Jack Phillips from Wales to New Zealand COMPLETED

[groom]

Does look a good possible. Could you apply for it and say that you only want it if his parents are John and Margaret?

[cp]

I thought you could do that but it would appear not anymore, unless I have misunderstood the GRO website.

[cp]

Well well .... it would appear that John Morris Phillips is indeed my missing great uncle!
I have just received the birth cert for him and the address (Trevecca, Talgarth) and birth date 26th Dec 1876 matches the census returns and the fathers name, fathers occupation and the mothers name and maiden name all match my grandfathers birth certificate ...as beyond doubt as you can hope for I think :-)

Interesting that they did not use his middle name at all on the census returns and they did for the other children.

That then leads me to Masterton in New Zealand ( a place I have visited twice without knowing and where a close friend lives!) to follow up the lead on his grave. Thanks for that info Janette, could I ask where it came from.

Does anyone have any hints on what my next move should be to track down how he got from Wales to New Zealand? I am on Ancestry.co.uk but can't seem to find any emmigration records that fit.

I would love to see if I could track down any cousins in New Zealand :-)

Thanks again everyone
Claire

[groom]

That's brilliant, I'm pleased it is the correct one- is the Morris after a relation?

I've looked on FindMyPast and can't see an obvious emigration either, I wonder if anyone in New Zealand can find his entry into the country? It might be worth seeing if you can find the one I gave you in 1901 in the 1911 census, if he isn't there it could well be the one you want and would narrow down when he went.

As his death records give him as an ex service man, he may well have served with the NZ army in WW1, it might be worth seeing if these records can be checked. There are quite a few shown on FindMyPast but I think it needs a worldwide subs to see them.

[cp]

Yes I have now looked for the family that the John you found in 1901 was with and he is no longer there.  I can not find a further listing for John Phillips on any 1911 census returns. If this is correct he left Wales after 1901 and before 1911 census.

I only have a months subscription to Findmypast which sadly is not for worldwide searches.

I have worldwide access to Ancestry but can't find him there either.

Thanks again for your help.

[cp]

Quick up date....
I have found the Discharge Documents for a John Morris Phillips which adds to my confusion. His Regtl no is shown as 69268 3rd Batl of Highland Light Infantary but it also showed his Regtl no as 127031 but this was crossed out.

I have found a picture of the grave in New Zealand and that shows the same reg and the Regtl number as 127031

The discharge papers also show he was a butcher (which matches the 1901 census ) and that his Next of Kin was his wife Lily of Hove. I can find one marriage of a John Phillips to a Lily Griffiths  in 1912 in Llanelly?

The papers say he joined the Army April 1916 aged 37 which is 3 years out with his birth cert.

Well I am off to bed now.

[groom]

The papers say he joined the Army April 1916 aged 37 which is 3 years out with his birth cert.

He may have given a false age so that he appeared younger when he enlisted.

So that means we are looking for a emigration after 1918.

Added: After 14.6.1919 as his address then was 24, Kensington Road, Reading, Berkshire.

[Janette]

Hi Claire,

I have emailed the cemetery office asking if they can give more information.

This is the link to the cemetery database

http://www.mstn.govt.nz/services/cemetery/

Cheers Janette

[Janette]

You could purchase a "printout" of his death registration,bearing in mind it is only as good as the informant,

"A scanned image of the original record, however if a record has been updated or corrected it will be typed, as a correction cannot be made to a scanned image.
All records 1998 onwards will be typed as there is no scanned image.
Non-emailed printouts are produced on plain white paper.
"Printout - post 1874    $20.40    A copy of the information from the registration, and usually used for research purposes.  It is either handwritten or typed

It is better to have the emailed version as the paper version has very small writing

https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/

Cheers Janette