Person Page - 269

Arthur William Morris was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, on 26 December 1825. He gives his own birthdate as 25 Dec 1825 in his Journal (both in the Family Register on p519, and in the text, p3, 4), but the Parish Register states he was born on the 26th.^2,1 He was baptised in Irvine, Ayrshire, on 31 December 1825.¹

In his Journal, he states "I entered Irvine Academy in 1832, where I enjoyed the advantage of a good education, an advantage at the time but little appreciated but of which I now experience the fruits. I was pretty successful at the annual examinations in June in obtaining prizes and in 1839 had the good fortune to obtain the head prize in arithmetic (a silver medal) which made ample amends for all the toils of many a long wintry night."³

On July 6, 1840 he left the family home in Irvine and entered the employment of Messrs Thos. Hamlin & Co of Greenock, where he learnt the trade of managing this company's shipping interests - accounts, manifests, captain's reports and so on.⁴

He was shipwrecked on Nantucket Island in March 1846, while travelling as supercargo from Liverpool to Boston on the Earl of Eglinton, which became a total wreck (for his account of the wreck, see this extract from his Journal)
During this time he was befriended by the CROSBY family of Nantucket, and according to family legend promised to name a son 'Crosby' in honour of their kindness, while a CROSBY family member of his age promised to use the name 'Morris' for his future son. Research has shown that both families kept this promise.⁵

He was listed in the 1851 census, lodging at 7 Laird St in Greenock, Renfrewshire, in the FISHER household. He gave his occupation as ship-owner's clerk.⁶

On the death of their father in 1854, the MORRIS siblings inherited nearly £1000. It is likely that the inheritance provided much of the capital for Arthur and his brother James to purchase (for £1550) a small ship, the US-built S. W. Nash, which Arthur renamed the Dunedin. (See the history of the Dunedin for more detail).⁷

A small band of Scottish pioneers and brothers Arthur and James left London for New Zealand on the Dunedin, under the command of Capt McNeur in October 1855; after picking up Arthur at Portsmouth on the 29 Oct, the Dunedin completed the passage to Port Chalmers in only 84 days, a record at the time.⁸

He married Janet (Jessie) Moodie, daughter of George Moodie and Janet Hutton, at First Church in Dunedin, Otago, on 9 December 1857. She had promised to 'follow him to the ends of the earth' when he left Scotland and clearly did just that.^2,9,10,11,12

After arrival in the colony he took little active part in public life, but had a steady career in business. It is interesting to note the names attached to the Agency list for the New Zealand Insurance Co in the advertisement placed by J M Heywood in the Lyttelton Times (1862) - the Morris and Macdonald families both have later connections to the names Heywood and Traill.¹³

Later, Arthur was appointed manager of the Otago and Southland Investment Company on its formation.

He was also active in the church, being an elder of the Presbyterian Church at Anderson's Bay and later an elder at First Church, Dunedin.

in 1879 he was appointed a director of the Union Steamship Company, a position he occupied until his death.¹⁴

In 1883 he acquired a house on Newington Ave, Maori Hill, whose builder (John McGregor) had run out of funds before completion of this large residence. Arthur added the second storey and named the house 'Marinoto', meaning 'calm' or 'peace'. The house was sold in 1901 to John Ross then in 1903 to Percy Sargood (later Sir Percy). After WWII it was used by the Otago Hospital Board and later became the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. Although the interior is still grand, the exterior has suffered many changes, including removal of many turrets, lopping of chimneys and the replacement of the slate roof.¹⁵

He was appointed executor of James Howe Morris's estate in Irvine, Ayrshire, on 12 November 1896.^16,17,18

