George James Kent, born Plymouth, Devon abt. 1830. died New Zealand, May, 1909.

[rosie99]

I wonder if they found the body     

You would think he would have changed his name if he was planning not to return to Plymouth.

[jonwarrn]

Amazingly ingenious mind you have Rosie
There are a couple of George Kents born in Plymouth/Devomport in the merchant seamen's records. One of them born Plymouth 25 Aug 1830. First went to sea as a boy in 1841. Resides in Plymouth (1845)

[rosie99]

Amazingly ingenious mind you have Rosie
There are a couple of George Kents born in Plymouth/Devomport in the merchant seamen's records. One of them born Plymouth 25 Aug 1830. First went to sea as a boy in 1841. Resides in Plymouth (1845)

Otakou73 have you any idea of his birth date

[Otakou73]

Thank you Jon and Rosie. I appreciate your help.

Rosie, I do not have a date of birth for George, just that his death record says was aged 79 when he drowned in May, 1909. He had been in New Zealand for 45 years.

I now wonder if he could be the George in the 1841 census as some of the names in that family are the same as those of his own children, Elizabeth, George and Henry.

Jon, I am intrigued by your mention of the George Kent who went to sea as a boy in 1841, as “my” George is supposed to have left home at a very young age.

[wivenhoe]

Who is the informant for the death certificate, 1909. How long had he been in New Zealand.

Can you please list all the information on the marriage certificate, 1876.

[wivenhoe]

Otago Daily Times 12 Apr 1864 p2
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18640412.2.3.6?
Found outside the Heads, a Norwegian-built skiff. Apply George Kent Maori Kaik.

[Otakou73]

Who is the informant for the death certificate, 1909. How long had he been in New Zealand.

Can you please list all the information on the marriage certificate, 1876.

I can’t decipher the surname of the informant on the death certificate but it does say he was “authorised in writing by the coroner”. Possibly someone from the coroner’s office?

According to his death certificate, George had been in New Zealand for 45 years.

The marriage certificate gives scant details. just date and place, that both were of “full age” and names  of the minister and witnesses,
 Parents names are not listed as it wasn’t until the 1880s that this was a requirement.

[jonwarrn]

The seaman's ticket for that chap (which is on findmypast) isn't that informative.
It does have a description, height 4' 4", hair brown, complexion fair, eyes hazel.

I'm not so sure now about when he first when to sea (as a boy), it might say 1842 rather than 1841

If you haven't seen it, and have familysearch, the inquest papers from 1909 are on there, with witness statements
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK1-7375-7

Was Elizabeth Harriet in 1876 the first child of George and Harriet Kent?
But the NZ birth index has father's name as Joseph?

[Otakou73]

Otago Daily Times 12 Apr 1864 p2
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18640412.2.3.6?
Found outside the Heads, a Norwegian-built skiff. Apply George Kent Maori Kaik.

Thank you so much. This is something I have not seen before.

 If the information on his death certificate that he been in NZ 45 years when he died is correct, he would not have been in NZ for very long in 1864 and probably  spent the rest of his life at Otakou (Maori Kaik).