Walter Birch I Sr (1846 - 1910)

Born 5 May 1846 in Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand

Husband of Cecilia Aurelia (Bennett) Birch — married 23 Oct 1878 in the Office of the Registrar of Marriages, Auckland, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 21 Dec 1910 at age 64 in Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Hugh Ethan Birch [send private message]

Biography

Contractor, of the Kauri Timber Company, of Tairua, Coromandel and Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand.

Background

He was the youngest son of Dr Thomas John Birch and Te Hauauru Te Hiwi.

Education

Walter was taken to Auckland by Logan Campbell and raised by Dr Brown. These two were involved with the Kauri timber trade with Thomas Birch; his father.

He was then sent to the Coromandel to work for the Kauri Timber Company

Marriage and family

On 23 October 1878 at the Office of the Registrar of Marriages, Auckland, by John M Wayland, Registrar, he married Cecilia Aurelia (Celia) Bennett, the eldest daughter of Matira Te Pokiha and Henry Riley Bennett, and they had 17 children.

On their Marriage Certificate No 78/2455, he was named Walter Birch, a Contractor and Bachelor, of Full age, and his wife was named Celia Bennett, a Spinster, also of Full age. She signed the register with her mark (an 'X'). Witnesses were: James Mulholland, Stamp Clerk, Auckland, and Daniel Powell, Messenger, Stamp Office, Auckland.

Later years

Around 1900 the family moved to Whangaruru, Northland.

Death and burial

He died on 21 December 1910, aged 64. He was buried in Tokitoki Point Cemetery, Whangaruru. His widow died in 1929 and was buried with him.

Research notes

"I am particularly interested in the land succession. From what I have learned the [four] brothers succeeded to the Maori land, whilst my ancestor Sarah, the sister, succeeded to nothing.

"Sarah’s death certificate is interesting in that it records her mother as Annie Birch, nee Patene, which is incorrect. I imagine Walter’s death certificate lists Annie as his mother too, as he was the youngest. I think that Ani Patene was Sarah and Walter’s aunty; half-sister to their mother Hauauru. Ani raised Sarah after their father’s death.

"Walter was taken to Auckland by Logan Campbell and raised by Dr Brown. These two were involved with the Kauri trade with Thomas Birch; their father. He was then sent to the Coromandel to work for the Kauri Timber Company, and of course he married into the Bennett family." Margaret Muller (moo.la[@]outlook.co.nz), ['email address redacted to foil spammers'], 14 Oct 2020.

Sources

The History of the Bennett Family, compiled by Stuart Ward (1993).

Marriage reg 1878/2441, NZBDM [1]

Find A Grave [2]