Matiu Somes Island Memorial
[Click image to see a larger one.]
[Source: Wikipedia Commons]

Being an isolated island nation, New Zealand was keen to protect itself from diseases such as typhoid, smallpox and scarlet fever.  Immigrants arriving in Wellington harbour were cleared through Matiu Somes Island.  Wellington's new arrivals were made to sit in a smoke house, in chlorine, potassium nitrate and sulphur fumes, for 10 minutes to get rid of lice.

In 1872 the immigrant ship ENGLAND arrived with several cases of smallpox on board.  The crew and passengers were quarantined on Somes Island in make-shift accommodation and this led to the establishment of a quarantine station.  While the island's quarantine services were in use for decades, it was busiest between 1872 and 1876 when many ships required isolation.  The young were most at risk as reflected in the ages of the people buried on the island.  The island has not been used for human quarantine since the end of World War I.

[Source: Department of Conservation - Te Papa Atawhai]

Most of the names of those buried appear on a large memorial monument adjoining the Matiu Somes Island Cemetery and the road from the wharf to the top of the island.

Originally many of the graves had their own headstones or markers.  However, around 1970 the Department of Agriculture decided to gather up what was left of the scattered headstones and replace them with a single large monument.  One headstone, that of the signalman of the HMS Geranium, was subsequently reinstalled by the War Graves Commission.  Another, that of Mary Rudman, is still in its original place.

The monument lists are headed with the inscription:
     "This Memorial was erected in 1971 in honour of those who died on Somes Island.  They are interred in the burial ground in which this monument stands or elsewhere on the Island."

After thirty years stored in the bull pen/stable, four inscribed headstones, and two others that have lost their inscriptions (a wooden cross and a concrete slab) were laid within the wooden picket fence surrounding the monument in late January 2000.  These were then rededicated.

In late Winter, many clumps of jonquils appear and flower around the area covered by the old cemetery.

[Source: Burials on Somes]

There are 45 burials on the island made up of 19 adults and 26 children.  (Including a 1 day old child and 1 stillborn child.)  See List of People Buried.

One is a local child, Mary Elizabeth Maude RUDMAN.

One is a Chinese man from Newtown, Kim LEE.

One is George T. STANLEY, a member of the Royal Navy ship HMS GERANIUM.

Five were crew on the TSS MANUKA.

The remaining 37 were immigrants coming to New Zealand for a better life.

Note: Some columns in the table below can be sorted in ascending / descending order by clicking on the column heading.
 

Voyage:  17th October 1874 – 22 January 1875. 

The BERAR had over 100 cases of sickness on board during the voyage.

There were 21 deaths caused by scarlet fever.  There were 80 persons still in quarantine on the 12th February 1875 including family members of those in hospital.

A Royal Commission was set up to enquire into the circumstances connected with the sickness on board the BERAR and the state of the immigrants’ health when shipped.  Questions were asked about the Medical Inspector, Dr. Humphries.

Deaths:

• Anthony ALDERSON (54 years)
• Ann LAWTON (14 months)
• Florence WRIGHT (2 years)

Ann LAWTON's name is not on the memorial.

Florence WRIGHT is recorded incorrectly on the memorial as 'Lawrence WRIGHT'.

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  25th June 1874 – 11th October 1874

There are papers and diaries about this CARTVALE voyage, held by the National Library.

Deaths:

• Clara CUMBERLAND (18 months)
• Clara LEE (12 days)
• Annie NASH (3 years)
• Arthur NASH (3 months)
• Elizabeth BUTLER (8 months)
• Winifred Lucy MOORE (1 month)

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  8th April 1875 – 9th July 1875

There were 20 deaths on the COLLINGWOOD voyage: 18 were children, 2 adults, 1 of the deaths was described as a suicide.

The suicide was Alfred BUTTON (26) who drowned on 30th May 1875.  His wife and children had been stricken with illness.  Harriett (1) died on board 13th June 1875.  His wife, Rebecca (nee BARNABY) (25) settled in Wellington after being released from quarantine with George (3), Tom (2) and later James Alfred who was born on 7 October 1875.

There were 50 cases under treatment on Matiu Somes Ialand.

