William Manion and his two wives

While doing research on my family tree I tend to think most people immigrate to other countries like Australia and New Zealand before the 1900s and with some luck they have family members with them along for the ride. I do like proving myself wrong when I am looking for family through family history research.

 

There are times when I look someone up and gather basic information especially when the information I gather is from New Zealand. I start by using the Births Deaths and Marriages to see what I can find, which means I get certificate numbers. The births provides you the name of both parents luckily. I look at the online newspapers and the NZ National Archives for further information to see what they have that could be helpful.

 

One family member that I had done a basic bit of research on before passing on them to come back to at a later date was William Manion and his relationship with Dorcas Milverton. The basic information I had collected was their marriage record in 1934 with the certificate number, and the names of their 5 children who were born between 1917 and 1928 on the same website. At the time I hadn’t looked any further to see when he had arrived in New Zealand. I do put dates on when I last looked into the person and William first got my attention in 2021, when I recorded the folio numbers for his birth. At first I was unsure when he had arrived in New Zealand, but had several dates between 1896 and 1913. William’s occupation of Warehouseman would prove helpful as it appeared on the 1913 passenger list, which narrowed the results quickly. Luckily the occupation appeared on the 1911 census and he was apparently working in an Iron Foundry.

 

From an earlier search, I had the names of William’s parents and siblings who seemed to have remained in the UK, and I also found that William had a family before he left for New Zealand. William had sailed on the SS Arawa and arrived in Wellington in March, 1913.

 

William’s wife Harriet was listed as living in Walsall within Staffordshire. There were two children born in 1903 and 1906. William and Harriet had been married since 1895. I did find the entry for Harriet interesting for the 1921 census in the UK, where she is listed as the head of the household, and the document also said her husband was in New Zealand. One son, Ernest was living with her and the other son, Arthur age 15 was at an industrial school called Midland Short-Term Industrial School in Lichfield under a Mr WD Blackshaw. I have only found one other person in the family tree that was in an industrial school in the UK let alone appearing on a census. Industrial schools were basically for repeat truants and children were placed under strict conditions.[1]

 

The 1939 register, which was like the census, but not the census for the UK around the time World War 2 was to begin and the world was in conflict. Harriet was still saying she was married on the register. I didn’t see anything on Ancestry or even the UK National Archives to suggest there was a divorce. I would have to see their death certificates to see what is listed on them as I know the New Zealand one might include information and there was nothing I could find in the New Zealand papers that William’s children from overseas came to visit him in New Zealand.

 

Meanwhile in New Zealand the Electoral roll for 1919 listed William Manian and wife Dorcas Manion were living at the same address in Palmerston North, New Zealand. His occupation was Warehouseman, although from around 1925 the occupation had changed to Caretaker. William would end up in the aged person’s home in Palmerston North called Awapuni Home between 1943 and 1946.[2] William would still have been there in 1947 when he passed away. Dorcas would move to Howick in Auckland where she would remain until 1946. There isn’t anything to say the two wives knew about each other existence on the other side of the world or anything to say the family members visited each other either. I havnt found anything yet that says if William’s siblings went to New Zealand or even stayed in the UK. Its an interesting story to write more about in the future.

 

 

Sources

Peter Higginbotham, ‘Lichfield Boys’, Childrens Homes, 2025, https://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/LichfieldBoysIT/

 

New Zealand Passenger lists 1913

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-653S-H8F?view=index&lang=en

 

 New Zealand Electoral Rolls 1953 – 2010, Ancestry.com, accessed 09/09/2025.

 

Dorcas Manion Probate 1969, R14767275, New Zealand National Archives

 

Awapuni Rest Home

https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/f03a2e4f-66f2-4449-9524-58d09f59ca2a

 

New Zealand Births, Deaths and Marriages

https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/home

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[1] Higginbotham, Peter ‘Lichfield Boys’, Childrens Homes, 2025, https://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/LichfieldBoysIT/, accessed 09/09/2025.

[2] William Manion,1943, New Zealand Electoral Rolls 1953 – 2010.

Researching Jorgen Albert Jorgensen arrival in New Zealand in 1905

 

I do love coming across some interesting mysteries especially when it has been something that you have not come across before, or had looked into further. Sometimes I take the information at face value and think it might be fully correct, but I have been shown through my own research that things are not always as they seem.

