Hello, I see this post was added sometime ago, but I would love to get in contact with member pompeygirl1 in relation to this information and especially about dodgy ole Abraham Toovey.
I have a great great grandfather Abraham Toovey (aka Jack or John) and all that I know about him is that he was born c 1831 in Wickham, Hampshire, England. As he did not legally marry in NZ it is very difficult to trace any other information on him. Deeply mysterious bloke!
All that I can tell you is that he was in Thames NZ about 20 Feb 1875 as that is when he was charged with fighting in the street, a short time later he is charged with stealing but the charge was dropped and then he was shot at in April 1875. Don't worry he survived as the wounds were in his lower leg. But he did steal away Mr Edwards wife and they moved to a small town called Warkworth taking the younger children and having another three children of their own.
He worked as a bushman, gum digger, orchardist and farmer in NZ.
With the vague details I do have and checking the census records for the UK I did find two people born about the same time in Hampshire with the same name.
So I couldnt differentiate between :
UK 1841 Census
Parents Abraham and Lydia Toovey
Child: Abraham age 11 years
UK 1841 Census
Child: Abraham Toovey 12 years
Working as a servant for John Taylor & Rhode Taylor
I did feel that the first one was more likely only because the childrens names given were repeated later in our family i.e. Abraham, Alfred, Matilda, Lora
Does this sound like your guy?
I look forward to hearing from you