Deaths:

• George SKEELS (3 years)
• Annie TOMLINSON (1 year)
• George BARKER (7 years)
• Timothy HARKER (35 years)

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  3rd July 1874 – 23rd October 1874

The journey of the DOUGLAS from London to Wellington was struck with terrible stormy weather.

There was a terrific NW gale as the ship entered Cook Strait.  The ship was forced to go down the coast towards Kaikoura before managing to return to enter the harbour.

There were 31 deaths on the voyage, mostly attributed to measles or whooping cough, and affecting children under 12 years.

Deaths:

• Mary Ann TONKIN (59 years)
• Marion Douglas POPE (3 months)
• Arthur PEARSON (16 months)
• David BARR (17 months)

Arthur PEARSON's name is not on the memorial.

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  8th December 1871 – 9th March 1872.  Quarantined 11th March 1872.

The ENGLAND was the first ship whose passengers were sent to Matiu Somes Island to be quarantined.  Matiu Somes Island was ill prepared for this function, and for these first arrivals.

The road was un-formed and steep.  Many people had to crawl up the steepest parts.

No buildings had been built to house the ship's passengers.

The clothes of the immigrants were destroyed to prevent further infection, so they were left in great need of clothes and goods.

Deaths on the voyage were from smallpox, measles and diarrhoea.

The conditions on board were so terrible that the ship's doctor was arrested.

Deaths:

• Lauritz LARSEN (5 years)
• Ole OLSEN (1 month) died as the ship entered the harbour and is buried on Matiu Somes Island

Neither Lauritz LARSEN nor Ole OLSEN are named on the memorial.

Neither death could be found recorded on New Zealand's BDM register.

Voyage:  Arrived 19 June 1919 from England via Sydney.

During the month of May 1919 there were at least 12 cases of influenza on the HMS GERANIUM.

Newspapers of the time reported, as a big event, the arrival in Wellington on 19th June 1919 of three large minesweepers (Mallow, Marguerite, and Geranium) sent by the Admiralty to operate in New Zealand waters, to clear areas where German mines had been laid.  On arrival, the Geranium and Marguerite were placed in quarantine because of their cases of influenza.  Later, when the minesweepers left, they proceeded to Cape Farewell, to sweep in that vicinity on the track of Wellington-Sydney steamers.

George T. STANLEY, signalman J9099, a crew member on HMS GERANIUM, died of pneumonia following influenza.

Deaths:

• George T. STANLEY (26 years)

New Zealand's BDM register has the death recorded:

Voyage:  29th January – 1st May 1874

Deaths:

• Marion TOFT (6 years) died

Marion's surname is spelt as TAFT on the memorial and in BDM records.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Voyage:  19 April 1873 – 14 July 1873.  Left from Gravesend.

The conditions and quarantine facilities on Matiu Somes Island were slightly improved by the time the second ship HALCIONE arrived, needing quarantine facilities.  Buildings had been erected to house the immigrants but the road was still steep and un-formed.

As the clothes of the immigrants were destroyed to prevent further infection, local welfare groups took up collections to supply clothing and books for the immigrants.

Deaths:

• Maria LARSEN (32 years) from Denmark, died as the HALCIONE came into port.
• Gustave A. YENSEN (5 months)
• Abraham Philip FORD (4 months)
• Kristine YENSEN (36 years)

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  30th August 1878 – 15th December 1878

Papers reported that when the HERMIONE arrived there had been 2 deaths from typhoid fever and still as many as 9 cases on board.  The fever first showed itself in several members of the family named GOOSE, and then spread to others of the passengers and crew.

There were about 300 immigrants for Wellington and Taranaki on board.

Deaths:

• Anna (aka Annie) GOOSE (18 years)

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  1st April 1875 – 11th July 1875

There were 420 immigrants and the LAMMERSHAGEN's voyage from Hamburg took 96 days.  There were 5 births and 1 adult death on the way.

The ship received a clean bill of health on arrival in Wellington and within the next few days the immigrants were dispersed to Taranaki, Manawatu and Whanganui.

The reason for the JORGENSEN's stay on Matiu Somes Island is unknown.

Death:

• Jens Jacob JORGENSEN (7 years)

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded, using surname JURGENSEN:

Voyage:  This ship arrived in Wellington harbour on 28th April 1919.

