Joseph Setters (1912 - 1997)

Born 24 Jun 1912 in Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy (McIntyre) Setters — married 3 Jul 1940 in Auckland, New Zealand

Husband of Greta Ann (Stevens) Setters — married 1967 in Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 12 Mar 1997 at age 84 in Auckland, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Helen Gadd [send private message] and John Setters [send private message]

Biography

Joseph Setters was born on 25 June 1912 at Belfast, Ireland, the son of Samuel Thomas Setters and Sarah Annie Setters. ^[1]

The Setters family were living at 202 Woodstock Road, Belfast before deciding to immigrate. ^[2]

The family immigrated to New Zealand from Ireland, beginning their journey aboard the SS Remuera. This ship collided with the SS Marengo on 21 July 1922 in the English Channel. The family then sailed from Southampton on 27 September 1922 aboard S.S. Paparoa and landed in Auckland. Ship records state Master J Setters was aged 9 years. ^[3]

A newspaper account of the collision from the Pall Mall Gazette dated 21 July 1922, Pg 3, read in part -
LINER HOLED IN THE CHANNEL.
PASSENGERS LANDED AT PORTLAND.
COLLISION IN FOG.
The steamship Remuera, with mails and passengers for New Zealand, collided in the Channel this morning with the Ellerman steamer Marengo.
Tugs and lifeboats were sent out to the rescue of the Remuera, which was badly holed, and she eventually made Portland, where the passengers were landed.
RACE TO THE RESCUE.
The New Zealand Steam Shipping Company’s vessel Remuera, of 11,000 tons register, has been in a collision with the steamship Marengo, a 6,000 ton vessel belonging to the Ellerman Line.
The collision occurred in a fog twelve miles south of Bolt Tail, off the South Devon coast.
The Remuera sent out an S.O.S. signal, in response to which steamer in the vicinity and tugs from Portland and Weymouth went to her assistance.
The tugs found the vessel twenty minutes of Portland Bill, steaming slowly for Portland.
She was badly damaged in three holds and all pumps were going.
The Remuera made Portland early this morning under her own steam, and the passengers were landed there later.
The Remuera left Southampton yesterday for New Zealand via Panama. ^[4]
The Admiralty Court late judged Marengo was responsible for the collision in a proportion of two-thirds and Remuera in a proportion of one-third. ^[5]

Initially the Setters family lived in Symond Street, Auckland near Partington’s Mill. Joseph attended Seddon Memorial Technical College in Wellesley St, Auckland until he was aged 13 and then found work at Smith and Caughey Ltd, Queen St, Auckland. He was also a member of the Brethren Howe Street Hall, Howe St, Newton, Auckland. ^[6]

In the 1935 Waitemata supplementary electoral roll and 1938 electoral roll Joseph was living with his parents at 20 Norwood Rd, Bayswater, Auckland and working as a storeman.

From the New Zealand Herald dated 11 January 1936, Pg 19 – Advertisements -
CHRISTIANS KNOWN AS "BRETHREN" HOLD CITY-WIDE MEETINGS AS UNDER:—
HOWE STREET HALL,
Off Karangahape Road.
Continuation of Testimony Meetings.
SUNDAY EVENING. 7 P.M., Speakers: MR. CYRIL MARTIN, MR. JOSEPH SETTERS.
TUESDAY, 7.30 – Prayer Meeting and Bible Reading. ^[7]

Joseph Setters married Nancy McIntyre on 3 July 1940 at the Gospel Hall, Auckland. Their marriage certificate further recorded Joseph was a bachelor aged 28 and a shop assistant. He had been born in Belfast, Ireland and was then living in Birkenhead [Auckland]. Nancy was a spinster aged 25. She had been born in England [as recorded, but incorrect] and was then living in Parnell. ^[8]

From the New Zealand Herald dated 12 August 1940, Pg 1 -
MARRIAGES
SETTERS— McINTYRE.—On July 3, at Howe Street Hall, Nancy, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. K. Mclntyre, Parnell, to Joseph, youngest ,son of Mr. and Mrs. S. T. Setters, Birkenhead. ^[9]

Joseph and Nancy had met while they were both working at Smith and Caughey. Nancy gave up her job after their marriage. She had been a seamstress in what was known as the Workroom, possibly doing fittings and alterations. Joseph remained at Smith and Caughey until he retired as manager aged 82 years. ^[10]

This couple had three children.

The family attended the Brethren Howe Street Hall / Chapel where Joseph and Nancy were married until it’s closure in 1988. Joseph was the Chairman of the final Service held there and the family still have an audio tape of the service. ^[11]

Joseph joined the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force [WWII] and as a member of the NZ Medical Corps and served in the Islands. He listed the places he had been to as a member of the 7th Field Ambulance in the front of his bible. They included Epsom Show Grounds; Papakura Military Camp, Fencourt Camp, Cambridge; Noumea and Nepoui, New Caledonia; Vila, New Hebrides; Guadalcanal and Tulagi, Solomon Islands; and Mono Island and Stirling Island, Treasury Islands. Joseph then returned to Noumea and from there was taken by a US transport ship Talamanca back to Auckland.
The 12th Field Ambulance was attached to the 3rd Division who retook Mono Island from the Japanese in October 1943. Joseph helped rebuild the church at Mono Island after October 1943 and Nancy made the cushion, which rested on the pulpit and held the Bible. Joe led the rededication service. ^[12]

From a book entitled Shovel, Sword and Scalpel, a record of the WWII service of medical units of the 2nd Expeditionary Force in the Pacific, was the following exert in which Joseph was mentioned -
Page 23 -
Returned to Fencourt, an advanced party of five under Captain Archer left us for an unknown destination. However, we soon learned that they had arrived at New Caledonia, and we set to work to find out what we could of the country. When we discovered that we would probably be camped in isolated areas the indefatigable Padre Sheild, ably assisted by the equally tireless 'town traveller,' Private Joe Setters, set to work to procure battery radios, sports gear and sundry items ranging from flea powder to a sewing machine, all of which they anticipated would be of use overseas. ^[13]
Family speculate Joe was probably named the town traveller as he regularly borrowed a motorcycle to visit Nancy in Auckland when on leave from the Army Camp.

