J.W. Blatchford

J.W. married B.M. Andrew [Group Sheet]

1. J.K. Blatchford

Other Events:

• Reference Number: WE06.1
• Residence: 1990, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand; They now live at 26 Lowes Place Masterton

Notes:

Occupation:
Farmer

Geofry married Jean Kathleen Clarry 14 Mar 1946, St Matthew's Church, Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand . Jean (daughter of Bede Wallace Maxey Clarry and Eliza Percy Renal Robieson) was born 15 Dec 1921, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand; died 28 Dec 1996, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand; was buried 31 Dec 1996, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: WE06.1..S

Other Events:

• Reference Number: WE06..S

Norman married Margaret (Beaut) Wyeth 13 Jan 1915. Margaret (daughter of Thomas Wyeth and Margaret Rachel Ann McLeod) was born 5 Jun 1892, Opaki, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand; died 11 Feb 1979; was buried 29 May 1979, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: WE06

Notes:

Norman and his brother farmed the family farm at Rangitumau until 1928 when it was sold.

Norman and Margaret then took up the position of Manager at the Taratahi Agricultural Training Farm in Masterton where they were for 26 years until their retirement.

Margaret was very involved on the ladies committee of the Masterton A & P Association, She also took a great interest in the lives of the young farmers who had had their training at Taratahi, having become effectively their foster mother while they were cadets. She was a very homely, thoughtful person who loved her knitting and handiwork and was a great cook.


Birth:
As a child Margaret's father always called her his "Beaut" daughter and the name stuck.

Other Events:

• Reference Number: WE06.1..SF

Notes:

Died:
Aged 76 years

Bede married Eliza Percy Renal Robieson 12 Oct 1920, St Patrick's Catholic Church, Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand . Eliza (daughter of James Robieson and Eliza Percy Renall) was born 28 Mar 1882, New Zealand; died 7 Feb 1978, New Zealand; was buried 10 Feb 1978, Archer St Cemetery, Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Eliza Percy Reynold Robieson Cavelands
• Reference Number: WE06.1..SM

Notes:

Interesting Marriages
1863/449
Eliza Percy Renall married
James Robieson
and 1912/1651
Willie Hewlett Percy Robieson married
Florence Ester Kay
and
1842/NZSG 13111 and 1840/13112
Elizabeth Percy married
Alfred William Renall

Other Events:

• Reference Number: WE03..SF
• Immigration: 1863; John came to New Zealand as a single man arriving in 1863.

John married Mary Louisa Morgan 08 Jul 1874, St John's Anglican Church, Trentham, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. Mary (daughter of Edward Morgan) was born 11 Mar 1854, Plymouth, Devon, England; died 15 Aug 1932, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand; was buried 17 Aug 1932, Archer St Cemetery, Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Margaret Morgan
• Reference Number: WE03..SM

Other Events:

• Reference Number: WE

Notes:

(Research):Thomas' place of birth is recorded as Willis St Wellington on 6 March 1849 the 3rd son 5th Child of Robert and Jane (nee Runnalls) Wyeth.

Thomas' youth was spent in the Hutt Valley; he had vivid recollections of the floods that occurred in the Silverstream area in 1858 and recollected standing upstairs in their two-story dwelling watching the floodwaters wash away adjacent building and their occupants.

Hutt Valley
The Hutt Valley in Thomas' time was very thickly wooded, one of the better Totara forests in New Zealand. It was from this bush chiefly was drawn the timber with which the infant city of Wellington was built. Every day the forest rang with the blow of axes, and the crash of falling timber. Then came fire, and then the yellow wheat, which ground in a handmill, and winnowed in the wind, found its way into the camp ovens, or as damper, was baked in the ashes of a camp fire. As an indication of the extent of the timber industry in the Hutt Valley at that time, there were at least 27 wagon teams operating in the district. Cotters (4), Smith (2), Spackman (2), Wyeth (2), Robertson (1), Dews (3), Harris (3), Burnett (3), Maybey (3), Bruce (1). Cotter's teams were carting for the Cruickshank mill at Upper Hutt. Robertson was milling at Stokes Valley.
As the four horse wagons each carried 2000 feet of pit-sawn timber, and made three of four trips into Wellington each week, that busy settlement must, at this time, have been absorbing over 80,000 feet of timber each week.