Several of the crew were suffering from influenza and were quarantined on Matiu Somes Island.

It was reported on 4th May 1919 that "10 more cases of influenza have developed among the crew of the MANUKA.  There are now 17 patients under treatment."

In the following days there were 5 deaths.

Deaths:

• Carl Christian Frederick LARSEN, a fireman (33 years)
• John SULLIVAN, a fireman (35 years)
• George TAYLOR (29 years)
• James McGINLEY (32 years)
• John WALL (28 years)

John WALL is recorded on the memorial using the surname BALL.

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  26th April 1883 – 23rd July 1883

The OXFORD, a clipper, had a disastrous start when she first left England at the end of January 1883.

She was dismasted around 8th February in the Bay of Biscay during a severe storm, then drifted for several days in a semi-wrecked condition being carried far out into the Atlantic, before the paddle-steamer TROUTBECK sighted her and came to her aid.

So, ten days after her mishap, TROUTBECK towed her to Cardiff, the nearest port, where she was to be repaired - "possibly a month or six weeks to repair" - and rigged as a barque.

A special train took the immigrants from Cardiff to a depot at Plymouth where the conditions were terrible.  Food was bad, and, in addition to the passengers on the OXFORD, those of another vessel were quartered with them.

No one was allowed to go out of the depot gates, supposedly because of the fear that they might refuse to return and come out to New Zealand.

It was here that an outbreak of typhoid occured.  In a short time 55 emigrants had contracted the fever.  Nine of them died.  The typhoid was put down to the OXFORD passengers being obliged to drink water from reserve tanks ("rusty water"), after the water condenser broke down.

The passengers got underway again on 26th April 1883.

Fever broke out again and several passengers were buried at sea.  On arrival at Wellington the passengers were quarantined on Somes Island for three weeks until 14th August.  There were 3 deaths on the voyage and 1 on Matiu Somes Island.

[Editor's Note:  A lot of information about the first trip comes from articles in NZ and British newspapers, some being 50 years after the event.  Interested?  See Newspaper articles about the 1883 OXFORD voyage.]

Deaths:

• Catherina CRABB (24 years)

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  6th June 1875 – 29th August 1875

The newspaper reports of the day say that "the passengers are a healthy lot" when the ship RODNEY landed at the wharf on 29th August 1875.

Another report said that there had been several case of typhoid fever on board.

Deaths:

• Timothy TROY (18 months)

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Voyage:  8th October 1875 – 23rd January 1876

The Evening Post of 24 January 1876 carried a report of the ship's arrival:

The ship SHAKESPEARE ... left Hamburg on the 8th October 1875, and thus has made the voyage from port to port in 108 days.

...  Unfortunately she has sickness on board, and the dreaded yellow flag was seen flying at the main-truck ....  The Health Officers ... ascertained that there had been seven cases of low fever during the voyage, one of which was still under treatment, although in a fair way towards convalescence.  It was considered neccessary to send the ship into quarantine for a day or two, and to land the passengers on Somes Island, that both may undergo a strict course of cleansing and disinfection, while any cases of fever could be isolated.  In addition to the fever, there were 24 other cases of sickness, but not of any serious nature.  Two infants died during the voyage.

Deaths:

• Julianna Kakrowsky SEODROWSKY and her 1 day old baby
  (aka SZOZODOROSKI)
  (aka SZOZODOWSKI)
  (aka SCHDROSKI)
  (aka KAKROWSKY)

The Hutt City Cemeteries Register has the death of mother and infant recorded using surname SEODROWSKY. 

New Zealand's BDM register has the mother's death recorded:

Voyage:  15/18 November 1875 – 25th March 1876

The TERPSICHORE left Hamburg carrying 390 immigrants.  There were 5 births, and 8 deaths from typhoid fever on the voyage which took 119 days.

The TERPSICHORE encountered a severe NW gale on the night 21-22 March 1876 which caused the ship to drift for nearly a mile but without getting into danger.

The immigrants were finally released from quarantine by 23rd May 1876.

