Ernest Smith (1857 - 1941)

Born 4 Apr 1857 in Radford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Alice (Curtis) Smith — married 31 Aug 1887 in Pukekaroru, North Auckland, New Zealand

Husband of Frances Elizabeth (Potts) Smith — married 9 Feb 1925 in Register's Office, Auckland

Descendants

Died 21 Mar 1941 at age 83 in Auckland Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile managers: K Smith [send private message], Marilyn Blakeney-Williams [send private message], and Barrie Smith [send private message]

Biography

French was his primary language - he had to learn the English language after he arrived in New Zealand. He also learnt to understand the Maori Language.

He is the son of a French Lace Maker

Arrived on the "Nelson" in Auckland on the 21 Jan 1865, carrying immigrants and soldiers. Passenger list reads: James and Mary; Sarah Eliza, James, Ernest, Sarah Ann, Harry, and Russell

The family say that when they arrived into New Zealand their primary language spoken was French. The family had to quickly learn to speak in English - as well as learn to understand the language of Maori.

However as late as the 1930's, the language spoken at all family gatherings such as Christmas, was French. It was so normal that many of the family are unaware that they spoke French. Over several years I asked many of elderly gt-grandchildren about this topic. They new they spoke different words, but several didn't know they were speaking another language. By adulthood that had forgotten their French language. If you listen to how they pronounce some words, you'll see they have anglicized many French words used in the English vocabulary.

Point Ernie on the Kairapa Harbour is named after Ernest Smith. He was a Farmer at Pukekaroro, Near Maungaturoto

In his later years he lived at Milford Beach, Auckland - back then, the beach was undeveloped (today it a a suburb of Auckland, with streets and many houses).

My father knew Granddad Ernie well - they used to go fishing together and his grandson Albert Smith cherished his grandfather, who taught him a great deal about life and fishing.

Granddad Ernie must have been musical, as he taught grandson Albert Smith to play the Piano Accordion. It took many months to draw out the memories of these lessons. Eventually Albert said, I cannot remember what we played, as they were just "little French ditties, that everyone knew". Albert then recalled how they had only ever played French songs.

Kathryn, had been told by many people that "only French was spoken in the family home". When she asked her father, Albert, he laughed, and said that his sisters had made it all up. It took another two years to get everyone in the same room, and develop an open conversation. I read back to them what they had said and each person said the facts were correct and the others support them. Everyone accept Albert! They all attacked him with questions he couldn't answer. So what was that language you use in his workshop? French songs. So what were you speaking (with you grandfather) when you walked down the road, with your fishing rods? Albert quickly looked at them, and said, "that was our secret, we had our own language when we went fishing - we called it "fishing language". NO! said his relatives - you were talking in the French language.

Albert thought about it - and you could hear the meaning drop. "I never knew, I just thought it was something special I had with my granddad"

Other family conversations, have since exposed that most of the grandchildren were unaware that they had spoken French. This family arrived in New Zealand in 1865 and it is known they were still communicating in French throughout the First World War and probably at late as the 1950's! - by Kathryn D Mooney (nee Smith)

Ernie died at Auckland Hospital and is buried in the Hillsborough Cemetery, Auckland. He was nearly 84 years old.

Sources

• Birth record

NZ Death certificate Family bible Directly from his children