Thomas James Gee (1837 - 1911)

Born 16 Dec 1837 in St James, London, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza (Kay) Gee — married 1862 in Stepney, London, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 20 Apr 1911 at age 73 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile managers: John Manning [send private message] and Chris Fontaine [send private message]

Biography

Thomas James Gee was born in 1837 to Benjamin Gee and Mary Ann Eldridge. Thomas was a middle child in a family of six: Benjamin Joseph Gee (b. 1833), Hephzibah Gee (b. 1836), Thomas James Gee (b.1838), Alfred George Gee (b. 1840), William Gee (1843) and Stephen Gee (b. 1845). Most of the children were christened in Newington, which is now a district of South London, just south of the River Thames, and part of the London Borough of Southwark.

Thomas's father Benjamin died in 1864 and several in the family emigrated after this date: Thomas had married Eliza Kay in 1862 and the couple emigrated two years later to New Zealand on the British Empire, with their first child (Louisa Mary Maria). In 1872 Thomas’s sister Hephzibah (married name Jones) and her family emigrated to New Zealand as well, arriving 3 Aug 1872 aboard the Merope.^[1]

Thomas and Eliza arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand on 6th September 1864, and they settled in Christchurch. Thomas was a builder and contractor and worked for many years in Christchurch, erecting several large premises during this time.^[2]

Thomas and Eliza had another seven children in New Zealand, all born in Christchurch: Amy (1865- 1932), Thomas George (1868-1943), Bertha (1870-1943), Walter James (1873-1952), Benjamin (1875-1875), Ernest Benjamin (1876-1960) and Emma Serina (1877-1961).

In 1869 his wife's parents (George Peter Kay and Maria Juliana Nation) and two of his wife's sisters joined them in Christchurch, arriving on the Mermaid, 8 January 1869.

When Thomas retired from the building trade he took up land in Cheviot and he and Eliza shifted to the country. He also worked as a timber merchant in Cheviot.^[3][4] Eliza died at Cheviot 27 November 1897, aged 59 and is buried in the Homeview Cemetery, Cheviot.

Two of Eliza and Thomas's sons took over the Cheviot run and Thomas returned to Christchurch to live. He died at Grafton Street Christchurch 20 March 1911, aged 73 and is buried in Linwood Cemetery in Christchurch.^[5]

Some of the family of Eliza and Thomas remained in Canterbury: Their oldest son Thomas was a member of the Canterbury Land Board and was also a very successful shower of harness ponies.^[6] Their eldest daughter Mary Louise married Albert Hight and lived in Tinwald, Ashburton. Their youngest daughter Emma Serena married George William Forbes from Cheviot, who went on to become Prime Minister of New Zealand 1930-1935.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FST4-JZJ : 9 March 2021), Hephzibah Jones, 3 Aug 1872; citing ship , Archives New Zealand, Wellington; FHL microfilm 004411587.
2. ↑ Obituary in LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXII, ISSUE 15596, 21 APRIL 1911, Page 7. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT19110421.2.64
3. ↑ Obituary in LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXII, ISSUE 15596, 21 APRIL 1911, Page 7. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT19110421.2.64
4. ↑ Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14023, 21 April 191: copied below
5. ↑ Obituary in LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXII, ISSUE 15596, 21 APRIL 1911, Page 7. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT19110421.2.64
6. ↑ information on Thomas James Gee at the Canterbury Museum: https://collection.canterburymuseum.com/objects/711345/macdonald-dictionary-record-thomas-james-gee
7. ↑ W. J. Gardner. 'Forbes, George William', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1996. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3f9/forbes-george-william (accessed 18 February 2022)

Birth record:

• Not located: date of birth and place of birth are from obituary in LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXII, ISSUE 15596, 21 APRIL 1911, Page 7. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT19110421.2.64

Marriage record for Eliza Kay and Thomas Gee:

• Thomas James Gee married Eliza Kay in Stepney, June quarter, 1862, Vol 1c, page 879, from Free BDM's - https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

Emigration record:

• "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSBH-323 : 8 August 2017), Thomas J Gee, 06 Sep 1864; citing ship British Empire, Archives New Zealand, Wellington; FHL microfilm .

Death records for Eliza and Thomas Gee:

• NZBDM 1897/2297: Gee Eliza 59Y
• NZBDM 1876/153: Gee Thomas 67Y
• "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-VFF2 : 8 August 2017), Thomas James Gee, 1911; citing Christchurch, Christchurch Probate Files, 1855-2003, record number CH7273/1911, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 007406509.

Grave records for Eliza and Thomas Gee:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #149590614 Eliza Gee, Homeview Cemetery, Cheviot
• Find A Grave: Memorial #142020830 Thomas Gee, Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch
• "BillionGraves Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV3M-CHHF : 31 July 2018), Thomas James Gee, died 20 Apr 1911; citing BillionGraves (http://www.billiongraves.com : 2012), Burial at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Obituaries:

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14023, 21 April 1911

MR T. J. GEE.

The death is announced of Mr Thomas James Gee, an old colonist, who was well-known in Christchurch. as a building contractor. The late Mr Gee was born in St. James's, London, in 1837, and came to the Dominion in September. 1864. He resided in Christchurch from that date till a few years ago, when ho went into business as a timber merchant at Cheviot. He returned to Christchurch recently. Amongst some of the business places in Christchurch built by him was the block at the corner of Colombo and Gloucester streets, in which is situated one of the shops of the Christchurch Meat Company.

Also obituary in LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXII, ISSUE 15596, 21 APRIL 1911, Page 7. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT19110421.2.64

Acknowledgements

• Early work: John Manning, Wednesday, July 16, 2014.