Archelaus Thomas (1853 - 1929)

Born 1853 in Cadoxton-Juxta-Barry, Glamorganshire, Wales

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Ann (Barrett) Thomas — married 18 Mar 1883 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 20 May 1929 at about age 76 in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Wendy Johnston [send private message]

Biography

Archelaus Thomas migrated from England to New Zealand.

This profile is part of the Barry, Glamorgan One Place Study.

Archelaus was baptised in the parish church of Cadoxton Juxta Barry, Glamorganshire, Wales in September 1853. ^[1] His baptism record notes him to be the son of Thomas Thomas and Mary Davies of Weston Farm.

His mother died in 1857. His father remarried.

Wales Census Event Date 1861: Living with his family in Cadoxton Juxta Barry, Glamorganshire, Wales. Aged 7 and a Scholar. Also in the househould were four servants.

Archelaus migrated to New Zealand as a boy, with his siblings, father and stepmother on board the Columbus, landing in October 1864.

By February 1866 Archelaus' father had died. It is said he and his brother James went to the Thames, Coromandel, soon after. He lived most of his life in Thames, working in the gold mines and later as licencee for hotels in various locations including Thames, Cambridge and Auckland.

As a young man, Archelaus was something of an athlete; a runner of some note, he is said to have won the North Island mile running championship in Foxton in 1877, and was a champion rifleman, winning the Carbine Belt for 1880/81.

He married Elizabeth Ann Downs on 18 March 1883 in New Zealand.

They had six children.

In June 1906, a news article announced the transfer of the licence for the Criterion Hotel in Otahuhu to A. Thomas [4]. Not much more than a year later, in July 1907, Otahuhu News column in the Auckland Star described a farewell dinner for "Mr and Mrs Thomas and family in the Criterion Hotel... Mr Thomas has been in charge of the Criterion Hotel for about 12 months" [5].

In February 1910, an advertisement appeared in the Waikato Independent, announcing Mr A. Thomas (described as late of Thames, Newmarket and Otahuhu) taking over the Central Hotel, Cambridge (image at http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE281138), with "nothing but the best liquor ... dispensed." and the "...dining room under the supervision of Mrs Thomas." [2]. In August 1912, A. Thomas "Formerly proprietor of the Newmarket Hotel, Criterion, Otahuhu and Central Cambridge" advertising as being "... now located at..." Wynyard Arms Hotel, Wellesley and Symonds Street, Auckland [3].

His wife died in 1919.

Archelaus was living with his daughter Anne and son in law Joseph Johnston in Auckland when he died in 1929, aged 75.

His obituary in the Thames Star, 24 May 1929, page 4 describes him as having managed a number of gold mines in the Coromandel district, and having been something of an all-round sportsman. Later in his life, Archelaus had also taken on licences for a number of hotels, in which his children worked. The obituary also mentions that his brother James was his sole surviving sibling[1].

Burial

21 May 1929 - Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand. PLOT: Block A Row 7, Plot 8.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ "Wales, Glamorganshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. From "Parish Records Collection 1538-2005." Database and images. findmypast. http://www.findmypast.com : 2012. Citing The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCB7-LC8
2. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201871465/archelaus-thomas

• http://search.findmypast.com.au/record?id=gbprs%2fb%2f855332428%2f1 Baptism record

• "England and Wales Census, 1861." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 April 2020. From "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census." Database and images. findmypast. http://www.findmypast.com : n.d. Citing PRO RG 9. The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7BJ-R4G

• Family information

• NZ BDM Marriage Records Online: 1883/1986 Elizabeth Ann Downs and Archelaus Thomas https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Search

• NZ BDM Death Records Online: 1929/2659 Thomas Archelans 75Y https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Search

• https://www.purewa.co.nz/view/?id=35514

[1] Obituary & life story: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS19290524.2.23?query=thomas+cadoxton&items_per_page=10&snippet=true https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19290521.2.83?end_date=31-12-1930&items_per_page=10&phrase=0&query=obituary+archelaus+thomas&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-01-1910&title=AMW%2CAONUPEP%2CHAEATA%2CHIIR%2CHOKIOI%2CHUIA%2CJUBIL%2CKAHITI%2CKORIM%2CMMTKM%2CMW%2CNZTR%2CPIHOI%2CWAKAM%2CWANANG%2CWHETU%2CALG%2CAS%2CDSC%2CKWE%2CNZH%2CNZ%2CTO%2CPWT%2CROTWKG Obituary and life story: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19290524.2.155?end_date=1930-12-31&items_per_page=10&page=4&phrase=0&query=obituary+thomas&sort_by=byDA&start_date=1929-01-01&title=AMW%2CAONUPEP%2CHAEATA%2CHIIR%2CHOKIOI%2CHUIA%2CJUBIL%2CKAHITI%2CKORIM%2CMMTKM%2CMW%2CNZTR%2CPIHOI%2CWAKAM%2CWANANG%2CWHETU%2CALG%2CAS%2CDSC%2CKWE%2CNZH%2CNZ%2CTO%2CPWT%2CROTWKG

[2] Waikato Independent, VOLUME XI, ISSUE 867, 15 FEBRUARY 1910. Accessed on https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers

[3] OBSERVER, VOLUME XXXII, ISSUE 50, 24 AUGUST 1912, Page 18 Advertisements Column 2. Accessed on https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

[4] AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME XXXVII, ISSUE 137, 9 JUNE 1906. Accessed on https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

[5] AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME XXXVIII, ISSUE 160, 6 JULY 1907. Accessed on https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz