New Zealand birth - Phoebe SMITH

[Tensixty6]

The informant was George Woodham. Authorized Agent. Royal Park Hospital for the Aged and Infirm.

[giblet]

The informant was George Woodham. Authorized Agent. Royal Park Hospital for the Aged and Infirm.

Ok, that could explain if any information on the cert. is wrong. Sometimes info can be wrong if the informant didnt know them real well.

Have you tried Trove for any articles on the family? Little bits of info from the newspapers can sometimes also shed light onto a family.

Link for the Australian newspapers [free] below

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/search?adv=y

Link for the New Zealand newspapers [free]

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast

[Tensixty6]

I've tried the Australian ones, but not NZ. Thanks, will give it a go.

[minniehaha]

My apologies Christopher. I noted the original poster of this topic was "RWWH" [Ronald]............


Minniehaha.

[Lucy2]

Hello Christopher

Do you happen to have (VIC) birth certificates for any of the children of Phoebe and Horace HASTINGS ?
These might contain information as to the exact place in New Zealand where Phoebe was born and thus enable you to confirm whether in fact she was the child born at Karaka.  [Her age at the time of each birth would also be recorded.]
[It seems doubtful that there was actually a legal marriage between Phoebe and Horace.]

   ~  Lu

   

[Lucy2]

Hi Althea Since our last contact I have come to the conclusion that in fact Phoebe,s
parents were in fact George Smith Sarah Smith nee Lawrence. On checking thier offspring I find a Daughter born at the correct date of Phoebe,s birth.

Hi,Phoebe came to Australia at approximatly 2-3 yeares of age with her parents'

Ronald

Hi Christopher

Browsing the family trees at ancestry.com for George SMITH / Sarah Ann LAWRENCE (parents of a Phoebe SMITH b. 1871), I note there are trees also for the HASTINGS family containing similar info on this couple ?

The George SMITH concerned, appears to be the man who died accidentally at Port Chalmers (Dunedin, NZ) on 31 March 1875, aged about 54 years, leaving a widow and 7 children.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
The "Otago Daily Times" - 2 April 1875 -- and "Otago Witness" - 10 April 1875 - page 4 have details of the Inquest into his death.

Likewise there is also an inquest into the 1893 death of a Sarah Ann SMITH, reputedly aged about 59 years.
"Otago Daily Times" - 21 July 1893 - Sudden Death at Port Chalmers  (also pub. "Otago Witness" 27 July 1893).
[Strangely the inquest report in the newspapers gives the testimony of a Thomas SMITH "husband of Sarah Ann".   I think this was in fact her son (Thomas William?) as later in the report it mentions a Margaret SMITH, wife of Thomas SMITH and daughter-in-law of the deceased (Sarah Ann SMITH).]

George SMITH and Sarah Ann SMITH are buried together at Port Chalmers Cemetery, Dunedin.
[The cemetery record states that Sarah Ann was the "widow of George". ]
Link to cemetery records >
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search

So the question I guess, is, are these people the parents of your Phoebe SMITH and did they at some time, take their daughter to Australia ??

   ~  Lu
 

[giblet]

I'd like to update this posting.

Phoebe SMITH, according to her death certificate, was born in New Zealand in 1874. Her parents were James SMITH and Phoebe (maiden name unknown). Her father James occupation was recorded as a painter. The certificate also confirmed that she married my great grandfather, Horace Warner Hastings in Sydney, allegedly at age 16 which would have made it 1890. There is no record of marriage, no record of birth and no record regarding immigration to Australia. I don't know where to turn. Help.

Christopher, who was the informant on Phoebe's death cert.? I was thinking since their death certificates appear not to have correct information on them i wonder if Pheobe was even born in NZ. With no marriage cert. available i agree with Lucy2 about maybe trying a birth cert. from one of their kids.

[Tensixty6]

I've obtained the birth certificate of my grandfather, Norman Hastings, who was born on 1891. He was the second of eleven children. His certificate indicates that Phoebe was born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1874.

[Lucy2]

Hi Christopher

Can you tell us please, the age listed for his mother Phoebe on that certificate ?

  ~  Lu