Thomas was a skilled reinsman, and, with his brother Charles, carried the materials for the first telegraph line from Wellington to Masterton in about 1867. This was at a time when the roads were not remarkable for the quality of their surfaces, and the only bridge between Masterton and the Hutt was the Black Bridge' over the Waiohine River, and driving a heavy wagon loaded with copper wire and insulators was a man's task. The first telegraph line consisted of two wires, and took a more direct route than does the present line. The task of laying it through bush, from spur to spur across the Rimutakas was a difficult one. Many of the posts were cut on the spot. It was later found necessary, however, to revert to the present route owing to the difficulty of maintaining a line that did not follow the road.

1865 - 72 Champion Athlete
From the Masterton "Times Age""AN EX-CHAMPION PEDESTRIAN The winning of the Old Men's Race at the recent St. Patrick's Day Sports Association meeting by Mr T. Wyeth, of Opaki, brings back to memory some of the great races Mr Wyeth won in various parts of New Zealand in his younger days. He was one of the best long distance runners ever seen in New Zealand.
In Mr Wyeth's running days handicaps were unknown and all men started off the same mark. Mr Wyeth used to compete in races from 100 yards up to three miles, but it was in the longer distance races that he was best known as a champion.
During the seven years he was running, from 1865 to 1872, he was never beaten in one mile, two miles, or three miles events, and at those distances was champion of New Zealand. He competed all over the colony, and against the best runners in Australasia.
Mr Wyeth's first race was at the New Year's Day Sports in Wellington in 1865. It was a two days' gathering, and was held in Martins paddock, opposite where the Panama Hotel now stands in Taranaki Street. It was the youths' race, under 16 years of age, distance 220 yards, and Mr Wyeth won easily. On the second day of the sports he appropriated two wore races he started in.
It was on January 23 following that Mr Wyeth made his debut in "big" company. In those days a regatta was hold on Anniversary Day and a sports meeting in Clapham's paddock, on Thorndon Flat, opposite the old Princess Hotel, the next day, January 23. Some of the beat-known pedestrians in the colony were competing that day. Among these was John Phillips, then champion of Wellington, McGuire (a crack long distance runner and afterwards member of the House of Representatives for Hawera), and C. Wyeth, brother of Mr T. Wyeth.
In the Mile Championship, for which there were thirteen starters, Including the before mentioned cracks, all starting off the same mark, Mr T. Wyeth created a great surprise by winning somewhat easily from C. Wyeth, who was second. McGuire was third, and Phillips fourth.
Mr Wyeth competed at Wellington, Hokitika, Invercargill and various other parts of the colony, always appropriating the long-distance events and occasionally striking his colours in the sprint events.
In 1867, Isherwood, champion long distance runner of Cambridge, and one of the cracks of England, came to New Zealand and issued a challenge to race anyone In the colony over two miles. Mr Wyeth promptly accepted the challenge, and the match came off at Silverstream, Mr Wyeth once again demonstrating his claim to being the champion long-distance runner of the Colony.
In 1871 at Invercargill, Mr. Wyeth met the redoubtable Dawson, of Invercargill, who was carrying everything before him in the long-distance events, and defeated him somewhat easily.
Hessey, the crack Tasmanian, came over to the colony about this time, but met his match in the subject of this sketch.
Other notable runners Mr Wyeth met and defeated in long-distance events in those days were, G. Yule (now of, Pahiatua), the late Duncan McMaster (of Tuhitarata Station, Lower Valley), probably the finest all-round athlete New Zealand has ever seen, John Cotter (of Greytown), and Harrison (of Otaki).
A great struggle took place in Wellington in 1868 between the latter, who was a half- caste Maori, and Mr Wyeth in the 11/4 Mile Championship, but Mr Wyeth eventually won.
Mr. Wyeth gave up running in 1873, about which year handicaps began to be introduced. This was the year the crack Wellington Pedestrian, G. Donovan, made his debut."
Timber Milling
Superintendent's Message No 4 dated 16/5/1867, recommended that the Provincial Government establish telegraph stations at Featherston and Greytown. Contract for telegraph line awarded to T Wyeth and Bro, of Landsdowne, Masterton, line completed the following year.[1]
Tom and George Sykes, his sister Maria's brother in law, assisted in clearing the across the Rimutakas for the Upper Hutt Featherston portion of the Wellington - Wairarapa railway. They introduced the American system of squaring timber into the Wellington Province, importing special axes with twelve-inch blades for the work. Prior to this ordinary ship's axes had been used for this tricky work and Tom described the difference as about the difference between sawn and dressed timber. During this time Tom squared over a half a million feet of timber for the construction of the railway line.
Tom and his brother in law Isaac Sykes were responsible for squaring the timber used in the Railway Bridge across the Hutt River at Haywards.

