My father was Henry Phillip Donkin's (no. 3) brother, Laurence Ralph.
Their father Henry Phillip Donkin (no. 2) married Agnes Johnston (nee Pitkethly, from Scotland, I have information on them) and was apparently a butcher. My dad was born in 1913 in Kihikihi NZ, and I think they moved to Thames when he was very young. Henry Phillip No. 2 left Agnes to bring up 7 children on her own. I believe he was an alcoholic. That will be why there was silence about their background as that would have been very shameful. Agnes was my Nana and was a wonderful woman. She took in sewing to earn an income and was blind by the time I was a child.
Their grandfather, also Henry Phillip Donkin (no.1) was apparently a doctor. He and his brother, Ralph, a Civil Engineer, came to New Zealand from Northumberland in the 1860s. They had a third brother, Thomas Cole who was an artist and had a son called Thomas.
Their father was Ralph Donkin, married Margaretta. Either Ralph or Margarett was born around 1775 and died 1868 in Northumberland.
The older brother of Henry Phillip no2 was Ralph and he had a son Ralph and another Reg, but it appears the posts re Roach and Irish connection don't fit with the info I have, outlined above. Perhaps they fit with Ralph the Civlil Engineer who also came to nz in 1860s, oldest son of Ralph and Margaretta - I see there is info about them on page 1 of this post.
According to my info William who died 1.6.1901 in the Boer War was the son of Henry Phillip no. 1, the doctor, ....