Charles Wilson Hursthouse (1841 - 1911)

Born 26 Jun 1841 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Ellen (Humphries) Hursthouse — married 1 Jan 1868 in St Mary's Church, New Plymouth, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 25 Feb 1911 at age 69 in Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand

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Biography

Charles Wilson Hursthouse was born in 1841 in Norwich, England ^[1]. His mother, Helen Hursthouse (née Wilson), was the aunt of a number of Richmond siblings: Henry Robert Richmond, William Richmond, Jane Maria Atkinson, and James Crowe Richmond. Richmond Hursthouse, born in 1845, was his younger brother.

His parents and other family members (his father's brother, Charles Hursthouse, and a cousin, Thomas Newsham, and their families) came to New Zealand on the Thomas Sparks; they arrived in Wellington on 31 January 1843. John Hursthouse and family proceeded to New Plymouth, where Charles Hursthouse received his education.

Charles also known by his Māori name Wirihana, was an English-born New Zealand surveyor, public servant, politician, and soldier. He laid out part of the North Island Main Trunk railway through the King Country ^[2].

Charles Wilson Hursthouse married Ellen Humphries in 1868. She was the daughter of Dr. Edward Larwill Humphries, who was a surgeon and speaker of the Taranaki Provincial Council for four years. They had at least seven children.

In March 1883, Hursthouse and his cousin, William Newsham, were imprisoned by Te Mahuki of the Ngāti Maniapoto tribe. After 41 hours of ill-treatment, their rescue was facilitated by Wetere Te Rerenga ^[3].

Hursthouse also had a daughter with Mere Te Rongopamamao Aubrey (they did not marry); Rangimarie Hetet was born in 1892. Hetet's biography states that both her parents had previous relationships. Hetet's daughter was Diggeress Te Kanawa, with her first name honouring her father, who was a digger with the New Zealand (Māori) Pioneer Battalion in World War I. Hursthouse's daughter and granddaughter were both regarded as master weavers, and his daughter was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

After a long illness, he died on 25 February 1911 at his residence in Lower Hutt ^[4]. He was survived by his wife, three daughters, and four sons. He is buried at Taita Cemetery in Lower Hutt. Ellen Hursthouse died in 1925 and is buried next to him.

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NS8-2WJ : 1 October 2014), Charles Wilson Hursthouse, 1841; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Norwich, Norfolk, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Wilson_Hursthouse
3. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18830406.2.39?
4. ↑ "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Death Registration of Charles Wilson Hursthouse, aged at death Y, Date of death 1911; citing Death Certificate 1911/2527

• Death of Mr CW Hursthouse, Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1062, 27 February 1911, Page 4
• "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-2FV3 : 28 May 2019), Charles Wilson Hursthouse, 1911; citing , Wellington Probate Files [First Sequence], 1843-1939, record number 13520, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 100550688. File contains death certificate.
• http://winsomegriffin.com/Newsham/CharlesWilsonHursthouse2.html

Research Notes

Unsourced family tree handed down to Pia Davis.