From: John
To: Jan
Subject: Charles Whittington
Hi Jan,
I had a bit of a look around Waipawa last week including Rosheen’s Museum. Rosheen was lovely and helped me quite a lot. Unfortunately, I picked a really cold, wet time to see the southern half of the north island. The cemetery in Church Street was really interesting for me as the monument on the Jull family grave includes acknowledgment of Charles M. Whittington’s death in Brisbane. Its good to see he was acknowledged somewhere even if his own grave is without a headstone. It seems Charles Whittington’s sister Nelly married Albert Edward Jull. Do you know any Jull family contacts in Waipawa that I could ask if anyone knows what happened to Bridget Whittington or maybe they know some Whittington family members?
Regards
John Moore
From: Jan
To: John
Subject: Charles Whittington
Hi John,
It was unfortunate that you hit such terrible weather. We had been going through a really dry time up until about a fortnight ago – then suddenly the heavens have opened and it has rained and rained and rained! We are now thinking we have had way too much rain and it would be nice if it stopped for a while – still I suppose its winter, so it has to rain sometime or we’ll be a desert.
The Jull’s (Nelly and her husband) used to live two doors down the road from where I live now. And they owned the Union Brewery which was located at the bottom of the hill. When Nelly died her husband gifted a piece of land to the town and that became Nelly Jull Park – and it is one of the things we have been working on for our 150th celebrations. So far we have put in a new playground – and now we are fundraising to build a band rotunda (community stage). Apparently two trees (oaks) were planted in the park – one for Nelly and one for her husband, but only Nelly’s is there now as her husband’s one died.
They had three children. Two girls and a boy. Who were left without parents at an early age. They continued to live in the Jull house in Rose Street and were raised by two spinster Aunts. My mum can remember the Jull children from when she lived here in this house when she was a girl – and she thinks that one of the sisters lives somewhere in Hawkes Bay – Hastings or Havelock North or maybe Napier? – but she can’t remember her married name. Hopefully if we do a bit of investigation someone will remember and we can get you in touch with her.
The Jull’s house was part of our historic walks earlier this year and so I have a photo of it on the 150th part of the website – but not a huge amount of information on them.
I hadn’t noticed the inscription down at the old church yard on the Jull Graves. I’m glad there’s some acknowledgement of his life – as it seemed very sad that he had nothing.
Hope you have thawed out from your time here – and the sun has actually started to come out again – for about 5 minutes (Yay!). I hope it means the rain has moved off us at last but looking at the sky to the south I don’t think so.
🙂 Jan
From: Jan
To: John
Subject: Charles Whittington
Hi John,
Its a long time ago that you emailed me about Charles Whittington but last week in the CHB Mail this article appeared about a union brewery bottle (time capsule) which was placed in a cave by Leonard Whittington back in 1889. I just thought that even though this is not Charles but another Whittington you might be interested? Leonard and Charles are obviously related – maybe brothers? or is Leonard Charles’ son? They both have a connection to the Julls too.
Anyway here is the article.
🙂 Jan
From: John
To: Jan
Subject: Waipawa Mail/Charles Whittington
Thanks Jan.
He seems to have been a bit of a character Mr Whittington.
When he died, he was on a sporting tour of Australia with a New Zealand bowls team. According to the Brisbane newspapers of the day (as well as the Evening Post), he was about 55 and succumbed to asthma.
He had been in Waipawa since about 1885 and held a number of official or statutory positions, being elected to the Liquor Licensing Bench for Waipawa District, Chair of the HB Education Board, sat on Napier Harbour Board. He was also a delegate to the NZ Rugby Union and a rugby union referee, for some time secretary of Waipawa County Racing Club “prior to reduction being carried out” and timekeeper to the Hawkes Bay Jockey Club.
Those in attendance at his funeral, in deference to the positions he held, included Mr W Telford, representing the Queensland Education Department and Major Maddock representing the Queensland Rivers and Harbours Department.
The funeral was organized by the Manchester Unity IOOF of which he was a member. However, the grave has no headstone or other masonry, so it appears to have been neglected thereafter, which intrigues me – it’s as if his family did not visit the grave & organize a headstone.
If the estate was then running the Waipawa Mail, presumably there would have been some funds available, although I know his only son was a school teacher who enlisted and embarked for Europe in April 1917. He survived the war and returned but had a career in teaching.
