Person Page - 230

Emma Matthews was born in Dover, Kent, on 2 March 1838.^2,3,1 and was baptised on 1 April 1838 at St Mary's in Dover.³

She signed the register at Frederick Nutter and Eliza Heath Macdonald's wedding at the bride's residence, Abercromby St in Auckland on 17 March 1857.^4,5,6,7

She married Robert Conder Macdonald, son of Alexander Macdonald and Selina Dorcas Blomfield, at the bride's residence, Wellesley St in Auckland on 9 December 1859.^8,9,10,11

She was named as a beneficiary of the will of Alexander Macdonald, her father-in-law, dated 24 November 1884 in Auckland; she was to inherit the income from a trust to be set up by the executors based on the sale of his estate's assets. On her death, the monies were to be passed on to her children and/or their children until they married ar reached the age of 21. It is unclear at what point the trust fund should be liquidated and who the inheritors would then be.^12,13

She was widowed at age 63 on the death of her husband Robert on 28 January 1902.^14,15

Emma died in December 1913 in Manly, Sydney, New South Wales, at age 75.¹⁶ She was buried on 21 December 1913 at the Manly Cemetery in Manly.¹⁷

Geoffrey Noel Matthews was born in Greenslopes, Brisbane, Queensland, on 3 November 1950.¹

Geoff commenced an apprenticeship in electronics, became a service manager and later moved into marketing and management roles in the audio industry.¹

Geoffrey died on 28 February 2019 at home in Engadine, Sydney, New South Wales, at age 68.^2,3

Gwendolline Evelyn Mary Matthews was born in Birkenhead, Auckland, on 8 August 1925.^3,1

She married Kenneth Douglas Roadley in Auckland on 29 June 1946.^3,2,4

She was widowed at age 83 on the death of her husband Kenneth on 3 May 2009.^5,6

Gwendolline died on 16 May 2019 at Te Mana Rest Home, 23 Gatman St in Birkdale, Auckland, at age 93.^7,8 She was cremated at the North Shore Cemetery in Mt Victoria on 20 May 2019.⁹

Henry Blencowe (Blen) Matthews was born in Kaitaia, Northland, on 23 June 1861. He was the son of Richard Henry MATTHEWS and Clarissa Isabella DUNN and a grandson of the Rev Joseph MATTHEWS who founded the Kaitaia Mision Station.^2,3,4

He married Evelyn May Subritzky, daughter of Johannes Anton Subritzky and Elizabeth Hoare, in New Zealand on 21 January 1882.^5,1,6,7,8

In 3 March 1898 Henry petitioned Evelyn May Subritzky for divorce, naming his brother Ernest Crowther MATTHEWS as co-respondent, Ernest having lived with them since 1884 as partner in their farm. In evidence Henry stated that after the birth of their third child on 29 Aug 1888, she had become colder to him; after becoming suspicious and confronting her in September last she had admitted to having been unfaithful 'for some years' and that the fourth child was not Henry's.
Mr Justice Conolly of the Supreme Court granted a decree nisi with the right to apply for a decree absolute in three months.

Note that according to the NZ Birth Index, the six children of Henry and Evelyn were Violet Evelyn (1883), Hylda Mabel Rose (1884), Kenneth Lionel (1886), Norman Vincent (1888), Henry Laurence (1889), Hayward Blencowe (1890), meaning Norman's father was not actually Henry.^9,8

Henry's second marriage was to Elizabeth Eleanor Subritzky, daughter of Johannes Anton Subritzky and Elizabeth Hoare, in 1901 in New Zealand.^10,11

He took an active part in local affairs, being a JP, a director and later chairman of the Kaitaia Dairy Company, a member of the local Agricultural and Pastoral Assoc., and chairman of the Kaitais School Committe for some time.

He was a recognised authority on native orchids, having become interested in botany through his father; Pterostylis matthewsii was named in his honour.

Having farmed all his life in the Kaitaia district, he sold most of his land in 1915 and moved to Auckland, but after his wife's death lived with one of his daughters (Mrs Violet FARRIMOND) in Kaitaia.

He was widowed at age 65 on the death of his wife Elizabeth on 8 December 1926.^2,12,13

Henry died on 12 March 1934 at Mangonui Hospital in Mangonui, Northland, at age 72.^5,14,15 He was buried on 15 March 1934 at the Purewa Cemetery.¹⁶

Kenneth Lionel Matthews was born in Kaitaia, Northland, on 29 August 1886.^2,1,3

He married Kathleen Marella Clarke, daughter of Henry Wyatt Watling Clarke and Mary Davis Eliza Bedggood, in New Zealand in 1911.^2,1,4,5

Kenneth died on 28 February 1952 in Paihia at age 65.^2,1,6 He was buried at the St John the Baptist Churchyard Cemetery, 344 Te Ahu Ahu Rd in Waimate North.^2,1

Kenneth Richard Henry Matthews was born in Remuera, Auckland, on 23 May 1923.^2,1

He married Iris Dawn Powley in Auckland on 10 April 1954.^2,1,3

Kenneth died on 4 October 1980 in Auckland at age 57.^2,1

Martha Matthews was born in Awanui circa 1838.¹

She married John Twinem in New Zealand in 1866.^1,2,3

Martha died in 1907 in New Zealand.⁴

Mervyn Wyatt Matthews was born in Kaitaia, Northland, on 27 December 1912.^2,3,4

He married Shirley Jean Roadley at St Matthew's in Auckland on 12 July 1941.^2,1,5

Mervyn died in 2001 in New Zealand.⁶

Richard Matthews was born in Deddington, Oxfordshire, in 1811.¹

He arrived in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, aboard HMS Beagle on 21st December 1835, with Captain Robert FitzRoy (later Governor of NZ) and Charles Darwin. These three spent Christmas Day 1835 at the Waimate Mission Station with the Rev. William Williams and George Clarke. His older brother Joseph Matthews had already arrived in NZ on 26 Mar 1832, but his eldest brother Robert remained in England. The HMS Beagle left London in 27th Dec 1831 and returned on 2nd Oct 1836 after sailing around the world from East to West.

He established the Wanganui Mission in 1840.¹

He married Johanna Sarah Blomfield in Waimate North, Northland, on 14 March 1838, the marriage performed by the Rev. William Williams.^1,2

He was widowed on the death of his wife Johanna on 10 September 1880.^3,1,4

Richard died on 27 January 1893 in Kaitaia, Northland.^1,5 He was buried at the St Saviours Church Cemetery in Kaitaia.⁶

Ronald James Matthews was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 23 September 1924. He was the second son of James Alexander MATTHEWS (1898-1963) and Stella Evelyn ABELL (1900-1991).¹

He was a apprentice fitter and turner at the glassworks before enlisting in the Australian Army, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant at retirement. He later became the Safety Officer at Comalco before a series of strokes forced his retirement.¹

He married Doreen Claire Cumming, daughter of George Cumming and Ethel Maud Robinson, in Brisbane, Queensland, on 24 January 1948.¹

Ronald died on 6 July 2000 at home in Moorebank, Sydney, New South Wales, at age 75.^2,1 He was buried on 11 July 2000 at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Leppington.^1,3