On finding the real EDWARD ASHWIN!

[Emhab]

Hi Zepher
Thanks for the data on Helen Ashwin, which I'm sure refers to Martin Richard's sister Helen who was born in 1822, did indeed travel to NZ with Martin's family, and ran the Girl's School in Christchurch before dying on 5th March 1903.
I may not have made myself very clear (being new at this), but I was after data on Martin & Emma's first daughter, Helen Elizabeth who was born in June-Sep 1856 in Kings Norton & travelled with the family to NZ. After that she does not appear in Nz records. Since my last post I have done the hard yards & checked shipping records & sent for certificates. Helen Elizabeth may well be the "Miss Ashwin" on the shipping records for "Wakatipu" sailing from Wellington to Sydney arriving on 24th Aug 1882. She married Frederick Sanford Robinson in Sydney in 1882, (cert no 1331)and had 5 children, Muriel b 1883 (died that same year) Leslie F, b 1885, Thomas E b 1887 (died same year), Gladys b 1889 & Una M b 1893 (died same year.
Helen & Frederick lived at "Warrawong", Clearview Parade, Hazelbrook, and Helen died in Katoomba on 10th Oct 1937. Her death certificate names Martin Richard Ashwin as her father, so it is definitely the right person. The cert no is 22299/1937.
So all the searching was worthwhile, as finding her has completed my data on all the children of the family. If I can help you with anything about any of them, I am happy to share.

Kind regards
Marie

[zepher]

Thanks Marie,

Thanks for all your information on MRA's daughter Helen. Somewhere in my information I have noted she was also called Nellie and her son Leslie Frederick Robinson was a known poet and author in Australia.

My Grandmother was Mabel Ashwin who was married to my Grandfather William Keith Preece on the 8th Sept 1898 in Christchurch at Hagley House. I'm planning a trip to the UK later this year to look around the areas where they lived. Do you have any information on where Edward Ashwin is buried in Bidford?

Regards
Max

[Emhab]

Hi Max

Lucky you going over there - I was there in 2000, but did not know where the Ashwins lived back then. If I go again I too will be visiting villages with a camera, and lots of chalk for dusting old headstones...
Edwards burial record only says he was buried on 22nd Sep 1832 in Bidford-Upon-Avon. back then there was usually only the one church in a village, so look for one that existed back then, or has been rebuilt/added onto. We found current vicars more than willing to help with opening old record books etc for us, so don't be afraid to ask.
I will do a check for you at work tomorrow (Perth WA Genealogocal Library) and see if I can find out what was there then. Will get back to you

Kind regards
Marie

[Emhab]

Hi Max
The original vllage church for Bidford appears to be The Parish Church of St Laurence, which dates back to 1206. This would be the place to look. The church is situated on the North bank of the River Avon, just off High Street in the centre of the old village of Bidford. I found some photos of the church and it looks quite substantial, and had plenty of old headstones in the churchyard.
I also have an email address for the Church Committee, and you can email them to find out if there are church records anywhere saying who was buried in the churchyard in 1832 - they may be able to help verify that Edward is there. The email address is  info@stlaurencebidford.org.uk
Good luck with that

Kind regards
Marie

[zepher]

Thanks Marie,

Been in touch they do have a list of monument inscriptions but the only Ashwin they have is for Caroline Elizabeth ASHWIN d Oct. 30 1876 aged 43. In saying that I understand there are quite a number that they were unable to read.

The burial records are kept at the Warwick Records Office where I intended to visit anyway.

Again many thanks for your trouble, and if I find anything I will be in touch.

regards
Max

[howardg]

Hello, Kate
Your reference to Daisy Gover really caught my attention. Frederick Gover is my great grandfather, and I am a grandson of Daisy's brother, Robert Gover. I knew Aunt Daisy quite well as I was in Auckland  1946-1953 when she was living in Great South road. Granny Gover was with her.  I also stayed with Daisy in 1964 when she was living in Orakau Ave Epsom, Auckland. I knew that Daisy had married a second cousin with the surname Gover, and lived in India. I met Daisy's brother, Sydney, on one occasion in 1969 when he was living in Hastings. This link should show you a painting of the ship Haddon Hall that Frederick arrived in NZ on 1874/1875     bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/the-ship-haddon-hall-173479
Best Wishes
Howard

[whiteKat]

Hello Howard,
How wonderful to make contact! Yes Frederick is my GGrandfather likewise. I live in Australia and only met my Grandmother Daisy on two occasions in the sixties - unfortunately. I also met Joyce her sister but do not think I met Sidney, or your father Robert. Daisy's husband was Alfred Adrian Gover the Son of Alfred Greatbatch Gover, and they lived in India most of their married life - which was not long, only nine years as Alfred Adrian died from appendicitis in India in 1914. Poor Daisy returned to New Zealand with 3 children under five to live with her mother Esther Alexandra - she was still only in her twenties. My father Alfred Terence came to Australia in the 1930's and here married my mother Joyce Peters.