Deaths:

• Albert EWALD (32 years)
• Thomas LUND (32 years)
• Anna LASSEN (14 years)

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Voyage:  1st June 1889 – 14th July 1889

The TONGARIRO, a Mail Steamer, came from London via Plymouth, Tenerife, Capetown and Hobart, with 28 passengers for Australian and 82 for New Zealand ports.

"The TONGARIRO sails for Port Chalmers on Wednesday [17 July 1889], from which port she leaves for Lyttelton, and returns to this port [Wellington] on the 4th August, and sails for London on the 8th August."

The WALDIE family had left from Plymouth and was heading to Port Chalmers, Dunedin

Deaths:

• Jemima Robertson WALDIE (39 years)
  and her still born child

New Zealand's BDM register has the death recorded:

Voyage:  9th December 1873 – 24th March 1874.

During the WOODLARK voyage there were 18 deaths from scarlet fever and 10 deaths from other causes. E.g. enteritis, dropsy, convulsions, bronchitis, emphysema, encephalitis, convulsions from worms, glands which were all recorded in the ship's log.

A Government enquiry was made into the preparedness of the ship, the suitability of some of the single women and the unsatisfactory health inspections prior to boarding.

Deaths:

• Annie SMITH (4 years)
• William Thomas PALMER (8 months)

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Note: Columns in the table below can be sorted in ascending / descending order by clicking on the column heading.
 

Anthony ALDERSON came with his wife Cicely ALDERSON (38) and their children: Ann (20), Sarah (18), William (17), Mary Ann (16), Catherine (15), John (14), Phoebe (10), Martin (7), James (4) and Dorothy (2).  The family came on the BERAR ship.

Several members of the family were in hospital on Matiu Somes Island – Anthony, Mary, Sarah, James and Phoebe.

His son James (4) is recorded later in New Zealand's BDM as having died on 20 March 1875.  He died from marasmus. Probably he never recovered from being ill on the voyage.  James is buried at Bolton Street Cemetery, Wellington.

New Zealand's BDM register has Anthony's death recorded:

George BARKER came on the ship COLLINGWOOD.

George was travelling with his parents Charles (30) and Eliza (32) BARKER, and siblings: William (5), [Fanny (3) who died in board on 7th May 1875] and Clara (2 mths).

The family came from Lincolnshire, and settled in Taranaki.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

David BARR came on the ship DOUGLAS.

David's parents were James (23) and Mary (23) BARR.  They were travelling with their children: Mary (5), Margaret (3), [David (1)] and a baby girl born on board ship on 6th July 1874 (probably Lillias [1874/44707]).

The family came from Lanark where James was a miner.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Elizabeth BUTLER came on the ship CARTVALE.

Elizabeth's parents were Ramus (30) and Martha (27) BUTLER.  They came with five children – Mary Ann (11), William Ramus (9), Rosina (5), Alfred (4) and [Elizabeth (4mths)].

The family came from Oxfordshire where Ramus BUTLER was a carter.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Catherina CRABB arrived in Wellington on board the OXFORD.

She came with her parents, Sampson Francis CRABB (48) and Eliza Martyn CRABB (47).  Other members of the family who came on this ship too, were: Martha Maria (21), Amelia Hannah (18), James (16), Beatrice (14), Lavinia (11), Josiah (9), Jessie (6) and Ida (infant).

The eldest son, Thomas Henry Martyn CRABB, came to New Zealand on the STADT HAARLEM in 1879 as a 19 year old.  He was also a miner.

The family came from Linkinhorne, Cornwall and settled in Nelson.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Catherina CRABB has a headstone inscribed as follows:

Catherina CRABB

Clara CUMBERLAND came on the ship CARTVALE with her parents William (30) and Fanny (24) CUMBERLAND, and her siblings William (5) and Fanny (3).

The family came from Bedfordshire where William CUMBERLAND was a carpenter.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

There is no record of Albert EWALD on the passenger list for the TERPSICHORE.

There is a newspaper report of the boatswain having an accident on board.  It was customary to fire the cannon on entering the harbour.  The news report states that the cannon misfired and the boatswain was fatally injured.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Abraham FORD came on the ship HALCIONE with his parents Thomas (26) and Martha Elizabeth (23) FORD.

The family came from Somerset, England.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Anna GOOSE came on the HERMIONE with her parents, John (39) and Laurinda (38) GOOSE, and her sister and brothers: Mary (17), John (15), and William (3).