Wairarapa

Thomas moved with his family to the Wairarapa in the late 1870s.
Marriage
Thomas was married in Masterton on 17 January 1883 to Margaret Rachael Ann McLeod the youngest child of Angus and Catherine (nee Sinclair) McLeod. Rachael was born 12 January 1859 in Scotland.
Thomas and Margaret lived `Rosebank' Mt Bruce; the actual house has been shifted to Opaki and restored.
Bush Fires
His farm property is now farmed by one of his Wyeth Grandsons.
After he left Mt Bruce he built a house in Totara St Masterton. Using timber from the Mt Bruce sawmill. (2)
Golden Wedding
Thomas' Reminiscences 1933 Mr and Mrs Thomas Wyeth, who last week celebrated their Golden Wedding are very old and well known residents of the Wairarapa. Mr Wyeth, at the age of 84, is an interesting personality, with a keen mind and an active body. Practically the whole of his life has been spent in the Wellington province, and caught in reminiscent mood, he is an interesting talker. (1)

Thomas died 13 April 1940 in Masterton and is buried in Masterton Cemetery. Maggie died almost two years later on 12 April 1942 in Masterton and was buried with her husband in Masterton Cemetery.

[1] 'Early History of Wairarapa' by Charles Bannister "In 1867 Mr Thomas Wyeth of Lansdowne and his brother laid the telegraph wires, insulatots, and cross pieces from the Hutt to the Waiporia."

Occupation:
Farmer

Buried:
In Loving Memory of Thomas Wyeth born 6 March 1849 died 13 April 1940. "His memory best is loved by those to whom his living was best known."

Thomas married Margaret Rachel Ann McLeod 17 Jan 1883, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand. Margaret (daughter of Angus McLeod and Catherine Sinclair) was born 12 Jan 1859, New Zealand; died 12 Apr 1942, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand; was buried 14 Apr 1942, Archer St Cemetery, Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Margaret Rachael Ann Wyeth
• Reference Number: WE..S

Notes:

Buried:
Wyeth; In loving memory of Margaret Wyeth born 12 January 1859 died 12 April 1942. "In memory's name we shall keep her because she was one of the best."

Notes:

Married:
Wairarapa Daily 18/1/1883 Page2 Col 4 Marriage Notice.
On 17th, instant, at Mikimiki, by the Rev., L.M.Isitt, Thomas Wyeth, third son of Mr. R. Wyeth of Masterton, to Margaret Richaline, eldest daughter of Mr. Angus McLeod of Opaki. (Wellington Papers Please copy).

Other Events:

• Business: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Solicitor Melbourne

Henry married Kathleen Gertrude McDonald. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died:
Aged 88 years

James married Eliza Percy Renall Abt 1863, New Zealand. Eliza (daughter of Alfred William Renall and Eliza Percy) was born Abt 1845; died 19 Nov 1887, New Zealand; was buried 11 Feb 1921, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Aged 42