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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: ajf25 on Friday 18 July 14 05:51 BST (UK)
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Hi All,
I've been researching Henry John Hawker (see below links):
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=688399.0
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=688402.msg5324135#msg5324135
From his digitised WW1 army service record, it states at the time of his enlistment in the NZ Army on 11 Oct 1915, he was a labourer for the NZ Railway.
I haven't as yet been able to find any record of his emigration to NZ from Australia, but I'm hoping there may be Railway employment records somewhere, that may at least give me a "before date".
Cheers :)
Alison
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Hi Alison,
I am not 100% sure but they could be held at Wellington Archives .... but don't take that as gospel, as I don't want to get your hopes up. Over the years, I have seen requests for NZ Railways, so hopefully someone with further knowledge or who did a lookup will come across this thread.
Cheers
KHP
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Thanks KHP,
fingers crossed
Alison
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Hi Alison,
Yes, the railways staff record books are held at Archives NZ's Wellington office on open shelf.
I can have a look for him but be aware that these books are indexed only by department and then by seniority, not by name. It is like looking for the proverbial needle.
Spades
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And those books that Spades refers to will only include him if he was on the permanent staff. There was never any list for those on the temporary staff. Many basic grade workers spent their entire 40 years on the temporary staff.
Alan
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Hi Alison
I note there is a Henry John Hawker who turns up on the digitsed electoral rolls as an engine driver at Taihape in 1905/6. Last entry is 1914 so might be him. It's a big drop from engine driver to labourer though. Its possible he was driving for a private company that operated "bush railways" in forests etc before he joined the Government Railways.
Alan
Afterthought, he might even have run a stationary engine.
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Am filling in time til footy starts at Canberra, so looked up Henry's military file. Against employer he has written "PWD NZ Rly" and gives address as Patumahoe. Now PWD means Public Works Dept, the forerunner of the now closed Ministry of Works. These guys were the builders of railways, not train operators. Seems likely therefore Henry was employed on railway construction work based at Patumahoe and not by NZ Railways itself.
Cheers
Alan
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I had a similar inquiry to this some time ago with my family in a period before WW1.
For what it is worth try contacting the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society at
http://railsoc.org.nz/
They can also be easily found on the internet.
I had excellent service and a good result.
Alex G
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Contacting the Railsoc people might be a help, however I am still persuaded that Henry probably never worked for NZRail. The first sod for the Waiuku Branch Line was turned by Prime Minister Massey on 19 Feb 1914. However the line was not completed until 1922. I guess the war took away the manpower. In this regard the local paper, The Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, on 13 October 1915 published details of a send off function for local lads off to the conflict. A man named Harry Hawker was amongst them. He'll be you man.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=PWT19151013.2.13.8&srpos=37&e=01-10-1915-31-10-1915--10--31-byDA-on--0Patumahoe--
Alan
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Hi Alan,
Sorry for the tardy response; I've been away from the computer for a few days.
Thanks so much for the information
I note there is a Henry John Hawker who turns up on the digitsed electoral rolls as an engine driver at Taihape in 1905/6. Last entry is 1914 so might be him. It's a big drop from engine driver to labourer though. Its possible he was driving for a private company that operated "bush railways" in forests etc before he joined the Government Railways.
Alan
Afterthought, he might even have run a stationary engine.
There was another Henry John Hawker, retired farmer who died in 1930, so some of the electoral roll entries will be his. Which ones, though? I think 1911 Franklin district, Auckland, farmer of Patumahoe is my Harry. The others, I'm not so sure.
thanks for your input.
I had a similar inquiry to this some time ago with my family in a period before WW1.
For what it is worth try contacting the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society at
http://railsoc.org.nz/
They can also be easily found on the internet.
I had excellent service and a good result.
Alex G
Thanks Alex, I'll give them a try.
Cheer to you both,
Alison :)