Anna GOOSE's occupation is listed as a nurse.

The family came from Lincolnshire and were headed for Taranaki.

News reports of 20th December 1878 state that Mrs Goose and Mary Goose are "suffering from severe attacks of the fever" and that "John Goose is convalescent".

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Timothy HARKER came on the ship COLLINGWOOD.  He was recorded as a single man (widower) from Yorkshire – a miner.  His wife Elizabeth had died in UK.

Timothy came with his 3 children: Margaret (10), Ambrose (7) and Mary Anne (4).

Timothy is reported as being the only person apart from the Captain who was not ill on the voyage.  Unfortunately he was taken ill on Matiu Somes Island, and reported as being "very ill indeed" on 22nd July 1875 and later died on 10th August.  He had typhoid and pneumonia.

The story goes that his daughter, 10 year old Margaret, said that he had a money belt on him so they took him out of the grave, retrieved the belt and carried on with the burial.

What happened to the children?  The good news is Timothy's brother George lived in Hokitika.  George had married Charlotte Smith FLETCHER in 1872.  So the three children went to live with their uncle.  The children – Margaret, Ambrose and Mary Anne - all went on to marry and have families.

Another member of the family who came to NZ was Timothy and George's father – Ralph HARKER.  He was a widower himself so he was able to spend his later years with his son and grandchildren.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Jens JORGENSEN's parents were Gunde JORGENSEN (49) and Ingeborg JORGENSEN (46).

The family consisted of Mads GUNDERSEN (20), Henrick GUNDERSEN (18), Nils GUNDERSEN (17), Hans JORGENSEN (13), Jens JORGENSEN (7) and Maria JORGENSEN (2).

The family came from Denmark and the men of the family were farm labourers.

The ship LAMMERSHAGEN received a clean bill of health on arrival in Wellington, so the reason for the JORGENSEN family to stay on Matiu Somes Island is unknown.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded, using surname JURGENSEN:

Carl Christian Frederick LARSEN was a crew member (fireman) on the ship TSS MANUKA.

When this ship arrived in Wellington harbour on 28th April 1919, several of the crew were suffering from influenza and were quarantined on Matiu Somes Island.

In the following days there were 5 deaths, one of whom was Carl.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Lauritz LARSEN came on the ship ENGLAND from Norway, with his parents Hans (32) and Karen (31) LARSEN, his sister Elizabeth (8), and brothers Hans (4), and Carl (9 months) who died on board ship on 31st January 1872.  The ENGLAND arrived 9th March 1872.

Lauritz LARSEN is not named on the memorial.

Lauritz LARSEN's name could not be found recorded on New Zealand's BDM register.

Maria LARSEN died as the ship HALCIONE came into port.

Maria was a single woman from Denmark.  She was buried at 8am on 15th July 1873.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Anna LASSEN's parents were Ola (57) and Inger (49) LASSEN.

Ola LASSEN died on the ship the TERPSICHORE on 30th January 1876 from typhoid.

Jens (21) and Anders (16) LASSEN also travelled with their parents.  The family were from Sweden.  Ola and his boys were farm labourers.

Hutt City Cemetery Register has Anna with surname LARSEN.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Ann LAWTON was the only child of Amos (23) and Kitty (21) LAWTON. The family came from Staffordshire where Amos was a labourer.

The LAWTON family came on the BERAR ship.

Amos and Kitty LAWTON had 2 more children in NZ – Edith (1876) and Arthur Thomas (1878).  By 1881 the family had returned to the UK, as they are on a Staffordshire 1881 census.  Their next child – Edgar was born in the UK.  The family were next found on board the SS Illinois on October 7th 1884 enroute to Pennsylvania USA.  They had at least one more child – Joseph - in USA.

Very interesting research and just shows that people at this time did travel widely.  It looks as if life in USA was kinder to them as they have beautiful tombstones.  (For more USA family details see son Joseph's tombstone.)

Ann LAWTON's name is not on the memorial, nor could it be found recorded on New Zealand's BDM register.

Clara LEE was born on board the ship CARTVALE

Clara's parents were Richard (31) and Martha (30) LEE.  They came with their children: Henry (6), Annie (5) and George (3).

