Oscar Jolland Hair (1882 - 1948)

Born 14 May 1882 in Barton upon Humber, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Frances Terisa Maude (Huff) Hair — married 13 Aug 1908 in Shannon, New Zealand

Died 8 Jan 1948 at age 65 in Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand

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Biography

Oscar Jolland was born on 14 May 1882 at Pasture Road, Barton on Humber, Lincolnshire, the son of William Hair, a gardener, and Elizabeth Hair formerly Chapman. The informant of his birth was father William Hair of the same address. ^[1]

Oscar immigrated to Australia in 1886 with his parents and siblings, arriving in Queensland aboard the Scottish Knight. ^[2]

The family settled in the Yandaran district, Queensland.
Yandaran Creek School records state Oscar was enrolled there in June 1889. The family was living at Yandaran and father William was a farmer.
In January 1897 Oscar re-enrolled at Yandaran Creek School. The family was then living at Littabella and William was still a farmer. ^[3]

As young men Oscar and his brother Horace moved to New Zealand. They traveled around together for several years but family stories state after an argument Horace returned to Australia and they never spoke to each other again.

The first evidence of Oscar in New Zealand is in the 1905-06 Wairarapa Electoral Roll. He was then living at Taratahi East, near Masterton, and working as a horse driver. ^[4]

Oscar Jolland Hair married Maud Huff on the 13 August 1908 at the Office of the Registrar of Marriages in Shannon. Their marriage certificate Oscar was a bachelor aged 24 and a labourer. His parents were named as William Hair, a labourer and Elizabeth Hair nee Chapman. His place of birth was stated as Lincolnshire, England. Maud was a spinster aged 23. Her parents were named as George Huff, a shepherd and Caroline Huff nee Taylor. Her place of birth was Foxton, New Zealand. Both were living at Shannon at the time of their marriage. The witnesses were Frank Williams, a labourer of Shannon and Kathleen Sitter [best guess], domestic duties of Shannon. ^[5]

In the 1911 electoral roll Oscar and Maud were living at Avenue Rd, Foxton. Oscar was still working as a labourer. ^[6]

His son remembered that Oscar also worked as head ploughman for Dr. Hunter-Will of Hunterville at some time during these years. ^[7]

Oscar and Maud appeared in the 1914 Wanganui Supplementary Roll, living at 54 Guyton Street. Oscar was still a labourer. ^[8]

The 1916 Wises NZPO Directory showed Oscar living at 9 Park Place, Wanganui and in 1918 living at 113 Guyton St, Wanganui. His occupation was a labourer. ^[9]

Oscar Jolland Hair of 9 Park Place, Wanganui was also listed in the WWI Service Personnel Second Reserves. ^[10]

The NZ Gazette No. 58 dated 14 May 1919, Pg 1350, listed Oscar Jolland Hair, Reg. No. 82455, as a military defaulter. ^[11]

From the NZ Police Gazette dated Wellington, Wednesday, March 6, 1918, Pg 147 -
PERSONS WANTED. Wanganui. – 13th November last, that he may be compelled to maintain his wife, Maud Hair, 10 Guyton Street, Oscar Jolland Hair, age thirty-three, height about 5ft. 6 in., farmer and wharf labourer, native of Australia, medium build, fair hair and complexion, clean-shaved, two small scars on left side of neck, small wart on lower right eyelid; usually dressed in a dark-tweed suit and black soft hat. ^[12]
And then Wellington, Wednesday, June 12, 1918, Pg 360 -
DESERTERS FROM HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE. Wanganui. – 1st ultimo, on military warrant for failing to proceed to camp, Oscar Jolland Hair, age thirty-six, height 5ft. 10 1/4 in., labourer, native of Australia, medium build, fresh complexion, light-brown hair, grey eyes, two small scars on left side of neck, small wart on right eyelid; usually dressed in a dark-tweed suit and black soft-felt hat. ^[13]

Family deduce Oscar meet Alice May Jones, who turned 22 on 1 August 1917, sometime that year. Alice was from Invercargill but is believed to have been visiting her married sister Edith in Wanganui - how else could they have meet? Oscar and Alice left Wanganui together. As best family can tell Oscar left Maud with no word of his plans. Family in Australia remember she got in touch with them seeking answers. She had thought he had possibly joined the services.

