SOME PIONEER WOMEN OF HAWERA

 

ADAMSON, SARAH JANE nee WELLS� was born in Sydney in 1855, the daughter of Captain George and Rhoda Jane Wells nee Wyer.� She came to New Zealand at the age of two years and married Stephen Adamson, a drover, in 1876 at New Plymouth.� The couple came to Hawera, and Sarah Jane died on the 16 September 1907 and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

BAMFORD, MARION nee PRITCHARD was born in London in 1858, the daughter of Charles Frederick Pritchard, engineer of London, mother unknown.� She came to New Zealand in 1882, and married George Bamford in Wellington in 1883.� They raised two sons and a daughter before Marion died on the 15 August 1897 aged 33 years.� Marion is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

BAYLY, ALICE nee HALL was a daughter of James, a Royal engineer and Mary Jane Hall.� Alice was a sister to Mary Jane Flynn.� She married Isaac Bayly, who owned property just south of Hawera.� In 1875 they built the house still standing by the railway overbridge, on South Road, which was later owned by the Lovell and Blyth families.

 

BUCHANAN, MARY nee WHYTE was born at Kilmur, Scotland about 1834, the daughter of John Whyte, a farmer, and Catherine nee Clark.� She married Donald Buchanan at Kilmur, about 1860 and they sailed to Victoria, Australia.� Mary took three children, including daughters Kate and Jessie back to Scotland to be educated, while Donald joined his brother Walter in New Zealand.� In 1875, Mary and the children returned to New Zealand, to where Donald and Walter had taken up land in the Wairarapa.� In 1878 the family came to Hawera, residing in the town for a time before moving to an Ohangai farm.� After the death of Donald, Mary and family moved to a house they built at 301 South Road, and Mary died there on the 5 November 1918.� She is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

CAPLEN, EMMA AGNES nee DEER was born in Bath, Somerset, England in 1846, the daughter of John Deer, jeweller and Harriet nee Denton.� In 1877 the family came to Greymouth, and in 1879, Emma married Harry Caplen, a solicitor of Nelson. They moved to Hawera early in 1880 and raised a family of three daughters and two sons.� Emma Caplen died on the 24 July 1921 and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

CAVERHILL, ALICE MARY nee HOBBS was born in 1865 at Yackandandah, Victoria, Australia, the daughter of Alfred Samuel Hobbs and Mary Ann Laura nee Low.� The family moved to Wanganui, and then on to Hawera on 1877.� In 1891 Alice married William John Caverhill at Hawera and they raised two sons.� They lived at The Lakes, on Manawapou Road, Hawera.� Alice died on the 9 August 1956 aged 91 years and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

 

 

DAVIDSON SISTERS.� Elizabeth, born in 1834 and Isabella, born in 1851 were born at Canonbie, Dumfrieshire, Scotland and were the daughters of William and ?? nee Armstrong.� In 1888, the sisters came to New Zealand with their sister's orphaned children to join their bachelor brother, James Davidson.� James had to come to Hawera in 1871 and had set up the first general store in the town.� The sisters housekept for him, as well as looking after the children.� They also helped in the shop until James retired to a farm at Ohangai Road, Taiporohenui in 1897.� Isabella died on the 21 August 1913, and Elizabeth died on the 12 December 1915.� They are buried together in the Hawera cemetery.

 

ESPAGNE, BRIDGET nee GORMAN was born in 1843 at Cashel, Tiperary, Ireland.� Bridget married Theodore Jacques Espagne on the 16 August 1873 at Wanganui, and the couple settled in Hawera.� They had four children, and lived on the site of the Grand Theatre (now AoG Church).� Theodore built the Central Buildings, which included the Hawera Hotel, and built many other properties around Hawera.� The last to be demolished was on the site of the present Trust Bank.� Bridget Espagne died on the 20 July 1925 aged 82 years, and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

FANTHAM, ELIZA nee WALKER was born in 1814 at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, the daughter of Richard Walker, a wheelwright, and Annie nee Maunder.� Eliza married Joseph Cope Fantham, who it was understood was employed by her father, in 1832.� The couple came to New Zealand on the Duke of Portland in 1852, settling at Spreydon, a suburb of Christchurch.� Her daughter Emily married Walter Goodland, and settled at Te Matai farm, Normanby (now Clement's).� Eliza came up to live with her daughter, possibly after being widowed.� Eliza died on the 5 June 1903 at Normanby and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.� Her son, Albert Arthur Fantham, who married Mary nee McWilliam had come to Hawera in 1882.� Eliza was the grandmother of Fanny Bayly nee Fantham and great-grandmother of Constance Free.

