Thursday, December 27, 2007
More on Alfred Jater
We visited Waikino today (between Waihi and Paeroa), with the intention to try and find a Jater grave. We found that there is no graveyard at Waikino, although there were about 5000 people living there around 1900. Waikino processed all the gold-bearing ore mined in Waihi and sent it to Waikino by railway. That explains Alfred's occupation of Tramway Foreman.
Here is a reconstruction of Waikino in its heyday.
Alfred and Matilda were married in Auckland and had 3 children in Papakura, see my earlier blog article. Both seem to have died in 1926, Alfred was 84 and Matilda was 77. There appears to be a typo in Alfred's death date, and also in their surnames shown as JARTER. Apparently all the records were transcribed by students.
A certificate, now displayed in the Waihi Museum, was presented to Hubert Percy Barry, Esq by the management of the Waihi Gold Mine and was signed by all the staff. Here you can see Alfred Jater's signature.
The staff at the District Council Waihi were most helpful in locating the graves of Arthur and Matilda, and they are in the Pukerimu cemetary, just south of Paeroa. Although they are unmarked they are right next to the marked grave of Edith Dora McKee, and you can see the nice view they have from their hillside grave.
My next mission is to get a death certificate of Alfred and a birth certificate of at least one of their 3 girls which will hopefully fill in the last few gaps.
Here is a reconstruction of Waikino in its heyday.
Alfred and Matilda were married in Auckland and had 3 children in Papakura, see my earlier blog article. Both seem to have died in 1926, Alfred was 84 and Matilda was 77. There appears to be a typo in Alfred's death date, and also in their surnames shown as JARTER. Apparently all the records were transcribed by students.
A certificate, now displayed in the Waihi Museum, was presented to Hubert Percy Barry, Esq by the management of the Waihi Gold Mine and was signed by all the staff. Here you can see Alfred Jater's signature.
The staff at the District Council Waihi were most helpful in locating the graves of Arthur and Matilda, and they are in the Pukerimu cemetary, just south of Paeroa. Although they are unmarked they are right next to the marked grave of Edith Dora McKee, and you can see the nice view they have from their hillside grave.
My next mission is to get a death certificate of Alfred and a birth certificate of at least one of their 3 girls which will hopefully fill in the last few gaps.
Family get-together pictures
Thursday, December 20, 2007
David Arrives for Christmas
Watched a couple of planes land, then David's Virgin Blue (they are red) swings into view.
$49 from Wellington on a 3/4 full plane can't be bad.
Whoops, that was a bit hard. But no damage done and it's nice to have him home.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Minus 5 bar visit
The night before Tyler & Marsha headed home to California, we went to the Minus 5 bar downtown in Princes Wharf. It was -7 degrees inside, they give you jackets and gloves and you drink your vodka mix out of a glass made of ice. Inside there are a lot of ice sculptures, including the seats which have reindeer pelts on them. At $30 it's not something I would do again, but once was interesting!
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Family History
Now this is kinda interesting to those in our family. William Montgomery Jater (born in Byfleet in 1831) married Emily Stewart (of Drury) in Mangawhai in 1869, changing his surname to St George at that time. I have found that his brother, Alfred Jater, (born in Byfleet in1843) went to Australia on the ship Light Brigade in 1872. He travelled to NZ and married a widow, Matilda Clarke in Auckland on 4th November 1879.
Alfred Jater paid rates in Papakura 1887 to 1913 and he had Probate for a Will dated 28 August 1926, occupation Tramway Foreman.
Matilda Jater died in Waikino about 8 March 1926.
Alfred Jater and Matilda Clarke had the following children, from Papakura School records:
Edith Alice Matilda Jater, born 21 Mar 1872. She left school 1886 for domestic employment.
Alicia Jater born March 1872 (looks like twins).
Marion Gladys Jater admitted to school 25 Apr 1898. Left the district 21 Dec 1899.
Marion Gladys Jater married George Potaua HENRY in 1910. I see in the Maori Land Court that a share of a property is owned by Alfred Edward Jater HENRY. Looks like their son.
Now the next interesting thing is that William and Emily had their 5th to 8th children in Papakura, from 1878 to 1884. My grandfather was born in 1882 and named Alfred Montgomery St George, it looks like he was named after his uncle Alfred, also living in Papakura. His first son, my father, was Alfred Grattan St George. It was usual for the first-born son to take his father's name Alfred, and his mother's family name, Grattan. So that's where Dad's name came from!
We have more rellies in NZ than we knew!
Alfred Jater paid rates in Papakura 1887 to 1913 and he had Probate for a Will dated 28 August 1926, occupation Tramway Foreman.
Matilda Jater died in Waikino about 8 March 1926.
Alfred Jater and Matilda Clarke had the following children, from Papakura School records:
Edith Alice Matilda Jater, born 21 Mar 1872. She left school 1886 for domestic employment.
Alicia Jater born March 1872 (looks like twins).
Marion Gladys Jater admitted to school 25 Apr 1898. Left the district 21 Dec 1899.
Marion Gladys Jater married George Potaua HENRY in 1910. I see in the Maori Land Court that a share of a property is owned by Alfred Edward Jater HENRY. Looks like their son.
Now the next interesting thing is that William and Emily had their 5th to 8th children in Papakura, from 1878 to 1884. My grandfather was born in 1882 and named Alfred Montgomery St George, it looks like he was named after his uncle Alfred, also living in Papakura. His first son, my father, was Alfred Grattan St George. It was usual for the first-born son to take his father's name Alfred, and his mother's family name, Grattan. So that's where Dad's name came from!
We have more rellies in NZ than we knew!
Monday, December 03, 2007
HRSCC Meeting Taupo 1 & 2 Dec 07
Historic Racing and Sports Car Club annual Taupo meeting. A great weekend with 8 races on the old club track, plenty of mixing with other cars in front and big in the mirrors. The Orchid is running much better after the dyno tune with 10% more power. Alan Service passed me and as everyone headed into the left-hander he shot across to the right and hit the wall spinning. It appears some part broke in the front end to cause it.
Sorry no race pics, too busy driving, and the place is covered in anti-photography wire-netting as well.
