Hester Family (COMPLETED)

[cmclayton]

Hi Kiwibloke

Did you go to the reunion in Easter?

My connection is with George Hester (brother to Thomas Hester who arrived on the Sir Edward Paget) who married Emma Tyler, their daughter Emma born 1854 England is my second greatgrandmother. 

Thanks heaps Christine.

[Kiwi Bloke]

I guess the next step is to follow up the families English roots.  Perhaps you already have.  There's a Hester Road, by the Battersea Bridge (over the River Thames), in Pimlico, London, for instance. The Christchurch Museum is sending me some info on Thomas and Thomas Samuel that might touch on this pre-NZ history.

[cmclayton]

Hi Kiwibloke, hope this helps

Robert Hester
born c.1730 Berkswell Warwickshire
married 21 Jun 1757 to Mary Price born c.1737 Berkswell

child Thomas Hester born 1763 Berkswell
married 29 Mar 1785 to Sarah Clarke born 1763 Berkswell

child Robert Hester born 14 April 1790 Shoreditch London
married 15 Oct 1807 to Anne Turner born 1793 Kent

child
my line - George Hester born 25 Nov 1820 Lambeth Surrey
married 24 Aug 1853 to Emma Tyler born 1826 Somerset
your line - Thomas Hester born 1831 Middlesex London
married to Mary Ann Speechley born 1828 Cambridgeshire.

Thanks heaps Christine

[cmclayton]

Plus

George and Thomas Hester had an older sister Maria Elizabeth Hester born 4 Jun 1815 London who married 5 Nov 1834  to John Louis Balestice,  This couple also came to New Zealand on the Sir Edward Paget with Thomas Hester and family.

Thanks heaps Christine

[Kiwi Bloke]

The Canterbury Museum's GR MacDonald dictionary of Canterbury biographies refers to Thomas Hester (1830-78), and states that he was a carpenter and French polisher who, together with Mr Balestice, furnished the interior of the new Freemason's Hall in Lyttelton in May 1859 - the result being "highly praised". So that links in with the last posting saying that Thomas Hester and son-in-law John Balestice travelled to NZ together.

Thanks indeed for the UK info.

[ahamblett]

I am a great great granddaughter of Thomas Hester and Mary Ann Hester née Speechly. My great grandmother was Amelia Rachel Hester, born about 1862, died 1928 in Christchurch. I have found reference to the following of her siblings: John Louis Hester, Frances Selina Mary Hester, Sarah Speechly Hester and Alfred Munt Hester so there were at least 8 of them.  Amelia Rachel married Frederick Robert Corson c 1882 in Christchurch, NZ. Frederick was born 1859 in Chatham, Kent, England and came to NZ when he was about 21. He died in 1927 – there’s an obituary from the NZ Herald on Papers Past. They had 2 children in Christchurch, my grandmother Amelia Hilda Corson (known as May) (1883-1962) and Laurence Frederick Corson (1891-1917). My grandmother married James Doughty Sprosen (known as Jim (1880-1968) in Christchurch. Laurie married Minnie Ethel Smart in 1916 but had no children, dying tragically young. May and Jim had 2 children my father James Frederick Roy (known as Roy) 1908-1982) and Alan Henry Sprosen (1913-1989) who never married and had no children. I remember Thelma Page (Holst) and her husband Norman. I visited them a few times. I remember my father Roy talking about Great Aunt Balestice. I guess that was Maria Elizabeth? I think it was her that he said had a pet monkey that really intrigued him.

[cmclayton]

Thanks for getting in touch, we will be fourth cousin's once removed.  I also am intrigued by the monkey story, not sure it would have belonged to Maria Elizabeth Hester who married John Louis Balestice has she passed away in 1894.  Do you have any other family stories or mention of my third great grandfather George Hester (brother to your Thomas Hester) or his daughter Emma Amelia Hester who came to New Zealand and married James Henry Clayton.  Thanks Christine