Grandad wanted you all to have a copy of this …….
This is an excerpt from the book ‘Okaihau: The District and It’s Families’ but their version is wrong so here is the corrected and revised version according to Grandad…
BLUNDELL, Richard
Waihou
Richard, his wife, Catherine Cooke and three children, Kate, 19, Percy, 15 and Harry, 13, came to NZ in the ship ‘Hermione’ in 1879. They landed at Dunedin, then journeyed to Christchurch and then to Hokianga.
Richard, his wife and two sons took up land in the Waihou Valley – 200 acres under the Homestead Act.
The house they built was called Okoro Grange, and is still there a few chains up the Okoro Road and a few miles from Okaihau township on the way to Rangiahua.
Later Mr Blundell became an engineer for the BOI County Council and was succeeded in the position by his son Harry. Percy was at the time working on a milk run in Christchurch but he came north, too, and started a butchery business at Rangiahua and later at Kohukohu.
Percy met Annie Sarah Sturge. They fell in love but had to wait until Annie turned 21 before they could marry. Two days after her birthday in 1888 they were married by a magistrate at Mongonui. There were 13 children born to them: Edgar, Richard, Harry, Percy, Hilda, Sturge, Elsie, Kate, Victor, Marion, Nancy, Olive and Wallace.
A big flood ruined their business at Rangiahua, ripping crops and fences, tearing their schooner from its moorings and wrecking it at the Booms, and drowning their horses. Richard sold their property at Utakura for 60 pounds being 50 pounds less than what he had expended on it.
Percy with his wife and family returned to Waihou to help his father.
Harry Clough Blundell spent some years learning surveying under Messrs Neumann, Fairburn, Garsed and others. He was appointed to the position held by his father. After 10 years as County Engineer H C Blundell took over the County Clerkship from Mr V H Reed moving to live in Kawakawa. For many years he was secretary for the BOI Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He was also returning officer for the BOI electorate and held various other positions being on the Domain Board, the Acclimatisation Society and during the Depression, the Unemployment Board. His daughter married the MP for BOI, Mr Sid Smith.
* Richard married Theresa Tarleton of Dunedin in April 1924. They begat Richard James (1924), John Bernard (1926) and Thomas Dawson (1930).
John Married Joyce Mary Grice of Waitoa in October 1951. They begat Michael John (1952), Anne Maria (1954), Kathryn Joyce (1955), David Joseph (1956), Paul Anthony (1958), James Alexander (1959), Nicholas Andrew (1961) and Gregory Thomas (1965).
*All this part is put in by Grandad
THANKS
Amy
Amy :: Jun.27.2006 :: Uncategorized :: 5 Comments »