He signed a will dated 2 May 1904 in Dunedin, Otago, in which his wife Jessie and sons Alexander, George and Crosby were named executors. After an initial payment of £250 to Jessie, a trust was to be created with all income flowing to her during her life. On her death £5000 of the estate was to be a trust for his daughters, with May to receive £100/yr while she was unmarried, or £50/yr if she married, and her married sisters Jessie and Ella also were to receive £50/yr. On the death of any of the daughters, the legacies were to then flow to their children until such time as the capital was exhausted, or none of his daughters were still living. At that point the remains of the fund were to be added to the residue of the estate, which was otherwise divided equally amongst all his living children and then to their children.¹⁹

Arthur William Morris, Alexander Morris, George Moodie Morris and Crosby Morris were named executors in the will of Janet (Jessie) Moodie dated 3 May 1904 in Dunedin, Otago.²⁰

Arthur died on 12 May 1910 at 'Wairangi' in Littlebourne, Dunedin, Otago, at age 84.^2,21,22,23 He was buried on 14 May 1910 at the Northern Cemetery.^21,24,14

His will was probated in Dunedin, Otago, on 7 June 1910 with Janet (Jessie) Moodie, Crosby Morris, George Moodie Morris and Alexander Morris appointed executors and the estate and effects declared to be 'under £25,000.¹⁹'

Athol Graham Alexander (Alex) Morris was born in New Zealand on 17 February 1913.^1,2

He married Esther Gilmour Shearer in New Zealand in 1938.³

He was widowed at age 66 on the death of his wife Esther on 24 January 1980.⁴

Athol died on 25 July 2001 in Ashburton, Canterbury, at age 88.^5,6,7 He was buried on 27 July 2001 at the Ashburton Lawn Cemetery in Ashburton.^5,8

Cecil Grahame Morris was born in New Zealand on 7 December 1888.¹

He married Constance Greenfield in New Zealand in 1912.^2,3

Cecil died on 22 November 1918 in New Zealand at age 29.⁴

Charles Edwin Morris was born at Maitland St in Dunedin, Otago, on 14 February 1871.^1,2,3

He became manager of various Dalgety's branches (Oamaru, Invercargill, Timaru, Napier).

He married Edith Maud Armstrong, daughter of Frederick Gerard Armstrong and Susan Anne Lally, at St Lukes in Oamaru, Otago, on 5 October 1904.^1,4,5

Charles died on 7 December 1924 in Napier, Hawkes Bay, at age 53.^1,6

Crosby Morris was born in Anderson's Bay, Dunedin, Otago, on 7 January 1867.^1,2,3

He was educated at Otago Boys High School before joining the Otago and Southland Investment Co. (1882-1891), and then became a partner in Stronach Morris & Co. (Stock & Station agents), rising to be Managing Director.
He was an Otago Rugby representative in 1890, later President of the Otago Rugby Football Union (1901), also of the Otago Cricket Assoc. (1920-22); Vice-president of the Otago Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and a committe member of the Otago Expansion League, Dunedin Amenities Scoiety and Otago Early Settlers' Assoc.⁴

Janet (Jessie) Moodie, Alexander Morris, George Moodie Morris and Crosby Morris were named executors in the will of Arthur William Morris dated 2 May 1904 in Dunedin, Otago; Jessie was also to immediately receive £250 and inherit all household goods and effects and the residue of the estate went to the four executors in trust.⁵

Arthur William Morris, Alexander Morris, George Moodie Morris and Crosby Morris were named executors in the will of Janet (Jessie) Moodie dated 3 May 1904 in Dunedin, Otago.⁶

Janet (Jessie) Moodie, Crosby Morris, George Moodie Morris and Alexander Morris were appointed executors of Arthur William Morris's estate in Dunedin, Otago, on 7 June 1910, with the estate and effects declared to be 'under £25,000.⁵'

Alexander Morris, George Moodie Morris and Crosby Morris were appointed executors of Janet (Jessie) Moodie's estate in Dunedin, Otago, on 13 December 1910, it being declared to be 'under £10,000.⁶'

Crosby died on 8 September 1950 at 12 Littlebourne Rd in Dunedin, Otago, at age 83.^1,7,8,9 He was buried on 9 September 1950 at the Northern Cemetery.¹⁰

