Owens, John Darlington

[Pauline Sheddan]

Yes there is a death notice. This is the mysterious adopted boy and subsequently my friends father.
On the death certificate his father is William Henry Moulden and his mother Alice Moulden nee Hill

[Pauline Sheddan]

Wow! This is very interesting. We have 2 clippings as follows and based on that assumed William was the injured party.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume V, Issue 923, 9 October 1884, page 3
Divorce Granted
Welington October 9
In the divorce case William Moulden v Grace Moulden (respondent) and Edward Corbett and James Young (co-respondents) a verdict for the petitioner, on both issues, was returned.

Poverty Bay Herald, 8 October 1889
In the divorce case, Moulden v Moulden, an application made to the Supreme Court to have a rule nisi, which had been granted on the grounds of the wife's adultery, made absolute, was refused.
The article then goes on about the evidence that had been given at previous trials.

[kiwihalfpint]

Here is the school record of William John Moulden

Name : MOULDEN William John
School : Northcote
Register Number : 3015
Admission Date : 1 Jul 1912
Parent / Guardian : Mr Wm Henry MOULDEN
Address : Northcote
Birthdate : 09 May 1901
Last School : Grafton
Last Day : 18 Dec 1914
Destination : Grammar School

I am guessing it was Auckland Grammar School.  Could William Henry be an Old Boy of the school?


Cheers
KHP

[shanreagh]

Alice Hill, is mentioned in the Papers Past search that Fresh Fields has found.  If Alice Hill was later Alice Carter and born 1878  ie if she indeed was 61 at the time of her death in 1939, the dates do not work.  The divorce was filed in 1884.   

Are there two Alices - Alice Hill mentioned in the divorce proceedings in 1884 and Alice Carter who was referred to in Henry Moulden's will as 'his wife Alice Carter known as Alice Moulden'. Alice Carter Moulden  in her will leaves her estate to the 'adopted son of William Henry Moulden'.

[shanreagh]

Here is the school record of William John Moulden

Name : MOULDEN William John
School : Northcote
Register Number : 3015
Admission Date : 1 Jul 1912
Parent / Guardian : Mr Wm Henry MOULDEN
Address : Northcote
Birthdate : 09 May 1901
Last School : Grafton
Last Day : 18 Dec 1914
Destination : Grammar School

I am guessing it was Auckland Grammar School.  Could William Henry be an Old Boy of the school?


Cheers
KHP

I saw somewhere that WH Moulden was born in England.  I guess we should try and establish that and when he came to NZ.  Also search electoral rolls for addresses as I had thought that the Mouldens lived on the city side so not sure why a child would go to Northcote school. 

[kiwihalfpint]

Would Grammar School have been a boarding school then?  Perhaps, W H Moulden moved to Northcote for a couple of years for work, only the E/R's can rule that out.

Just speculating, going in directions that get us to the fact of the matter

[shanreagh]

Wow! This is very interesting. We have 2 clippings as follows and based on that assumed William was the injured party.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume V, Issue 923, 9 October 1884, page 3
Divorce Granted
Welington October 9
In the divorce case William Moulden v Grace Moulden (respondent) and Edward Corbett and James Young (co-respondents) a verdict for the petitioner, on both issues, was returned.

Poverty Bay Herald, 8 October 1889
In the divorce case, Moulden v Moulden, an application made to the Supreme Court to have a rule nisi, which had been granted on the grounds of the wife's adultery, made absolute, was refused.
The article then goes on about the evidence that had been given at previous trials.

Yes it seems as though the divorce was not finalised as various judges were condemnatory of WH Moulden's character and conduct.  I guess the concept of 'coming to the law with clean hands' as the saying goes applied to applications for divorce at that time. The trial mentioned WH Moulden going to Australia with an Alice Hill and he refused to answer questions on this.   

[shanreagh]

Would Grammar School have been a boarding school then?  Perhaps, W H Moulden moved to Northcote for a couple of years for work, only the E/R's can rule that out.

Just speculating, going in directions that get us to the fact of the matter

I think Auckland Grammar became a boarding school later than when JDO Moulden was at school
https://www.ags.school.nz/at-grammar/boarding/about-tibbs-house/

The family did live in Remuera at some stage  and JDO could have been a day boy. 

[shanreagh]

Pauline stated in the first post 'John Owens was adopted on 6 July 1905, when he was 4 years and 2 months'.

How do you know the date of the adoption if the adoption records have not been accessed?