The next proof of this couple's whereabouts was when son William Golland Hair was born on 27 August 1918 at Nurse Howell's, Sealey Rd, Napier. Their usual address was stated as Mount Hassell, Hawkes Bay [Mt Hassall [sic] appears to be the name of a farm in Patoka, Hawkes Bay]. The child's father was named as William Golland Hair, a ploughman, aged 33, born Lincolnshire, England. His mother was named as Alice May Hair nee Jones, aged 23, born Worcestershire, England. Their date of marriage was recorded as 8 November 1916 in Invercargill. ^[14]

Of course their date of marriage was fiction and as best as family can discover this couple were never married. Oscar was clearly hiding, from a wife, the military and the police. After leaving Maud he never used the name Oscar again, instead calling himself William.

After their son's birth William and Alice moved to Southland.

William and Alice had two more children, Gladys Doreena Mabel born 14 April 1920 and Ernest Edwin born 18 May 1924, both born in Rimu, Southland. Their parent's names were recorded as William Jolland Hair, a farmer, and Alice May Hair nee Jones on both birth certificates. And the date of their marriage on both was stated as 28 November 1917 in Hastings. ^[15]

The 1925 Wises NZPO Directory recorded William living at Mataura Island [east of Invercargill] and working as a farmer. ^[16] This was the first time his name had appeared in the directory since 1918 when he was still in Wanganui with Maud.
William [no middle name] and Alice were also showing as living at Mataura Island in the 1925, 1928 and 1931 electoral rolls. ^[17]
School records confirm all three children attended Mautaura Island School. ^[18]
William managed two farms at Mataura Island for Mr Carmichael. Not only was William paid a good wage but the family also received free electricity, meat, eggs and milk. Gladys and Ernie where born while the family lived there. Ernie recalled his mother catching whitebait in the Mataura River. She would sell a kerosene tin (4 gallon tin) to the local grocer for half a crown. The Mataura River was swift and deep and Alice would catch the whitebait with a net from the bank. As a preschooler Ernie would accompany his mother and well remembered the day he tumbled down the bank and was only saved from falling into the river by his mother catching him with her pole. ^[19]

In the early 1930's they purchased a farm (diary/sheep/crops) in Makarewa [north of Invercargill]. All three children were enrolled at Makarewa North School in July 1931. William left school on 19 August 1932 to farm with his father. Gladys left on 25 May 1933. Ernest attended school there from July 1931 to 25 May 1934 and then again from 5 February 1935 to 17 December 1937. He attended Kapuka South School in the gap between.^[20]
Ernest (Ernie) recalled he was sent to stay with his grandparents (Jones) while his mother was in hospital and this is when he attended Kapuka South School, attending with his cousins Joyce and Lance. While staying there Ernie recalls traversing the wild farmland at the rear of his grandparents farm to collect seagull eggs. On one occasion Ernie found a baby seagull that he brought home and reared until it was fully grown. After releasing it the gull could often be seen sitting on the gatepost. ^[21]

The family were on the farm for about 6 years and the sold up [possibly due to William's asthma] and moved to Invercargill. By the 1938 electoral roll William and Alice were living at 22 Arthur St, Invercargill. Ernie was enrolled at Waihopai School, Invercargill on 1 February 1938 and left on 16 December 1938. He then went on to Southland Boys High School for a further two years.

William then worked for N.Z. Railways. He had an accident at work - one of the hooks used to winch the trucks broke free and smashed his leg. The doctors originally threatened to remove the leg because of the extensive damage. However in the end, without the benefit of an anaesthetic, his leg was repaired by lacing the bones together with silver wire. William had to stay off the leg for two years and received compensation from the Railways.
He then returned to work as a crossing keeper. ^[22]

At about this time William purchased land in Kapuka from his father-in-law, opposite the Jones' old homestead, for his retirement. The property was known as Fayhes and was about 60 acres or so.

