Rakich's Whitianga

[Billycat]

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.

[johnbarr]

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 

John B

[johnbarr]

You will find Mate's marriage to Violet Curtis in 1924 at
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/

John B

[Billycat]

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.

[Thamesite2017]

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

[Billycat]

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.

[Janette]

Here is a list of Austrians returning to their own country 19th May 1919

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0h9x/


Cheers Janette

[Billycat]

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.

[Billycat]

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.