William Read Welch Jr (1831 - 1881)

Born 5 Sep 1831 in Hougham, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Arabella (Hedley) Welch — married 9 Oct 1856 in Christ Church, Taita, Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 28 Jan 1881 at age 49 in Opaki, Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand

Biography

William Welch Jr was born in England.

William was born on 5 September 1831 at Hougham, Kent, England and baptised on 13 November at St Lawrence, Hougham^[1]. He was the son of William Welch and Ann Read.

William Welch Jr migrated from England to New Zealand.

He emigrated with his parents^[2] and six siblings on the Oriental, the first of the Wakefield ships to leave England on 15 September 1839. They arrived on 31 January 1840 at Port Nicholson, New Zealand.

He married Sarah Arabella Hedley on 9 October 1856^[3] (the intention to marry was dated 6 October^[4]) at Christ Church, Taita. They had nine children.

1. William Edward (1857 - 1933)
2. George Henry (1859 - 1906)
3. Arthur Wellesley (1862 - 1871)
4. Laura Ann (1864 - 1903)
5. Frederick Percy (1866 - 1932)
6. Ernest Alfred (1867 - 1935)
7. Maurice Whitewood (1970 -1950)
8. Arabella (1871-1928)
9. Ada (1874 - 1931)

He became mentally unwell. He committed suicide on 28 January 1881 aged 51^[5]. The incident was reported in the Wairarapa newspaper^[6]. He had been staying with his brother at Opaki, Masterton. He left the house on Friday evening to go to where he was to sleep, but in the morning he was not in his bed. A search was not made until Sunday morning, when he was found a few hundred yards away in some rushes. There was a knife in his hand and his jugular vein had been cut through. He was buried in Christ Church Anglican Cemetery, Taita, Plot 263^[7].

His probate was granted at Wellington^[8]. His very detailed will left his personal property to his wife, gave instructions as to what would happen if she remarried, and left other property in trust to his children.

Sources

1. ↑ "England, Kent, Canterbury Parish Registers, 1538-1986," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGNK-S5CQ : 18 April 2019), William Read Welch, 13 Nov 1831; from " Kent, Canterbury Archdeaconry Parish Registers Browse, 1538-1913," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d); citing Baptism, Hougham, Kent, England, United Kingdom, Citing Canterbury Cathedral Archives, England. Accessed 21 Nov 2020
2. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDV-6J1F : 6 July 2019), Wm Welch, 1839; citing ship , Archives New Zealand, Wellington; FHL microfilm 004508584. Accessed 1 Jun 2020
3. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Marriage Registration. Accessed 21 Nov 2020

   1856/1946 Bride=Sarah Arabella Hedley Groom=William Read Welch DOM=09/10/1856

4. ↑ Intention to Marry Notice – Archives NZ Reference BDM 20/1/1 – Microfilm R6906 No.70

   Married 06 Oct 1856 at the Episcopalian Church Taita known as Christ Church by Rev Thomas Biddulph Hutton and others

   William Read Welch, bachelor, farmer, aged 25yrs, resident at the Hutt for about 16yrs

   Sarah Arabella Hedley, spinster, daughter of George Hedley, aged 21yrs, resident with her father at the Hutt for about five years

   Date of Certificate: 06 Oct 1856

5. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 21 Nov 2020

   1881/2622 Welch, William Read Age=51Y DOD=28/01/1881

6. ↑ Papers Past: Untitled Wairarapa Standard, Volume 11, Issue 1270, 1 February 1881 Accessed 21 Nov 2020
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images. Accessed 05 September 2021, memorial page for William Read Welch (5 Sep 1831–28 Jan 1881), Find A Grave: Memorial #24981972, citing Christ Church Anglican Cemetery, Taita, Lower Hutt City, Wellington, New Zealand ; Maintained by pkg (contributor 46968786).
8. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-K56R : 9 March 2021), William Read Welch, 1881; citing , Wellington Probate Files [First Sequence], 1843-1939, record number 1567, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 100423901. Accessed 21 Nov 2020

Acknowledgements

• Information from research undertaken by Jean Dickson
• Biography written by Margaret Allison