Breckels Essex and New Zealand

[vabbott]

you must be related to yosem?

ronnie

[kiwicatz]

Hello Ruth
Isn't this just a fascinating family? And the story of John and Ada is very romantic. And so stupid that you could sign up for 12 years of your life at age 15!! I wonder why he joined up- to get away from family? To get back to the Southern Hemisphere? Do you know if he kept in touch with the family in UK?
Do you by any chance have a photo of John and Ada that you might like to share? What is your and Jean's relationship - sisters? cousins?
Regards
Jan

[millrhynd]

Thanks to you all - particularly ruthcassie and zosam - it seems I have 10 extra second cousins I knew nothing about.

Do you know any of the details of John Henry Christopher's exit from the Navy? The story that was passed on to me was that there was some kind of mutiny involved, and it would be interesting to know if that was true and others were involved, or if he just went ashore and didn't come back.

That was in 1907 which was also when his parents Henry Rochester Breckels and Sarah Marella (Clemett) separated. I have not seen the deed of separation (it was probably never a public document) but it is referred to in her will in which she remembered all three children. Henry had started a second family in 1903 (daughter born 11 Sept) so all was not well at home when his son John Henry Christopher signed up 14 April 1903 and may have been that way when he went to sea 9 Sept 1901. John Henry Christopher's paternal grandfather had died 1892 - maternal grandparents still in NZ - so perhaps seeking the "family" of a ship's crew seemed like a good option. From this distance I can only speculate - unfortunately very little info came down to this side of the family. I'm very grateful for what you have provided.

[zosam0306]

Hi all,

To Millrhynd - I have looked briefly for reports on JHC's ship in Sydney, and didn't find anything interesting.

Re his naval service, the Impregnable was a shore establishment or base (possibly at Chatham) where Pop was a general hand.  He actually joined the navy on his 18th birthday in 1903.

I don't have email myself so my son in Brisbane is acting as my intermediary for the moment.  With the flooding there, getting mail to him is a bit difficult at present but hope you don't mind bearing with me!

To Kiwicatz - Hello Jan, I will send you photos etc when I can (as I mentioned, not sure about mail to my son in Brisbane at present)

Ruthcassie and I are cousins and a lot of our information will be the same.  I know Pop (JHC Breckels) used to receive letters from "Auntie Kate White" (Nana had a sister Kate as well), so yes he was in contact with his family in England.

You are right in that my mother's maiden name was Jean Beggs.  She was born in 1924 and died in 2006.

I will pass on some more information soon.

Jean

[ruthcassie]

 Sorry about not answering before this, hi to you all, thank you for all the information that has being posted by you, it is nice to find that Sarah and Henry did not just drop of the face of the earth, as finding out anything has being a little difficult, as Jean said we are cousins, and like Jean we were told a lot of stories but are they true, maybe Jan can clear up one story, did one of Sarah's brothers marry a new zealand princess or was that untrue?. three of the Clemett boys, John (b 1854), Alexander (b1856) and Christopher b(1858) were born in Victoria, to Catherine and Christopher, I believe his first wife Mary died in 1852 (aged 25) and in the same year his son to that marriage died also (aged 1), he married Catherine (1853) and they has a large family not too sure of all their name's though, I have some photos that I kept when mum passed away and my sisters and I said that although we did not know who they were we just might find out one day and we just might now, we thought that they were of the Breckels, as some are of gentlemen in army uniform c1914-1918 I will keep in touch, Ruth

[kiwicatz]

Ruth
This is the basics of what I have: Christopher Clemett was b14 Oct 1821, High Bickton, Devon, England - he married in 1847 Mary Simmons (in Torrington, Devon) and they had 2 children; Thomas Clemett b 1849 Devon, and William Henry Clemett b 1851, d 1851 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.Mary died in 1851 in Geelong also - assume it childbirth as child and mother were buried 01 Jan 1852 in Geelong's Eastern Cemetery. (The family had arrived in Australia aboard 'Sir George Seymour' on 14 May 1849. Christopher married Catherine McInnes 07 Apr 1863, in Geelong -  although this info may be wrong as the children John McInnes, Alexander Dougal and Christopher Gorvette were all born in Ballarat Victoria before this. Sarah Marella was the first child born in Kaikoura, NZ.
The Princess  story is I think true - John (or Jonathan according to some records) married Elizabeth Harmon. Her mother, Pirihira  Nga Morehu was a Maori Chief's daughter, who married Emery Harmon, an American Whaler from Maine USA. If you would like more about this, I have various bits and pieces that I'd be happy to email to you. I also have a photo of Christopher and Catherine's headstone, and a photo of Alexander and Margaret and their family. Just PM me with your personal email address, and let me know what sort of things you need.
Regards
Jan

[zosam0306]

Hi Jan,

The information I have is that the wedding of Christopher and Catherine was in 1853, , and their sons were born in 1854, 1856 and 1858.

Jean

[kiwicatz]

Thanks Jean
I probably have a typo there I think!
Regards
Jan

[Mary from Italy]

Hi Jean and Ruth,

Just come across this thread. I'm your 2nd cousin (granddaughter of Ada's sister Annie).

I've already been in touch with two of Ruth's sisters, as they may have told you, and I'm also in touch with some of the Lawler descendants.

If you'd like to get in touch, drop me a private message and we can exchange e-mail addresses.

Mary