James Richardson - went to NZ

[ElizabethHerts]

One of the brothers of my 2gt-grandmother was James Richardson, born 14th October 1853 at Grange, Banffshire, Scotland.

He emigrated to New Zealand c. 1883.
I have a transcript of a letter he wrote to one of his sisters in 1900. He states he has three boys and two girls, the eldest boy being 14 and the youngest 3. The second child, a boy, died aged 3.

This is all I know about his life in New Zealand, except I think he was a gardener. I don't even know his wife's name and whether he married in Scotland or New Zealand.

Any advice on finding the family in NZ would be welcome.

[ElizabethHerts]

Ooh, this might be his address:

Taradale via Napier
Hawks Bay
New Zealand

[ElizabethHerts]

I think I have found them:

1887/20002 Richardson William James Mother: Emily Father: James
1889/18681 Richardson James Pitkethley Mother: Emily Jane Father: James
1891/5302 Richardson Jane Alice Mother: Emily Jane Father: James
1893/6649 Richardson Ethel Mary Mother: Emily Father: James
1895/2584 Richardson Henry Charles Mother: Emily Jane Father: James
1897/9336 Richardson Robert Victor Mother: Emily Jane Father: James

1900
"I have got five of a family myself, three boys and two girls. The oldest boy is fourteen and the youngest three years and four months. We lost the second one, a fine boy, when he was three years old. The children are all fine and well. My wife does not have very good health. She had a bad illness some years ago and she has never been properly well since. Sometimes she is fairly well and sometimes not up to much."

This must be the marriage:

Registration Number Bride's Given Name(s) Bride's Family Name Groom's Given Name(s) Groom's Family Name
1886/912 Emily Pitkeathley James Richardson

[Mary from Italy]

Might be worth looking at old NZ newspapers:

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Mary.

His brother Robert Richardson emigrated to NZ too, so there might be something about him too.

[KiwiChris]

Hellooo from Taradale Napier. :D

I see you have found the NZ BMD. The Paperspast site is very good.

I have the electoral rolls on Ancestry if you want me to check anything on there.

Here are some local cemetery sites
http://www.napier.govt.nz/index.php?pid=167
http://www.hdc.govt.nz/cem/cemetery_home.html
If they stayed in Taradale the Napier site is probably more likely to have them, but the Hasting cemeteries are not far away either.

[ElizabethHerts]

Hi, Chris, what a coincidence - I see you live where James mentioned in his address!

Thanks for the links - I'll have a good look at them when I have finished cooking dinner and eating. I know his brother Robert Richardson is buried in Lawrence Cemetery. He settled with his family in Dunedin.

[ElizabethHerts]

Hi Chris,

Would you mind checking some names on electoral rolls, only when you have time, please?

William James Richardson born c. 1887
Henry Charles Richardson born c. 1895
Robert Victor Richardson born c. 1897

Allan Coll Campbell and his wife Jane Alice (Richardson)
Robert Reid and his wife Ethel Mary (Richardson)

Also James and Emily Richardson. James born 1853.

[KiwiChris]

1911 William James Richardson in in Taradale and is a farmer
There is also James Richardson in Taradale, he is a gardener and Emily Ashridge Richardson in Taradale, domestic duties. There are no street addresses so I don't know which one Emily belongs to.
There are a few William James Richardson around so it is hard to know for certain which one is yours.

1919 in Taradale there are Robert Victor, a warehouse man, Henry Charles a carpenter, Emily Ashridge, married and James a gardener.

1928 Robert Victor is a barman at 8 Seapoint Road Napier, there is also a Gertrude Monica Richardson at that address. In 1935 they are living at separate addresses in Napier, Robert is a salesman. He possibly moves to Auckland and is there in 1946 and 1949 when there is a Valma Berwen Richardson at the same address, Robert is a storeman.
1954 he is back in Napier and a labourer with no other Richardson at the same address. He married Gertrude Monica Harvie in 1919, if he married again that would not be available on line.

Henry Charles, a carpenter is in Napier 1928 and there is a Madge Richardson, married at the same address.
1935 there is one at the Railway Hotel, a shipwright with no Madge.
1938 a shipwright and carpenter with no woman at the address.
1946 still there with same occupation and no woman there.

1928-1949 Allan Col Campbell and Jane Alice are in Whatatutu, Bay of Plenty (which is north west of Napier) where Allan is a drover, she remains on the roll as a widow until 1969.

Robert Reid was a bookseller in Napier in 1928-1949 then they seem to vanish.

[ElizabethHerts]

Christine, that is fantastic, many thanks. Quite a lot of detail there, which is a great help. I had a couple of the wives, but there is more to check out.

Many thanks for your time.

[KiwiChris]

Archway, which is the NZ archives might help, especially if there is a divorce in there somewhere.
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Christine, that looks interesting.

[GenieHeather]

William James Richardson married my grandmother's sister. Let me know if you are still researching this family. Not that I know very much as I have only dabbled in this side, I have mostly been researching the people more closely related to me.

[ElizabethHerts]

Hi Heather! Welcome to the forum. It's lovely to hear from you.
I have just responded to your pm.