What happened to Albert James RAWSTRON?

[Tgapitbull]

I have been researching Ernest Rawstron and family.  His ashes were unclaimed and held by a Whakatane FD.  They have now been claimed.
I have hit a brick wall with my research - can anyone help me find out what happened to Alfred James Rawstron only?
Ernest's parents were Albert James Rawstron and Liza Thelma Wittison.
Albert was born on 2 March 1881 Bamber Bridge, Lancashire England (source Lancashire OPC birth/baptism record).  His military record states 2 March 1879.
It appears that he served in the South African Highlanders in the Boer War from his NZ Army Record.
He arrived in NZ on the "Athenic", joining the ship in South Africa along with Miss A [Annie] Rawstron.  On board this ship from London was his Mother Hannah Maria Rawstron (her husband Ernest Rawstron, Police Inspector died in 1893 in Burnley) and sister Elsie Rawstron.
In 1909 he married Liza Thlema Wittison in Napier.
Son Enest was born 1910 in Napier and Eric Keith was born 1912 in Napier and dau Kathaline Louisa in 1914 in Tokomaru Bay.
Enlisted in NZ Army for WW1 on 22 July 1916 and DX on 3 Feb 1918 in Wellington to Soldiers Hostel, Boulcott Street, Wellington (struck through) (Source NZ Army Record on Archway)
28 August 1918 Pensions Dept - Medical Record states in past 2 months hawking jewellery.
1919 E R for Palmerston North - living at 274 Main Street
1920 8 Sept and 29 Sept - notices in NZ Police Gazette re failing to maintain 2 children in Wellington Receiving Home.  Occupation given as Carpenter.  Noting "fond of drink"
1923 12 Sept Warrant of Commitment to Wellington Prison for one month in default of paying arrears
1924 Sept 10 - NSW Police Gazette - Warrant issued for arrest of Albert James Rawstron for "disobeying magisterial order for support of his children"
1926 1 June Civil case in Palmerston North Magistrates Court A J Rawstron v E M Goile (sister)
(Source Manawatu Standard, Paperspast 1 June 1926 pg 9)

To be continued ......

[Tgapitbull]

Part 2.
Albert had the following siblings who came to NZ:
Annie born 1875 died 1 May 1954 Palmerston North (buried next to Mother Hannah who died in 1921 in Terrace End cemetery, Palmerston North.  Did not marry - no issue.
Elsie May born 1888 Burnley died 10 November 1964 bur Raetihi cemetery married Carl Julius GOILE
Mary Alice born c 1867 married in 1901 in Harrogate, York to William James PYE.  Mary died 6 November 1953 in Wellington (they came to NZ in 1905?)

NOTE: This Albert James Rawstron should not be confused with another A J Rawstron born 1860 married Annie Pickup in 1882.  Annie died in 1913.  He remarried in 1915 to Elizabeth Hawkey and died in 1944 in Christchurch.  This occupation was Farmer.  This latter A J Rawstron is in fact an Uncle to the one I am researching.

What happened to Albert James Rawstron after 1926?

I have checked NZ electoral rolls but found nothing after 1919.  I have also checked the NSW electoral rolls.
I have been unable to find an online death registration for him under various spellings of the surname.
I have checked the lower North Island Council cemetery records online
I have contacted the Gisborne District Council - there is a burial for an A J Rawstron in the Tokumaru Bay cemetery however this is for an infant Alfred John Rawstron who died in 1916.
I have contacted the FD for Hannah and Annie Rawstron in Palmerston North
I have checked family trees on Ancestry
I have checked FindMyPast and FamilySearch
I have checked Archway and also Paperspast
I have checked the NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia online Death Indexes
I have been in contacted with a granddaughter of Albert but they have no further info and said that Albert "disappeared" and was apparently not heard from again.

I have hit a brick wall now.
Any info or research advice would be welcome on Albert James Rawstron.  I am not looking for information on other family members.

TPB

[spades]

Hi TPB,

Who is the Albert James RAWSTRON who in 1914 appears as a carpenter living in Tokomaru Bay?
(source: 1914 - East Coast Electoral Rolls 1877-1919)   

This is the only likely entry I can see for this name on the 2015 NZSG Kiwi Index.

Might he have moved across the ditch to Australia?

Spades

[spades]

The same source has a 1880 passenger record for a A.J. RAWSTON who travelled from Melbourne to Port Chalmers per the Rotorua. Described as a miner aged 24, single, from England, travelled Steerage.

I did see this separate record who I suspect is your man. Note the spelling variant:

NZ War Memorials & Rolls of Honour.
Name: RISDEN A J
War:    1899-1902
Date:   1899
Place:   Napier and District South African War, Napier, Hawkes Bay

Spades

[Tgapitbull]

Hi Spades,
Yes this is the correct person.
I did wonder too if he went across the ditch and looked at most of the state online death indexes but found nothing.
I haven't looked at the NZ fiche death index and wonder if this is worthwhile?
As mentioned below when Albert was DX from the Army his military records has "intended address - Soldiers Hostel, Boulcott Street" - but this has been struck through.
Do you know if there was one there or was it somewhere else ie Newtown?

TPB

[spades]

Hi,

No idea, sorry.

Other than jumping the ditch I wonder if he was buried or cremated here under another spelling of the surname.

I suggest trying variants of the spelling on the NZ BDM website if you haven't already.
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/

The fiche will be very time consuming. I'd leave it as a last resort.

Was that 1880 passenger record for the Rotorua or the 1914 Electroral Roll any help?

I note the connection to a certain vocal artiste.

I also note that the last record was in Manawatu. Have you approached local libraries and family history societies (including the Palmerston North branch of the NZSG?

I suspect the answer is out there but you'll just have to dig deep.

Spades

[spades]

Another question. Why did he use the name RISDEN for his Boer War attestation?

Spades

[Tgapitbull]

Hi Spades,
Re the name RISDEN - I don't know.  Maybe that is what the name sounded like to the person who recorded it?
I checked the NZ Death Index under this name and found nothing relevant.
I will see what further NZ War Memorial and Roll of Honour info I can find.  I couldn't see this name on the Napier Memorial on the "Sooty" website though?
I too have seen the connection to a certain vocal artiste.
The 1880 passenger record unlikely to be AJR as his date of birth is 2 March 1881.
I will try the PN Branch of NZSG as you suggest.
But as you say I will have to "dig deep".
Thanks for your postings.
TPB

[kiwihalfpint]

I suggest trying variants of the spelling

Spades

Just bear in mind this spelling Raustron.  That is if you haven't.


Cheers
KHP