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Gosh thanks Lucy2, lots of information there for me to follow up.

I am A grand daughter of Ida Muriel Leaman and trying to trace back but get stuck after her parents Henry David Leaman and Maria Jane Leaman. Feel they must have emigrated to New Zealand but not sure where to look for these records and also do not know Maria Janes  maiden name . Maybe Macpherson as my Mum often said that she was a decendant of Macphersons.

Hi, it was nice to read your post, though I guess it might be quite old. Your grandmother was my grandad's sister. They were the family of Henry David Leaman and Maria Jane McPherson who married in Christchurch in 1874. We have quite a lot of the family history as the Leamans moved from Lyttelton to Cheviot/Parnassus/Spotswood area when they got a farm in the Cheviot Hill ballot. We grew up in Cheviot. Henry David was German, from Danzig, he was naturalised in 1890.His name was Laemon. I think he came to NZ around 1860, probably born about 1844.Our family story is he jumped ship.  I don't know how Maria Jane got to NZ, she had a sister also. It would be great to find out. Some of the graves are in Cheviot cemetery, including Henry David's and his son Henry David. Of the children, Fred was killed at Spotswood in 1933, Lewis died on Walkers Ridge at Gallipoli, Alfred (known as Bate) came home from WW1 and was a farmer till the Depression hit. His daughter lives in christchurch, she is 92.Harry was the ferryman on the Waiau at Parnassus before the bridge, and only had one leg! He lived till quite an age. Anyway I see people have done some searching on this. The name spelling is certainly difficult on the BDM site. I have the marriage certificate of Henry David and Maria Jane, and it was mispelled as Lemon. Be great to get in touch and have a chat. My sister, fortunately, got interested in this when Mum was alive and put a lot of it together.  I hope to write it up and give it to the Cheviot Museum.