The family came from Derbyshire where Richard LEE was a hammerman (a metal worker).

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Kim LEE was a greengrocer in Adelaide Street, Newtown.  He was reported to the Health Department in July 1903 as having leprosy.  At the time anti-Chinese feeling was on the rise.

Kim LEE was suffering from raised red lesions on his face and had loss of feeling to his legs.

He was sent to Matiu Somes Island to be quarantined.  His shop was fumigated and his fruit, vegetables and personal possessions were removed and destroyed.

The other residents on the island complained about a leper in their midst, so he was then transferred to Mokopuna Island (aka Leper Island) which is off the northern end of Matiu Somes Island.

Mokopuna Island (aka Leper Island), front, with Matiu Somes Island behind.

After enduring 9 months of solitary living, a Wellington winter and inadequate shelter Kim LEE died on 14th March 1904.

Modern medical opinion doubts that Kim LEE had leprosy.  Instead it is possible that he suffered from TB or an auto immune disease.

In 2004 Kim LEE was honoured by Wellington's Chinese community.  (See article.)

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Thomas LUND is recorded as a single man, a farm labourer, on the passenger list of the TERPSICHORE.

It is possible he was accompanied by his sister, Catherine LUND (20).

They were from Schleswig, Denmark.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

James McGINLEY was a crew member on the ship TSS MANUKA.

When this ship arrived in Wellington harbour on 28th April 1919, several of the crew were suffering from influenza and were quarantined on Matiu Somes Island.

In the following days there were 5 deaths, one of whom was James.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

James McGINLEY has a headstone inscribed as follows:

Father Duignan officiated at the burial.

James McGINLEY

Winifred Lucy MOORE was born on board the ship CARTVALE.

Winifred's parents were Ambrose (25) and Eliza (24) MOORE.  Ambrose and Eliza had one other child with them - William F. (11 months).

The passenger list recorded that the family came from Hamptonshire (Hampshire) where Ambrose was a farm labourer.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Annie NASH came on the ship CARTVALE.  Her brother Arthur NASH was born on board ship, but sadly also died.

Their parents were Henry (28) and Mary Ann (26) NASH.

The family came from Kent where Henry NASH was a carpenter.

New Zealand's BDM register has only Annie's death recorded:

Arthur NASH was born on board the ship CARTVALE.

His parents were Henry (28) and Mary Ann (26) NASH.  His sister Annie NASH was on board, too, but sadly also died.

The family came from Kent where Henry NASH was a carpenter.

New Zealand's BDM register has only Annie's death recorded:

Ole OLSEN came on the ship ENGLAND arriving 9th March 1872.

Ole's parents were Ole (28) and Karen (24) OLSEN from Norway.  They also had another son (also named Ole) who died on board ship on 19th January 1872 aged 18 months. 

Though Ole OLSEN is buried on Matiu Somes Island, he is not named on the memorial nor could he be found recorded on New Zealand's BDM register.

William PALMER was the only child of Thomas (23) and Jane (24) PALMER.  The family came on the ship WOODLARK.

William was born at Leamington Priors, Warwick, England.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Arthur PEARSON came on the ship DOUGLAS.

Arthur's parents were Jonathon (39) and Susannah (36) PEARSON.  They also had a daughter born on 6th July 1874 and died 7th July 1874 on board ship.  Jonathon and Susannah travelled with William (9), Edward (5) and [Arthur (1)].

The family came from Yorkshire where Jonathon was a carpenter.

Arthur PEARSON's name is not on the memorial nor could it be found recorded on New Zealand's BDM register.

Marion Douglas POPE was born on board the ship DOUGLAS.

Marion's parents were Frederick (39) and Margaret (40) POPE.  Frederick and Margaret were travelling with Martha (16), Emily (4) and Elias (2).

The family came from Staffordshire where Frederick was a carpenter.

Martha's occupation was recorded as "servant".

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Mary Elizabeth Maude RUDMAN lived in Te Aro, Wellington with her parents - Alfred Walter RUDMAN and Eliza Clout RUDMAN.  As an infant, Alfred came to NZ with his parents and sister on the ship PHOEBE in 1842.

Alfred worked for a local butcher in Willis Street, Wellington.

