This is my own pedigree, obtained from memories and histories of living New Zealand Blayneys, confirmed by cemetry records and my own research. At present, I believe this is reasonably accurate, but the ancestors of Alexander are not quite as well defined, althogh more accurate than in the past thanks to a number of contributors, so I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has more information that might help or corrections/additions to our ancestors.
Alexander Henry BLAYNEY b.Sep1842, [there is a BDM record of one Alexander Henry Blaney b.Sep1842 (St Luke, Middlesex) [1268]], a.k.a. Henry Alexander BLAYNEY. He was a Cabinet Maker, listed as "Henry A Blayney on Peel Road, Woodford, South Essex" in the 1881 British Census and living with his widowed mother Rebecca BLAYNEY b~1806 [129]. This may explain one of the reasons for Alex's delay into matrimony.
Alex's father was Thomas BLAYNEY (Blaney according to one LDS source), born 1796/7 in Finsbury, a Journeyman Tailor. He died in 1854 at Hackney Wick of Cholera. Alex's mother was Rebecca née LAMBERT, born in 1804 at Bethnal Green, London and married on 15th October, 1823 at St Matthew, Bethnal Green [127]. Alexander was the 16th of 17 children (not all proven yet).
According to Garry Blayney [142] Alex was not just a chairmaker but a landlord but he lost the houses in an economic depression.
Rebecca (Beckie) NICHOLS, who married Alex, was said to have been a "foundling", raised in an orphanage at Chlemsford, Essex [12]. I had assumed she could have been the niece of one Thomas Nichols who was a 30 year old Lodger living with the Blayneys at 3 Wick Lane (Tower hamlets, South Hackney) in the 1861 Census (Occ. Gardener). She was listed in the household census of 1881 as "Rebecca Nichols Niece 16" [1488]. It is obvious from the dates of marriage (1893), emigration to NZ (1893) and the birth of their first child, Frank on 15 May 1893 at Auckland, that the marriage and emigration were in part precipitated by Beckie Nichol's pregnancy. She would have been 28 and Alex 50 at the time. The other factor was the economic Depression (Slump) of the 1890s resulting in the loss of the row of houses Alex had owned.
Alexander Henry BLAYNEY [aka Henry Alexander BLAYNEY] and Rebecca NICHOLS
Descendancy:
1Alexander Henry BLAYNEY b.Sep1842 (St Luke, London); chr.1843 Bethnal Green [152]
d.10/11Sept1924 Auckland age 82 [123][1144].
The cemetery records state Alexander died 10Sep1924 yet the inscription has 11Sep1924, and the Probate record states
that he "died on [or about] the eleventh day of September" - interestingly the "[or about]" was added manually [1486].
A Chairmaker by trade, owning some houses in London which he lost in an economic down-turn [367] (presumably
the "Financial Panic" and subsequent Depression of 1893). Imm. to New Zealand in 1893.
Occ. "settler", Farmer (Pt Chevalier) and was recorded as having 173 sheep in 1894, but zero in 1895 [862].
He then became a Carrier in Morningside, Auckland, where he owned land opposite the Railway Station which he
divided between his sons: Frank got 30 Argyle St, while Thomas had 20 Argyle St plus a depot.
