Deaths of John and Emily Webster


In Pakanae Cemetery is this grave belonging to Mrs Emily Webster (nee Russell), wife of John Webster, born 1829 in Kohukohu and married in 1855. Her husband was a shareholder of the Northern Steamship Company.  It looks like they had 4 children; George (who managed the family property as well as acting for an agent of the company), Boyd, Alexander and John.

I cannot find a photo of Emily but there is plenty of information about her husband John. 

Photo from 1890-1899 by John Hanna 


The house they lived in at Opononi. Auckland Museum Collections.



From the Southern Cross paper 15th June 1912

and this one:


From the NZ Herald 31st May 1912.

All in all it seems like John had a pretty eventful life and I can only imagine his wife was a typical stay at home housewife, most likely with servants in their grand house raising their children. Find a grave says he was buried in Devonport either in the military cemetery or in Victoria Cemetery. I was in Auckland last year and took photos of every grave in the latter and I couldn't find it but there are a few that no longer have headstones so that may explain why.

Join us on Facebook at the Northland Heritage Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1109709272401824/

Comments

Cloudia said…
Wonderful scholarship! I am similarly enamored of Honolulu. Wandered over here from SAMI's mural festival. Aloha 🌺

Popular Posts