Australian marriage Walter George SMITH c 1903

[Liza115]

I walked down Golden Gate avenue on a stopover about 10 years ago, after spending some hours in the library, to have a look at the house. The house wasn't as big as the neighbours' as I recall, but well built as it had survived the 1906 quake. There was a pohutukawa tree in front, but planted in the 1980s, so just coincidental. I took a photo but a truck was out front, and it was rubbish day, so didn't get the best image. It looked in good repair.

[Liza115]

I'm back now.
Wivenhoe, I hadn't seen the car advertisement before. I think he probably brought it out to use while in NZ with the plan to sell it for a profit when he left again. Cars were probably cheaper in the states and more readily available. It sounds quite racy!
The marriage certificate names the bride as Mary Mildred Achon, widow 1900 [presumably the year of her husband's death]. That explains why she doesn't turn up in the birth records under Achon. They married at Moonee Ponds on 30 March 1901. His present and usual address was 44 York street, N Richmond, Victoria, while hers was 52 Canning [?] street, Carlton, Victoria. His parents are as we know, with his father's occupation as clerk (more on that shortly). Hers were Thomas Morton, bootmaker, and Ann Todd. She signed her name Mary Mildred Achon, so it appears that Mildred was her middle name. His signature is indeed recognisable from the passport application documents. Witnesses were Annie T Percival and Robert Rice.
Sue, you were sure it was the right document. How did you know? Were you able to test some of the information in the order form?
 

[Liza115]

The shift to the states might have been a way to reinvent himself, as his father had done by moving to Australia. His father's original occupation was as a clerk with the gas company in Wellington, although he'd obviously been a keen musician. He played in a band at company picnics. I think WG Smith senior was in the accounts department. He was married with three young sons when he tried to make a break for it, and was arrested on the wharf at Bluff (bottom of the South Island) with a barmaid who worked in a pub near the gas company. They were ready to catch a ship to Australia but his wife alerted the police and he was arrested and charged with wife desertion. He was sacked from his job.
This all happened in 1884 and was reported in NZ papers. The first sign of him in Australia newspapers was playing the violin about 1888, so I'm not sure what happened in between.
The third son, Claude, died in Katoomba, Australia in 1907, aged 28. Not sure what happened to him. 

[majm]

An aside question ... Was that car right or left hand drive?  ... it is not important,  but umm I am just wondering ... of course another question ...  would it matter in that era in NZ  or in USA .. or perhaps some US states may have been right hand and others left hand road rules ... ..

Sorry for side tracking ...   

JM. 

[mckha489]

Even now you will see the occasional classic American car that is left hand drive on NZ roads.

But I think they have to be classified as vintage or classic to be left that way..( not entirely sure).


There used to be all sorts of rules regarding new cars and use of overseas funds so It was a common thing to buy an expensive/unusual/sporty car overseas and bring it back with view to selling it for a profit right up until the 1980s
We had an acquaintance who brought back a Porsche in about 1983. He sold it, took it for one last ‘spin’ and wrapped it around a lamp post.  (Luckily only bruised).

[Liza115]

Hey JM, I'd wondered about the placement of the steering wheel myself. I presume it would have been left-hand drive. Not sure when the steering wheel side became standard in different countries. I wonder how many cars were in NZ then? Probably not a problem with congestion, just with poor roads.
Mckha489, I've heard about the overseas funds needed for buying cars and wondered when that would have started. Before or after WW2? The government that brought it in is bound to be recorded somewhere. Must have been related to some trade agreement. Glad your Porsche driving acquaintance came away unscathed.

"... He did return to New Zealand in 1923 and again later."

Can you detail what you know about these visits.  He is a journalist so you might think that he would find a good local interest in NZ for his many adventures. Do you see any newspaper articles written by him in 1923 and later?

It wasn't as common then as it is now for journalists to have bylines with their stories. I have looked but don't remember finding his name down as the writer except for that obit for James N Hall. Given the scandal of his father's behaviour, and having the same name, he might have tried to keep a low profile.

His second application for a passport in 1920 says he plans to go the same year to New Zealand for family business and Australia en route. The Australia stop has greater significance now.
His father died in December 1924. Here is the son on a ship returning to SF in 1923.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95G8-987?i=416&cc=1916078&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AKX4G-54L

And on the Sonoma again, in 1930, from Honolulu to SF, travelling alone. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJK-K33H-D?cc=2822767&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AWB6H-QYW2

He appears on a passenger list from Tahiti to New Zealand in January 1946, also travelling alone.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-D1KS-Z78?cc=1609792&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQJDN-8Z98

There will have been other trips I've missed, but so far the only one with Kate was that initial one to SF in 1903. As has been mentioned, the mother's will may be an indication that Kate was not acceptable. I wonder if she was a barmaid?

[wivenhoe]

Information from the marriage certificate, 1901 please....what age do you see for Mary Mildred ACHON....what birthplace....what occupation.....what name for the Minister.

[RJ137]

His wife is named as Kate or Katherine R Smith, born in Australia about 1881. In some US census records her parents are said to have both been born in England, but in the 1910 US census it says her mother was born in France.
In some record I've seen, it suggested that they were married in 1903. I have not been able to locate a marriage for WG Smith and Kate/Katherine R, although I've looked in NSW, Victoria and WA records online from 1898-1903, and also the NZ bdms. Any suggestions on where I might find it? I'd like to know more about her.

The middle initial "R" stands for Richey with was her maiden name. Her full name was Catherine/Katherine Amelia Richey.

She died 26 March 1941 in San Francisco.

In the 1940 census her address is 2013 Golden Gate Ave., with a birth year of 1875.

1940 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9D9-B9W

===============

CA Death Index: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPCG-KLP

The San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco, California
Friday, March 28, 1941
Page 19

Death Notice: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42459249/kate_smith_death_notice/

Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87621968/catherine-smith

Funeral Home records give her address as 2013 Golden Gate Ave., husband Walter G Smith of the same address.

click "Show big image" to enlarge

https://www.sfgenealogy.org/php/sfmrsearch/sfmrviewer.php?a=160630&b=0&c=1

https://www.sfgenealogy.org/php/sfmrsearch/sfmrviewer.php?a=34124&b=0&c=1

[majm]

Well found.


Catherine/Katherine Amelia
RICHEY.

JM