Eliza's mother, Mrs CLOUT was a washerwoman.  She was employed to wash the clothes and bedding of a Mr KAYE in June 1872.

Mr KAYE was the mail agent on the ship NEBRASKA which carried mail etc from San Francisco to New Zealand.  It was suspected that the mail bags could have been infected with smallpox.

Mr KAYE contracted smallpox enroute and had a mild case.  He voluntarily went into quarantine on Matiu Somes Island.

Unfortunately he infected Mrs CLOUT who in turn infected her daughter, Eliza RUDMAN and her granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Maude RUDMAN.

The family were unceremoniously sent to Matiu Somes on 17th July 1872 and quarantined.

Mary RUDMAN's death could not be found recorded on New Zealand's BDM register.

Mary Elizabeth Maude RUDMAN died on 26th July 1872 and is buried at North Point on Matiu Somes Island.  Her grave and headstone are still in the original position.

Mary's headstone is inscribed as follows:

Mary Elizabeth Maude RUDMAN's headstone at
North Point, Matiu Somes Island
[Click image to see a larger one.]
[[Source: Gail Rumble]

Juliane (aka Julianna) (21) came with her husband Anton SZOZODOROSKI (28) from Poland (Prussia) via Hamburg on the ship SHAKESPEARE.  Anton was a farm labourer.

The spelling of the name became SCHDROSKI.

Petone Settlers Data (Petone Settlers Museum) has Anton and Juliane under the surname SZOZODOWSKI in the passenger list for the SHAKESPEARE.

Hutt City's Cemeteries register has the deaths of mother and infant recorded using surname SEODROWSKY.

New Zealand's BDM register has only the mother's death recorded, and using surname KAKROWSKY:

George SKEELS’s parents were Phillip (39) and Isabella (39) SKEELS.

The family came from Lincolnshire with five children: Mary J. (11), [Lillie (8) who died on board on 9th June 1875], Alice A. (5), [George (3)] and Caroline (7 months).  The family came on the ship COLLINGWOOD.

George’s surname is spelt as SKEELES on the memorial.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded, and also using surname SKEELES:

Annie SMITH died on board the ship WOODLARK as it entered the harbour.  She is buried on Matiu Somes Island.

Annie's parents were William (34) and Elizabeth (36) SMITH. 

They came with their children: Louisa (12), George (10), Alice (8), Henry (6), [Annie (4)] and [William (1) who died on board from Phthisis.]

Annie's sister Louisa SMITH (12) was transferred to the list of single women when on board ship, so would probably have lived with the single women during the voyage, not with her family.

The family came from Berkshire, England.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

George T. STANLEY was born in Woolwich, Kent, England.

He enlisted in Chatham, Kent on 18th July 1910 aged 17.  He was "Boy Class 2, Signals Branch, Royal Navy".  He served on at least 11 ships over the next 9 years.  George, as Signalman J/9099, was a crew member on the minesweeper HMS GERANIUM when it arrived 19 June 1919 in Wellington, with cases of influenza onboard.

During the month of May 1919 there were at least 12 cases of influenza on the HMS GERANIUM.

George died from pneumonia following influenza.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

George STANLEY has the only grave on Matiu Somes Island under the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

The inscription is as follows:

CWGC Matiu Somes Island Memorial for
George Stanley
[Click image to see a larger one.]
[Source: Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph]

John SULLIVAN was a crew member (fireman) on the ship TSS MANUKA.

When this ship arrived in Wellington harbour on 28th April 1919, several of the crew were suffering from influenza and were quarantined on Matiu Somes Island.

In the following days there were 5 deaths, one of whom was John.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

John SULLIVAN has a headstone inscribed as follows:

John Sullivan

George TAYLOR was a crew member on the ship TSS MANUKA.

When this ship arrived in Wellington harbour on 28th April 1919, several of the crew were suffering from influenza and were quarantined on Matiu Somes Island.

In the following days there were 5 deaths, one of whom was George.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Marion TOFT's parents were William James (32) and Elizabeth (28) TOFT.  William James TOFT was a farm labourer.

They came on the GOLDEN SEA with their children: Annie Elizabeth (9), Walter (7), [Marion (6)], Alexander (3), and Eleanor (7 months).

