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My g-g-grandparents John CARR and Elizabeth CARR (DWYER) arrived in Dunedin in 1874 from Cork, Ireland with their children Mary 17, Michael 16 (my g-grandfather), Anne 15, Thomas 13, Daniel 10, Lucy 9, John Francis 6 and Eliza 8 mths. So far I've traced them all ... except Thomas.

I know he was in Wellington in 1887 when he was (possibly) the informant at the birth of his niece Mary Teresa CARR and he was still alive when his father John died in 1897 as he is mentioned in the will.

John CARR (senior) worked as a crossing keeper for the Railways in Dunedin.  Son Michael worked for NZ Loan & Mercantile - first in Wellington, then Gore.  Daniel was a torpedoman in the NZ Artillery and died of dysentery in Wellington in 1898 and John Francis CARR was possibly a telegraph operator in Wellington and died in 1934. Mary died not long after their arrival in Dunedin, Annie married and moved to London and Lucy never married and died in 1907.

But what happened to Thomas? The only Thomas CARRs I've found so far were all CofE and my CARR family were most definitely Catholic.

Any suggestions gratefully received

Fiona
Auckland, NZ

I have recently obtained my grandfather Alfred Henry Willis' record from the Royal Navy Register of Seamen's Services ADM 188.

However (and isn't this always the case?) it doesn't quite tally with family knowledge and what he put on his WW1 attestation.

According to the record, his period of Service was 8 June 1896 - 10 Dec 1896 - on the Katoomba. Under discharge, it says 'shore OR' (or something like that).

According to his Australian Army WW1 attestation, his previous military services was 6 years English Navy, 2 3/12 years Africa, 6 years 11 months Australian engineers.

It is hard to say whether the African service was a) part of his naval service, b) part of his engineers service or c) part of neither

Can someone please help me interpret this record?  And find out what a typesetter from Lower Hutt in New Zealand (incorrectly transcribed as Northern Ireland in TNA catalogue) was going in the Royal Navy in the 1890s?

Many thanks

Fiona
Auckland, NZ

My g-grandmother Albina BRENNAN married Michael CARR in Wellington 5 October 1886. 

According to her marriage record, she was born in Cork Ireland to Patrick BRENNAN, a farmer , and Margaret McCARTHY.  Her 'usual' residence was given as Oamaru.  One of the witnesses was Marianne (sp?) BRENNAN of Blenheim.

I know she had a brother in NZ, John BRENNAN, b. about 1867, was postmaster in Newton Auckland for some time in the 1920s. He died in Dunedin in 1939. As far as the family knows, he never married - but my dad only remembers him vaguely from his childhood - and he was described as being "rather dotty" at that time Apparently he was confined to a wheelchair and got annoyed at the sisters (nuns) at the Home for the Aged Poor where he was living (they wouldn't let him smoke in his room) - so wheeled himself out of his room, down the hallway and out onto the first floor balcony ... and over the edge into the rosebushes below.  He lived for six years after this episode - so he must have been tough!

And that's all we've been able to find out - nothing else, nada, zip, zilch. 

So ... were there ITMs in 1919 - and could SKS look up Albina's for me?

Anyone out there looking for this family?

What was John doing before he was postmaster at Newton?

Did Patrick & Margaret come to NZ?

And just who was Marianne Brennan?

Any suggestions of places to look or people to ask accepted with overwhelming relief and gratitude

Another long shot Alexander Cameron, born 1774 Bohuntine Scotland.

From a scrawled (and unsourced) note on a family tree "Sergeant in Lieutenant Colonel's Company of the 79th Highlanders. Served under Sir Ralph Abercrombie. Died General Hospital Egypt 15 July 1801"

Any help on where to start hugely appreciated.

Thanks
Fiona,
Auckland, New Zealand

My g-g-grandfather John CARR was born around 1823 in Broadford, Clare to John CARR and ? FLANAGAN.  He brought his family to New Zealand as assisted immigrants in 1874.

In his will (dated 1897) he mentions a possible claim to an estate in Clare - "claimed" by his younger brother (and I'd say there's a story there! )

The exact wording is:
I leave to my son Michael Carr any claim I may have to the small portion of estate in the lands of Dromain County Clare Ireland, which is at present claimed by my younger brother James Carr.

Can any help as to where this estate might be located ... and (I know it's a long shot!) where I could look for any records of ownership.


I've only recently started trying to piece together the family's story before they came out to New Zealand and feel very geographically challenged!

Many thanks
Fiona
Auckland, NZ