Mrs WRIGHT - First Four Ships to Canterbury

[Artisan99]

Hello again, 

I have looked a little further into Charles Alfred Wright's parents, Jane and Samuel, and managed to establish via BDM and Papers Past that I am on the right track.

It seems that the "George Samuel Wright born 1837", who was floating around the extended family as Charles Alfred's alternative father, can be confidently ignored, as he married an Elizabeth Paterson in 1867.

Thanks to Lu directing me to both Charles Alfred's death notice in 1925 and his mother Jane's in 1926, I have been able to search more strategically for mentions of Charles's family by conducting an Exact Search for his parents' address at 87 Bligh's Road, Papanui.

I found an In Memoriam notice from 1919, which informed me that Charles Alfred's brother Thomas Herbert was killed in action in France in 1918. There were also various classifieds-style advertisements, an auction at the property and also a fire. It also helped me locate Samuel Wright's newspaper death notice just a month after his wife Jane's.

The Papers Past items helped to firm up basic BDM information and create further links between Charles Alfred, his siblings and the parents, so that I was certain enough that I was sending away for the correct Death printouts for Jane and Samuel, after having obtained Charles Alfred's first.

Jane was indeed born a Cooper in England and spent 61 of her 71 years in New Zealand, which indicates emigration to New Zealand at age 10, around 1865 or thereabouts, so definitely isn't the mysterious Mrs Wright on the 'Press' anniversary website.

Samuel's Death printout gives neither of his parents' given names, nor his mother's maiden surname. But it does say he was age 73 when he died and had lived his whole life in New Zealand. He was born at Riccarton and his father was a farmer.

I browsed the Electoral Roll via the Ancestry Library Edition and there seems to have been a James Wright farming at Riccarton.

I would like to try and rule out Samuel's unnamed mother as being the woman in the photo before sending this thread to the Completed board, but am unsure of what to do next to find her, as I cannot locate Samuel's birth record and his marriage to Jane took place before parents' details were included on the register.

Any ideas are most welcome!

Kind regards,
Imogen

[LaraG]

Hannah Charles came to New Zealand on the "Ocean Mail" with her parents Edwin Thomas and Joanna Charles and siblings. Arrived in Nelson in 1874.  Joanna Charles gave birth in Nelson a few days after arriving A son who died a few days later and a daughter died a few days after as well.

[Artisan99]

Hello LaraG, 

Thanks for replying with the above note about Hannah Charles. I have found a few little snippets pertaining to the Charles family, and look forward to eventually finding out a bit more in due course.

Kind regards,
Imogen

[LaraG]

I can help you there as Charles Family that arrived in 1874 with daughter Hannah are my mothers GGrandparents.  I have researched them back a few generations.

[Artisan99]

I can help you there as Charles Family that arrived in 1874 with daughter Hannah are my mothers GGrandparents.  I have researched them back a few generations.

Thank you, LaraG. 

It is wonderful to come across a fellow researcher who is descended from Johanna and Edwin Thomas Charles.

I have sent you a personal message.

Thanks so much for making contact!

Kind regards,
Imogen