John Davies b 1830 Wales Died New Zealand

[minniehaha]

Maybe we are on the wrong track here.
 
The latter part of document 001 reads:

"The property was held at one time by a Mr. Miller, after a Mr. Staunton, stationer at Dunedin. Later held by a Mr. Davies."

NOTE: A Mr. Davies. Could John Davies have been working on land owned by a man with the same surname?

Therefore perhaps your John Davies only leased the 8 acres?

It is possible but time consuming, to search the Archives "Grantor & Grantee Nominal Index to Deeds". This can be done on line. Finding the chain of stated links to the property would establish ownership.
 
For instructions on how to do this, Dunedin Archives can be contacted at:

http://archives.govt.nz/visit/contact

Minniehaha.

[SignalHill]

I now think that St Leonards is actually a reference to the name St Leonards-on-the-Hill
on-the-Hill appears as an interlineation in pdf.1 half way down but is at a place referring to the White House whereas I believe it should be part of the name of the subdivision. 
This would mean that the Hill is Maori Hill not Signal Hill.   It is likely a much more favourable place for a Market garden as the land is more level with a northerly aspect.

The name St Leonards-on-the-Hill has not been used in Dunedin to my knowledge in the last 50 years. (other than for reference to the legal subdivision plan - and the Deposited Plan Number is more likely to be used for legal purposes than the once designated title St Leonards-on-the-Hill )

This subdivision was in the borough of Maori Hill (most references suggest South Ward) in the Upper Kaikorai Survey District and seems to be located south and east of Balmacewan Golf Course  west of Highgate and  North of Upper Stuart Street - Taieri Road.   Today the area would be referred to as Roslyn or Kaikorai at the South End or Maori Hill Balmacewan at the Northern End.   

The subdivision proposal dates back to 1862 and is first described in Papers Past in
Otago Daily Times , Issue 135, 22 April 1862, Page 2.   I believe this description by the Auctioneers to be excessive especially in its description of the vistas from the 20 acres to be sold.          

Signal

[SignalHill]

Some questions about the Edward John DAVIES letter of authorisation

When were the two lines added at the top of the page and by whom ?

What is its true date ?

Why is there no witness signature as was intended ?

Is this an original or only a later hand-written copy ?

Was Charles ever in NZ ? was he married ?

What are the dates when Charles was known to be in Australia ?

What are the dates when Edward was known to be at Whistler Road ?

What are the "Z" marks around Railway Conductor for ?

Signal

[minniehaha]

Re reply #46. For easy access........

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=ODT18620422.2.3.3&srpos=10&e=-04-1862--04-1862--10-ESD%2cODT%2cOW-1----2st%2e+leonard%27s+on+the+hill--

There were about 23 entries for the same advertisement, only in the one newspaper and covering the period 11th April 1862 to 8th May 1862.

This marriage from 'The Bruce Herald', which took place at St. Leonard's on the Hill in 1874......

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=BH18740320.2.11&srpos=1&e=-------10--1----2st%2e+leonard%27s+on+the+hill--

This article in 1875 provides an incomplete list of the 'Suburbs of Dunedin'.......

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TC18750209.2.7&srpos=26&e=-------10--21----2st%2e+leonard%27s+on+the+hill--

Minniehaha.

[SignalHill]

"The property was held at one time by a Mr. Miller, after a Mr. Staunton, stationer at Dunedin. Later held by a Mr. Davies."
NOTE: A Mr. Davies. Could John Davies have been working on land owned by a man with the same surname?
Therefore perhaps your John Davies only leased the 8 acres?
Minniehaha.

