William Charles (Holmes) Sweetapple (1862 - 1919)

Born 26 Oct 1862 in Southampton, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 30 Nov 1919 at age 57 in At Sea

Biography

William was born in 1862 at 6 Elm Place, Southampton. He was the son of Frederick Holmes and Mary Ann Holmes, nee Bannister. William's father was a seaman in the Merchant Service.

He married Ann(ie) Jane Armstrong at Portsea, Hampshire in 1882.

Their English-born children:

1. George WIlliam Frederick Holmes, 1883-1948

William and Annie Holmes emigrated to New Zealand in about 1884. He changed his surname to Sweetapple for family reasons.

Their New Zealand-born children:

1. Charles Henry Holmes, 1885-1918, influenza
2. Harriet Sweetapple (Holmes) Pedersen, 1887-1951
3. Walter John Holmes, 1890-1946
4. Mabel Elizabeth (Holmes) Green, 1892-1918, influenza
5. Ernest Theodore Holmes, 1895-1918, Somme, France
6. Dorothy Lydia (Holmes) McBurney, 1897-1980
7. Yeoman Sweetapple Holmes, 1900-1923
8. Ruth Holmes, 1903-1903
9. Clarence Armstrong Bannister Holmes, 1905-

He was taken ill suddenly aboard the Osterley, en route to England, late in 1919. His wife and a son (probably Clarence) were travelling with him.

"A wireless message from the steamer Osterley, at present en route to England, reports the death of Mr. William Sweetapple, of Awatoto, who has been for many years a much respected settler in Hawke’s Bay. He arrived in New Zealand about 40 years ago under his proper name of William Holmes, but this was changed to Sweetapple for family reasons. Some thirty years ago he was appointed engineer to the soap works at Awatoto, but a few years ago, when this establishment changed hands, he set up a wool and hide business at Awatoto, which he has since carried on. Recently he decided to make a trip to England, and left New Zealand with his wife and youngest son by the Osterley. A radio message sent at 5-10 p.m. yesterday stated that he was seriously ill and a message some three hours later, announced his death. The vessel was then between Fremantle and Suez. The messages were picked up at Adelaide and cabled to Napier. His wife and son are returning to Sydney, and the two sons and daughter who are in Awatoto, leave immediately to meet her. Deep sympathy will be extended to Mrs. Sweetapple who, besides this loss also gave two of her sons in the recent war, and lost another son and a daughter in New Zealand about the same time.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 296, 1 December 1919, Page 4

• Birth: General Register Office UK, birth record attached.
• Census 1871: "England and Wales Census, 1871", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFDJ-4G9 : Sat Feb 24 08:27:07 UTC 2024), Entry for Frederick Holmes and Mary Holmes, 1871.
• Census 1881: "England and Wales Census, 1881", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q274-NCHM : Tue Mar 05 07:36:10 UTC 2024), Entry for Fredk Holmes and Mary Ann Holmes, 1881.