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John Skinner/John (Jack)Gray

Has anyone had experience/knowledge of obtaining historical Child Welfare Records in New Zealand.  I am trying to locate records for the period 1918 – 1932.  I have tried searching information through Archives NZ - which I don’t find user friendly and most records would appear to be from 1927.

My father was born illegitimate in Wellington in 1918 and was placed in an orphanage, I'm assuming from his birth through to 1932.  He was placed in the Willard Orphanage in Palmerston North possibly when it first opened in 1920, however I think he would have been in another one from 1918 to 1920. 

I seem to be going around in circles trying to find where to start.  I'm sure that because he was in an orphanage for approx.14 years with no parent contact and a change of birth name, with no obvious adoption that I can find, he would have to have been in child welfare records at least?

Thanks
Sue

Hi there from New Zealand

i am having trouble tracing these families in particular a Jane Dempsay/dempsey born in Ireland 1842 parents possibly Alexander and Dorothea Currie.  She married a William Collfield or Caulfield - names change from one lot of info to another!   I also have him married to a Jean Campbell, born 1827 dau of Alison and James.

William is possibly the son of a John and Charlotte McGraw but the dates are not matching. 
Does anyone have these families in their research and can shed some light?
Thank you
Sue

Hi

Albert George Skinner was born in Walworth London in 1890 to George and Rose nee Lawrie. – confirmed on his Marriage Cert.
 
He married Jean Demsey McCallum (in New Zealand 1915.  Shortly after that he disappeared. There is an Albert George Skinner same age who died in Salonika in 1918 but parents don’t match.

Jean was born in Campbeltown, Scotland 1890.  She remarried in NZ in 1933 to Thomas Edward Millson.  It appears they had two children before this marriage. On her new marriage cert she states, "previously marriage but husband disappeared for last 17 years but still alive?"

John Skinner was born in 1918 to Jean Demsey McCallum Skinner however father is NR, yet she was married to Albert at the time.  DNA seems to have John to be the son of Dugald MacDonald Robertson and Jean, but to date no trace of John either, however I believe he is my father – John Gray  - orphaned. 

Dugald and wife Pauline Fleming had a daughter  Valerie Patricia Robertson in 1916, married Denis Kelsey who in turn had Peter Dugald Kelsy.

So my question is, does anyone have any of these names in their research that might shed some light on Albert in particular?  The McCallum's and Robertson's are well research in my tree but it is from 1917 onwards that's proving difficult.

Kind regards
Sue

Hi,
Could someone enlighten me please on our birth records.  With the 100 year rule, I am looking to find a birth registration for June 1918. I assume that they come online on a month to month basis as opposed to opening them for the year - I guess that would be too much to expect? 

Also is the information transposed from the Microfiche or directly from the original records?  My father's registration is not on the microfiche so I am hoping that it was simply missed originally and it may come to light now - if only!

Cheers
Sue