From: Ray
To: Jan
Subject: waipawa wooster’s
Hi Jan, an interesting webpage, I haven’t visited your town as yet but plan to do so in the not so distant future. My GG Grandfather Charles Wooster & his brother Thomas settled in Waipawa in about 1863 after they had served with the 2nd Waikato Militia. Charles returned to Nabiac NSW, whilst Thomas remained there, he married a Mary Ridley, they built a house there known as “the bush”. Thomas after the Thomas & Mary had 12 children.
Thomas Henry died aged about 8 years.
Henriettia Mrs Grant 3 children
Elizabeth Mrs Mackie 5 children
Alice Mrs Roberts 3 children (mother of Mrs Puddle)
Margaret Mrs Halleron 6 children
Stan no children
Charles 2 boys
Jim no children (died 27)
Alfred 1 child (died 40)
George lived 3 days
Bill no children
Thomas Killed in Great War – Battle of Somme
Thomas Senior died in about 1910, he was I believe a shepherd.
I have made contact in the past with the early settler museum who have kindly provided photo’s of my Kiwi Wooster’s, great stuff.
Should you happen to know any of these distant cousins please let me know.
Also I note from family history archives a Linda Husband was chasing Wooster history, I wonder if she is a local
Regards & keep up the good work
Ray Wooster
Brisbane
Qld
From: Jan
To: Ray
Subject: waipawa wooster’s
Hi Ray,
I always get a buzz when I get an email from somewhere out of NZ. It sort of makes me wonder how people find my website. I’ve had quite a few emails from places such as Dubai, Holland and South Africa mostly with family connections like yours – or who have lived here in the past.
As soon as I saw your name I recognised it as an old Waipawa name… But unfortunately I don’t know even as much about your family as you’ve told me. I know you said in your email that you’ve talk to the settlers museum before… but we have a new curator (Rosheen) there now and she is excellent at researching stuff… So I forwarded on your email to her and hopefully she might be able to fill in a few gaps. (Worth a shot anyway)
I’m glad you enjoyed my website – I’m still researching, finding and taking photos, and adding to it when I find time (somewhere between my sculpting, teaching and looking after my family) so if you go back there sometime you might find more there.
Sorry I can’t help much with your enquiry, but if I do find something while I’m going through ‘old stuff’ I’ll let you know.
Regards
Jan
From: Ray
To: Jan
Subject: waipawa wooster’s
Thanks Jan, I’ll get to Waipawa one day, so far been to Dunedin only (business trip)
I’ve been researching my family for he past 3 or so years and am one of the founding members of the OZ & NZ branch of the UK based great Wooster family research group.
You may wish to check out Jennifer Rookes webpage to see where we are with the NZ & OZ Wooster’s
http://www2.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=rianda
password australia
From: Jan
To: Ray
Subject: waipawa wooster’s
Hi Ray,
I know it is a long time since you wrote me this email but last night I was talking to my son on the phone (he is my website administrator) and I was telling him that I am getting more and more enquiries as to tracking down relatives and friends, or family histories and house histories… that sometimes I can help with and sometimes I can’t – and he suggested that perhaps on the waipawa.com website we have a new section where people can post there inquiries and it is out there for others to see and help if they can.
So I was wondering whether you would like your inquiry posted in this section to see if anybody else can help you track down your family history?
If you do want this please email me back and then I can get Brian to post your request on the website and we can email you any responses we have.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Jan
From: Ray
To: Jan
Subject: waipawa wooster’s
Thanks Jan, that would be great, incidentally I have made contact with Audrey Young, she has provided much information including both my NZ Wooster’s & those from Nabiac NSW, quite a strange feeling to get photo’s of my Great Grandparents from unknowns
Regards
Ray
From: Heather
To: Jan
Subject: Wooster enquiry
Hello Jan
I have been researching family history for some time now and was put onto your page by a friend yesterday and found a query for Wooster’s from Waipawa. Thomas & Mary were my Great Grandparents and I have quite a lot of information on the family. In fact some 30? years ago we had a big reunion in Waipawa.