 

FLYNN, MARY JANE nee HALL was born in 1854 in Auckland, the daughter of James Hall, Royal engineer and Mary Jane nee Hall.� In 1865 she married John Flynn at New Plymouth, and the family came to Hawera about 1877, when their daughter Annie Winifred Quin nee Flynn was 17 months old.� John ran the stage coach between Hawera and New Plymouth via Opunake.� They also kept the Railway Hotel.� Mary Jane formed the Flynn family orchestra, and was noted for the quality of her high soprano voice, despite the fact that she had never been trained as a singer. Mary Jane became a member of the first choral society formed in Hawera.� Mary Jane died on the 15 June 1903 and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.� A sister was Alice Bayly.

 

HICKS, MARGARET nee GIBSON was born in 1861 at Edinburgh, Scotland, the daughter of George Gibson, a farmer, and Margaret nee Black.� The family came to New Zealand in 1879 and eventually settled at Manaia.� Margaret married John Hicks at Manaia in 1892.� Margaret died on the 5 June 1943 aged 82 years and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

HUNTER, MARY nee MURRAY was born in 1851 in Glasgow, Scotland and came to New Zealand in 1862.� She was the daughter of James Murray, a tea merchant, and Jane nee Blair.� Mary married Moore Hunter at Wanganui in 1874.� Moore had a large property on the west side of Hawera, and the family lived at Burnside (now the A and P showgrounds).� The Hunter family had considerable involvement in the early development of the Hawera community.� Mary Hunter died on the 17 August 1943 aged 92 years and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

LARCOM, ANN nee ARMSTRONG was born about 1833 to Thomas Armstrong, a farmer of Tiperary, Ireland and Ann nee Bodice.� In about 1863, Ann married Samuel Gale Larcom at The Manse, Colac, Victoria, Australia.� In 1872 the family settled on Turuturu Road, Hawera, and had a family of seven children.� Ann died on the 9 April 1916 at Turuturu Road and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

MALONE, ELLEN MARY AGNES nee KELLY was born in 1840 in County Clare, Ireland, a daughter of Daniel Kelly, farmer, and Mary nee Kilmartin.� In 1867 she married John Malone at Melbourne, Australia.� In 1869 they came to New Zealand, eventually settling in Hawera.� Mary died on the 7 March 1924 at 10 Gladstone Street, Hawera.� This was part of their original land holding.� Mary is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

McLEAN, MATILDA RONALDSON nee KING was born in Ireland in 1845, the daughter of William Houston King and Elizabeth Isabella nee Ronaldson.� Matilda married George McLean in Dublin in 1870 and came to New Zealand in 1874, eventually settling in Hawera.� They raised two children and Matilda died on the 23 March 1914 aged 69 years.� She is buried at the Hawera cemetery.� Irene Powdrell nee McLean was a granddaughter.

 

MUIR, MARY ANN nee TITTCOMB was born in 1841 in Wiltshire, England, the daughter of William and Mary Ann Tittcombe nee Grantham.� Mary Ann came to New Zealand in 1858, and in 1859 married Mr Alexander at Auckland at the age of 18 years.� In 1864 she married Mr Holland in Wanganui at the age of 23 years, and finally married Quentin Muir at Patea in 1874, aged 33 years.� Mary Ann had 11 children from 1860 until 1888.� Mary Ann died on the 3 July 1900 at Hawera and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

