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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: Billycat on Saturday 19 November 11 01:33 GMT (UK)
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I am in West Australia and am looking for some Whitianga help for Mate and Violet Rakich and also Ivan and Eva Rakich. Mate and Ivan were brothers who went to Whitianga to cut Sandlewood from Visnica, Yugolslavia. I know they were there in about 1910 and 1916 because Ivan and Eva's sons Ivan Andrew and Mate are born there.
Ivan Andrew is my Grandfather.
However Ivan and Eva and there children - Joe, Andrew, Mate, Ivan, Lena, Annie, left NZ and I beleive came to WA. It a bit tricky as at some point they also went back to Yugoslavia.
I think Mate and Violet stayed in New Zealand for a long time. But I think they may have come to WA in much later years.
Hope someone has info etc.
NOt sure how many Rakichs went to Whitiange from tha village or when.
Thanks
in anticipation.
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1917 Alien records show an Ivan Rakich at Coromandel (which includes Whitianga) age 30, Birthplace Dalmatia, years in NZ, 7. No mention of Eva.
There are three probate records for Ivan Rakich, 1919, Kaikohe; 1962, Wellington; 1980, Dargaville so your search could be tricky as you say ;D
John B
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You will find Mate's marriage to Violet Curtis in 1924 at
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/
John B
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Thank you very much.
So Violet must have been a NZ girl I think.
The 1917 Ivan could be the one I am looking for.
At some point Ivan was on his own in NZ but his wife was there also.
I know they Ivan and Eva son Mate has a birth of 15th October, 1916 Whitianga and my grandfather Ivan Andrew was born there earlier.
So Eva must have been there.
I am wondering if they would have had to be enrolled to vote then.
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Do you have access to ancestry, there are electoral rolls and the index is free
shows the family around the district. Still names in area today..you may find fellow researchers at places like oldfriends.co.nz
Bye
Althea
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Thanks I dont have access to NZ records.
I have just spoken to my mum and Ivan and Eva and the children (maybe Mate) went to Whitianga probably when WW1 broke out. They had to come as Austrian refugees for some reason and had to go to New Zealand. Then when the war finished Ivan and Eva and children went back to Yugoslavia.
Then as Yugolslavs they were allowed to come to Western Australia, where many other slavs had settled. Mate and Violet did stay and came to WA much later.
I have contacted Whitianga library as with some of my local pioneer English family here the local library had some oral transcripts etc.
Even if I find out nothing else I know that Violet must have been a NZ girl and that Mate married in NZ.
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Here is a list of Austrians returning to their own country 19th May 1919
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0h9x/
Cheers Janette
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Not sure if that is him and his wife and children are not listed and his name just Ivan.
But anyway that is interesting as all those names are Yugoslav names. I know many of those names. When they got back they were Yugoslavs so were able to come to Australia.
It must have had something to do with the way Yugoslavia was divided and the war etc.
I know that with my lot they had to go to NZ as Austrian refugees but were not from Austria.
Thanks again.
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Sorry,
Even if that is not him. Does this mean from the cutting that while the war was on he would have been a prisoner. (plus his wife and children).
We have been lead to beleive that they worked cutting Sandallwood at Whitianga.
Also as his brother stayed does it mean that you could stay in NZ if you wanted to or have the option of returning home.
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Hi Billycat,
Violet Cecilia Curtis was born 24/11/1901
1902/1077 Curtis Violet Cecilia (mother) Mary Hannah (father) Chester
so definitely a Kiwi girl.
You can find it at link I gave in reply#1.
John B
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Hi Billycat
I live in Whitianga, and will visit the museum for you next week and see what information I can find regarding the Rakich name.
Just had a quick google and looks like Mate and Voilet Rakich bought out a book regarding stories in Whitianga, hopefully I can find a copy :)
Christine
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Hi Christine
good work
I've heard the name Mate Rakich many times, was thinking theres a familytree book somewhere to
or may be descendants in books about the Hauraki PLains
Bye
althea
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Thanks at least that is a good start. I am very surprised back then he married a Kiwi girl back then. Even here in the 1930s they rarely married out of there ranks and usually brought out cousins and that to marry.
It must have been a love story, how lovely. Thank you.
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Hi Billycat,
Have just returned from a trip to our local Museum in Whitianga, in search of your Rakich family and you have already been in contact with them, so will leave it in their hands.
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Thank you everyone for your hard work. I have managed to find great information from the museum and am going to get the book "Saltspray and Sawdust" plus they have some photocopies of pictures that I hope they will send me.
I know Mate went to NZ in 1908, however I still do no know when Ivan and Eva arrived and
when they left-perhaps it is in that file.
I am also still looking for the humerous stories book -hopefully it will be a in the library but she is away at the moment.
I now know that Ivan and Eva (known as Ivy) have a child buried in Whitianga named George. They also had a child Matilda and she must have died somewhere also as she did
not come to Western Australia.
One day I hope to travel to place some flowers on George's grave. No one there for him now.
THanks everyone.
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Hi Billycat
If you send me a PM with your email address, I have a headstone photo for George RAKICH, it is broken but can make out the following.
George RAKICH died 28th June 1918 aged 4 years
when next up at the cemetery I can take a better photo of where George is resting, in the second photo that I have he is located in the group on the right handside below the pine tree.
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HI Billycat,
I know you have been off line for a while and maybe I have missed the boat so to speak, but on trying to get some more inforamtion regarding my bubba, Eva Rakich I came across this thread. I knew Aunty Violet and Uncle Mate, they lived in a house my father (andrew) boguht for them in Midland (WA). As a child I spent alot of time around them
If you need any more inforamtion let me know. My Dad, Andrew just died he was the last of the the children of EVA and Ivan. End of an era.
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TO CMCLAYTON
I would be interested in getting a photo of Georges Gravesite - he would have been my Uncle - and I am buring his last brother next Monday (Andrew) who was born in Whitianga.
Regards
Maryanne
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Make one more post then when Christine is back she can pm you the information/you can send your email to her this way to get the photo
Bye
ALthea
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any inforamtion regarding the Rakichs in New Zealand would be welcomed it is a bit of blank canvas for us in West Australia. We know Ivan and Eva arrived in Mercury Bay (My father is listed as born in Whitianga in 1922) but they left went back to Croatia and then settled in the Swan Valley.
Cheers
Maryanne
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If you click on C M Clayton's name you will see her profile and find her email addy
Cheers Janette
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I'm here ;D
Just sent you a message Maryanne10 with my email address, look forward to hearing from you.
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Turns out Maryanne10 and Billycat are second cousins ...
Makes you feel all warm and fluffy, love genealogy :-)
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I cant believe because of a random search on did on my grandmother in the space on 90 minutes I have the location of my uncles grave, and photos and found another family member who has done a history - this is amazing :) :) this is wonderful, at a terrible time (my father passing on Sunday) this is like a link straight to him. He would be so pleased! Thank you again.