 

Recently I have written a blog about the Naturalisation of Jorgen Albert Jorgensen, but amongst that information is when he arrived in New Zealand in 1904. I will start with the misinformation first as it is actually really interesting and include the correct information later on with additional information.  The Memorial as they call it includes information about Jorgen and includes details about his arrival in New Zealand. At 11am per SS Athenic on the 2^nd day of March 1904 and has resided in New Zealand since that date.[1] I thought the time of arrival was strangely specific. His death in 1917 threw up more red flags as the local newspaper, the Manawatu Standard said he arrived in New Zealand at the age of 7 and would in 1904 go into business in Palmerston North.[2]

 

Several years ago I had researched a little about Jorgen Albert and had found where he had been born in Denmark. The same with his parents with his father also bearing the name Jorgen. There were several siblings as well. There had been nothing that I could find to say they arrived in New Zealand. Back to around now, on a whim I wanted to have a look at when the Athenic arrived in New Zealand in 1904. I was hoping to look at a passenger list through Paperspast, and soon found the information to be contradictory. In March 1904, a newspaper said the Athenic had left Plymouth on the 13^th of Feb and was due about the 28^th of March.[3]

 

Using the LDS website Familysearch, I looked through the shipping records and found two shipping records. One that was for Wellington and another for the same period with updated names for Auckland. It was great to have a manifest with a list of names and see what I could find. I knew I had the right shipping record when the name of the ship was the SS Athenic and onboard was a Mr. A Jorgensen, carpenter. The date was 28^th of February 1905. Right below his name was a Miss Jorgensen a dressmaker. I turned to the New Zealand archives and Paperspast to search the names that I did have and no sister was present. An accidental shipping list that was for Auckland had the two names crossed out and with a contracted ticket number I had the right people. This record gave the given names of the Jorgensens. Albert and Agnes.[4] I soon found Agnes through the Familysearch website for the same parents.

 

The voyage of the Athenic took 70 days, had onboard 300 adults and the captain was a Kempson RNR. The passenger list was divided between English, Irish, Scottish and Foreigners. The ship itself had been launched in 1901. The ship would start sailing between England and New Zealand in February 1902.[5]

 

Agnes’ full name was Agnes Petrea Marie Jorgensen and she went on to marry Marius Honore in 1908. I don’t know what the origin of Marius is as he could pretty much be European like German or Danish, but he was living in Palmerston North funnily enough. Marius does have a naturalisation record for after World War 1, but I have to access that record sometime. They did move closer to Wellington at a later stage. They would go on to have three children all up, but I am unsure if one of them was from a previous marriage as at this stage I do not have that information, but they did serve in World War 2 and two of them at least were postmen. Agnes and Marius would both pass away in 1968, and there is a coroner report for that time for Agnes. It does seem that all roads seem to lead to Palmerston North with many family members and they then move on or stay for the rest of their time.

 

I do like coming across new and interesting information to correct what others do have through various sources. At the time I never realised a little searching would become a whole blog of sorts, though it does make me curious about the authorities of the time as I do wonder if they look any further than the ship that arrived and the date to see if the person applying for citizenship is being honest or if the correct information was forgotten, and the authorities went with it.

 

 

Sources

 

Jorgen Albert Jorgensen Naturalisation R24209427, 1914 – 1919.

 

Naturalisation of Jorgen Jorgensen blog

https://tangaroa81.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-new-zealand-naturalisation-of.html

 

SS Athenic, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Athenic, accessed 25/02/2025.

 

Personal, Manawatu Standard, 18 June 1917, p.5, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19170618.2.27, accessed 25/02/2025.

 

 

Shipping, Hawera & Normanby Star, 1 March 1904, p.1, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HNS19040301.2.2, accessed 25/02/2025.

 

New Zealand shipping records Athenic 1905 Jorgensen

"New Zealand records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/

ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-3G?view=index : Feb 25, 2025), image 171 of 269; New

Zealand. National Archives. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-3G?view=index

 

 

New Zealand shipping records Athenic 1905 Jorgensen

"New Zealand records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/

ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-XY?view=index : Feb 24, 2025), image 172 of 269; New

Zealand. National Archives.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-XY?view=index

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[1] Jorgen Albert Jorgensen Naturalisation R24209427, p.3.

[2] Personal, Manawatu Standard, 18 June 1917, p.5, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19170618.2.27, accessed 25/02/2025.

