Symonds Street Story

This is a blog I wrote when I was working in the Auckland Central Research Centre. The story is too good to lose and, although I am in no way related to the subject of my research, I grew quite fond of him as I learned his story.

A memorial in St Andrews Cemetery, Newcastle- Upon- Tyne says:

“In loving remembrance of George Brewis McQueen, solicitor of this town who went to Auckland New Zealand for the benefit of his health and died one month after his arrival November 16th 1874 aged 26 years and was interred in Auckland Cemetery. His gentle loving disposition endeared him to all who knew him. His end was peace. Also Robert McQueen brother of the above who died July the 11th 1859 aged 1 year and 10 months. Robert McQueen father of the above died December 14th 1890 aged 71 years. Also Frances his wife died October 9th 1893 aged 78 years.”

George’s grave is situated in the Symonds Street Cemetery where his gravestone is still in fairly good condition.  A search of the Symonds Street cemetery records on Auckland Libraries Digital Library shows the partial transcription of the stone.  But what is George’s story?  Why is he buried alone in Auckland when his immediate family are buried in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne?

A search of Ancestry.com reveals that George Brewis McQueen was born in January 1849 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England.  His parents were Robert McQueen (1819-1890) and Frances (Fanny) Brewis (1816-1893) who married in December 1847.

George had one sister, Elizabeth Brewis McQueen who was born in 1851 and two brothers, William Brewis McQueen who was born in 1854 and Robert who was born in 1857 and died in July 1859.

In 1851 the family were living at 7 Wellington Street, Newcastle on Tyne.  George’s maternal grandmother was living with the family too – they were awaiting the birth of George’s sister so she was possibly with them to help with the new baby.  The family also had a 17 year old servant girl living with them.  Robert McQueen was a Cutler (a maker of cutlery) & maker of surgical instruments.

In 1861 the family are at 3 St Cuthberts Terrace, Gateshead, Durham.  George and his sister Elizabeth have been joined by their brother William.  Robert McQueen is still a Cutler by trade but he is now an employer of 1 man and 2 boys.  The family are cared for by a 16 year old servant girl.

In 1871 the family continue at 3 St Cuthberts Terrace.  Robert describes himself as a Cutler & Surgical Instrument Maker, George at the age of 22 years is an Attorney & Solicitor and William is an apprentice Cutler.  Robert will later change the name of his business to McQueen & Son when Robert partners with him in the business.

On 11 April 1873 The London Gazette reports that George is to be Ensign in the 8^th Durham Rifle Volunteer Corps on 12 April 1873.

In January 1874, George is in partnership with William Chartres and John Youll, who are attorneys and solicitors at 18 Grainger Street West, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Then, less than six months later, the London Gazette of 21 July 1874 reports that the partnership of Chartres, Youll and McQueen has been dissolved by mutual consent on 6 July 1874.  Three days after that notice was signed, on 09 July 1874, George is in London boarding a ship for New Zealand. 

Auckland Area Passenger Arrivals 1838-1889 says that George arrived in Auckland on the “Zealandia” on 15 October 1874.  A quick check of Auckland Area Passenger Vessels 1838-1886 and I find the “Zealandia” leaving London on 09 July 1874 with 219 immigrants aboard.  George is a Saloon passenger rather than an immigrant, so it may be that he was not planning to settle in New Zealand indefinitely. 

George is now safely in New Zealand after a three month sea voyage and he books in to Riding’s Boarding House in Turner Street (off Upper Queen Street).  Mrs G L Riding provided apartments for families, and room with or without board for gentlemen at Wolverton House.

Papers Past reveals that just one month later, George is dead.  Friends are invited to his funeral, leaving from Riding’s Boarding House.

Someone arranged his funeral; someone arranged for a burial plot and a gravestone.  I will probably never know who did this for him; or even why George decided to come out to New Zealand; or whether he came alone or with companions.  He may have indeed been ill as his memorial suggests (a colleague suggested tuberculosis) or there could have been other reasons to come half way around the world.

On 28 January 1875 Robert McQueen proved the will of his son George Brewis McQueen.  George left effects of less than £200. 

His tidy grave site is regularly tended by a kind hearted stranger who never knew George or his story.

© Deborah Watson 2016

Hidden Clues in Discarded Documents

Family History involves a great deal of detective work which is both enjoyable and frustrating.  One tends to examine documents for the tiniest details and then put them to one side or, if you are really serious about your family research, you file them away in the relevant family file.  Every so often they are pulled out to examine again and a real gem that hasn’t been noted previously may emerge.

In my search for my great grandfather Richard George Collins’ immigration to New Zealand circa 1880, several digital databases have provided the evidence I need to back up my hunches.

Long ago I downloaded a document from findmypast which I thought could possibly be the immigration of “my” Richard:

Although the age was correct there were a couple of problems. 

1. Richard was never known as “Richard Collins” - from babyhood he had used his second name, George, as his given name.  

2. The ship sailed a week after George’s wedding day and no wife was listed on the passenger list although it was clear from other records that she was in New Zealand at the end of that year.  

So I filed away the passenger list because there was no conclusive proof that Richard Collins (with no second name recorded) travelling 3rd class from Plymouth England to Sydney Australia on the Chimborazo in January 1880 was my Richard George Collins.  Sigh.

 

Sometime later I thought it might be a good plan to see if there was anything about my man in Papers Past.  This database www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz has digitised New Zealand newspapers covering the years 1839-1945.  My search turned up an article in the Auckland Star on 5 October 1897 with an interesting title – “Railway Disaster, the inquest”.  To my surprise Richard George Collins was a witness to a fatal accident between a train and a horse drawn bus. But it was the evidence of another witness which made my mind race:

Where had I seen the name “Maples” before?  Ah yes, that document that I had tucked away a few years back; the Chimborazo passenger list of 1880.  Who was that person just above Richard Collins on the list?  It was Alfred Maples, the father of the bystander in the report above and also the uncle of Richard George Collins.  All of a sudden a document which had been a “maybe” suddenly became a “definite”.

Alfred William Maples senior, George’s companion on the Chimborazo was escaping England and deserting his wife in order to start a new life and a new family in Australia.  Young George was travelling with his uncle.  You could have knocked me down with a feather!

I was surprised to discover that the steamer Chimborazo’s voyage had been shorter than I thought it would be.  The British Newspaper Archive contains newspapers from 1603 to the present day and has reports of the voyage. The Chimborazo had a dreadful trip starting out on 08 February 1880 and striking a storm on 10 February.  Many newspapers in England, Australia and even New Zealand reported the tragedy that occurred – this account is from the Staffordshire Sentinel on 11 February:

After undergoing a refit she set off on her journey again on 16 February. One can only imagine how much courage it took for the passengers to re-board.  The following is a clip from the wonderfully named “Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate”: 

Regardless of its false start, the steamer arrived in Sydney on 04 April having dropped passengers in Melbourne on the way – a total of just 47 days.  Not bad for 1880!

© Deborah Watson 2016