O'DEA, BRIDGET nee O'MEARA was born in 1849 in County Limerick, Ireland, the daughter of Patrick O'Meara, farmer, and Bridget nee Fox.� Bridget married James O'Dea in Brooklyn, New York in 1874, coming to New Zealand in 1876.� Bridget had nine children and died on the 18 October 1919.� She is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OGLE, MARY JANE nee MUSGRAVE was born in 1857 in Sheffield, England, the daughter of George and Mary Ann Musgrave.� She married George Ogle at Sheffield at the age of 19 years. in 1876 and came to New Zealand in 1885.� The family settled at Hawera, where George ran a flour mill at Tawhiti (now Walkers).� Mary Jane had 12 children, and died on the 24 December 1935 aged 78 years.� She is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

O'SHEA, JOHANNA nee O'SULLIVAN was born in 1834, the daughter of John More O'Sullivan and Ellen nee Cahill.� Johanna was born in County Kerry, Ireland and came to New Zealand in 1865.� She married George O'Shea in 1869 and had three children.� Johanna died on the 17 June 1919 and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

QUIN, JANE ELIZABETH nee RYAN was born in 1838 in Ireland, daughter of Hugh Ryan, farmer, and Ann nee Campbell.� Jane married Charles Quin in Newcastle in 1856, and they came to New Zealand in 1863.� Jane had eight children, seven sons and a daughter and died in Hawera on the 3 June 1903 aged 65 years.� She is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

QUINLIVAN, NORAH nee ?? was born in 1839 in County Clare, Ireland.� She came to New Zealand in 1869 and married Thomas Quinlivan in 1879.� Thomas had the Egmont Hotel in Hawera from the early 1870s.� They had no family and Norah died on the 13 June 1919 and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

SYME, MARY nee DODDS was born about 1836 in Belfast, Ireland,� the daughter of James Dodds, manager of a printing works, and Margaret nee Burns.� She married George Syme in Glasgow in 1860 and they came to New Zealand in 1862, landing at Invercargill.� George began contracting in the area, and then the couple went to the goldfields at Shotover, having little success.� They then came to New Plymouth in 1864, moving to Wanganui in 1866.� In 1875, the Syme family came to Hawera where George established the Egmont Sash and Door Company, building the first Hawera Primary School.� In 1889, George bought out the other shareholders, and became sole proprietor of the largest business of its type in Taranaki.� Mary had seven children and died on the 2 July 1910 aged 74 years, and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

TORRY, JANE nee DOUGHTY was born in 1831 at Dunbar, Scotland, the daughter of Alexander Doughty, a merchant.� About 1875 she married Rev James Torry, a Presbyterian minister,� and the couple came to Hawera.� James died ten years later, and Jane died on the 31 December 1917 and is buried at the Hawera cemetery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHITE, HARRIET nee DINGLE was born in 1856 in New Plymouth, the daughter of James Dingle, farmer, and Hannah nee Veale.� In 1879 Hannah married William George White, who was manager of the Bank of New Zealand in Hawera.� Harriet was deeply involved with St Mary's Anglican Church and enjoyed an interest in horticulture with her husband, both being early members of the Hawera Horticultural Society.� They developed a large section between Cameron and Gladstone Streets.� Harriet died on the 17 November 1919 aged 63 years and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

WHITTINGTON, BETSY MERIA (sic) nee JAKEMAN was born in 1857 at Warwick, England, the daughter of Charles and Betsy Jakeman.� Betsy came to New Zealand in 1875, and married Hugh Knight Whittington, a bricklayer, in 1879.� In 1880 they moved to Hawera where Hugh set up in business, and served on the Hawera Borough Council for many years.� Betsy died on the 24 March 1920 and is buried in the Hawera cemetery.

 

WILSON, MARY EMMA nee HOBBS was born 1864 at Yackandandah, Victoria, Australia to Alfred Samuel Hobbs and Mary Ann Laura nee Low.� The family left Australia by sailing ship Tarawera in 1874 to Wellington, and then went to Wanganui by the paddle steamer Manawatu.� On the 25 April 1875 they arrived in Hawera settling on South Road, while her father travelled daily to the farm on the Ohangai school site.� Mary married Walter Wilson in October 1885 and they farmed on the Tawhiti Road, before moving to Mangatoki.� Mary wrote the book Hawera, Fifty Years Ago in 1928, and was the mother of Joyce Duffill nee Wilson.� Mary died on the 27 November 1946 at Eltham, and is buried in the Eltham cemetery.