GREEKS/ROBINSON/WAKEFIELD elopement and child

[taonga1]

I've found five newspaper mentions on PapersPast relating to the elopement of Mrs Robinson and William Wakefield in Dec 1882. 

The eloped couple are supposed to have had a child together - George William Wakefield, b. appr. 1884.  I'm hunting for evidence of his birth, and I'd love to know what became of Mrs Robinson.

The couple ran away together from Fielding to Nelson.
I can't find a birth record for the child on BDM under either surname.
His father married someone else in 1885, and the son's marriage printout lists that wife as his mother. 
I believe he was brought up by his father and the new wife - he appears on school rolls in Foxton with two younger sisters.


I believe Mrs Robinson to be Ellen Winifred GREEKS, b. appr. 1863, who I believe is the Helen GREEKS who married Richard Robinson in 1878.

They seem to have had three children:
1879 - William George Robinson, to Helen Winifred and Richard Robinson
1881 - Mary Anne Louisa Robinson, to Ellen Winifred and Richard Robinson
1882 - Ernest Robinson, to Ellen and Richard Robinson.

One of the newspaper reports says there were only two children.  Another report says she took one child with her and left the other with Mr Robinson. 

I'd be delighted with any further information that anybody can find!

[taonga1]

Note:  in the newspaper attachment, the wronged husband is named as William Robinson, but that is the newspaper's error.  The other four pieces I've found all name him as Richard Robinson. 

[taonga1]

Looks like her third child Ernest died aged one month old, just two months before she ran off with William Wakefield. 

[Lucy2]

Hi taonga

All very interesting.   

First question ... is there a date of birth for George William shown on those school records ? 

~  Lu

[Lucy2]

I've found five newspaper mentions on PapersPast relating to the elopement of Mrs Robinson and William Wakefield in Dec 1882.

The eloped couple are supposed to have had a child together - George William Wakefield, b. appr. 1884. I'm hunting for evidence of his birth   ...

Hi again

Could you post the references to the newspaper articles (mentions), please.   

I'm finding it hard to understand why this (supposed) child
would bear a similar name to the ROBINSON son born 1879.

[Can only see one death between 1879 - 1886, that of a George William ROBINSON - 1879 - aged 11 weeks (who was possibly the son of a Hannah and Robert ROBINSON) ?]

Cheers

[Lucy2]

His father married someone else in 1885, and the son's marriage printout lists that wife as his mother.
I believe he was brought up by his father and the new wife - he appears on school rolls in Foxton with two younger sisters.

William WAKEFIELD - Amelia Mary SCHWASS -- 1885

It's still possible though, that this lady was his birth mother.

A pre-nuptial birth that went un-registered ?
(Not unusual in those times.)

Amelia's unusual surname seems ripe for mis-transcription too (and not easy to search for on the online indexes without the "wildcard" facility.)    Have you tried looking at the birth records on microfiche  ?   

   

[Lucy2]

Ah  ... and Richard ROBINSON (the father of Mary Ann Louisa ROBINSON b. 1881)  ... also re-married in 1885.   

Richard ROBINSON - Elizabeth Sarah FOWLES -- 1885


Did you see these articles re: Mary Ann Louisa ?

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

"Feilding Star"  - 16 & 17 September 1896 - Police Court

~  Lu

[Lucy2]

What's probably interesting about the evidence given in the Mary Ann Louisa case, is that it mentions a brother who deputised for the father (Richard), in "driving the coach".

Was this brother then, William George ROBINSON (b. 1879) ?

Surely it must have been a brother who was slightly older than Mary Ann L. - who was only 15 years old at this time. ?

[There were two sons born of Richard's 2nd marriage, but they'd be too young ?]

[Lucy2]

Richard ROBINSON and Elizabeth Sarah, divorced in 1900.

"Feilding Star" - 21 April 1900 - A Feilding Divorce Case

[   He wed a third time in 1901.   Is buried with this wife at Feilding Cemetery.]

Question now is    ...

*  Did Richard ROBINSON obtain a divorce from Ellen Winifred  ... or did she die between 1882 and 1885.  ?

~  Lu