I am trying to find out how Donald Taylor, who died at 37 Arthur Street Freemans Bay, Auckland, at the age of 85 in 1917, and who is buried in Purewa, arrived in New Zealand.
Apparently C.Little and Sons notes associated with his death record (now at the Auckland Public Library), say that he had been in NZ for 75 years, which would place him arriving NZ in 1842; I am chasing that record through the Auckland Public Library. There is a Donald Taylor working / living in Field Lane (near widow Mary Taylor living in Chancery Street) in the 1845 Police Census. However, this conflicts with the arrival of a "D. Taylor" on the John Wesley in 1850.
His parents may be Dugald (a calico dyer) and Mary Taylor who were onboard the Duchess of Argyll in 1842 with four children: Thomas(10), James (5) and Dougald and Catherine, the latter two died during the voyage. I can't find any record (in NZ or the Scotland 1841 Census) for Thomas Taylor born 1832.
Donald married Mary Jane Jarvis in 1859 in Otahuhu... I have the marriage doc.
None of the sources like passenger lists 1839 - 1841, Police Census 1845, cemetery records, papers past and present etc have the info... or at least I haven't found it.
Any advice / sourced info etc gratefully received
Kevin Morris