Author Topic: Maori wars - military records?  (Read 7394 times)

Offline abstraction

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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #27 on: Thursday 18 June 20 14:46 BST (UK) »
Here we go, thanks to the document you shared - a potential motive for lying about his age and changing his name:
"The New Zealand Gazette published the conditions of recruitment in August 1863.
Recruits were required to be younger than forty years of age, and be able to prove they
were of good character
, health, and general fitness. For three years ‘good’ service a man
would be eligible for a town allotment in a new settlement as well as a farm section, sized
according to rank. Field officers would receive 400 acres, captains 300 acres, surgeons 250
acres, subalterns 200 acres, sergeants 80 acres, corporals 60 acres, and privates 50 acres.
Each recruit would receive wages, rations, and allowances for up to twelve months after
taking possession of his land, after which they would only be received during training or
‘actual service’. Those unable or unwilling to fulfill the conditions were able to replace
themselves under approval from the government
."
(p36. 2017 McLellan, John M, SOLDIERS & COLONISTS - Imperial Soldiers as Settlers in Nineteenth-Century New Zealand)
He was too old, and had been a convict - he needed a different identity. 
The 'substitution' in my previous post meant he replaced himself to get out - post war injury and specifically linked to impending birth of his daughter.
It was clear by the time he left that the land settlements were a disaster. He may have sent pregnant wife ahead to Dunedin and searched for a replacement so he could support them.
I'm not at all convinced - just exploring the idea.

Are there shipping records to find the timing of his wife's arrival in Dunedin - or wherever she first arrived in NZ? Post office directories? It would also solve a puzzle about whether she had a daughter already - there is no birth record found for older daughter Maud anywhere.




Offline spades

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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #28 on: Friday 19 June 20 00:30 BST (UK) »
Hi Abstraction,

I'm going to move your topic back to the main NZ Board where you are more likely to receive information.

To help those reading this, could you post again what information you know about his wife, likely date of arrival in New Zealand, etc.

Spades
ELLERKER - Beverley ERY ENG
HEALEY - IRL?
MURDOCH - Wigtownshire SCT, Otago and Westland NZ
PALING - Nottinghamshire ENG
RILEY - Flamborough; Cottingham; South Dalton ERY, Manitoba CAN, & London ENG
STURTON - Arnold, Nottinghamshire ENG
SUTTRON - All, NRY & DUR ENG
TAYLOR - London ENG
TYLER - London ENG
TERNAN/TIERNAN - Dublin IRL

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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #29 on: Friday 19 June 20 00:49 BST (UK) »
I can start a new post on that topic perhaps. People don't have to wade through so much.

Offline Dundee

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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #30 on: Friday 19 June 20 03:44 BST (UK) »
Maud travelled from NZ to Victoria on the Tekapo

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18920621.2.8

Her arrival into Victoria in June 1892 gives her age as 31.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXD-KQJD

Debra  :)


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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #31 on: Friday 19 June 20 04:03 BST (UK) »
Oh goodness Debra. Every genealogy of her in the world except mine has her listed as born in about 1867! I hypothesised 1863. That's filled in a gap and opened a few potential doors.

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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #32 on: Friday 19 June 20 06:00 BST (UK) »
No, don't start a new topic, it's always best to keep the subject together in one place.

And congratulations, Dundee has found her for you! 8) :)

Spades
ELLERKER - Beverley ERY ENG
HEALEY - IRL?
MURDOCH - Wigtownshire SCT, Otago and Westland NZ
PALING - Nottinghamshire ENG
RILEY - Flamborough; Cottingham; South Dalton ERY, Manitoba CAN, & London ENG
STURTON - Arnold, Nottinghamshire ENG
SUTTRON - All, NRY & DUR ENG
TAYLOR - London ENG
TYLER - London ENG
TERNAN/TIERNAN - Dublin IRL

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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #33 on: Saturday 20 June 20 11:22 BST (UK) »
I need some help with shipping - the arrival in NZ for the following people between July 1863 and May 1865:

George Cannon, b.c.1811 Great Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England.
Catherine Cannon, nee Jordan, b. 1837 White Hills Tasmania.
married 5 Jul 1863. Launceston Tasmania.
Maud Marie Cannon, b.c.1861-1863 Tasmania no birth record.

In Dunedin by 1865 - birth of Gertrude Lillie Cannon 20 May 1865, Dunedin.

The complicating factor (see posts above) is that George's wife and daughter said he was in the Maori wars. He appears to have been born Charles, changed his name when arrested because of previous trouble. I can't find a George Cannon in militia, but there is a Charles Cannon. He may have reverted to Charles and lied about his age to be able to join the Waikato Militia. I assume they arrived on north island. If it is him, Charles Cannon signed up 3 Sep 1863 from Sandhurst, Vic (George occasionally travelled to Sandhurst), his unit was in NZ by 1863 and got himself discharged by exchange on 20 May 1865 the day his daughter was born. Yes, complicated. If this was him I assume his wife may have been shipped over with him or on a different ship.

