70th FOOT in New Zealand 1861-1865

[Jeff Guyett]

hi
I have been researching the 70th Foot and about the time they where in New Zealand during 1861 -1865 , are there in sources which I may be able to find out more in New Zealand?

[Fresh Fields]

Hi, morning from down under.

Our newspapers digital archive has some 80 mentions up to 1870.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers?phrase=2&snippet=true&query=70th+Foot&start_date=01-01-1839&end_date=31-12-1870

Will see if this link works.

Others who support this board are more familiar with the Militia campaigns, and I have no doubt that they will assist.

Alan

PS.  Did you check out the NZ historic births?

[spades]

Hi Jeff,

The seminal reference for men of the Imperial regiments took their discharge in New Zealand is
Discharged in New Zealand. Soldiers of the Imperial Foot Regiments who took their discharge in New Zealand 1840-1870 by H & L  Hughes. (1988).

This extract refers to the 70th Foot:

page 110:
70th (SURREY) REGIMENT
Known as the "Glasgow Greys", after the place where the Regiment was first
raised and from the fact that they later adopted grey facings to their uniforms,
the 70th was summoned from Calcutta in 1861 to join the forces in New Zealand.
Stationed originally at Otahuhu, with a detachment as far away as Dunedin during
1861-3, soldiers of the regiment saw action in Taranaki in 1863 and in the
Waikato during 1863-4, returning to Taranaki and then across to Napier in 1865.
They left Auckland in January 1866 for England.
Unfortunately for the genealogist very few of those who took their discharge
in NZ had their particulars entered in full in the Muster Rolls.

If you are looking for a particular individual I can search my copy of this title.

Spades

[Jeff Guyett]

hi
William Oakley - 7Oth Foot Sergeant (band master) no 2453
Sarah Oakley his wife - they had at least on child in New Zealand
Sarah Matilda OAKLEY was born 1864 in Otalmlin & poss/prob
Anne OAKLEY was born 1862 in Otalmlin, New Zealand.(may have died on the return to the uk)

found 2 Newspaper articles- aconcert in Napier in 1865 & saving a drowning boy/men also in Napier

[Fresh Fields]

Hi Jeff.

The place name will be "Otahuhu" not text recognition Otalmlin.

No registrations for a child born to William OAKLEY  - have not tried for varient spellings.

Alan.

[spades]

Hi Jeff,

I have searched my copy but no 'OAKLEY' appears in any regimental list, let alone the 70th. I also looked for the spelling variant OKLEY.

Assuming that William OAKLEY did take his discharge in New Zealand, he is likely to be among a number of apparent omissions from Hughes' Discharged in New Zealand.

An article in The New Zealand Genealogist (December 2020 Vol. 51 No. 386) discusses this issue. It includes a list of men whose names appear in a collection held at Puke Ariki Museum and Library in New Plymouth titled, 'Imperial Regiment Army Discharges'. Cross-referencing with Discharged in New Zealand revealed eighteen men omitted from Hughes' book.

William OAKLEY does not appear in this list either.

Spades

[spades]

Hi Jeff,

Can you please tell us what you know of William OAKLEY? I don't think we have enough data.

You mention above that the family returned to the UK. When was this?

Might he have returned to the UK with his regiment and taken his discharge there?

Spades

[Fresh Fields]

Hello.

....  EDITED with 2nd attempt below, to get links posted correctly, so that they might take you directly to the press clipping of interest.

Alan,

[Fresh Fields]

Hello.

For the family heritage archive, press articles, re post #3

Prevented a drowning. Various press reports:-

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH18651028.2.10?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18651103.2.12?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865   

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18651103.2.31?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865 

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WI18651111.2.31.23?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC18651111.2.11?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865 

THE LATE CONCERT   Serjeant Oakley, band director.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH18651128.2.14.1?end_date=31-12-1865&items_per_page=100&query=Oakley&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-10-1865

Alan.