[3] Shipping, Hawera & Normanby Star, 1 March 1904, p.1, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HNS19040301.2.2, accessed 25/02/2025.

[4] "New Zealand records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/

ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-3G?view=index : Feb 25, 2025), image 171 of 269; New

Zealand. National Archives. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-3G?view=index; "New Zealand records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/

ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-XY?view=index : Feb 24, 2025), image 172 of 269; New

Zealand. National Archives.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YFD-XY?view=index

 

[5] AA Athenic, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Athenic, accessed 25/02/2025.

The New Zealand Naturalisation of Jorgen Jorgensen

 

 

Naturalisation records through the New Zealand archives can be interesting records especially when they can provide more information about the family member and their origins. One such naturalisation record occurred during the war years of World War One in New Zealand. One such person was Jorgen Albert Jorgensen. Jorgen's relationship to me as I probably should point out is Father in law of 1st great grand uncle, which would be a mouthful

 

Jorgen Albert Jorgensen applied for citizenship in June of 1914 for New Zealand. At the time he was 36 and had arrived in New Zealand on the 2^nd of March 1904 onboard the SS Athenic and he was from Denmark. At the time he made the application he was a builder in Palmerston North. Jorgen was in business with Frederich Wesche also from Denmark had been naturalised in June 1908. When claiming to be naturalised in New Zealand people needed to provide details about their origins including place of birth and where they were currently living. Then they needed a letter from a magistrate or Justice stating they were a person of good character. As the war progressed naturalisation applications were suspended by the Massey government.[1]

 

 

An interesting note I came across within the naturalisation record of Jorgen, was that apparently no naturalisations took place during the war years in New Zealand though the letter was in November of 1914. A J. W. Black stated no exemptions could be made about naturalisations due to the war.[2] Upon further reading it turns out that During World War One applications had been placed on hold. In August 1914 There were newspaper reports that naturalisation papers would be delayed during the continuation of the war.[3] During the period of world war one, a person’s origins could work against them even if they were naturalised in New Zealand. They were considered to be enemy aliens by the government with restrictions that include having to report to the police or even removed from place of employment if it was considered to be sensitive towards the countries security.[4] People who had parents born of German origins were also turned down during the war for military service. People were harassed and denied employment during the war period. The view was ‘once a German, always a German’.[5]

 

 

Amongst the naturalisation file there was a group of names of other people including on John Alfred Gustavson that was apparently hostile towards the British at the beginning of the war, so his application couldn’t be recommended. I couldn’t find any information about the man in the newspapers, or even through the parliamentary papers, although he does have a file between 1914 and 1922. He was naturalised in November 1922. Another name that came across as really familiar was a Charles William Borreson who also lived in Palmerston North and had married another family member not related to the Jorgensen’s.

 

 

During the war period he wasn’t granted citizenship, but there were letters sent between 1914 and 1919 asking about his status. A letter sent to the Department of internal affairs states that Jorgen was a Dane who was respected and a builder in Palmerston North desired to become a British subject. An interesting note in June 1914 is that Jorgen’s wife isn’t required to apply for citizenship of New Zealand as it automatically occurs when the husband is naturalised. The last letter in 1919 from the magistrate states the police informed him that Jorgen Jorgensen had passed away in June 1917.

 

Jorgen Albert Jorgensen passed away due to an illness in 1917, so he didn’t end up becoming naturalised in New Zealand. His wife Fanny would go on to be remarried in 1918 to Frederich Wesche who was also a business partner of Jorgen’s.

 

 

Sources

Jorgen Jorgensen naturalisation New Zealand Archives

 

Frederich Wesche Naturalisation New Zealand Archives

 

Baker, Paul ‘King and Country Call New Zealanders, Conscription and the Great War’, Auckland University Press, Auckland, 1988.

 

Francis, Andrew ‘To be truly British we must be anti-German New Zealand, Enemy Aliens and the Great War Experience, 1914 - 1919’, Peter Lang, Bern, 2012.

 

Naturalisations Grant of letters may be delayed, Otago Daily Times, 7 August 1914, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19140807.2.21, accessed 13/02/2025.

 

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[1] Andrew Francis, ‘To be truly British we must be anti-German New Zealand, Enemy Aliens and the Great War Experience, 1914 - 1919’, 2012, p.69 – 74.