Thanks for the information on where to find past papers of the Waipawa Mail, I hope to visit NZ again soon, so I’ll head to Napier for the Hawkes May Museum and come & see Waipawa too.
Regards
John Moore
From: Jan
To: John
Subject: Waipawa Mail/Charles Whittington
Hi John,
Wow!
He really does sound like he was a busy person – and very involved in Waipawa (both in committees and sport).
It is odd there was no headstone put up on his grave in Australia – and a little sad. It makes you wonder if his family ever went to visit? And as you say it sounds like there was some money left in his estate to keep the Waipawa Mail going for some years.
I just looked up the history of the Waipawa Rugby Club and found that the first meeting of the Waipawa Football (Rugby) Club was held at the public Library in March 1895 – and elected President for the ensuing 12 months was C.M. Whittington…. And the following year 1896 the first championship match of the season was played against Waipukurau.
Waipawa was victorious 16 points to 9.- Unfortunately this game had to be replayed when it was discovered Waipawa had played with sixteen men for a short period of time. The second match has no recorded result.
You might know that there is a slight parochial feeling between our two towns – well – in some quarters anyway. So grudge matches between the towns were probably very well attended as each town would love to beat the other.
We were hoping to have a replay of the traditional Waipawa vs. Waipukurau rugby teams this year as part of Waipawa’s 150th celebrations. Unfortunately the Ypuk team doesn’t want to play so we have had to look elsewhere (Otane – 5 minutes up the road) for a team willing to play an old-fashioned match. I think the teams are going to dress for the game in old-fashioned uniforms so it could be quite fun to watch.
I am glad I could help you – even if it was only a little.
I am sure Rosheen, the curator of our local Museum, would love to see you if you’re over this way and need any help with further research.
🙂 Jan
From: John
To: Jan
Subject: Charles Whittington
Hi Jan,
I had a bit of a look around Waipawa last week including Rosheen’s Museum. Rosheen was lovely and helped me quite a lot. Unfortunately, I picked a really cold, wet time to see the southern half of the north island. The cemetery in Church Street was really interesting for me as the monument on the Jull family grave includes acknowledgment of Charles M. Whittington’s death in Brisbane.
Its good to see he was acknowledged somewhere even if his own grave is without a headstone. It seems Charles Whittington’s sister Nelly married Albert Edward Jull. Do you know any Jull family contacts in Waipawa that I could ask if anyone knows what happened to Bridget Whittington or maybe they know some Whittington family members?
Regards
John Moore
From: Jan
To: John
Subject: Charles Whittington
Hi John,
It was unfortunate that you hit such terrible weather. We had been going through a really dry time up until about a fortnight ago – then suddenly the heavens have opened and it has rained and rained and rained! We are now thinking we have had way too much rain and it would be nice if it stopped for a while – still I suppose its winter, so it has to rain sometime or we’ll be a desert.
The Jull’s (Nelly and her husband) used to live two doors down the road from where I live now. And they owned the Union Brewery which was located at the bottom of the hill. When Nelly died her husband gifted a piece of land to the town and that became Nelly Jull Park – and it is one of the things we have been working on for our 150th celebrations. So far we have put in a new playground – and now we are fundraising to build a band rotunda (community stage). Apparently two trees (oaks) were planted in the park – one for Nelly and one for her husband, but only Nelly’s is there now as her husband’s one died.
They had three children. Two girls and a boy. Who were left without parents at an early age. They continued to live in the Jull house in Rose Street and were raised by two spinster Aunts. My mum can remember the Jull children from when she lived here in this house when she was a girl – and she thinks that one of the sisters lives somewhere in Hawkes Bay – Hastings or Havelock North or maybe Napier? – but she can’t remember her married name. Hopefully if we do a bit of investigation someone will remember and we can get you in touch with her.
The Jull’s house was part of our historic walks earlier this year and so I have a photo of it on the 150th part of the website – but not a huge amount of information on them.
I hadn’t noticed the inscription down at the old church yard on the Jull Graves. I’m glad there’s some acknowledgement of his life – as it seemed very sad that he had nothing.
Hope you have thawed out from your time here – and the sun has actually started to come out again – for about 5 minutes (Yay!). I hope it means the rain has moved off us at last but looking at the sky to the south I don’t think so.
🙂 Jan