Makaraka Cemetery, Gisborne , N.Z.

[Girl Guide]

Well if it was me I would be obtaining the 1910 death certificate for Edward, the 1919 death certificate for Elizabeth(Mary?) and the 1892 marriage certificate.

It would be most interesting to see just what is on those certificates.  I believe you have more information on your certificates than we do in the UK.

However I don't know if you would be allowed to do that.

[proteanz]

was considering that.  Theirs is one of the buried headstones we have unearthed and have no signature for. Will keep you posted

[wivenhoe]

Poverty Bay Herald 6 Apr 1920 p2
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19200406.2.7?
...In Mem Elizabeth LING.....died 5 Apr 1919 80 years ...Mr and Mrs BIMLER

At Familysearch - probate file for Edward LING of Whataupoko, gardener
....executor and sole beneficiary wife Elizabeth Ann Matilda LING
...Will made out 17 Jul 1897

[proteanz]

Thank you. We have been down that track, too. Still need someone to sign,  It is a large white marble headstone, a little ornate at the top

[Girl Guide]

You start to wonder, well what happened to the first Elizabeth?  The one who presumably arrived in New Zealand with Edward in 1874.

One has to assume for the moment that the 1919 death refers to the second Elizabeth.

Hopefully the death and marriage certificates may shed some light on the matter.

[proteanz]

I have the two death certificates and marriage lines,   Her death certificate is very sad as most boxes were marked and she died of senility.

His death certificate says he had prostate cancer, his fathers name wasd and mother Mary, nee Ward.  It says they were married at Faversham, Kent? ? ? at age 27 to Elizabeth Ann nee Kemp.

The marriage lines say she was a Kemp, but she had been married to someone called Petty and had not heard from him since October 1873.  They both lived in Gisborne but were married in Wanganui at the Registry Office.  Her mother's name was Mary Ann nee Hamon and the father George, address looks like Teynham, Co, Kent.  Looks a bit like they could not get married because she was already married, and when a certain time had elapsed, they did so, but why say he married at age 27 to her.  ?
K

[Girl Guide]

Hhmm trying to find a marriage for Kemp/Petty and not coming up with anything.  However I seem to have found the marriage of Elizabeth's parents:-

George Kemp to Mary Ann Newman on 28 September 1834 at Minster in Sheppey, Kent.  Groom's residence given as Teynham.

So the Teynham fits there.

This appears to be Elizabeth's birth registration:-

KEMP, ELIZABETH       NEWMAN     
GRO Reference: 1840  J Quarter in FAVERSHAM UNION  Volume 05  Page 174

I've found Elizabeth's family in the 1841 census living at Blue House, Teynham, Faversham, Kent

Parents George and Mary and two older siblings Mary (1836) and George (1838).

Registration District  Faversham
Piece number   476
Book number   4
Folio number   22
Page number   6

In 1851 living at Barrow Green, Teynham, Faversham, Kent, now has four younger siblings.

Registration district   Faversham
Piece number   1626
Folio   566
Page   19

Well this is interesting.  Elizabeth is still with her family in the 1861 and still single.

I'm not finding any marriage between a Petty and a Kemp up to 1874.

[Girl Guide]

Could you clarify Edward's father's name please?  You have put 'wasd' and Mary.

I'm getting the impression that your information says Edward married at the age of 27 to Elizabeth Kemp in Faversham.

If that is correct then that marriage took place just before they left the UK to travel to NZ.

[Girl Guide]

I think I have just cracked the Petty/Kemp marriage.  Look at this:-

Marriages Sep 1862
Kemp    Elizabeth        Faversham    2a   964    
Petts    William        Faversham    2a   964

I found the couple in 1871 living at Celler Hill, Lynsted, Faversham, Kent

Registration District is Faversham
Piece number   980
Folio   90
Page   9

This probably means that Edward did not marry two Elizabeths but just one in 1892. Elizabeth Petts nee Kemp.

Elizabeth would have been committing bigamy as I suspect her husband William Petts did not die until 1909.

PETTS, WILLIAM       72     
GRO Reference: 1909  J Quarter in FAVERSHAM  Volume 02A  Page 576

Gives a birth year of 1837 or 1836 if birthday later in the year.

Don't quite know why Elizabeth has acquired two more christian names on the marriage cert.  Possibly to make people think she was a different Elizabeth Kemp?  Who knows?