WHITEMAN family:
Francis (widower), his sons, George and William and Daughter Jane came from Sussex in England. They settled in the Hutt Valley. Jane Married Matthew Shirley in 1847 and they had 11 children, 6 born in Wellington and the rest in Southland. During his later years Jane's father also moved to Southland. This family are also related to the Whiteman's in Australia. Any information or connections please contact Lyall Mitchell Ann MARTIN
Ann  accompanied the Whiteman's. Francis was her step father. She too comes from Sussex, England. Her mother Mary had remarried Francis Whiteman in 1831 after her father's death.  Her mother died in 1839 in Sussex. Any information would be appreciated. Please contact Lyall Mitchell

LAWSON family:
Robert Lawson, born Leith Scotland 1812 and one of eleven children to Andrew Lawson and Jane Cunningham, left Gravesend with his wife Susannah Allen and 4 children for their new life in New Zealand.  They settled in a place called River Hutt, near Wellington.  Whilst in New Zealand they had 3 more children and lost their son Jabez Lawson who drowned. Jabez had emigrated with them to New Zealand. On the 1st August 1853 Robert Lawson and his two eldest sons, Andrew and John, arrived in Victoria Australia to search for gold, without success, in the Bendigo gold fields. Susannah Lawson and her children remained in New Zealand and followed Robert to Bendigo around 2 years later. If you have a connection with this family or would like to know more please contact Keith Treuel.

ELLIS family:
JAMES and MARY (Downey) ELLIS and their two daughters were living in Marylebone, London, before  leaving for New Zealand.  KATHERINE was seven years old and BRIDGET five months old when they arrived in Wellington.  (The ship's papers give Bridget's age as "2 1/2" when leaving England, but that was months, not years.)  When Mary Ellis died about 1847, Katherine aged about 13 was cared for by the Knocks family and later married their son John Knocks of Otaki who was listed as a Licensed Victualler, Leasehold, Waikanae in the 1850's and 1860's and in 1863 became a Native Inspector and Interpreter in the Otaki Magistrate's Court.  Bridget aged about 6 was cared for by Mr and Mrs James Smith who had a shop on Lambton Quay (which later became James Smith's Department Store).  During the Wellington earthquake on 23 January 1855 Bridget told of the tidal surge breaking the windows in Smith's shop on the Quay.   She married Bartholomew Lorrigan who was on the staff of Government Houses in Auckland and Wellington, and whose family arrived on the "Westminster", the third ship in the first fleet into Auckland in 1843.  There are a large number of descendants in New Zealand and if you are interested in this family please contact [email protected]