On the 1871 UK Census, when the family was in Yorkshire, the surname was TAFT but on the passenger lists it was TOFT.

Marion’s surname is spelt as TAFT on the memorial and BDM records.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Annie TOMLINSON's parents were Charles (28) and Elizabeth (26) TOMLINSON.

The family came on the ship COLLINGWOOD.

The family were from Lincolnshire.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Mary Ann TONKIN was travelling with her husband Hugh TONKIN on the ship DOUGLAS.

They were from Cornwall where Hugh was a carpenter.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Timothy TROY's parents were Timothy TROY (snr) (34) and Mary Josephine TROY (nee O'CONNELL) (33).

They were accompanied on the RODNEY by two of their children – James (9) and [Timothy (18 months). ]

Three other TROY children: Johanna (10), Mary Josephine (6) and Patrick Francis (4) came on the ship WAIMEA in 1876 with their aunts, Mary (26) and Margaret (19) and their uncle, Michael (20), who were the brother and sisters of Timothy TROY (snr).

The family were from Limerick, Eire.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Jemima Robertson WALDIE came on the ship TONGARIRO.

Jemima was the wife of William J. WALDIE (47) and the mother of Leonard Melrose Craigie WALDIE (16 months) aka Leonard Melrose Craige ROBERTSON.

According to the news report dated 23rd July 1889, "Mrs WALDIE was suffering slightly from measles. She died on Friday night after giving birth to a still born child."  Both are buried on Matiu Somes Island, though the stillborn child is not recorded on the memorial.

The WALDIE family had left from Plymouth and was heading to Port Chalmers, Dunedin.  Mr WALDIE was admitted as a preacher, at the Dunedin Presbytery, on probation in October 1889 and in November 1890 he had his own parish in Strathtaieri.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Jemima WALDIE has a headstone inscribed as follows:

Jemima Robertson Waldie

There is no John BALL recorded in BDM for 1919 but there is a John WALL who is mentioned in a news report as having died on Matiu Somes Island.

John WALL was a crew member on the ship TSS MANUKA.

When this ship arrived in Wellington harbour on 28th April 1919, several of the crew were suffering from influenza and were quarantined on Matiu Somes Island.

In the following days there were 5 deaths, one of whom was John.

John's surname is spelt as BALL on the memorial.

New Zealand's BDM register has his death recorded:

Florence WRIGHT came on the ship BERAR.

Florence's parents were Helier (28) and Jane (28) WRIGHT.  They came with their children: Elie (4), [Florence (2)], and Thomas (3 months).

The family came from Jersey where Helier was a Wine Cooper.

Florence WRIGHT is recorded incorrectly on the memorial as 'Lawrence WRIGHT'.

New Zealand's BDM register has her death recorded:

Gustave A. YENSEN came on the ship HALCIONE.

Gustave’s parents were Martin (39) and Marie (38) YENSEN from Denmark. 

They came with their children - Yens Vigga (11), Marie (9), Ane C. (6), Carl Oscar (4) and this baby, Gustave.

The surname YENSEN is sometimes recorded as JENSEN.

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Kristine YENSEN came on the ship HALCIONE from Denmark with her husband, Ole YENSEN (44), and children: Marie (9), Olaf (7), Harold (5), and Laura (3).

The surname YENSEN is sometimes recorded as JENSEN.

New Zealand's BDM register has deaths recorded:

Information has been gathered from:

• National Library
• Family Search - Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973 Collection
• Passenger lists, such as but not limited to:
  Sooty's site - Passenger Lists to NZ
  Our Stuff! Denise & Peters - Passenger Lists
  Helen's Page of NZ History
• PapersPast (NZ Newspaper Archive)
• British Newspaper Archive
• Family history sites (many are pay-to-view), such as, but not limited to:
  Ancestry - Australia
  Ancestry - UK
  Family Search
  Find My Past
• LDS Family Search site
• NZ Births Deaths Marriages Online
• Matiu Somes Memorial
• Petone Settlers' Data
• Auckland Museum - Online Cenotaph
• Hutt City Cemetery Register
• Find a Grave
• Newspaper articles about the 1883 OXFORD voyage

Research done:

April 2018
Gail Rumble