Son of Thomas BLAYNEY & Priscilla LAMBERT+Rebecca (Beckie) NICHOLS b.5Dec1864 (Sth Hackney, England) (Birth Cert.);
m.1893 (presumably onboard ship as no British BDM record exists);
Emm. in 1893 and on the 1893 NZ Electoral Roll living at Point Chevalier, Auckland [122]
d.22Aug1948 (Auckland) age 83 [1144] (Brain tumour)
Both Alexander and Beckie were buried at Hillsborough Cemetery (Auckland) [123] [see above]
Rebecca called her grandchildren princes [according to grandaughter Vi]
2 Francis (Frank) Alexander Thomas BLAYNEY
b.15May1893 Pt Chevalier Auckland [9May1893 Military Record];
d.11Mar1983 [142], Masterton Hospital. Ashes interred Nov 1989
NZ Army (WWI) Lance Corporal (driver) WWI 8th Reinforcements,
served 25Aug1915-7Jun1919 (Egypt 1916 & Western Europe 1916-1918);
Self-employed, then employed truck driver (multiple driving offences documented)
See Frank.html
+ Ruby Armstrong WESTON but had taken to using the surname WESTON-HURD
after her step-father, William Stephen Hurd (1856-1893)
Home service NZ Army (WWI), pte. 1917-1918
+Hannah Mary Scott McLEOD later known as "Elsie"
b.19Dec1898 (Milton Otago [375]); m.31May1922 (Wellington); d.13Apr1967 (Piha)
Biological parents:
Unknown McLEOD but a photo of Elsie's mother was found in the
"Diary of South Island Trip 1963" [375]
[dau of Ms McLEOD and unknown father.]
The surname McLeod suggests a Scottish ancestry.
Elsie's Adoption:
• Date: 3Jun1900 (1yr6mth)
• Given name: Hannah Mary ("Elsie") TOOMATH
• Adopting father: Edward JAMES TOOMATH b.25Oct1860; d.25Oct1934 (Auckland)
Known as Edward; One of eight children; Occ. Builder
[son of Edward William TOOMATH and Eliza Jane BATTERSBY]
• Adopting mother: Alice Jane HOBBS b.?1865/6 (based on claimed age of 69 at death
but no NZ record of her birth)
b.Q2 1858 (Tavistock, Devon, England. Mother's maiden name=HAMLIN) [130][1646]
making her 2 years older than James which explains the deceipt!;
m.14Jan1884; d.20Feb1934, (both Auckland).
Signed the 1893 petition to extend the franchise to women when they
were living in Marton.
• Adopting siblings:
William, Bert, Amy, Frances and Arthur Hugh TOOMATH.
Elsie nursed both her adopted parents for ten years at Argyl St, Morningside
(where she met Thomas) but she was not included in the TOOMATH will.
This, I believe, was an oversight as James & Alice were closely involved with
Elsie's family and Ivan (my Dad) was very close to James and was deeply affected by his death.
On retirement, Thomas and Elsie moved to Piha, NZ
Elsie died 13Apr1967 (Piha, Auckland);
Ashes bur.23Nov1967 (Waikumete Cem. Auck. - Cremation Lawn Old Row K2, Plot 12)
Edward William TOOMATH
The "Father of Education in New Zealand"
Edward William TOOMATH (1817-1885) [left], Settler, was Elsie's step-
Grandfather, the father of her adopting father Mr. James TOOMATH.
Edward was regarded by many as the father of education in New Zealand.
Edward was born 22 May 1817 (Belleek, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland) to
James TOOMATH and his wife Mary Janes de GRUDY from the Channel Is
where James was stationed as a soldier.
Educated at the Battersea Training Institute, Edward spent a few years as a soldier, then
after teaching for some time in London and Northampton, he was selected by the Society for
the Promotion of Christian Knowledge as the 1st certificated teacher for New Zealand.
Landing in Wellington in 1850 becoming the first teacher in the Canterbury Settlement, at
Lyttelton. He severed his connection with the Society after two years, and opened private
schools in Wellington and Greytown.
Edward was a promoter of the present system of free education, although other hands did
the work, and was the first inspector of schools. The Thorndon Normal School (since abolished)
was promoted by him, and he was, until the time of his death, a member of the Wellington
Education Board.
In politics Edward was a Liberal and sat for some time in one of the early Parliaments.
He interested himself in stock-raising, and introduced long-woolled sheep to the Colony,
grazing them on the section now occupied by the Wellington Club.
A successful speculator, he took an active part in establishing the Wellington tramways
and other ventures.
Edward W TOOMATH was twice married.