[2] Jorgensen Jorgensen naturalisation, page 7.

[3] Naturalisations Grant of letters may be delayed, Otago Daily Times, 7 August 1914, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19140807.2.21, accessed 13/02/2025.

[4] Andrew Francis, ‘To be truly British we must be anti-German New Zealand, Enemy Aliens and the Great War Experience, 1914 - 1919’, 2012, p.70

 

[5] Paul Baker, ‘King and Country Call New Zealanders, Conscription and the Great War’, Auckland University Press, 1988, p. 223.

War Poems from English class in the 1990s

West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide WW1 section

 

 

Recently I came across a series of small school assignments on my computer that I had made a copy of from when I was in school during the 1990s. I officially finished my HSC in 1999. I remember collecting a series of war poems for English and one or two I wrote out from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra when I went on a family trip around the same time.

I do still remember the English teacher marking the assignment and using red ink to correct some of the language even though I tried explaining it was written as spelt in the books and at the AWM. The teacher being an older gentleman probably didnt care, who knows. Wouldnt you want the exact spelling for historical context?

 

I do remember looking through some books at the same time as I only needed three. I am pretty sure two out of three are from the AWM. There was a book involved. I think the running commentary at the bottom of the poems might be my interpretation, It has been so long that I cant quite remember myself.

 

War is like a disease

spreading into minds of young people

turning country against country

 

 

 

Anti Gas Corporal’s Lullaby

 

If you get a choking feeling and a smell of musty hay

you can bet your bottom dollar that there’s phosgene on the way,

But the smell of bleaching powder will inevitably mean,

that the enemy we’re meeting is a gas we call chlorine

 

When your eyes begin twitching and for tears you cannot see

It’s not mother peeling onions but a dose of C.A.P.

should the smell resemble peardrops, you better not delay

It’s not brother sucking toffee, its that awful K.S.K.

 

If you catch a pungent odour as you’re going home to tea,

You may safely take for granted that they’re using B.B.C.

If for garlic or for onions you’ve cultivated taste

When in war you meet these odours, leave that area in haste.

 

It’s mustard gas, the hellish stuff, that leaves you in one big blister

and in hospital you’ll need, the kind of attention of the sister.

While geraniums linger pleasant, in a jar beside the bed.

You must shun the hell in war time. If its lewisite you’re DEAD.

 

  This poem reminds us how Australian soldiers in adversity drew on their sense of humour.

 

 

Sword Stories

 

 To win a sword that was taken from a Nippon’s son

 You had to be in the unit before August forty one.

 They look like bits of hoop iron and very badly dent.

 With scabbards made of timber stuck to together with cement.

 

 They have to be handled gently, maybe they’d fall apart.

 And if that should come to happen t’would break the owner’s heart

Emery paper to the fore Brasso applied to skill.

For every one of those Nip Swords has sure been through the mill.

 

Carefully wrapped in calico and placed beneath the bunk

They’ll sue be Ammunition for some ear bashing punk

Those swords will win some beer in pubs down south awhile.

The owner will spin the yarns and not even crack a smile.

 

They will hang it in the dining room above the fireplace there

And the relations all will come and look and point and stare

The tales about the sword the neighbours ears will baffle

But they’ll never tell the listeners they won it in a raffle.

 

It will probably be exhibited in every country pub.

And maybe down at yand J’s and up the city club.

It will pass from hand to hand among the patrons there.

But by the time that some get home the sight will not be rare.

 

When Reunion Day comes round as it will every year

And clashing swords and rifle shots is all that you can hear

One of the mob will wonder up and look very bored

Will try to tell us tales about a captured Nippon Sword.

 

“Sword Stories”

 

   The Australian Soldier’s enthusiasm for souvenir collecting

as well as for the telling of tall stories are sent up in this anonymous poem, believed to be written by an Australian Soldier who served in the south west pacific.

 

 

 To one at Home

 

Do not be saddened for my sake

for I shall keep my trust with you

Some morning when the dawn shall break

upon a world where is hope is new.

Yes I shall keep the rendezous,

Beloved one, which we have made

and all the past shall fade into

A dim and dream like cavalcade

of half remembered griefs and fears

which we shall doubt were ever true

and love shall fill the golden years

with sweetness - when our pain in through.

VX36684

 

Private G.H. Morrison.