Author Topic: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson  (Read 7827 times)

Offline Seany

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The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« on: Wednesday 31 January 18 07:12 GMT (UK) »
Hi. I've a tricky one in my family.

It seems my relative Agnes Patton Fullbrook had an affair with with a man named James Stephenson, which resulted in the dissolution of her marriage and a child by the name of Margaret Howard Fullbrook in Napier, New Zealand 1892. The way I know about James is that he appears on the Divorce records as a Co-respondent, and her having a child with him.


Hawkes Bay Herald of 17 February 1896:
"Mr Justice Buckley held a sitting of the Divorce Court on Saturday. William Fullbrook,
represented by Mr Lusk, obtained a divorce from his wife Agnes Fullbrook (James Stevenson
co-respondent). The evidence of petitioner showed that twice the respondent sold up all the
furniture in the house and cleared out and that subsequently she admitted having got into
trouble with Stephenson, the result being an illegitimate child, registered as such at the
Napier registry office. The custody of the children will be the subject of another application
at the next sittings."


Notice the spelling here in Stevenson.

Agnes Retaining her married name after the divorce. She was 43 When she had Margaret.

Assuming James Stephenson was about the same age, He'd be about 40-50 when this happened. Apparently he was a Waiter at the Club Hotel in Masterton, New Zealand, so a relative found out. But I don't know how I'll go about proving it.

There's a James Stephenson dying in 1907 aged 66. Making him 51 when Margaret was born.The James who died in 1907 may not even be the right one. He could have moved to Australia like Agnes later did. There's no record of him being born in New Zealand. There's no sign he married either. There are 3-4 candidates based on his age, but I'm undecided. I haven't ordered any forms since I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

This is a tough one for me. What else can I do to find out more about this James Stephenson/James Stevenson?

Offline TwiggyTree

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 07:34 GMT (UK) »
A long shot ...if he didn't remain with Agnes, was he named in the Police Gazette as owing child support?  This might give you a whereabouts or particulars.

Edited to add: The Police Gazettes can be viewed on Archway up until 1945.  Type "Police Gazette" and the year.
https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/SimpleSearchResults.do
...out of, through, and back from New Zealand to the ends of the Earth

FRYER - MITCHELL - DUKE - WHYTE - McDONALD - TAYLOR - CARPENTER - HARRIS - WILLIAMS - CUNNINGHAME - LUCAS - WHITE - BOTHAM - HOLDAWAY - EYLES - OLSEN - CHASE - TRAILL - BAGGS - HASKINS - EDWARDS - CHING - SHIELDS - POLLARD - HOGAN - SMITH - STANLEY - HALL - ROBERTS - LARKHAM

Offline TwiggyTree

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 07:38 GMT (UK) »
Have you looked at Paperspast?
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
...out of, through, and back from New Zealand to the ends of the Earth

FRYER - MITCHELL - DUKE - WHYTE - McDONALD - TAYLOR - CARPENTER - HARRIS - WILLIAMS - CUNNINGHAME - LUCAS - WHITE - BOTHAM - HOLDAWAY - EYLES - OLSEN - CHASE - TRAILL - BAGGS - HASKINS - EDWARDS - CHING - SHIELDS - POLLARD - HOGAN - SMITH - STANLEY - HALL - ROBERTS - LARKHAM

Offline TwiggyTree

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 07:48 GMT (UK) »
FTR Margaret had another middle name.  This is from the NZ Births, Deaths and Marriages website:
1892/12976   Fullbrook   Margaret Howard Moore          Agnes Patton   NR
...out of, through, and back from New Zealand to the ends of the Earth

FRYER - MITCHELL - DUKE - WHYTE - McDONALD - TAYLOR - CARPENTER - HARRIS - WILLIAMS - CUNNINGHAME - LUCAS - WHITE - BOTHAM - HOLDAWAY - EYLES - OLSEN - CHASE - TRAILL - BAGGS - HASKINS - EDWARDS - CHING - SHIELDS - POLLARD - HOGAN - SMITH - STANLEY - HALL - ROBERTS - LARKHAM


Offline TwiggyTree

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 08:11 GMT (UK) »
As background (for the other RCers perhaps), here is another Paperspast article on William and Agnes.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lfz/

She/he/they did seem to move around so pinning down when and where Agnes met your James doesn't seem easy compared to a couple who stayed in one place!

...out of, through, and back from New Zealand to the ends of the Earth

FRYER - MITCHELL - DUKE - WHYTE - McDONALD - TAYLOR - CARPENTER - HARRIS - WILLIAMS - CUNNINGHAME - LUCAS - WHITE - BOTHAM - HOLDAWAY - EYLES - OLSEN - CHASE - TRAILL - BAGGS - HASKINS - EDWARDS - CHING - SHIELDS - POLLARD - HOGAN - SMITH - STANLEY - HALL - ROBERTS - LARKHAM

Offline wivenhoe

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 08:12 GMT (UK) »
Have you looked at the divorce file to see if there is any more information?

NZ Electoral Roll 1896
STEVENSON James, Masterton, waiter, residential

Offline TwiggyTree

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 08:26 GMT (UK) »
Here is another newspaper article that states James was a Waiter in Masterton as your relative asserted.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lg1/

Note the spelling of Agnes' surname FULBROOK, as this might help further searches.


[As an aside Agnes certainly made several attempts to have her ex-husband pay maintenance.]
...out of, through, and back from New Zealand to the ends of the Earth

FRYER - MITCHELL - DUKE - WHYTE - McDONALD - TAYLOR - CARPENTER - HARRIS - WILLIAMS - CUNNINGHAME - LUCAS - WHITE - BOTHAM - HOLDAWAY - EYLES - OLSEN - CHASE - TRAILL - BAGGS - HASKINS - EDWARDS - CHING - SHIELDS - POLLARD - HOGAN - SMITH - STANLEY - HALL - ROBERTS - LARKHAM

Offline TwiggyTree

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 08:55 GMT (UK) »
wivenhoe, did you spot a divorce file?  I hadn't had much luck on Archway.
...out of, through, and back from New Zealand to the ends of the Earth

FRYER - MITCHELL - DUKE - WHYTE - McDONALD - TAYLOR - CARPENTER - HARRIS - WILLIAMS - CUNNINGHAME - LUCAS - WHITE - BOTHAM - HOLDAWAY - EYLES - OLSEN - CHASE - TRAILL - BAGGS - HASKINS - EDWARDS - CHING - SHIELDS - POLLARD - HOGAN - SMITH - STANLEY - HALL - ROBERTS - LARKHAM

Offline TwiggyTree

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Re: The Illegitimate child of James Stephenson
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 09:05 GMT (UK) »
FTR Agnes is living at 130 Tory St Wellington when son, Stephen Round, was listed on the nominal rolls (1914-1918) - so she is still in NZ.

Thought: if we can track her, then we might be able to see if a James Stevenson/Stephenson shows up in any of those places; and then subsequently dies in any of those places.


...out of, through, and back from New Zealand to the ends of the Earth

FRYER - MITCHELL - DUKE - WHYTE - McDONALD - TAYLOR - CARPENTER - HARRIS - WILLIAMS - CUNNINGHAME - LUCAS - WHITE - BOTHAM - HOLDAWAY - EYLES - OLSEN - CHASE - TRAILL - BAGGS - HASKINS - EDWARDS - CHING - SHIELDS - POLLARD - HOGAN - SMITH - STANLEY - HALL - ROBERTS - LARKHAM