Rachel (Murison) Tindall (1842 - 1920)

Born 8 Apr 1842 in Rathen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Wife of Robert Tindal — married 17 Mar 1860 in Tyrie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Died 24 Aug 1920 at age 78 in Methven, Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

Rachel was born on 8 April 1842 in the parish of Rathen in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, most likely in the farmstead of Sandhole where her father worked as a labourer. She was the daughter of William Murison and Elizabeth Catto.^[1] We find Rachel and her family listed in the Scotland Census of 1851^[2], living at Sandhole.

On 17 March 1860 Rachel married Robert Tindal at Tyrie, Aberdeenshire.^[3] Their first daughter Mary Rothnie Tindal was born shortly afterwards. The following year we find Rachel listed in the Scotland Census of 1861^[4] living with her daughter, and two of her sisters, at their old family home. Husband Robert was listed elsewhere, at the farmstead of Helenamore in New Aberdour, where he was probably working as a feeing labourer.

On 4 March 1863, Rachel, husband Robert, and daughter Mary, boarded the passenger ship Metropolis in London, England, and departed for New Zealand, arriving 15 weeks later in Lyttelton, Canterbury on 16 June.^[5]

Rachel and Robert had four further children in New Zealand: James Tindal (1863), John Duff Tindal (1865), Agnes Elizabeth Tindal (1867), and Eliza Ann Barclay Tindal (1870). Sometime after 1870, Robert passed away, because we next see Rachel listed in the Electoral Rolls of 1893^[6], 1896^[7], and 1908^[8], where she is listed as a widow, and working as a domestic servant in Strickland Street, in the Spreydon district of Christchurch, New Zealand. In the Electoral Roll of 1911^[9] Rachel is still a widowed domestic servant, but now residing nearby at 62 Moorehouse Avenue, in the Sydenham district of Christchurch. Finally, by 1914^[10] she has moved in with her daughter Mary Rothnie Orr and son-in-law Alexander, in Methven in Selwyn County.

Rachel's husband Robert descended into a life of drunkenness and petty crime, almost as soon as he arrived in New Zealand, which resulted, among other things, in his separation from his wife. See his biography for more details.

Rachel passed away at the age of 78 in Methven on 24 August 1920^[11], and was buried in Bromley Cemetery in Christchurch. Despite being the widow of a vagrant, absent, and lately deceased husband, Rachel became a woman of sufficient means to justify retaining a solicitor to prepare a will in 1908. For example, her middle daughter was provided with a good education and received an MA degree. Upon her death Rachel's will was duly probated and her estate was declared to be valued at "less than £4,500 (approximately £68,000 in 2023). The Will and Probate record have been uploaded to the images.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: ScotlandsPeople; Old Parish Registers - Births; Search on SURNAME:Murrison (sic); FORENAME:Rachel; YEAR:1842; COUNTY:Aberdeen; PARISH:Rathen.
2. ↑ 1851 Census: 1851 Scotland Census [database on-line] via ancestry.co.uk, Parish: Fraserburgh; ED: 7; Page: 8; Line: 19; Roll: CSSCT1851_45; Year: 1851, Ancestry uk Record 1076 #698211 (account required) or Free-to-View Ancestry record.
3. ↑ Marriage: ScotlandsPeople; Statutory Registers - Marriages; Search on SURNAME:Tindal; FORENAME:Robert; SPOUSE SURNAME:Murison; SPOUSE FORENAME:Rachel; YEAR:1860; COUNTY:Aberdeen; PARISH:Tyrie.
4. ↑ 1861 Census: 1861 Scotland Census [database on-line] via ancestry.co.uk, Parish: Rathen; ED: 1; Page: 5; Line: 2; Roll: CSSCT1861_33, Ancestry uk Record 1076 #2254782 (account required) or Free-to-View Ancestry record.
5. ↑ Immigration: Family Search document FSB4-7MJ, New Zealand Archives: Passenger Lists 1839-1973, Entry for Robert Tindall, 16 Jun 1863; Accessed Wed Nov 1, 2023.
6. ↑ 1893 Electoral Roll: New Zealand; New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Ancestry uk Record 1836 #27385614 (account required) or Free-to-View Ancestry record
7. ↑ 1896 Electoral Roll: New Zealand; New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Ancestry uk Record 1836 #10402589 (account required) or Free-to-View Ancestry record
8. ↑ 1908 Electoral Roll: New Zealand; New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Ancestry uk Record 1836 #27537006 (account required) or Free-to-View Ancestry record
9. ↑ 1911 Electoral Roll: New Zealand; New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Ancestry uk Record 1836 #21123651 (account required) or Free-to-View Ancestry record
10. ↑ 1914 Electoral Roll: New Zealand; New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Ancestry uk Record 1836 #13978937 (account required) or Free-to-View Ancestry record
11. ↑ Death: FindAGrave Find A Grave: Memorial #157592608

• "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (http://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz).
  • Death Registration / 1920/1080 / Name: Tindall, Rachel / Aged: 78Y
• Probates and Letters of Administration - TINDALL Rachel - Methven - Widow, Archives New Zealand: R20180034. Accessed Dec 16, 2023.