Jethro Smale - Where to start researching in NZ?

[sunic]

Hi, I'm coming to NZ next month and want to flesh out what I already know about my 3x great uncle. 

Jethro Smale and his wife Fanny arrived in Wellington aboard the Waipa on 2nd April 1876.  Their son Ernest was born in the 'Immigration Depot' on 28th April.  Next thing I know they are back in London by 24th Sept 1877 when Jethro joins the Police.

What I want to find out is where they lived in NZ (if they ever left the Immigration Depot), what their life would have been like, and when and how (and why if poss) they left.(I haven't been able to locate them on any passenger list back to UK).

Please can anyone tell me a where to go to get further information?  Is the National Archives the best place or are there other options?

Thanks

Sunic

[Thamesite2017]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourstuff/ArrivalWaipa.htm
thats a link for where they were meant to go

Bye
althea

[sunic]

Thanks Althea,

This is very helpful.  So it looks like they were bound to Wellington, rather than the other places mentioned.  They were still in the Immigration depot 26 days later, so I suppose the next step is to find out if that is normal, and if there would be any records for where they went if they left the depot.

Sunic

[Thamesite2017]

Research guide
http://archives.govt.nz/research/guides/migration

Seems strange, people did return to England because it was not what they expected, maybe their sponsorship or promised work did not eventuate.
bye
Althea

The Waipa records are online at LDS do you know how to find them
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1609792
click browse records
then wellington
then 1876
then Waipa

[sunic]

Yes thanks, I've got that.

I assume deciding to go home is a major decision financially - surely they'd have to pay their own passage home?

Sunic

[TwiggyTree]

Sunic

You probably have all this information but I post it here just in case



Back To Search Results   Previous Page   New Search
Detail:
Person Details
Name   JETHRO
Family Name   SMALE
Gender   M
Date Of Birth   1849
Place Of Birth   DEVONSHIRE
Date Of Death   
Place Of Death   
General Notes   
Record Source   Vogel Government Period 
Voyage Details
Voyage Number   1
Is NZCO Voyage?   No
Comments   
Vessel Name   WAIPA
Voyage Details   Click Here
Other Fields
    FANNY
Mans age     26
Womans age     25
Occupation or calling     GARDENER
Assisted     Y
Source     IM 15/257 'WAIPA' NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

From the Petone Settlers Museum (who aim to list all immigrants to Wellington).
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0fc9/

[sunic]

Thank you TwiggyTree, yes I have this - I want to find out what happened next!

Sunic

[Thamesite2017]

A little 1876 background on the immigration depots
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18760412.2.7&srpos=1&e=--1876---1877--10-EP-1-byDA---2immigration+depot--

looks like you could stay there until something secured, but once you left, you weren't allowed back in
Bye
Althea

[Thamesite2017]

Have you contacted the Petone Settlers museum
they would be obvious place for more background info
(following on from Twiggytree's info)
Bye
althea