His first wife died of cholera within twenty-four hours of marriage.
His second wife (see left), who survived him, was Eliza Jane BATTERSBY,
born 26 Jan 1828, a passenger to NZ by the ship “Cornwall,” in 1850,
m.25Aug1854; dying 22 Dec 1898 (Wellington).
[dau. of John BATTERSBY and Elizabeth KNOWLINGS]
Children include: Joseph Edward TOOMATH (1855-1866);
Mary Jane Halliwell (1856-1907); Eliza Battersby TOOMATH (1858-1859);
James TOOMATH (1860-1934) (Elsie's adopting dad);
Emily TOOMATH (1864-1881); William TOOMATH (1865-1956);
Amy Grace SMYTH (1868-1953); Edward Battersby TOOMATH (1871-1941)
and Arthur Hugh TOOMATH (1883-1975).
Edward died 29th April 29, 1885 (age 67) Wellington, NZ; bur. Bolton Street, Wellington.
Edward's epitaph reads:
"He rests from his labours and his works do follow him".
[1571][1572][1573][1574][1575]
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Maisie Alice BLAYNEY b.7May1923; (Tailoress); m.1943; d.12June2012 (Auckland)
+ James (Jim) Richard George NORTON JP b.4Mar1924 [BDM]
[son of George Andrew Benjamin NORTON (1902-1927) and Ethel Annie MASTERS née JAMIESON (1902-2003)]
(Butcher, then took over Tom's Carrier business) d.10Dec1991 Auckland
4 Brian James (BJ) NORTON b.16Nov1944 [1251] (Auckland), mechanic;
Company Director (BA Enterprises BOP Ltd);
d.19Sep2016 (Rotorua). The "BRIAN NORTON SUPREME WEDDING INDUSTRY AWARD" was established in his memory [1570]
+ Living NORTON view family (?p/w problem)
4 Paul Thomas NORTON b.29Jun1947; (Manufacturer then Property Manager); m.21Jun1969
d.22Sep2023 (Auckland)
+ Living NORTON view family (?p/w problem)
3 Viola Elsie BLAYNEY b.30Dec1924 (Moringside, Auckland)
m.27Nov1947; d.6.Aug2017 (NSW); Occ.Shop Keeper, caterer
+ Myron Bertrand KELLY b.9Aug1923 (Delegate, NSW); Farmer; Þ (32 years); d.4Jul2007 (NSW) [brain tumour]
4 David Maxwell KELLY b.4Mar1949 (?Bega, ?Sydney Australia)
Occ. Electrician. d.30Jun1992 ?m.v. (NZ)
+ Living KELLY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Living KELLY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Ivan Thomas BLAYNEY b.29Mar1926 (Auckland), occ. Carpenter, (lay minister) m.4Feb1950;
d.14Apr1993 (Hypertensive Heart Disease) Auckland; Ashes scattered on Lion Rock, Piha. This is my father.
+ Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Ronald (Ron) Athol BLAYNEY b.23Oct1929 (Morningside, Auckland); d.13Feb2024
Carrier (bought the family business from Jim Norton); Bus driver
+ Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
3 Raymond (Ray) Henry BLAYNEY b.21Nov1938 (Auckland); d.31Dec2022 (Middlemore)
Carpenter (Foreman for Neill Housing); Built his own home in Mangere in 1962 [16470]
+ Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
4 Living BLAYNEY view family (?p/w problem)
Francis (Frank) Alexander Thomas BLAYNEY
b.15May1893 Pt Chevalier Auckland [9May1893 Military Record];
d.11Mar1983 [142], Masterton Hospital. Ashes interred Nov 1989
NZ Army (WWI) Lance Corporal (driver) WWI 8th Reinforcements,
served 25Aug1915-7Jun1919 (Egypt 1916 & Western Europe 1916-1918);
Self-employed, then employed truck driver (multiple driving offences documented)
See Frank.html
+ 