In the 1946, 1954 and 1957 electoral rolls Joseph and Nancy were living at 51 Brighton Rd, the family home. Joseph was then a manager at Smith and Caughey. ^[14]

Following her mother's death in 1958 Nancy inherited a property at 33 Brighton Road Parnell and all her mother's jewellery and watches. ^[15]

Nancy Setters died on 27 November 1961 at Auckland Public Hospital, aged 47 years of a general haemorrhage, 2 days. Her death certificate further recorded her usual address as 51 Brighton St, Parnell. Nancy was the daughter of Edmund Kenneth Bruce McIntyre, a storeman, and Maud McIntyre nee Harman. She had married Joseph Setters in Auckland at age 25. At her death Nancy had three living children, two sons aged 15 and 13 and a daughter aged 18 years. ^[16]

Joseph was instrumental in the establishment of Edenvale Rest Home, Mt Eden, Auckland in 1961. His sons continue to serve on the Trust Board to this day [2020]. He was involved in the formation of the Christian Ex-Servicemen’s reunions that were held in Auckland. Reunions were discontinued, as numbers declined, during his lifetime. ^[17]

Joseph remarried to Greta Ann Stevens on 23 March 1967 at the Ellerslie Bible Chapel, Roberts St. Ellerslie. Their marriage certificate recorded Joseph was a widower aged 54 and a drapery warehouse manager. He had been born in Belfast Northern Ireland and was then residing at 51 Brighton Rd, Parnell. Greta was a spinster aged 38 and a kitchen supervisor. She had been born in Invercargill and was then residing at Lincoln Rd, Henderson. ^[18]

This couple and Joseph's children then moved to 37a Woodward Rd, Mount Albert, Auckland.

When the Howe St Chapel closed Joseph and Greta chose to worship at the Wiremu Street Chapel. 

Joseph Setters died on 12 March 1997 at Auckland Public Hospital, Park Rd, Auckland aged 84 years of bronchial obstruction and consolidation, 3 weeks; bronchogenic carcinoma, months; and atrial fibrillation. His death certificate further recorded Joseph's usual address as 37A Woodward Rd, Mt Albert and his occupation as a retired Department Store manager. Joseph had been born on 25 June 1912 in Belfast, Ireland and had lived in New Zealand for 72 years. His parents were named as Samuel Thomas Setters, a tram car conductor, and Sarah Ann Setters nee Smith. He had married Greta Ann Stevens at age 55 in Auckland. Greta was aged 68 years at his death. Joseph had three living children, two sons aged 50 and 48, and a daughter aged 53. ^[19]

Nancy and Joseph Setters were buried at Purewa Cemetery [Block M, Row 10, Plot 064]. ^[20]

After Joseph's death Greta moved to Richmond, Nelson. She suffered a stroke in 2007 and moved to Earnest Rutherford Rest Home, Nelson until 2016. She then transferred to Vickery Court Hospital in Invercargill to be closer to her siblings and was still there when she passed away. ^[21]

Greta Setters died on 22 August 2017 aged 88 years. ^[22]

Her funeral service was held at Riverton Community Church and she was then buried at Riverton Cemetery, Invercargill. ^[23]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage and death certificates
2. ↑ Family knowledge
3. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D4VQ-ZHL?i=16&cc=1609792&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF39C-LZJ
4. ↑ Newspaper is available to view at Find My Past - Newspapers and periodicals
5. ↑ Papers Past - https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers
6. ↑ Family knowledge
7. ↑ Newspaper can be viewed at Papers Past - https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers
8. ↑ Certified copy of Marriage
   NZ Historical BMD Index Online
   https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/home
   Registration Number; Bride's Name; Groom's Name
   Marriage 1940/6214; Nancy McIntyre; Joseph Setters
9. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers
10. ↑ Family knowledge
11. ↑ Family knowledge
12. ↑ Joseph Setter's Bible
13. ↑ Copy of the book in family hands
14. ↑ New Zealand Electoral Rolls
    Some rolls are available to view at Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010
15. ↑ Will of Maud McIntyre
16. ↑ Certified copy of Death
    NZ Historical BMD Index Online
    https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/home
    Registration Number: Family Name: Given Name(s): Age at Death
    Death 1961/36723; Setters; Nancy; 47 yrs
17. ↑ Family knowledge
18. ↑ Certified copy of Marriage certificate
19. ↑ Certified copy of Death certificate
    NZ Historical BMD Index Online
    https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/home
    Registration Number: Family Name: Given Name(s): Date of birth
    Death 1997/33416; Setters; Joseph; 25 Jun 1912
20. ↑ http://www.purewa.co.nz/search/
21. ↑ Family knowledge
22. ↑ NZ Historical BMD Index Online
    https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/home
    Registration Number: Family Name: Given Name(s): Date of birth
    Death 2017/23753; Setters; Greta Ann; 10 November 1928
23. ↑ Family knowledge