John Richard Bland (1836 - 1918)

Born 19 Dec 1836 in City of London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Mary Jane (Curtis) Bland — married 1858 in London, England

Husband of Emma (Jones) Bland — married 1869 in Stepney, London, England

Husband of Anna Maria (Horne) Bland — married 1873 in London, England

Descendants

Died 31 Mar 1918 at age 81 in 108 Grey Street, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

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John Bland migrated from England to New Zealand.

Biography

John was born in 1836. He was the son of Robert John Bland and Margaret Arnott.

Christening Date: 18 August 1837

Christening Place: Saint George in the East, Stepney, London, England^[1]

The 1841 England Census shows that John (4) was living on Tarling Street, Tower Hamlets, East London with his parents and two sisters - Elizabeth (12) and Caroline (1).

He married Mary Jane Curtis on 28 August 1858 at St Philip's Church, Stepney, Mile End, Old Town, London. John is listed on the marriage register as being a 'printer'. ^[2]

John and Mary Jane had 4 sons together before Mary Jane passed away in 1867 at the age of 26, reportedly of a heart attack while attending a wedding.

John married, secondly, Emma Jones, who was 23, in 1869 in Stepney, London, England.^[3]

In 1871 they were living at 58 North Street, Poplar, which was within the parish of All Saints Church (Church of England), East London with John's 4 sons; Frederick, Charles, Stephen and Alfred.

Occupation: Machine Sawyer

John's son Frederick died in early 1872 at the age of about 10. John's wife Emma died soon after and he married thirdly Anna Maria Horne (1852 - 1933) 20 December 1873 in London, England. He was 37 years old and she was 21. ^[4]

He emigrated to New Zealand with his 3 surviving sons and new wife Anna, on the Rooparell, as government assisted passengers - sailed London February 23rd 1874 - arrived Auckland May 30th 1874. Also on the ship were his first wife's brother Stephen Curtis and his wife Sarah.

On arrival in Auckland, John, Annie and the boys went to live at the Immigration Barracks on Howe Street, in central Auckland. It was likely to have been full of passengers from the Rooparell. John found his first job in Auckland probably as a carpenter.

John and Annie went on to have 6 children after their arrival in New Zealand.

The family move North at one stage and although John was working as a carpenter, he probably gained some work in the Kauri milling industry as he was known to have been a Sawyer in England before he emigrated to New Zealand.

In early 1884, Annie returned to Auckland and was living in Wellington Street in the central city. It was at this home that their baby Sarah became ill and died on 17 July 1884.

On 21 April 1890, John's son Steve (a son from his first wife Mary) died. He was aged 23. Steve died at his residence in Dargaville after suffering from tuberculosis for two years.

John moved back to Auckland in about 1892. Between 1895 and 1914 the family moved around to various addresses in Auckland.

On 14 April 1917, John and Annie's seven year old grand-daughter Hazel Tonson (Susie's daughter), was accidentally killed when she was hit by a taxi when crossing Queen Street in Auckland. At the time, Hazel and her family were living at the Bland's homestead at 108 Grey Street.

John passed away on 31 March 1918 in Auckland at the age of 81 after suffering from cancer.

Burial

2 April 1918 - Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand. Location: Block A, Row 15, Plot 64

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JMNG-94V : accessed 16 July 2015), John Richard Bland, 18 Aug 1837; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 578,791, 578,792.
2. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2D7H-VKH : accessed 15 July 2015), John Richard Bland, 1858; from “England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005,” database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Marriage, Mile End Old Town, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2D29-BNJ : 13 December 2014), John Richard Bland, 1869; from “England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005,”
4. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DL1-KXK : 13 December 2014), John Richard Bland, 1873; from “England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005,”

• http://theblandwhanau.blogspot.co.nz/p/john-i.html

• "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2JD9-GF7 : accessed 15 July 2015), Mary Jane Bland, 1867; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, St. Olave Southwark, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.

• http://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-1/myheritage-family-trees?s=269813981&itemId=154897781-1-50&action=showRecord

• http://www.purewa.co.nz/details.asp?id=38946&type=Burial

• Death notice, Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1918, Page 8.

• See Also as a possible genealogy of the Blands - "The Bland Papers" By Theodorick Bland

• Birthcert for child

• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourstuff/Rooparell.htm

Census Records

• "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB6H-J57 : 24 July 2015), John Bland, 1871.