Early settler B. MCGURDY

[Azzarian]

???Can anyone tell me where I might be able to find out more about an early settler who appears in the Brett's Historical Series 1890 Early New Zealand.

The person I am interested in is a B McGurdy, year is 1836 and was a resident in the Bay of Islands.

Any idea's, leads, or help much appreciated.

Cheers

[DelBoy]

Hi there,

Have you noticed there was an R McGurdy listed under Bay Of Islands at this link (An  alphebetical    list of discoverers visitors , whalers traders and early residents from 1642 to the end of 1839).  Looks like this was sourced from the same book as you mention, but first initial has been transcribed as a R not B.

http://shadowsoftime.kiwiwebhost.biz/settlersa.html

Cheers
Del

[Azzarian]

Hi Delboy
thanks so much for your reply.. I have just had a look at that link and I guess they are probably the same person.

You wouldn't by any chance know if there is are any records etc to say who exactly this person was?  Or would you know of any place that may be able to give me this information?

Cheers again.

[alamar]

If he died after 1876 his death entry will record details of his parents etc, so long as his descendents knew them. Do you know when he died?

[Azzarian]

Hi there,  I have no idea when he died.  I am trying to find out what his first name was.
If it is the same person we are looking for we know that he went back to Scotland and re-married but unsure when he left NZ.

If this person is one in the same he married a maori women from the Waikato area and they had children.  Was it required by law for children who had a European parent to register their birth?

Also would they have been required to register their marriage, and also do the intention to marry?  The marriage would have been between 1830's - 1850's at the latest?

Any ideas?

Thanks heaps for your reply much appreciated.

[DelBoy]

Hi there,

I found the publisher info on book, maybe you can have a look at this first hand. Perhaps check the national library of NZ, they may have a copy and from there you may be able to interloan.

Bretts Historical Series "Early History of New Zealand from earliest times to 1840" (1890) by R.A.A Sherrin & JH Wallace, edited by TW Leys (Sherrin to 1840, Wallace 1840-45). H. Brett, Printer and Publisher, Auckland MDCCCXC

Also located this bit of info on the book.(from a web search)

.Early Settlers (Discoverers, Visitors, Whalers, Traders and Early Residents)
   see Bretts Historical Series "Early New Zealand" There are
   two listings of early settlers - pre 1840 and 1840-1845 -
   check both.

I can check marriages 1836-1956, can you provide me with all surname variations you have seen on records. Nothing under McGurdy on index.

Cheers
Del

[DelBoy]

Hi,

The National Library holds this book.

http://nlnzcat.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?PAGE=sbSearch&SEQ=20060918093311&PID=29516

Relevance:   
 
Author: Sherrin, R. A. A. (Richard Arundell Augur), 1832-1893. 
Title: Early history of New Zealand : from earliest times to 1840 by R.A.A. Sherrin ; from 1840 to 1845 by J.H. Wallace / edited by Thomson W. Leys.
Cover Title: Early New Zealand.
Publisher: Auckland, N.Z. : H. Brett, 1890.
Description: 728, xliii p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. (1 col.), maps, ports. ; 28 cm.
Subject: New Zealand --History --To 1840.
 New Zealand --History --1840-1876.
Series: Brett’s historical series
 
Location: Wellington, General Lending Collection (send request)
Call Number: L 993.1 SHE 1890
Number of Items: 1
Status: In
 
Most appear to be in reserve collections, as you can see above Wellington has it under general lending, you should be able to interloan to your local library, if you live in NZ.


Cheers
Del

[alamar]

As I understand it registration of Pakeha births, marriages and deaths commenced in NZ in 1848 but was not compulsory until 1856. Maori marriage registration became compulsory in 1911 and births and deaths in 1913, although I guess that voluntary registration was always available to them. Heaven knows what rules would have been applied to mixed marriages.

Details before these dates can only be gleaned from early church records providing they exist.

[DotBrennan]

In the interests of good housekeeping, I’ve moved this post to completed.

Assistance has been provided …….