Whereabouts of Lawyers Files?

[helendg]

I hoping that someone will be able to give me some advice.  I'm trying to continue my family research from Brisbane whilst awaiting an insurance decision on our house in ChCh - had to explain that as unfortunately some of records got lost in the EQ.  I have discovered (through PapersPast) that my ancester, Walter Paul, butcher in Auckland has been 'communicating' through the Otago papers, to his brother George Paul.  I had been trying to track George Paul down for 10 years and only discovered that he was also in NZ because of the ads placed by Walter.  It appears that George Paul was an early miner on the Nevis and then at some time moved to the Dunstan.  He died in Cromwell in 1881 (from memory), but I do have his Will and death record in storage in NZ.  I found his grave in the Cromwell Cemetery & placed a marker on it, but that's all I know about George (would love more if anyone has anything).  I should say that it looks like Walter placed an ad for George in the Otago Times every time he wanted his brother to contact him.  Over the years, he must have done so as in George's Will, he records that everything in the bank (in Cromwell) should go to his brother Walter, located in Auckland.

I now have one more missing sibling - William Paul - to track down and I'm now wondering if he also made it to NZ.  I've always dismissed the idea, however, the latest advertisement placed by Walter for George I've come across (in the Tuapeka Times, 8 Sep 1870) asks for George Paul to contact his brother Walter in Auckland OR contact William Richmond in Dunedin.  I've researched William Richmond and it appears he is a lawyer.  I've checked our Walter and George's other siblings death dates and none were in 1870.  The only sibling I don't know about is William and I'm now hoping/wishing that I could find the law files of this William Richmond to find out why he is involved.   

Sorry to be so long winded, but I'm hoping someone can give me some ideas?

[Thamesite2017]

To be such a specific paper, you would think that William must have been in the area
I need to brush up on geography..but the 1870 era electoral rolls have several Williams in the Otago area
Bye
Althea

this one is i that catchment area
Name: William Paul
Gender: Male
Electoral Year: 1870-1871
District: Waikouaiti
Region or Province: Otago

[Thamesite2017]

What is Williams birthdate and place of birth?
bye
Althea

A few early shipping for Wiliam Pauls and names in Otago Nominal index
http://marvin.otago.ac.nz/oni/basic.php

[helendg]

Sorry, I re-read my post and realised that I was 'rushing' (excited at the thought of finding my last missing sibling).  William Paul, son of John Paul and Ann Filshie (farmers), was born in Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire, Scotland on 20 March 1824.  The last I heard of him was on the 1841 Census - when he was shown as aged 15, a taylor's apprentice, living with his widowed mother and other siblings in Old Kilpatrick Village.  I've tracked down his other siblings and at this stage William is the only one 'missing'.  All others remained in Scotland, with the exception of brother Walter (went to goldfields in OZ and then on to Auckland where he became a butcher and finally a farmer in Mangere) and George (who became a miner on the Nevis then the Dunstan).  If only I could find lawyer William Richmond's files!

[Thamesite2017]

You could say 99.9% you would not find lawyers files from the 1870s
unless they had passed to archives, they would have long been destroyed
Bye
Althea

[helendg]

Thanks Althea - sadly, I believe you are right.   Thanks anyway.

[Thamesite2017]

You could still make a list of all the William Paul's from deaths at BMD and we can research them to see if any could be the one
sad there is no middle name 
Bye
Althea

[helendg]

I was thinking the same thing - I'll start doing that now.  The middle name thing makes things tough, but none of the siblings had middle names (so often narrows the search down).  I left this query to see if anyone thought that lawyers files from the 1870s would still be in existence, but I think you have answered my query.  Many thanks for your confirmation - I'll complete this query now. 

[Lucy2]

Hi helendg

Sorry to learn of your EQ-related losses and every good wish for a speedy resolution regarding your home. 

Mmm ... looking at the newspapers, electoral rolls etc. I'm not so sure that the William RICHMOND mentioned in the 1870 advertisements inserted by Walter, was in fact a lawyer.   

The Otago Nominal Roll has 3 listings for 1870-71 for "a William RICHMOND at Adam Street" -  under Dunedin City Electorate (x 2) and Dunedin and Suburbs Electorate (1).

All however give the same information -- showing this man had a "Household (voting) qualification" (meaning he was not a property owner) ... and none of the listings unfortunately give his occupation.
The NZ Electoral Rolls (@ Ancestry) have the same info and include him in 1875-76 also.   Without knowing his occupation though, it's difficult to determine where he got to, after that date.

My thinking is, that if William RICHMOND was in legal practice, then, in an era when bankruptcies were rife and where numerous other transactions required legal representation, his name might have cropped up in newspapers ... or, he may have been found in electoral lists with his profession noted.

There was a RICHMOND who practised briefly as a barrister and solicitor in Dunedin - namely Christopher William (more usually known as William) - however that was around 1861, following a foray into politics.
This man went on to become Judge RICHMOND in 1862.

So it may be that the William RICHMOND of Adam Street, was simply just an acquaintance of Walter ?  (Or someone known to both George and Walter ?)   

  ~  Lu