i am helping a friend research her family and would be grateful for the help of the Rootschat family
Her grandfather George Gair Hunter died 3 Feb 1948(aged 49 ) and is buried with his wife Minnie Louisa Hunter ( ms Hankey ) who died 18 Jan 1978 in East Tairi Cemetery Dunedin. Also buried in the same plot are Hans Hankey,(aged 93) Lousa Hankey (aged 93) and an Albert Hankie (aged 44) These appear to be Minnie Louisa's parents and brother ) There are photos of the headstones on the cemetery website.
There is a family story that they came from the Shetland Isles but I cannot locate their immigration data from Family Search.
In NZ Archives there is a reference under aliens registration and naturalisation in 1940 for Johan (aka Hans) Hankey, his wife Louisa Voight Hankey( she came from Germany ) and a Carl Henke ( a son?). There is also a marriage at St Andrews Gore in 1897 for a couple with those names.
Hans Hankey appears in various NZ electoral rolls . In 1893 he is a rabbiter in Clydevale and in 1901 in NZ Sheep Farmers registry as a sheep farmer in Tapanui owning 136 sheep. Calculating from his gravestone record he was born around 1869 but where?
Can anyone help with finding John ( Hans) arrival in NZ and if he is from the Shetland Isles who could we contact to find out more about his background ?
If we apply for Hans ' naturalisation records would it record his place of birth?
Alternatively would his death cert printout provide this information?
Regards Orkrad.