Charles Cleaver (1850 - 1936)

Born 23 May 1850 in Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Frances (Murfitt) Cleaver — married 24 Apr 1871 in Woodend, Canterbury, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 2 Oct 1936 at age 86 in Normanby, South Taranaki, Taranaki, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jeff Thomas [send private message]

Biography

Charles was born in 1850. he came to NZ as an infant with his parents. He married Frances Murfitt in 1871 ^[1] He passed away in 1936 age 86. ^[2]

OBITUARY MR. C. CLEAVER. T'lie death of Mr. Charles Cleaver, Normanby, a passenger in the Cressy, one of "the first four ships," occurred at Normanby recently. Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver, who were married at Woodend, Canterbury, 18 miles north of Christchurch, celebrated their "platinum" wedding breakfast on April 23 last, when more than a hundred relations attended. Mr. Cleaver was the son of Mr. H. Cleaver, a pioneer, who came to New Zealand in 1850. Mr. Cleaver was three months old when his parents left his birthplace in Warwickshire, England, for the Dominion. The voyage to New Zealand was made in the Cressy, one of the first four ships dispatched by the Plymouth Company to New Zealand to establish a settlement in Canterbury. After three long months the Cressy berthed at Port Lvttelton. Mr. Cleaver first lived in a raupo thatched dug-out on the Port Hills, Lvttelton. Mr. Clearer, sen., then took his family to Kaiapoi, where they remained for 11 years. On April 24, 1871, Mr. Charles Cleaver married Miss Frances Murfitt, daughter of the late Mr. John Murfitt, who brought his family to the colonies from Cambridgeshire in the Strath Helen in 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver settled on a 500-aere section near Christchurch. They lived in that district for 23 years. About 3S years ago the pair arrived at Midhirst, Taranaki, where they farmed until about 22 years ago, when they retired to live nearby. Mr. Cleaver is survived by his widow, who is 83 years of age, and members of the family are Mr. Edward Cleaver (Palmerston North), Mr. William Cleaver (Waverley), Mr. Harry Cleaver (Te Kuiti), Mr. George Cleaver (Lltham), Mrs. E. Myers (Ruawai), Mr. Stanley Cleaver (Waverley), Mr. James Cleaver (Whakatane), Mrs. Jack Marx (kihikihi), Mrs. A. Schmidt (Lower Hutt), Mrs. M. Oscar Marx (Otahuhu), Mrs. Allan Schmidt (Eltham). ^[3]

PIONEER COUPLE 86 LIVING DESCENDANTS Experiences in the early days of colonisation in. New Zealand wore retold at the celebration o£ the 60th year of the' marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cleaver, of Normanby. The event was observed at Normanby and was attended by a large.number of the 86 living descendants of the couple (states tho "Now Zealand Herald"). Many of Mr. and_ Mrs. Cleaver's children and grandchildren, live in the Auckland Province. At the celebrations four from Auckland were present, 11 from Whakatane, five from the Waikato district, eight from To Kuiti, and five from liuawai. Sons and daughters present included Mr. Will Cleaver, of Auckland, Mrs. J. Marx, of Cambridge, Mr. J; Cleaver and Mrs. H. Free, of Wh'akatane, Mrs. Meier, of Kuawai, and Mi. 11. Cleaver, of To Kuiti. Mr. Charles Cleaver was born in Warwickshire in 1850, and at the age of three months he left London for Lyttelton on the Cressy, one of the first four emigrant ships to reach Canterbury. He was married at Woodend Church, near Christehurch, in .1871. For the next 27 years Mr. Cleaver farmed about 500 acres of land in Canterbury, and about 33 years ago the family went fo Taranaki. Transport was difficult in those times, and the absence of facilities proved a handicap to the pioneering of the dairy industry which was afterwards to make Taranaki famous. Mr. Cleaver was engaged in the early days of the industry, but about sixteen years ago he took up residence at Normanby. Mrs. Cleaver left Cambridgeshire for New Zealand by the Strathelen when she was five years of age. At the celebrations at Normanby, Mr. W. Murfltt, of ChrisCchurch, brother ana sister of Mrs. Cleaver, were the only guests at tho original wedding who were presont. The sons wero well known in sport in several provinces. Mr. Will Cleaver owned tho racehorses White Ranger, Mulga Bill, and Jiu Jitsu.^[4]

Research Notes

From Passenger list of the Cressy - Cleaver - Henry - wife and four children

Sources

1. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1871/6609
2. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Death registration 1936/26163
3. ↑ Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 7 October 1936
4. ↑ Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 107, 8 May 1931

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/171499369/charles-cleaver: accessed 27 July 2022), memorial page for Charles Cleaver (23 May 1850–2 Oct 1936), Find a Grave Memorial ID 171499369, citing Hāwera Cemetery, Hāwera, South Taranaki District, Taranaki, New Zealand; Maintained by Debbie McCauley (contributor 47672193).