1. If it was Charles Cannon, he sailed on the Caduceus, departing 10th and arriving on 25th Sep 1863. A ship carrying 40th Regiment had wives and children, but no suggestion they were aboard Caduceus. One of the volunteers was hauled before courts for attempting to leave without providing for his wife. Colonel Pitt organised for volunteers to remit funds.
2. If not aboard, it is highly likely Catherine Cannon sailed from Launceston - although potentially via Melbourne. I know she had at least one brother, Robert Jordan, in Dunedin. I don't know when he arrived.

Delightful piece of colour on the sailing. "we were uncommon spry for grub."
THE VICTORIAN CONTINGENT ON
BOARD THE CADUCEUS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.
Sir,-Feeling that many of my comrades'
friends will be anxious to hear how we get
on " down the bay," I beg to offer you a little
narrative of our doings since our departure
from Queen's Wharf, on Friday morning. I
pass over the rather monotonous trip down
the river, the beauties of which are, I con-
fess, difficult of discovery, and beg your
readers to imagine us still on board the tug,
and alongside the good ship Caduceus; the
party being told off in squads of twenty men.
each squad in charge of a non commissioned
officer, assisted by two orderly men, whose
duties are to draw rations, blankets, &c, for
the ten men of their mess. The officer in
command of the detachment places himself on
the gangway, and having passed the volun-
teers on board in the order of their squads,
proceeds to the issue of necessaries-i.e., a
pannikin, knife, fork, spoon, plate, and
blankets ; and we are sent below to find our
bunks-in our search for which we were
greatly aided by the precautions taken
to mark each ten beds with the number
of the mess and squad to which they were
appropriated. By these arrangements, we had
all shaken into our place by eleven a.m.,
when, as our orderly, an old tar, said, we
were "uncommon spry for grub." Soon after
Colonel Pitt came off with the second draft,
and then came dinner.
Plenty of good humour went to make up
for a scarcity of salt; but even this want
was quickly removed by the efforts of the
orderly officer, who silenced our grumbles as
much by his soldierly bonhommie as by his
promptitude in supplying our necessities.
After dinner most of us set to scrawling our
letters; some made impromptu draught-boards,
with chalked squares and buttons for men;
some smoked and yarned; while others, of
a Tapleyan turn, made up the audience of a
flute-player. Then we had the excitement
of the arrival of other additions to our num-
ber. Then supper, at which the inspecting
officer met one jolly fellow, who said he had
no complaints ; but that he "expected, when
he signed his attestation, that he would have
had 'cream cheese, or at least marmalade,
supplied him." To-morrow I commence
operations, and hope to give as much satis-
faction as any of the staff. " ' ,
Your obedient servant, '
THE BARBER'S MATE.
Ship Caduceus, Sept. 5.
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tuesday 8 September 1863 p 5 Article



Offline Dundee

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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #34 on: Sunday 21 June 20 07:17 BST (UK) »
Outbound records Australia to NZ are fairly patchy, inbound to NZ are all indexed and digitised on Familysearch.

Some outwards from Tas have been indexed which you have probably already seen:

https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/
Enter the name then choose 'departures' as your record type.

Victoria
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/passenger-records-and-immigration/outwards-passenger-lists

Inbound to NZ
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1609792

I did have a good look around but didn't see anything promising.  The newspapers also often list passengers.

I thought that Maud most likely had a good education and did find this article about her winning two prizes (longhand writing and writing from dictation) at the Phonetic School in Dunedin in 1872.

The competition for this prize was very keen, and three or four had to try over again. The prize was won by a little girl named Maud M. Cannon, who deserves great credit, having written the exercise, which was chosen by a person present at random, without a single mistake.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18721214.2.19.5

It is highly unlikely she was 4 years old!!

Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 12 Sep 1894
Event Place (Original): Chungking, China

Francis John DYMOND
Age: 28
Marital Status: Single
Birth Year (Estimated): 1866
Father's Name: John DYMOND

Maud Marie CANNON
Age: 26
Marital Status: Single
Birth Year (Estimated): 1868
Father's Name: George CANNON

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLGQ-LD2

Perhaps she started to fib about her age because she was older than her husband.

Debra  :)





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Re: Maori wars - military records?
« Reply #35 on: Sunday 21 June 20 07:36 BST (UK) »
We do have some Rootschatters who live in Tasmania and can sometimes do lookups in the church records for baptisms so perhaps you can post a request on the Australia board.  As you don't know for certain whose daughter she was or when Catherine went to NZ you would be looking for any Maud Marie up to 1865, probably in Launceston.

Debra  :)