Kirker Family

[fred21]

Hi,

I am trying to trace my partner's family and would appreciate any help/information/suggestions.

His grandfather was

Robert Alexander KIRKER born 5 Feb 1894 in Mandinvale, New Zealand.  (Mandinvale is in Southland).  His parents were William KIRKER and Isobel WATT.

William and Isobel were married in 1884 in Invercargill and had the following children:

Agnes   born 1855 died 1907

William James   born 1886  married Alice Maslin and had 2 children.

Jessie Isabella born 1888 married  Archibald  McKechi.

John Thomas  born 1889 married Jane Shields

Mary Milne born 1891 married James Marshall

Robert Alexander born 1894 married Margaret Jane Pirie

Elizabeth Margaret born 1895 married George Ramsay

Christina born 1897 married James Sutherland

Peter born 1900 married Nita Ewan

Catherine born 1903 died 1927.

I would like to trace this family and especially William Kirker who is proving to be hard to find.  He gave different ages and places of birth on most documents relating to him hence the difficultly.

We suspect he was born sometime between 1835 and 1850 in either Australia, Ireland or Scotland.  I have checked the Australia led but the records office there could find no mention of him for that time period and felt that he could not of been born in the place he said as there were virtually no white settlers living there at that time.

It is believed that his parents were William KIRKER and Mary BROWN (as stated on his marriage cert), though this too could be a red-herring!

There was a William KIRKER on the shipping lists arriving in NZ in 1875 but this is not our William KIRKER but another who died in 1887.

Any help on how to track this elusive man who be greatly appreciated as I have no other leds on where to try next.

Many thanks

[johnbarr]

  He gave different ages and places of birth on most documents relating to him hence the difficultly.

It might be helpful to give us those details as well 

John B

[Janette]

Hello,

There is a mention of a William Kirker drowning in 1891 at Waikato Heads

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0l6f/


Cheers Janette

[Janette]

Another reference,a letter written by him to the editor

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0l6g/


Cheers Janette

[kiwihalfpint]

Hi,

On the 1919 E/R for Invercargill, Isobel is a widow residing at McQuarrie Street, living with daughter Elizabeth. Christina and Robert (returned soldier) are at same street, but no street number given.

Apologies if you have this information ... as mentioned it would help if you tell us what information you have, so we don't double up.

Cheers
KHP

[craigt]

Hi, There are a William and Isabell (sic) Kirker living in Wyndham in Southland in 1911. By 1919 Isobel is a widow living in Invercargill. There is a burial for a William Kirker in Wyndham Cemetery, date of death 7/2/1914 age 70, therefore b. c. 1844, however, the corresponding death in the Historical BDM site is
d. 1914 age 77, therefore b. c. 1837. In the same gravesite in Wyndham Cemetery is Isobel Kirker who died on 26/8/1946 aged 86. Both William and Isobel have wills in NZ Archives, Dunedin, that someone down that way might be willing to look up for you.
Craig.

[craigt]

Hi, it would be obviously helpful to buy the death printout for William, who, as he predeceased his wife, hopefully had in her an informant that knew e.g when and where he was born, and who his parents were (including his mother's maiden name), and, cross your fingers, all this will be recorded on the death printout. In 1919 in Invercargill I have Isobel with two of the children you mentioned at the same address, Robert Alexander, a returned soldier, and Elizabeth Margaret, spinster.
Craig.

[spades]

Outstanding work, Craig

Spades

[craigt]

Cheers Spades.
Craig.