George Dommett & Ellen Grant in New Zealand - looking for info on descendants

[Lucy2]

Hi

Have some info to follow for Caroline ALEXANDER (Ellen's cousin).

Firstly, her 1879 marriage to Thomas ROWLES.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT18790307.2.3

   ~  Lu

[deejayEn]

Thanks to all of you. This has already given me a lot of information including those wills and that v useful newspaper site and next time I sign in to Ancestry I will try and explore further. I'm hoping to find someone with some photographs.

What's odd is that I know George Dommett was a butcher when he worked in London but on the emigration listing he is down as a Shepherd and on his funeral notice and will he is described as a carrier.

[Lucy2]

Caroline ROWLES (nee ALEXANDER) ... continued :

From NZ BDM (online) - BIRTHS

ROWLES   -  Parents shown as Caroline and Thomas

1879 - Annie
1881 - Kate
1883 - Maggie
1883 - Roderick
1885 - John
1889 - Nellie
1897 - Caroline  

[Note:  Have a feeling there were children between Nellie (1889) and Caroline (1897) as one not named above is mentioned in the will of her mother.     The 1883 births possibly twins ? ]

   ~  Lu

[Lucy2]

What's odd is that I know George Dommett was a butcher when he worked in London but on the emigration listing he is down as a Shepherd and on his funeral notice and will he is described as a carrier.

Hi deejayEn

Have to say "not so terribly odd as you might imagine".   
[My own ggg-gf was a tailor in London, arrived in NZ as a "Labourer" and departed this world as a brewer ! ]

If a man was taking advantage of an immigration scheme whereby the fare for his family's journey to a new land (such as NZ) was largely paid for, then he might be forced to take on another occupation to meet the criteria of the government or province who was subsidising his travel costs.
There are many examples of this happening ... and as the years passed and people prospered, they also changed occupations and started up businesses etc. etc.

    ~  Lu

[deejayEn]

I suppose there is a connection between butchery and being a shepherd and his father was a fellmonger (a dealer in animal skins.). And maybe he thought work in NZ would be easier to find if he said he was a shepherd, but I previously I found a listing on a family history site about the Dommetts which mentions a butchers shop in Marton, so I assumed that he carried on the same trade.

[Lucy2]

Hi deejayEn

A little earlier when looking for info on Caroline ALEXANDER / ROWLES, I spotted the following file at Archives NZ which seemed rather interesting.   [ I'll be visiting Archives in the next week or so, and can have a look at the letter if you'd like.   Let me know. ]

From:  Mrs Caroline ROWLES, late Caroline ALEXANDER, Feilding - dated: 12 December 1879.
Subject :  As to best means of obtaining money invested on her account in England ...

https://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=24368092

   ~  Lu

[Johnf04]

I think the butchers shop in Marton was Emmanuel's. Advertisements mention "E. Dommett".

[Lucy2]

DeejayEn

... I really only gave the "change in occupations" as an example of the sort of thing that occurred with immigrants. 

   ~  Lu

[Lucy2]

Hi deejayEn

Looking at voting lists / electoral rolls for George DOMMETT following his arrival (1873) in NZ.

He is only ever listed as a "settler" (which is hardly an occupation). 

Probably he was somewhat "well-off" too ??
From 1875-76 he is listed as having freehold property at Marton (a small town)... Sections 11,12,15 and 16 at Cabbaballa (Cabbabala ? several spellings exist) Street, Marton.

And ... from the year 1900 , Emmanuel T.G. DOMMETT is listed at Marton with a Residential qualification (not owning property) .... and his occupation is Butcher.

    ~  Lu