Waitangi Day Blog Challenge : Your earliest known ancestor
Recently our Australian cousins have all been encouraged to blog about their earliest piece of research about an Australian ancestor in celebration of Australia Day (see Shelley’s blog at Twigs of Yore). We think this is a terrific idea and have noticed that it has provoked participation from loads of people. Waitangi Day, on February 6, is our national day. Its intent is to celebrate a bringing together of the peoples of New Zealand and it is usually a family day.
Post your contribution here
My connection to New Zealand is a modern one. My Grandfather’s brother Harry Butcher married Ann Lasseter in Guildford in 1942. All that is known about Anne was that she was a Land Girl during the war and I guess that is how she met my Uncle Harry who worked on a farm and was therefore in a reserved occupation. Together, Harry and Anne had two children. After Harry died in 1958 Anne remarried to My Grandmother’s brother Ernest Matthews. What is especially interesting is that prior to marrying Anne, Ernest had been married to Harry’s sister Margery. See how complicated genealogy can get? And that is just the start of it!
Ernest and Anne had one son and at some point Anne’s daughter by Harry migrated to New Zealand. Now Ernest died in 1975 so I guess this is the time frame for the migration, see I did say it was modern! Once the daughter and her family were in New Zealand that strengthened the case for Anne to go which she did.
At some point Anne remarried in New Zealand and remained so until she was widowed in 1992. Anne passed away during the last few years in New Zealand having left her son by my Uncle Harry here in the UK with his family. Her daughter and her family are in New Zealand and her son by my Uncle Ernest is also in New Zealand. Certainly my particular branch of the family has not had any contact with Anne and her family since the late 1950s, which is such a shame. So if you are reading this and this rings any bells, please get in touch.
Julie Goucher ~ Anglers Rest 
Thanks Julie, excellent blog. I hope you find a connection now . . .
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