About
This page has links to several historical articles and reports that relate to family members.
1877 Murder Trial
Wellington newspaper reports of the arrest and trial of Mary Ann Trueman and her daughter Mary Leonard Mudgway for the murder of the newly born son of Mary Mudgway. The murder trial was reported in considerable detail. Mary Ann Trueman was the great-great-great grandmother of my wife Katherine Korte.
1878 Drowning
New Plymouth newspaper reports of the drowning of Frederick William Spurdle in the Waitara River.
1894 Dress Reform Wedding
Otago newspaper reports of the wedding of James Reeve Wilkinson and Kate (Katrine) Walker (and reaction to the clothes of the wedding party). The wedding was referred to as the Reform Dress Wedding or Rational Dress Wedding.
1913 Matawai Bush Fires
Newspaper report of Matawai bush fires in 1913. The fires occurred on the wedding day of my grandparents, Elizabeth Redpath and Fred Korte. It prevented Fred's brothers and some guests attending the wedding. A lot of damage occurred in the Matawai district.
1920s - Letters from the UK
In 1921 Thomas and Elizabeth McLaren returned to the UK to visit family. Transcriptions of two letters by Elizabeth are shown on separate pages. A letter written on the voyage from Wellington to Panama contains little of genealogical interest, being a description of life on the ship. A letter from Northern Ireland to Elizabeth's daughter Ellinor describes visits in County Antrim. A letter from Northumberland describes the location of Wiliington North Farm where the Duxfields had lived in the 1860's before going to New Zealand.
1940 Banana Skin Death
Wellington newspaper reports of death of Joyce Myrtle Spurdle, who died as a result of injuries sustained when she slipped on a banana skin.
1958 Matawai School Jubilee
Matawai School, near Gisborne, opened in 1908. The school held a a 50 year Jubilee in 1958. Extracts from the Jubilee souvenir publication are reproduced. Elizabeth Korte (nee Redpath) was the first teacher at Matawai School.
1982 Suicide Bombing
Account of 1982 suicide bombing designed to destroy the Wanganui law enforcement computer. The bomber, Neil Roberts, was the grandson of Bertha Louise Rushbrooke and Watkin Roberts.