If there were a formal lease recorded in the Deeds registry I would have expected John DAVIES to have come up on the Otago Nominal Index.   So either John's holding was like many Market Gardens a relatively short term and informal occupation  OR John was (in today's terminology) a Market Garden Worker rather than an operator of a Market Garden business.
I am not convinced by the Later held by a Davies

There appears to be no record of Mr Staunton as a Stationer in Papers Past Otago though a Michael James STAUNTON a Clerk appears in The Otago Nominal Index

Signal

[Lucy2]

Hi Signal

Just to save time, I've already checked out the STAUNTON family who resided in Dunedin - none of whom I can see had anything to do with a stationery (or similar) business.
Mary STAUNTON was the matriarch  - prob. born Australia ... as were her two children, Michael John (who went on to become a postmaster) and dau. Maria, who had a brief marriage with a Thomas CASHMAN.  [Reading the mother's Will, it seems her desire was for her dau. Maria to serve the Catholic parish of Dunedin, which she did as Maria STAUNTON after Mary's death 1896 ? I think it was.]

Mary STAUNTON did have holdings of land > and they're spoken of in her Probate file.   She lived for  the most part in Hope Street (-- is that anywhere near St Leonard's on the Hill ? ) - there are some articles about her engaging builders to erect dwellings in the Hope Street area ?

I haven't bothered adding anything further to this particular thread as the OP hasn't yet responded to questions I put earlier. 
[I do have some reservations about the so-called "documents" the OP provided (links to).   To me they appear to possibly be just the jottings of someone recording snippets of their family history   - maybe for others of the family to follow up on ?? ]

   ~  Lu

[Lucy2]

Signal ... just on my way out at the moment, but will add more shortly of what I found re: STAUNTON &  MILLER and supposed properties in Dunedin.   As you're local, and have better knowledge of Dunedin, you may be able to find other info.

   ~  Lu

[SignalHill]

Hi Lu

Yes I had found some of that info on Stauntons the stange thing is that Staunton Stationer rings a faint bell in the memory - or am I just hearing things like Hemmingway.   

Hope St definitely miles - at least one and a half - from St Leonards-on-the-Hill.
2 blocks SW from '"the Exchange" (original site of the University and Stock Exchange and more recently in the past CPO) This was the Commercial Centre of the City.

Some meanderings round the burials of STAUNTONs in Dunedin cemeteries

STAUNTONs Burials are few and have several unusual aspects
Mary STAUNTON is buried with her infant daughter Catherine and one William BRYANT who seems to be the person connected with realisation of the assets of Estate of Henry HOWELL, Deceased, Formerly of Stafford-street, Dunedin, Stationer and Bag Maker in late 1863 (Stafford St intersects Hope St)
James Christopher STAUNTON died young at Mt Cook - within living memory - was he a climber?
Keith Thomas  STAUNTON Clerk and/or Mechanic "our dear son & brother" (of Cargill St not that far from Hope St) died young in an accident - within living memory - 
Mary Josephine STAUNTON - Maria ? - lived to 80 and is buried with Michael J(ohn) STAUNTON of Dunedin, Clyde, Manaia, Waipawa, and Milton (Both children of Mary STAUNTON)   
Michael was only married for 18 months before his wife Florence Amelia STAUNTON died (buried Manaia)and he himself died six years later ( aged 51) whilst visiting Waipawa (buried in Dunedin Southern Cemetery)
"MAYRUTH" is the only recorded name of the third person in this plot.   Actually the first by date ; died and buried on 1 Jan 1864.   I can find no person recorded to match to this death.   The most obvious would be a stilbirth of "May Ruth STAUNTON" but this is pure speculation.

Signal

ps Like many of the Boroughs which amalgamated with Dunedin City,  Maori Hill had many names changed to avoid duplication. That means St Leonards-on-the-Hill street names, along with St Leonards West Harbour Borough, will be likely as not be no longer in use

[SignalHill]

Some more meanderings round the burials of STAUNTONs in Dunedin cemeteries

Michael J(ohn) STAUNTON of Dunedin, Clyde, Manaia, Waipawa, and Milton   
Michael was only married for 18 months before his wife Florence Amelia STAUNTON died (buried Manaia)and he himself died six years later ( aged 51) whilst visiting Waipawa (buried in Dunedin Southern Cemetery)

I discovered Michael's entry on the NZ BDM death index under the spelling STANTON with the Age at Death "#"

This has now been corrected and the age is now to be shown as 57 which apparently is what their scanned original shows.   The NZ Tablet and Burial Record both have 51.

Signal