This is my own pedigree, obtained from memories and histories of living New Zealand Blayneys, confirmed by cemetry records and my own research. At present, I believe this is reasonably accurate, but the ancestors of Alexander are not as well defined, so I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has more information that might help or corrections/additions to our ancestors.
Alexander Henry BLAYNEY a.k.a. Henry Alexander BLAYNEY, Cabinet Maker, listed at Peel Road, Woodford, Essex in the 1881 British Census, born Sept 1842 and living with his widowed mother Rebecca BLAYNEY b~1806 [129]. This may also explain one of the reasons for Alex's delay into matrimony.
Alex's father was Thomas BLAYNEY (Blaney according to one LDS source), born 1796 in Finsbury, a Journeyman Tailor. He died in 1854 at Hackney Wick of Cholera. Alex's mother was Rebecca Lambert (Lambbert in the LDS source), born in 1804 at Bethnal Green, London and married on 15th October, 1823 at St Matthew, Bethnal Green [127]. Alexander was the 16th of 17 children (not all proven yet).
According to Garry Blayney [142] Alex was not just a chairmaker but a landlord but he lost the houses in an economic depression.
It is obvious from the dates of marriage (1893), Immigration (1893) and the birth of their first child, Frank on 14 May 1893 at Auckland, that the marriage and emigration were precipitated by Beckie Nichol's pregnancy. She would have been 28 and Alex 50 at the time ;-)
1 Alexander Henry BLAYNEY b.Sep1842 (St Luke, London)
A Chairmaker by trade, owning some houses in London which he lost in an
economic down-turn [367] (presumably the Financial Panic and subsequent
Depression of 1893). imm.1893;
Occ. "settler", Farmer (Pt Chevalier) and was recorded as having 173 sheep
in 1894, but zero in 1895 [862].
He then became a Carrier in Morningside, Auckland, where he owned land opposite
the Railway Station which he divided between his sons: Frank got 30 Argyle St,
while Thomas had 20 Argyle St plus a depot.
d.11Sep1924 Auckland [123]; Will probated 18Sep1924 [122]
The cemetery records state Alexander died 10Sep1924 yet the inscription has 11Sep1924,
while the Probate record has he "died on [or about] the eleventh day of September"
with the "[or about]" added manually [1486].
+ Rebecca (Beckie) NICHOLS b.5Dec1864 (Sth Hackney, England) (Birth Cert.);
m.1893 (presumably onboard ship as no British or NZ BDM record exists);
A Rebecca NICHOLS appears on the BDM record b.(Mar)1865 (Hackney) [1268]
Emm 1893; on the 1893 NZ Electoral Roll living at Point Chevalier, Auckland [122]
d.22Aug1948 (Auckland) age 83 [1144] (Brain tumour)
Both Alexander and Beckie buried at Hillsborough Cemetery (Auckland) [123]
Rebecca called her grandchildren princes [from Vi]
2 Francis (Frank) Alexander Thomas BLAYNEY b.15May1893 Pt Chevalier Auckland
d.11Mar1983 [142], Masterton Hospital. Ashes interred Nov 1989
NZ Army (WWI) Lance Corporal (driver) WWI 8th Reinforcements,
served 25Aug1915-7Jun1919 (Egypt 1916 & Western Europe 1916-1918);
Self-employed, then employed truck driver (multiple driving offences documented).
See Frank.html
+ Ruby Armstrong WESTON but preferred the surname WESTON-HURD
after her step-father, William Stephen Hurd (1856-1893)
b.29Dec1898 (Saint Kilda, Victoria, Australia) [1489][1144]; m.11Oct1920 [1268];
d.4Nov1979, [ashes were interred 1989 with Francis [123]];
[Dau. of Henry WESTON and Agnes Frances BENNET (later HURD)]
3 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
2 Thomas Athol BLAYNEY b.22Mar1896 & d.18Nov1977 Oratia, Auckland
Ashes bur.19Nov1977 (Waikumete Cem. Auck. Cremation Lawn Old Row K2, Plot 12)
Grocer then self-employed carrier & coal merchant, see 1918 & 1919 photos)
Didn't complete primary school
Home service NZ Army (WWI), pte. 1917-1918; m.31May1922 Wellington
+ Hannah Mary Scott McLEOD, later known as "Elsie"
b.19Dec1898, Milton Otago [375]
Biological parents:
Unknown McLEOD but a photo of Elsie's mother was found in the
"Diary of South Island Trip 1963" [375]
[dau of Ms McLEOD and unknown father. The surname McLeod suggests
a Scottish ancestry.] ]
Elsie's Adoption:
• Date: 3Jun1900 (1yr6mth)
• Given name: Hannah Mary ("Elsie") TOOMATH
• Adopting father: E James TOOMATH b.25Oct1860; d.25Oct1934 (Auckland)
[son of Edward William TOOMATH b.22May1817 (Belleek, Fermanagh, Ireland);
d.29Apr1885 (Wellington) [see Edward and Eliza below] and Eliza Jane BATTERSBY
b.26Jan1828; d.22Dec1898 (Wellington).
