation Roadman Warrant No. 282
R.S.A "
No I don't have a death cert. Has been suggested that as he died intestate there may not be one included in the probate papers.
Am hoping for a newspaper death notice that may give a clue as to whether he had married in NZ and has descendants.
Thanks Bren and Christine,
charlotte
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Hi Charlotte,
I will let Bren answer this one, but
RSA is an organisation that relates to and honours our returned servicemen, servicewomen and their families.
http://www.rsa.org.nz/index.html
Don't want to burst your bubble of finding Mr Hastings in New Zealand but is he your Mr Hastings.
Born 1887 arrived New Zealand approx 1927 aged 40 he might have been to old for WWII, so are just wondering how he became a Returned Serviceman. I could be wrong.
Thanks heaps Christine
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Christine,
No bursting bubbles, so don't worry-- his headstone says his exact name and his emigration was in 1927. All documented. That the age is a bit out doesn't really worry me- maybe he put it down to get employment- he seems to have needed it.
The name Edward Blakey Hastings is distinct and all that I have learned fits with the causes for his emigration- a remittance man without the remittance. He was married to my aunt- played around with the local lassies and got marching orders from her six older brothers- anyone of whom on his own I wouldn't have crossed. I guess I am also interested in whether he "married" in NZ before my aunt died young[at 45] in 1934.
Re War service- he was an officer in WW1- have photos showing him in uniform and their marriage in YKS had an officers' guard of honour- sword up etc. One could say he was an officer but not a gentleman.
That RSA has army connections fits and explains his decent MI...bless them and their sense of duty and respect for those who served.
Thanks for your interest and help,
Further suggestions, advice very welcome
charlotte
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Hi Charlotte
Have just found your other thread, with the headstone details.
Will place it here for reference
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,304890.0.html
Thanks heaps Christine
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Christine, Thanks for that cross referencing.
The RSA website shows then to be just what I thought it would be. Thanks also for that link.
All this makes me feel very sorry for that poor foolish man.
charlotte
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Hi Charlotte,
No I don't have a death cert. Has been suggested that as he died intestate there may not be one included in the probate papers.
You can order his death certificate from the Department of Internal Affairs with just his full name and place and year of death.
NZ death certificates can provide a lot of information including marriage and number and ages of children - depending on who the informant was of course.
Ask for a "printout" - it's cheaper ($20 NZ) and has better information.
You can order by phone, fax or post.
Details and forms here: www.bdm.govt.nz
Also see the thread at the top of the NZ board about BDM certificates.
Cheers,
Stephanie
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Hi Charlotte
Mmmm ... meant to post my findings on "Rangitaeki" earlier today, so by now some ground has already been covered.
My thoughts were similar to Bren's, in that I suspect Edward was resident at the small settlement of Rangitaeki (now known as "Rangitaiki") on the Napier-Taupo Road, and that he was possibly involved in a road maintenance role.
This road (today known as State Highway 5), has long been in existence (from c. 1880's) - first motor vehicle to use it dates around 1902. A description from 1950's states .... "a Napier-Taupo journey was still considered hazardous ... a traveller was likely to encounter, choking dust, potholes, washouts, corrugations in the road - as only about one third of it had been sealed". Even today, the road is somewhat treacherous - often closed by snow, rockfalls, in winter - so always a need for maintenance people to be on hand. It's scenic beauty - forests, rivers, mountain views - its saving grace. So in Edward's day, yes, a rather remote, but beautiful, place.
Just can't find any info though, on "Rangitaiki - the place" !
If you're wanting to learn more, the Napier Library may be able to assist. (See the City Council link posted on other thread). The National Library catalogue shows two publications which may contain references to "Rangitaiki", and Napier Library should have copies of these.
> "Coaches North" by Len Anderson (story of the Hawkes Bay Motor Company - covers the development of the Napier-Taupo Road).
> "100 Years on the Napier-Taupo Road" (compiled by the Historic Affairs Committee at the Hawkes Bay & East Coast Art Society (Napier NZ) :
Lu
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"Occupation Roadman Warrant No. 282
R.S.A "
Just a thought on the above.
I actually think "Warrant No. 282" .... is the reference to the Burial Warrant ???
Perhaps it should read ...
> Occupation: Roadman
> Warrant No. 282 - RSA (meaning its a burial warrant for a plot in the Returned Servicemen's Section of the cemetery) ??
Lu
PS: Haven't forgotten your "look-up" ... will do, either tomorrow or Saturday.
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Hi Charlotte
Had to smile ;)
"All this makes me feel very sorry for that poor foolish man"
Edward could have been living the good life on that Napier Taupo Highway, I know my brother in law tries to get there, when ever he can to go pig hunting. I was feeling for the women he played around with.
Found a photo of where he will be resting.
http://www.napier.govt.nz/index.php?cid=facilities/cemeteries/cem_history_wharerangi&mid=51
Thanks heaps Christine
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Christine-You shatter my moment of good will towards a bad egg- or at least a foolish man!
The cem link you gave me has a nice bit in it. Returned Servicemans organistions are much to be appreciated. for their long term commitment.
"In addition Napier’s first cemetery dedicated to Returned Services men and women was established. A Book of Remembrance is open to view daily in the open sided shrine. "
And Lu, the warrant as # 282 is probably correct.
I have learned so much in the last week thatnks to you all.
charlotte
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Hi Charlotte
Have just found your other thread, with the headstone details.
Will place it here for reference
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,304890.0.html
Thanks heaps Christine
To the above "other" thread, has been added a funeral notice for
> BLAKEY, Edward ("Yorky") - d. 30 July 1956 at
Napier :
[I feel sure that Charlotte will have some more questions? ] ::) ;D
Lu
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Hi Charlotte,
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Hi Charlotte,
I am interested in your subject. We live in Napier, Hawkes Bay, N.Z. Before we moved to Napier we lived in the Taupo area. To those not familiar with N.Z. geography Taupo is the lake in the middle of the North Island. Between Taupo & Napier on Highway 5 is a settlement by the name of Rangitaeki. The only landmarks there now are the pub, school & small wayside cafe! It is quite likely that your Mr. Hastings was a roadman there. That road has always been a main route since the horse & coach days. I understand the original pub was a coach stop but was burnt down. Now there are some very productive large dairy farms in the area. You can guarantee he was hardy if he lived there as Rangitaeki has a very harsh winter climate!
Cheers, Eleanor.
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The only landmarks there now are the pub, school & small wayside cafe!
Are you sure about "a school" being located there now ?
Mmmm ... (as previously mentioned) - rather difficult to find much info on "Rangitaeki / Rangitaiki" - it's history or status today ?
Did find mention of "Rangitaiki Pub - late 1950's - owned by Bob Morris" which seemed to have been located on the Napier-Taupo road ?
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Hi Lucy,
Yes there is definitely a school there. It is just back off the road Taupo side of the Lochinver sign & the cafe. Lochinver is a very large sheep station. They could possibly even hold some history of the district.
Have been past there many times.
Cheers, Eleanor.
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Eleanor, Lu and other kind souls... thanks for the info- had tried to find by googling details of where he lived but had no real info relevant to 1950s or present. It sounds remote and yes, he was obviously on a road maintenence gang.
The most incredible things about all this is that in England prior to 1927 he'd been a "gentleman"? of independent means- had been Hon Sec of Rugby Club as an occupation at most. Then he gets booted out of England by his wife's older brothers- she had 6-for playing around, left his money there for her and their child and then had to make his way in NZ. Doesn't seem to have been a roaring success with a new career .
Poor silly chump. Hope he thought in retrospect that the local lassies he played with were worth it!
Charlotte