Walter Henry (Harry) BARNETT born 1845 married Elizabeth Lanfear

[loustudawe]

Kia ora

I'm trying to trace the ancestry of my 2nd Great Grandfather Walter Henry Barnett born 1845 who married Elizabeth Lanfear in Auckland 12/02/1877 (under the name of Harry Barnett).

In other family trees I've researched, he has been referenced as William Henry Walter Barnett born 27/04/1845 in Rotherhithe, Surrey, son of George Frederick Barnett.

However, I'm not sure. On WH Barnett's death (07/05/1908) certificate, the following info is provided; his age of 63 does fit, as does his marriage age of 31. His birth place is London (Rotherhithe is now part of London) but his father's name is John Barnett. Also, at the time of his death, he had been in New Zealand 34 years putting his arrival date at 1874 (same year as Elizabeth Lanfear arrived on the Rooparell). However, WHW Barnett of Rotherhithe married a Emma Janes in Deptford, UK on 18/07/1875. So, a few things just don't add up.

Does anyone else have WHW Barnett of Rotherhithe on their tree or managed to trace WH Barnett to a different line?

I have their marriage certificate, WH Barnett's death certificate, one of their children's birth certificates and 2 of their children's WW1 files. What other online NZ information could be available to help (I live in the UK). I have searched long and hard for WH Barnett's immigration/emigration/arrival record but have had no luck.

Many thanks
Stuart

[Janette]

Hi loustudawe and welcome

Death cert information is only as good as the informant and quite often have incorrect info on them.
The info on his marriage cert should be accurate as he provided the info.

Cheers Janette

[Janette]

His cemetery record,Waikumete

BARNETT, WALTER HENRY
Plot :                                  WESLEY DIVISION D Row 2, Plot 20
Interment Type:              Burial
Title:                                  MR
Surname :                        BARNETT
Given Names:                 WALTER HENRY
Age :                                  63
Gender :                            Male
Occupation:                     WATCHMAN
Date Of Death :                07-May-1908
Date Of Burial :                10-May-1908   
Funeral Director :           CONVERTED RECORD
Head Stone Details :      N/A

Cheers Janette

[spades]

Hi Stuart, and welcome to RootsChat!

I agree with Janette's comments. But would you be able to provide us with a transcription of his marriage certificate, please it might provide some clues.

Here is a link to the passenger list of the 1874 voyage of the Rooparell.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourstuff/Rooparell.htm

And government letters relating to the voyage published in the Appendices to the Journal of the House of Representatives (AJHR)
http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1875-I.2.1.5.7

Spades

[spades]

Just thinking about the William Henry Walter BARNETT born 27/04/1845 in Rotherhithe, son of George Frederick Barnett, and your own ancestor Walter Henry BARNETT born 1845 in Rotherhithe.

The surname is a common one and in those days given names were chosen from a smaller more traditional pool and one name could be associated with another from common practive, e.g. William Henry, Walter Henry or vice versa.

I suspect that the family tree you mention may be for a different individual entirely, both men born born in Rotherhithe in the same year. This would explain the fact that other details don't match.

Spades

[loustudawe]

Dear Janette and Spades

Many thanks for your quick replies.

Janette, thanks, I had seen the Waikumete burial transacription which I forgot to mention. Yes, I agree about incorrect info on the death certificates. The death certificate of another 2nd Great Grandfather in Foxton had his age 15 years out! In the case of WH Barnett, there are perhaps too many inconsistencies for me to feel confident they are one and the same.

Janette/Spades, unfortunately the marriage certificate is very light on information. Info included is simply the names of Harry Barnett, Elizabeth Lanfear, both of "full age", bachelor and spinster, Harry's occupation carpenter (WHW Barnett of Rotherhithe was a brazier at the time of his UK wedding to Emma Janes in 1875) as well as the location (dwelling in Victoria Street, Auckland) and date (12/02/1877).

Spades, thanks for your information on the Rooparell. I had seen the passenger list (for Elizabeth Lanfear) but I hadn't seen the government letters which offer some excellent insight.

Spades, I have no proof of my ancestor Walter Henry BARNETT as born in Rotherhithe, only London (as per Death Cert, my great grandmother's birth certificate and 2 WW1 files of her brothers). Yes, I suspect he is different to William Henry Walter BARNETT who was born in Rotherhithe. Unfortunately, I can find no birth (or otherwise) record of a Walter Henry BARNETT born in London in 1845.

I have just read about NZ "Intention to Marry" records which I hadn't heard of previously. Do you know if they provide any additional info to the marriage cert? If so, do you know how I could find this record?

Many thanks once again
Stuart

[spades]

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for the marriage information.

I can get a transcription of the Intention to Marry Notice for you. It may not help very much but you never know.

Have you looked for Walter Henry BARNETT and Elizabeth LANFEAR in the UK Census? These are available on Ancestry (pay per view) or else at major libraries. We don't do lookups for that here as it infringes copyright.

If you can find them on the Census (1851, 1861 and 1871) the record should tell you where they were born and in the earliest, show them as part of a family group including their parents.

I realise this doesn't advance your search for Walter's date and vessel of emigration, but I'm going for the background story.

Spades

[Janette]

Have you managed to find Walter Henry on the 1851,1861 and 1871 UK census?this should confirm his parents and place of birth

Cheers Janette

oops sorry Spades 

[loustudawe]

Hi Spades and Janette

Spades, thanks, I would be really grateful if you could find the transcription of their Intention to Marry notice.

Spades and Janette, thanks, yes, I've signed up to Ancestry. I have found the census records for William Henry Walter BARNETT of Rotherhithe and his father, George Frederick. This is where I found his 1875 marriage record with Emma Janes. I have found no further information of them post 1875. I have found no record for anyone who could be my ancestor Walter Henry BARNETT (if he doesn't happen to be one and the same).

He's proving to be the "brick wall" in my tree.

I have all the census records for Elizabeth Lanfear (and have managed to trace her family back several generations).

I hope if any descendants of Walter & Elizabeth find this topic, if they aren't able to shed any further light on Walter, at least are interested in finding out what I have found out and/or sharing any info about other descendants.

Many thanks
Stuart