Edward in turn was the son of James TOOMATH and Mary Janes de GRUDY
from the Channel Is where James was stationed as a soldier.]
• Adopting mother:
Alice Jane HOBBS b.1866; m.14Jan1884; d.20Feb1934, (both Auckland).
• Adopting siblings:
William, Bert, Amy, Frances and Arthur Hugh TOOMATH.
Edward William Toomath (left), Settler (and father of Mr. James Toomath, the adopting father of Elsie) may be regarded as the father of education in New Zealand, was born in 1817. Educated at the Battersea Training Institute, he spent a few years as a soldier, and after teaching for some time in London and Northampton, he was selected by the Society for the promotion of Christian knowledge as the first certificated teacher for New Zealand. Landing in Wellington in 1850 becoming the first teacher in the Canterbury settlement, at Lyttelton. He severed his connection with the Society after two years, and opened private schools in Wellington and Greytown. He was the promoter of the present system of free education, although other hands did the work, and was the first inspector of schools. The Thorndon Normal School (since abolished) was promoted by him, and he was, until the time of his death, a member of the Wellington Education Board. In politics he was a Liberal and sat for some time in one of the early Parliaments. He interested himself in stock-raising, and introduced long-woolled sheep to the Colony, grazing them on the section now occupied by the Wellington Club. A successful speculator, he took an active part in establishing the Wellington tramways and other ventures. Mr. Toomath was twice married. His first wife died of cholera within twenty-four hours of marriage. His second wife (right), who survived him, was Eliza Jane Battersby, a passenger by the ship “Cornwall,” in 1850. Edward's epitaph reads ""He rests from his labours and his works do follow him".
[1571][1572][1573][1574][1575]
Elsie nursed both her adopted parents for ten years at Argyl St, Morningside
(where she met Thomas) but she was not included in the Toomath will.
This I believe was an oversight as James & Alice were closely involved with Elsie's
family and Ivan was very close to James and was deeply affected by his death.
On retirement Thomas and Elsie moved to Piha, NZ where she died on 13Apr1967
Ashes bur.23Nov1967 (Waikumete Cem. Auck. - Cremation Lawn Old Row K2, Plot 12)
3 Noel James BLAYNEY b.23Dec1922 (Wellington)
d.20Dec2004 (Waikanae) [360][1144];
Occ. Consulting Electrician, Civil Servant); CPL ISU (1939-45);
Ashes, Servicemans Cremation Garden, Waikanae Cemetery;
[Biological s/o Elsie, not of Thomas, but adopted by him]
+ Irene Elinor HOBBS b.3Apr1921 (Wellington) m.19Mar1943,
d.20Sep2005 (ashes - Waikanae Cemetery)
[d/o Pvt Albert John HOBBS (1891-1951, both Wellington) and
and Marie Helen COWAN (1890 {London}-1935 {Wellington})]
4 Living BLAYNEYS view family (?p/w problem)
3 Maisie Alice BLAYNEY b.7May1923;l (Tayloress); m.1943;
d.12June2012 (Auckland)
+ James (Jim) Richard George NORTON JP b.4Mar1923
[son of George Andrew Benjamin NORTON (1902-1927)
and Ethel Annie JAMIESON (1902-2003)]
(Butcher, then took over Tom's Carrier business) d.10Dec1991 Auckland
4 Brian James NORTON b.16Nov1944 [1251] (Auckland), mechanic;
Company Director (BA Enterprises BOP Ltd);
d.19Sep2016 (Rotorua). The "BRIAN NORTON SUPREME WEDDING INDUSTRY AWARD"
was established in his memory [1570]
Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Paul Thomas NORTON b.29Jun1947; (Manufacturer then Property Manager);
m.21Jun1969; d.22Sep2023
Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Viola Elsie BLAYNEY b.30Dec1924 (Moringside, Auckland)
m.27Nov1947; d.6.Aug2017 (NSW); Occ.Shop Keeper, caterer
+ Myron Bertrand KELLY b.9Aug1923 (Delegate, NSW); Farmer;
Þ (inmate 32 years); d.4Jul2007 (NSW) [brain tumour]