However William Joland [sic] Hair, a railway employee, then died on 8 January 1948 at 22 Arthur St, Invercargill aged 60 years of a cerebral haemorrhage, 5 hours, and arteriosclerosis. His death certificate further recorded he had been born in Lincolnshire, England and had lived in New Zealand 40 years. His parents were named as William, a farmer and Elizabeth Hair. His wife was Alice May Jones, aged 52. He had married in Hastings at aged 29 and had three surviving children aged [males] 29 and 23 and [females] 27. ^[23]

William was interred at Eastern Cemetery, Invercargill.

As William had not made a will prior to his death his estate had to be assessed by the Public Trust. Timber at the property in Kapuka, intended for the building of their house, was moved next door to brother in law Jack Jones' farm to reduce death duty. However this proved to be a mistake as Jack then refused to return it citing the old adage 'possession is nine-tenths of the law'. ^[24]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth certificate
   https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp
   GRO Birth Index
   HAIR, OSCAR JOLLAND Mother's maiden name CHAPMAN
   GRO Reference: 1882 J Quarter in GLANFORD BRIGG Volume 07A Page 740
2. ↑ Queensland State Archives - Assisted Immigration 1848-1912 H
   https://data.qld.gov.au/en/dataset/assisted-immigration-1848-to-1912/resource/3bdb84f0-52f9-4fbd-81fc-cc3a6faf6ae5
3. ↑ Transcribed School Admission Registers held at Bundaberg Genealogical Association - visited in person
4. ↑ New Zealand Electoral Rolls are available at most large NZ libraries
   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
5. ↑ Printout from BDM, NZ
   Registration Number; Bride's Name; Groom's Name
   Marriage 1908/6535; Maud Huff; Oscar Jolland Hair
6. ↑ New Zealand Electoral Rolls are available at most large NZ libraries
   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
7. ↑ Memories of son Ernest Edwin Hair as told to his son
8. ↑ New Zealand Electoral Rolls are available at most large NZ libraries
   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
9. ↑ Wise's New Zealand Directories can be found in most large New Zealand libraries, archives and museum manuscript departments.
10. ↑ Roll of the Second Division of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Reserve can be viewed at most large NZ libraries - BAB Microfilming - Microfiche 1-23.
    The Roll is also available at ncestry.com. New Zealand, World War I Army Reserve Rolls, 1916-1917 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
11. ↑ http://www.nzlii.org/nz/other/nz_gazette/1919/58.pdf
12. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZPG19180306.2.2?end_date=31-12-1945&items_per_page=10&query=%22oscar+jolland+hair%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1877&title=NZPG
13. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZPG19180612.2.7?end_date=31-12-1945&items_per_page=10&query=%22oscar+jolland+hair%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1877&title=NZPG
14. ↑ Birth printout for William Golland Hair from NZ BDM Index
15. ↑ Birth printouts for Gladys and Ernest Hair from NZ BDM Indexes
16. ↑ Wise's New Zealand Directories can be found in most large New Zealand libraries, archives and museum manuscript departments.
17. ↑ New Zealand Electoral Rolls are available at most large NZ libraries
    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
18. ↑ New Zealand Genealogy Society - transcribed School Admissions Registers
19. ↑ Memories of son Ernest Edwin Hair as told to his son
20. ↑ New Zealand Genealogy Society - transcribed School Admissions Registers
21. ↑ Memories of son Ernest Edwin Hair as told to his son
22. ↑ Memories of son Ernest Edwin Hair as told to his son
23. ↑ Death printout
    NZ Historical BMD Index Online
    https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/home
    Registration Number; Family Name; Given Name(s); Age at Death:
    Death 1948/25898; Hair; William Joland; 60Y
24. ↑ Memories of son Ernest Edwin Hair as told to his son