Henry Sharland (Seymour) Hall (1884 - 1948)

Born 1884 in New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Louise Martha (Grainger) Hall — married 1908 in New Zealand

Died 1948 at about age 64 in New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Scott Morgan [send private message]

Biography

Henry was born in 1884. Henry Hall ... He passed away in 1948.

My research suggests that Henry Sharland HALL was born Henry Sharland SEYMOUR, and it is this family I have been researching for several years. If you search the birth of Henry Sharland SEYMOUR on NZ DIA Births, Deaths and Marriages Historical Records, enter the surname SEYMOUR and the search to and from dates as 11 Sep 1883 this will take you to his birth record. He was the 7th of 8 children born to Robert Sharland SEYMOUR & Kate Maria SEYMOUR. If my research is correct Kate already had two children from a previous marriage before she married Robert Sharland SEYMOUR. Her first husband was lost at sea only a couple of years into the marriage. So this couple was bringing up 10 children, and articles in Papers Past suggest that they were living in very 'straightened' circumstances. My research on NZ Archives Archway website found the military record of Henry Sharland HALL which records his dob as 11 Sep 1883, so same birth date as Henry Sharland SEYMOUR. I also found two probate files, one for Henry Sharland HALL and the other for Henry Sharland Seymour HALL, both dated 1948. My probable conclusion is that Henry Sharland may have been fostered or adopted by William & Elizabeth HALL, if for no other reason than his natural parents were struggling to provide for their large family, and that foster or adoptive parents may have been able to give him a better life. I do not live close to Canterbury so have no way of researching foster or adoption records of the time, even if they do exist. The Sharland name is perhaps the most interesting link, as it goes back generations in the SEYMOUR family, although I am aware that Henry did not necessarily continue to use the name throughout his life, only to have it surface again in his probate file/s. The other link is that both these families had strong links to Lyttelton and Banks Peninsula, some for all their lives. I can cite sources for most of my research, but be aware that I cannot cite a source for a possible fostering or adoption. I hope this gives you some food for thought. I will conclude by stating that my research suggests that Henry lead a very worthy life - one that his descendants can be justly proud of.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.familytreecircles.com/hall-henry-sharland-of-governors-bay-married-louise-grainger-from-methven-41327.html

• Birth - Births, Deaths & Marriages New Zealand Birth cert 1883/18779
• Marriage - Births, Deaths & Marriages New Zealand Marriage cert 1908/5151
• Death - Births, Deaths & Marriages New Zealand Death cert 1948/32082 aged 64Y
• http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/104279.detail
• Probate Documents [1]