4 David Maxwell KELLY b.4Mar1949 (?Bega, ?Sydney Australia)
Occ. Electrician. d.30Jun1992 ?m.v. (NZ)
Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Ivan Thomas BLAYNEY b.29Mar1926 & d.14Apr1993 in Auckland (Carpenter)
+ Phyllis Muriel Emma POTTER b.8Mar1926 -Living
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Keith Thomas BLAYNEY [me], living view family (?p/w problem)
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Raymond (Ray) Henry BLAYNEY b.21Nov1938 [161] (Auckland); d.31Dec2022 (Middlemore)
Carpenter (Foreman for Neill Housing)
+ Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
Password
If you would like the password to access information about living Blayneys, Carruthers and Potters,
just contact me. If you already have the password(s), feel free to release it to any living descendant
of the Carruthers, Potters or Blayneys - the only reason I have passworded the living is to protect
their information from abuse, not to hide them from their relatives!!
If you can't make the password work, click problem.
b.Sep1842 (St Luke, London) A Chairmaker by trade, owning some houses in London which he lost in an economic down-turn [367] (presumably the Financial Panic and subsequent Depression of 1893). imm.1893; Occ. "settler", Farmer (Pt Chevalier) and was recorded as having 173 sheep in 1894, but zero in 1895 [862]. He then became a Carrier in Morningside, Auckland, where he owned land opposite the Railway Station which he divided between his sons: Frank got 30 Argyle St, while Thomas had 20 Argyle St plus a depot. d.11Sep1924 Auckland [123]; Will probated 18Sep1924 [122] The cemetery records state Alexander died 10Sep1924 yet the inscription has 11Sep1924, while the Probate record has he "died on [or about] the eleventh day of September" with the "[or about]" added manually [1486]. + Rebecca (Beckie) NICHOLS b.5Dec1864 (Sth Hackney, England) (Birth Cert.); m.1893 (presumably onboard ship as no British or NZ BDM record exists); A Rebecca NICHOLS appears on the BDM record b.(Mar)1865 (Hackney) [1268] Emm 1893; on the 1893 NZ Electoral Roll living at Point Chevalier, Auckland [122] d.22Aug1948 (Auckland) age 83 [1144] (Brain tumour)
Edward William Toomath (left), Settler (and father of Mr. James Toomath, the adopting father of Elsie) may be regarded as the father of education in New Zealand, was born in 1817. Educated at the Battersea Training Institute, he spent a few years as a soldier, and after teaching for some time in London and Northampton, he was selected by the Society for the promotion of Christian knowledge as the first certificated teacher for New Zealand.
Landing in Wellington in 1850 becoming the first teacher in the Canterbury settlement, at Lyttelton. He severed his connection with the Society after two years, and opened private schools in Wellington and Greytown. He was the promoter of the present system of free education, although other hands did the work, and was the first inspector of schools. The Thorndon Normal School (since abolished) was promoted by him, and he was, until the time of his death, a member of the Wellington Education Board. In politics he was a Liberal and sat for some time in one of the early Parliaments. He interested himself in stock-raising, and introduced long-woolled sheep to the Colony, grazing them on the section now occupied by the Wellington Club. A successful speculator, he took an active part in establishing the Wellington tramways and other ventures. Mr. Toomath was twice married. His first wife died of cholera within twenty-four hours of marriage. His second wife (right), who survived him, was Eliza Jane Battersby, a passenger by the ship “Cornwall,” in 1850. Edward's epitaph reads ""He rests from his labours and his works do follow him". [1571] [1572] [1573] [1574] [1575]