Crosby Standish Morris was born in Fairlie, Canterbury, on 6 April 1903.¹

He married Margaret Noble Adams in New Zealand in 1928.^2,3

He served in the NZ Division (Divisional Cavalry, later NZ Armoured Corp) in WWII (#1072), from which he joined the Long Range Desert Group in Egypt in 1941 as a 2nd Lieutenant (T2 patrol). He became Major in charge of A Squadron, was awarded the MC in Feb 1942, and was later a Major while Chief Instructor NZAFU School, Waiouru in 1944.^4,5,6

Crosby was divorced from Margaret Noble Adams at Christchurch, Canterbury, in 1943.⁷

Crosby's second marriage was to Mary Ethelwynne (Molly) Harding on 8 February 1945 in New Zealand.⁸

After WWII he worked for Gough, Gough & Hamer selling heavy machinery, and later managed Norwoods (Ferguson tractor agents). After retiring, he worked as bar manager at the Russley Hotel.

Crosby died on 6 February 1974 in Christchurch, Canterbury, at age 70.⁹

Eileen Edith Morris was born in Timaru, Canterbury, on 20 June 1914.

After winning the Auckland to Melbourne race of 1934 in Te Rapunga, followed by the Melbourne-Hobart race (1935), George Dibbern returned to Auckland and embarked with a crew of Maurice Black, Roy Murdock and George Dibbern and Eileen Edith Morris for an extended voyage to Rarotonga and Tahiti.
In 1941 he and George and Eileen arrived in Napier and George was interred on Somes Island (for the second time) as an enemy alien, not having his yacht returned until 1946.

In 1950 he won £10,000 in a Tattersalls lottery, but gave half to the man who gave him the ticket for covering his work shift. This enabled the purchase of Satellite (Woody) Island, followed by Partridge Island - he and George and Eileen farmed Woody Island for 3 years before they parted ways.¹

She had a defacto relationship with George Dibbern which resulted in the birth of their daughter, but they did not marry due to George's existing family in Germany.

Eileen died on 2 April 2009 at Duart House in Havelock Nth, Hawkes Bay, at age 94.² She was cremated in Napier on 7 April 2009.³

Elisabeth Madeline (Betty) Morris was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, on 13 August 1911.¹

She married Henry Eric Wilkie (Hal) Roberton at St Barnabas Church in Fendalton, Christchurch, Canterbury, on 19 February 1935.^2,3

She was widowed at age 79 on the death of her husband Henry on 19 February 1991.^4,5

Elisabeth died on 12 October 1995 in Christchurch, Canterbury, at age 84.

Ella Mary Morris was born at Maitland St in Dunedin, Otago, on 9 March 1875.^1,2,3 She was also known in the family as Piglet, as all the family carried nicknames from the Winnie-the-Pooh books. Also known as Gargai (to the Macdonald children) and Dada (to the Ferguson children), after various childish attempts at saying 'grandma.⁴'

She married Arnold Morell (Dick) Macdonald, son of Thomas Morell Macdonald and Charlotte Clements Forsaith, at First Church in Dunedin, Otago, on 18 February 1902.^1,5,6,7

She was named as a beneficiary of the will of Arthur William Morris dated 2 May 1904 in Dunedin, Otago.⁸

She was widowed at age 62 on the death of her husband Arnold on 27 March 1937.^9,10

Ella died on 30 April 1973 in Invercargill, Southland, at age 98.^1,11 She was buried on 2 May 1973 at the Invercargill Eastern Cemetery in Invercargill.¹²

Fannie Morris was born in West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, in 1863.²

She married Aubrey Brook Weston, son of Purton Weston and Maria Buckingham, in Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, between January 1883 and March 1883.¹

She was listed in the 1921 census at Town House, Castle St in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, with her husband Aubrey; he was a music teacher. Their child Margaret was listed as living with them.³