Alfred
John
(John)
"Jack"
Titter
Born in Limehouse, London, England, United Kingdom
Ancestors 
Son of Thomas Ditchford Titter
and Elizabeth (Rothon) Titter
Brother of
Augustus Titter and Eliza Ann (Titter) Watters
Husband of
Lucy (Roil) Titter
— married
2 Dec 1865 in Nelson, New Zealand
Husband of
Fanny (Robinson) McLeod
— married
1902 in Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand
Descendants 
Father of
Elizabeth Sarah (Titter) Berrett, Edward John Titter, John William Titter, Harriet Annie (Titter) Mann, Henry Titter, Eliza Titter, Ella May (Titter) Naylor, Eliza Amy (Titter) Mann, Lewis Charles Titter, Daisy (Titter) Green, Andrew Walter Titter and Frederick James Titter
Died
at age 73
in Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand
Profile last modified
| Created 7 Apr 2020
This page has been accessed 366 times.
Biography
Alfred was born in 1836, Limehouse London, England, he was christened at St Anne Church of England, Limehouse, London. Alfred was the son of Thomas Ditchford Titter and Elizabeth (Rothon) Titter. [1]
He was a Waterman apprentice for his father who bound him for 7 years beginning 11 July 1850 and endorsed on 11 July 1857. [2]
Immigration: Between July 1857 and May 1863
The West Coast Goldfields - On 16 May 1863 John Titter with some twenty others made the trip from Nelson to Buller Mouth in a small sailing craft the schooner “Dove” (recently arrived from Sydney Australia -although he was not a passenger from Australia at this time). John Titter was one of the passengers that signed a letter of recommendation praising their voyage. [3]
There is also some reference to an Old Diggers Club in Wanganui that ‘Jack’ Titter was a member in a newspaper article [4]
From the goldfields he returned to Nelson. His occupation is listed on his marriage certificate as a Brickmaker and his residence was St Vincent’s Street, Nelson.
On the 29th November he gave intention to marry to Rev. Edward Tomas declaring himself to be aged 22 (he was actually 27), he stated he had been in residence in Nelson for 2 years. [5]
On the 2 December 1865 he married Lucy Roil [6] Lucy Roil declared her age to be 21 and residing in Surburban South (Stokes) claiming residence for 21 years. (Her marriage certificate states she was born 18 years before). They were married at the residence of Walter Roil aka William Roil.
In 1872 John, Lucy and their 3 children moved from Nelson to Greymouth, see the profile of Lucy Titter for further referencing of their travels. [7]
WEST COAST TIMES, ISSUE 3765, 2 MAY 1881/ survives a Tararua shipwreck https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18810502.2.9.1
In 1881 the family moved to Wanganui and John continued to conduct his brickmaking business. Harry Titter also came into the family business. [8]. The Titter Brickmaker business is mentioned on page 153 in the book “The Wanganui Story” by MJG Smart and AG Bates.
In 1886 Lucy died after giving birth to Frederick James Titter. See her profile for the details.
1899 - Titter breaks his arm when part of a building falls on him. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC18890211.2.6
On 17 December 1902 John married Fanny Hammond, [9] on this occasion AJ Titter declared his true age of 66 years. Fanny declared her age as 46 (She had been widowed for 18 months). Later in 1909 John’s son Andrew married her daughter (also named Fanny).
JOHN TITTERS GOLD-MINE. WANGANUI HERALD, VOLUME XXXIX, ISSUE 11457, 14 JANUARY 1905 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH19050114.2.3.5
Alfred John Titter died on 9th June 1909 (aged 71 years) and was buried with his wife Lucy at old Heads cemetery, Wanganui. [10]
Sources
- ↑ 1851 Census England https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGNN-T1Y
- ↑ Apprentice Certificate in the possession of Brian Titter of Napier NZ as of 1995)
- ↑ Testimonial for the Captain https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC18630609.2.3
- ↑ a bit of a ways down starting with “One of the venerable gentleman who attended the Old diggers club.... https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH19041228.2.13
- ↑ Reg to marry Wgtn Archives BDM 927/20/10 page 259/66
- ↑ notice of marriage in paper https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NENZC18651209.2.7 BDMNZ marriage 1865/6806
- ↑ The Pioneer Room at the Greymouth Public Library has a Burgess Roll/Electoral Roll dated 24 August 1874 - listing for John Titter, Brickmaker - property Brickyard, Alexander Street, Greymouth and further referencing of his business https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18750722.2.2.6
- ↑ NZDirectory 1867-68 page 106 Brickmaker - listing for John Fitter (incorrect spelling)
- ↑ BDM NZ Marriage 1902/5120
- ↑ BDM Death 1909/2656
Once again his true age was not as described, I like to think he had the last laugh: Cemetery Transcriptions:https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL59-M6P7 In loving memory of Lucy the beloved wife of John Titter, died 17 August 1886 aged 37. Also John Titter died 9 June 1909, Aged 63. Rest In Peace.
Death notice in Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12793, 11 June 1909 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH19090611.2.20 And https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19090610.2.16
Several others Notices of passing are listed below:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19090611.2.10
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19090612.2.12
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19090610.2.20
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH19090714.2.2.3
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with John by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with John:
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with John by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with John:
-
~6.25%
Leanne (Watkins) Smith
:
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Featured Female Poet connections: John is 18 degrees from Anne Bradstreet, 16 degrees from Ruth Niland, 28 degrees from Karin Boye, 31 degrees from 照 松平, 16 degrees from Anne Barnard, 38 degrees from Lola Rodríguez de Tió, 21 degrees from Christina Rossetti, 21 degrees from Emily Dickinson, 34 degrees from Nikki Giovanni, 21 degrees from Isabella Crawford, 15 degrees from Mary Gilmore and 18 degrees from Elizabeth MacDonald on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
The last memory is from Jack Harris (John Barrett Harris 1905 -1993) of Wanganui (The son of May Titter and John Harris) told a story of Alfred John Titter - his grandfather’s death - at his parents’ home in Taumarunui– having some form of stroke after an argument with another passenger on the train north
edited by Leanne (Watkins) Smith