Thank you for the link to the wonderful picture of the Haddon Hall - she looks a beautiful ship. Do  you know that Frederick was not supposed to travel on the Haddon Hall originally but rather the ship the Cospatrick! Fortunately for us he was not on the Cospatrick since the ship  burnt at sea with only about four survivors.

Frederick it seemed made a good life for himself in New Zealand in teaching and the Church, however I know very little about him really, or Esther Alexandra. Again I know little about your father Robert, or Sidney other than they were Daisy's siblings. Was your father Robert in the bank in Auckland? - as my father was as a very young man prior to his coming to Australia - I seem to have recollections about the bank!

Did your father talk about Frederick or Esther when you were young? My regret now is not having asked questions about family as I was growing up - but I think youth are more concerned about the present.

I am so pleased to have made contact.

Regards
Kate

[howardg]

Hi, Kate
Here's what I have found out about Frederick Gover (1844-1932 ) and  Ester Ashwin.
According to the Cyclopedia of NZ, Frederick was born in Shipton in 1844, educated in Bath, and came to NZ in the ship Haddon Hall in 1875. He joined the Wellington education board, taught at Taratahi School, and transferred after one year to Fernridge School. He was headmaster there. The article appears to have been published about 1897, so he may have taught there for quite a long time. The cyclopedia says the average attendance was 90, and the headmaster was assisted by one certified and one pupil teacher.
The 1879 Education second annual report of the Minister of Education confirms that Frederick was teaching at Fern Ridge in the East Wairapara

The Haddon Hall left London 13 June 1874 and  arrived at Port Chalmers on 17 Sept 1874. In the ship’s passenger list there are 8 cabin passengers and 36 steerage passengers. The names of the 8 cabin passengers are known, but the 36 steerage passengers are not listed. If Frederick was on that voyage then he would have been in steerage.
The news did filter through to me a couple of years ago that Frederick had been expected to catch another boat that as you say was lost at sea.  A nearby relative has related the story as "Frederick's folks apparently didn't know he was on the Haddon Hall and assumed he had gone down with the Cospatrick.  They only discovered his continued existence some years later when a mail boat brought mail from him to them" We don't know how authentic the story is, but that is what has come through.
Frederick and Esther married in 1882 and had 4 children:  Daisy, Sidney, Robert, Joyce


Esther Ashwin was born in 1864. She had a long life, and I knew her as ‘Granny’ in Auckland from about 1950-53. I have the one small photograph of 4 Gover generations from Esther to myself taken about 1950. Esther was then living with her daughter Aunt Daisy. The photo is not a high quality/definition one of Esther, and in general, but everyone can be recognised. Not sure what the occasion is. My father and grandfather have ties on.

My grandfather had 3 children. My father is John. Robert is my uncle.  My father worked in the Bank in Auckland, so it was interesting to hear that your father had also worked in the bank.

Howard

[whiteKat]

Hello Howard,
Thank you so much for the information on Frederick Gover - it helps no end. A couple of years ago I met up with a cousin from New Zealand during which time he gave me information on the Govers.  I have just revisited those papers and found I have more information than I realised and some of which may be of interest to you.

I was given a photocopied handwritten page about Frederick's emigration to New Zealand on the Haddon Hall and the story of how he came to be on the Haddon Hall rather than the ship Cospatrick. It gives quite good detail and account. I do believe the story to be authentic as it sounds like the story has been related through experience to the person who documented it. Unfortunately there is no date or signature on the document, but to me it does ring true.

Also my cousin gave me a photocopy of a page out of Frederick's Family Bible - which is very interesting. This has been written in Frederick's own hand as he has signed it -  I do so value that. I realise also that I  have information on the Mundy's as well - Frederick's mother's side giving detail of her siblings and of her parents.

In my own research I have gone back to Edward Gover born 1764 to parents John and Ann in Chatham Kent. I believe what I have found is true - these would be Frederick's grandparents. I do so enjoy the challenge of finding the ancestors!

I am more than happy to share all this information if you wish.

Regards
Kate