Can you please either forward me Ray (from Australia) email address or if that is not possible please pass my email onto him so I can write to him with family information & photos.
Interesting web page, will certainly keep checking it from now on as I was born & raised in Waipawa.
Many thanks for your help
Heather Coyle
From: Jan
To: Heather
Subject: Wooster enquiry
Hi Heather,
Its a long time ago since I last had contact with Ray so I’m not sure whether the email address is the same or not – (some people change email addresses much more regularly than me).
Anyway this is what it was last time he contacted me – so I hope you get through to him. (email address supplied)
I know it might sound a little cheeky of me, but I’d really love you to share a little of your info for the website (and maybe a photo or two if you like). It makes the website much more interesting when people share some of what they know and sometimes it catches the eye of other other descendants and they can share their knowledge and I can put you in touch with each other.
Anyway I hope this email address is still current
Happy family hunting
🙂 Jan
From: Heather
To: Jan
Subject: Wooster enquiry
Many thanks Jan – I will email Ray and also give you information for your web page shortly
Regards, Heather
From: Jan
To: Heather
Subject: Wooster enquiry
Hi Heather
Bother – I tried emailing ray at that address and it boomeranged back. Sorry, I don’t have his current email address then. It looks a bit like a work email and perhaps he’s changed jobs?
But it would still be really great if you could send me a bit of your family history so I can add it to the Wooster enquiry – maybe he’ll see it (or another Wooster descendant) and email me back?
Sorry I couldn’t help more
🙂 Jan
From: Heather
To: Jan
Subject: Wooster enquiry
Hello Jan
To follow is a very brief outline of Thomas & Mary Wooster which was taken from a newspaper article after a family reunion which was held in Waipawa 34 years ago (that’s scarey as it didn’t seem that long ago.)
Thank you for all your help – I will also send a photo of the family in another email.
Regards Heather
Taken from an article in the HB Herald Tribune 13 March 1979 after a family reunion:
Thomas Wooster came to NZ in the early 1860’s and bought a few acres of land at Waipawa, in the area known today as the Bush. He made his living as a drover and was reputedly the first man to drive stock from Hawkes’s Bay to Auckland.
He was the son of Henrietta and Henry Featherstonehaugh Fanshaw Wooster and his Mother (Henrietta nee Brandon) was a direct descendant of Sir Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who married Mary Ann Tudor, daughter of Henry VII.
In 1863, he was joined in New Zealand by a brother, Charles, who came to NZ on the ship Helvellyn, which carried the first and only consignment of rabbits to come to NZ.
Charles, after later left for Australia, where he lived to ripe old age.
Mary Wooster left England as Mary Beatrice Ridley in 1873 with her married sister Charlotte Pollington and her husband aboard the sailing ship Enverine. They arrived in Napier in March 1874. On October 13 1875, Thomas Wooster and Mary Ridley were married in Napier and rode on horseback to Waipawa. Their luggage was dispatched at the same time on a bullock dray and apparently arrived six months later.”
The photo with Thomas & Mary Wooster is outside their home in Waipawa.
“The Pioneer Home at ‘The Bush’ Waipawa of Thomas & Mary Wooster, with the first four of their children. Thomas Henry, Henrietta, Elizabeth and Alice.
Wooster family from Waipawa
Back row: Charles, James (Jim) Alfred, Stanley, Thomas, William (Bill)
Middle row: Henrietta (Hetty), Elizabeth (Mrs James Mackie) Alice (Mrs Roberts)
Front row: Maggie (Mrs Holleron)
Elizabeth was my Mother’s Mother.
Trust this information will be useful for your site.
Regards Heather
From: Jan
To: Heather
Subject: Wooster enquiry
Hi Heather,
Thank you so much for your little bit of family history and the photos.
Its great when people can share their info as otherwise my website would be a bit of nothingness. It is contributions like yours that make it so much more interesting. I’ll send your info on to Brian (my website administrator) and he will get it posted there soon.
Hopefully then, more Wooster descendants will see it and contact you and hopefully share a bit more info.
Thanks again for sharing
🙂 Jan