John Woodhouse (abt. 1824 - 1898)

Born about 1824 in England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Walker) Woodhouse — married 1858 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 3 Apr 1898 at about age 74 in Nelson, New Zealand

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Biography

John Woodhouse was born in 1824. He was the son of Sarah and James Woodhouse. ^[1] He father died when John was small, and his mother remarried Joshua Sigley. He (listed on the passenger manifest as "Thomas"), and his sister Cecelia migrated to NZ with the rest of the Sigley family in 1841.

He married Elizabeth Walker in 1858 ^[2]

In the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, before L. Broad, Esq., R M., Mr Pitt moved to set aside or vary an order made on the 3rd of July last under the Married Women's Property Protection Act in the matter of Elizabeth Woodhouse. The order was one for the maintenance of three children under ten years of age at 5s each per week, and to protect any money or property she might acquire by her own lawful industry. The ground for the motion for setting this aside was that the woman was stated to be living in adultery with another man, and that the husband, John Woodhouse, was prepared to take charge of the children. The evidence disclosed a lamentabie state of domestic disagreements and misery, and is far better left unpublished. The further hearing of the case was adjourned until next Friday. Mr Bunuy appeared to oppose. ^[3]

At the Magistrates' Court this morning, before the Hon N. Edwards, and W. Oldham, and J. R. Dodson, Esqs.. J.J.P., John Woodhouse was charged with using threatening language to his wife, Elizabeth Woodhouse. Mr Bunny appeared for the complainant, and Mr Fell for the defendant. It appeared from the evidence for the complainant that she had a protection order against her husband which provided that the daughters were to remain with her, and the son, 12 or 13 years of age, with the father, who, under the impression that she was harboring the boy, went to her house, and in the presence of a man named Scott, a baker living in the same house, demanded the boy, and held up a stick he had in his hand, saying that it was loaded with lead, and that he would break his wife's skull if she did not give up the lad. This was corroborated by Scott, and Constable Hawksworth stated that defendant threatened him in a somewhat similar manner if he interfered between him and his wife. Mr Fell, for the defence, said that Woodhouse was much irritated by the apparently familiar terms upon which his wife was living in the same house with Scott, and that he had reason to believe that the boy was encouraged by her to leave his father. This naturally made him angry, and it was quite that in the heat of the moment ;he might have used stronger language than he should have done, and held out threats which, however, he never intended to fulfil. The Chairman said that this was one of those unfortunate cases in which man and wife could not get on together without perpetually quarrelling. There were faults on both sides. There was reason to believe that the woman had harbored the boy, while the man threatened to take the law into his own hands. The Bench did not consider that he intended to inflict any bodily harm, and would dismiss the case, but at the same time would warn the defendant of the consequences of appearing again upon a similar charge.^[4]

Resident Magistrate's Court. — John Woodhouse, charged with cruelty to a horse, was sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labor. ^[5] There's a harrowing account of the horses death here [[1]] -- not for the squeamish!

John Woodhouse was brought up before the Resident Magistrate this morning and fined 58 for being drunk in Hardy street. His Worship addressing Sergeant Slattery, said he noticed the last conviction for drunkenness in Nelson was on 4th May last, and previous to that on the 4th April. This he considered a matter for public congratulation, and he doubted if there was any town of similar size in the colony where so few persons in proportion to the population were convicted of drunkenness. This fact would no doubt be an encouragement to those who were doing their best to bring about strict habits of sobriety on the part of all ; it also spoke volumes for the common sense of the people and was further a piece of testimony to the legitimate way in which the publicans conducted their lawful business, ^[6]

He passed away in 1898 age 74 ^[7] He is buried at Wakapuaka cemetery in Nelson .

"Can you add information or sources?

Research Note

What is the source of the name Thomas which is listed on the Martha Ridgeway passenger list?

Sources

1. ↑ A source is needed for this information
2. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1858/1819
3. ↑ Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 291, 8 December 1877
4. ↑ Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 67, 19 March 1879
5. ↑ The Colonist, Volume XXXI, Issue 5332, 29 September 1888
6. ↑ Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 128, 1 June 1891
7. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Death registration 1898/2078