RootsChat.Com

Hi Everyone,

Hoping someone may be able to assist in a lookup at Auckland Archives of the record below.

Rotorua Public School Registers of Admission, Progress and Withdrawal (R25043779) 1910-1919
https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=25043779

Interested to find a record of a boy named Charles BLACK (very small possibility of him being under surname Spens Black, just in case). He has also had other alias first names such as Charles Edward, Reginald Charles, and Maxwell.

I have found a Charles BLACK in the 1918 Annual Examinations at Rotorua District High, Standard 5 who is of the right age, born 1905, but hoping the APW records may give more detailed info of the parent/guardian, DOB and possible previous/next school, and how long he attended Rotorua, just so I know it's the right boy.

I know from other APW transcripts he attended the schools below after leaving Rotorua.
* 19 May - 24 Jun 1919 - Thorndon School (under Reginald Charles BLACK)
* Aug 1919 - Normal Wellington School (no record, taken from Rangitata APW)
* 13 Aug - 16 Dec 1919 - Rangitata Island School (under Charles Edward SPENS-BLACK)

Not urgent, but if someone has a free moment to copy the APW I will be most grateful.

Thanks kindly, Donna.

Hi there, hoping someone would be kind enough to do an ITM lookup when things resume at Archives (please-no rush).

Intention to Marry Index - 1883, Vol 28, Pg 829, Entry No. 3
https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=2840395
Bride: SHIELD Mary Stanley
Groom: BLACK Maxwell S
District: Timaru
 
I have the original marriage certificate of 26 Apr 1883 from St Mary’s Church Timaru but it has many changes crossed through by Minister, discrepancies of name spellings (Marie not Mary, Sheild not Shield) gave no ages and no details of when Marie was widowed. I am hoping the ITM may provide at least their ages and also how long in NZ so I can try to search for her arrival as unable to find any link to her being widowed in NZ. I have two newspaper marriage notices, one using Marie’s maiden name name and the other republished a day later in her widowed name.

Many thanks, Donna (Aus).

Hi everyone,

Looking for assistance to find any Receiving House / Industrial School / Maintenance records, for child Eric Frederick BLACK, son of Zoe Marguerite BLACK, father UNKNOWN. Family sometimes known by SPENS-BLACK, I have admission date but have no idea where, not sure if nominal rolls could lead to name of institution or industrial school. From mother and her family whereabouts, I would hazard a guess around Wellington where Eric may have been born, possibly through to Riccarton/Sydenham, Christchurch where his mother married in 1911 and had 4 other children.

If anyone can assist in any way with narrowing down my search area, or has access to view records at local archives it would be much appreciated.  I live in Australia and cannot research local NZ archives in person. My ideal outcome would be to locate admission or Industrial school record to see if it possibly names the father of Eric (listed as NR on birth index).

* Industrial Schools - Nominal Rolls (R12026605) ACGB 8305, Record Group CW14. Year 1908 Box/Item 19/25, Year 1909 – Box/Item 19/26, Year 1910 – Box/Item 19/27.

I am in my 10th year trying to find information on this child Eric Frederick BLACK and his mother Zoe. At present I have no direct link to this family but want to solve a 113 year mystery hoping Eric is the missing unnamed child of my great grand-father who in 1907 deserted his pregnant wife and young son in Wellington, AND also deserted a young girl known only as “Miss Black” who he had an illicit relationship with and was also pregnant at the same time. Miss Black’s mother was referred to as “M.S Black”. It's a needle in a haystack but this child and his family is my best lead fitting in with the very little information I have to work from.

Below is what I have found from newspaper accounts in 1912 and 1916.
Eric admitted to a Receiving Home on 4/8/1908, a day after his 1st birthday 3/8/1907? Spent around 3½ years in an Industrial School until 3/11/1911, mother Zoe (aka Margaret or Maggie) was liable for maintenance during this time, it may have been paid by her parents Marie Spens-Black or Maxwell Spens-Black. On 16/8/1911 Zoe married Samuel BLOOD and took charge of the child on 3/11/1911 but Zoe gave permission for Eric to be placed with her mother, in Feb 1912 Zoe’s husband refused to pay the maintenance arrears for Zoe’s child and went to jail twice (1916 1 mth Wellington Gaol & 1917/1918 6 mths Lyttleton Gaol). In Feb 1916 at the time Zoe was separating from her husband, another newspaper article stated Eric had run away from industrial school and was being harboured by his grandmother in Wellington, so unsure just how long Eric spent in an industrial school. I have traced Eric from 1928 to his death in 1984 in Oakura, Taranaki but have unfortunately not been able to make contact with any of his children possibly still surviving around New Plymouth. I also understand there may have been a 2nd illegitimate child by the name of BLACK in this family, maybe similar age as Eric b.1907, so I cannot discount that depending on it's DOB.

Any help would be immensely appreciated from abroad.
Donna, Melbourne, Australia