(12) ALICE MAY (dec’d) 
   m Raymond John McNamara (dec’d)
         Doreen
     m Bob McQuire
                  Yvonne
                  Colin
                  Kevin
         Terrence
     m Pat Powell
                  Karen
                  Craig
              m Colleen Turner
                           Dean
                  Maxine

(13) AGNES MARGARET (dec'd) 
   m James Mulcare
         No family

View Margaret Aspin's Birth Certificate here.
Margaret (Maggie) Aspin was born at Tooloombilla, which is near Roma, Queensland, Australia, on 30th July 1874, although I am told that she celebrated her birthday on 24th July. Like her sister Mary, the white children in these communities created a lot of interest among the native Aborigine, and they had to be kept inside and watched very closely at all times. Nothing is known of Maggie's early life, and like others in the family she too never received any formal education. She would have been six years old when the family travelled to New Zealand, and as we presume, probably stayed for a short time at a camp at Waitakere before making the harbour crossing to their home at Grahams Beach. Maggie and her sister Lucy had a china doll each, and during this first harbour crossing they threw these overboard to the fish.
 

Maggie worked very hard as a child, helping in all that had to be done to establish a home and all the hard work that was done on the farm. She too was sent to dig gum, and I have described in more detail, when telling Polly's story, some of the circumstances they faced in digging this stuff. (Our own children would come back from an adventure down some of these same gullies with a small chunk of motley looking gum, and judging by the gleam in their eyes, you would think they had struck gold - not for them the rigors and hardships of 100 years ago). Like members of the family, without having any formal education, although we believe she did in fact attend school for three days, she still learnt to read, write and spell and wrote with a beautiful clear hand indeed.

Maggie married Charles William (Charlie) Short at the Short homestead at Awhitu on 11th October 1894. She was 20 years old, Charlie 30, and her occupation was described as household duties, his farmer. Charlie was the e1dest child of William and Mary-Anne Short, and of course is the brother of Jim who married Maggie's younger sister, Emma Aspin.  Charlie was born in Manchester, England. For the next 21 or 22 years they made their home at Awhitu Central, and where their home was, with its commanding view down over the west coast, now stands the home of Colin and Margaret Irwin. All of their 13 children were born in their home here, and many, if not all of them, were delivered by their grandmother, Margaret Aspin, and they would have all gained their schooling at Awhitu Central, and some also at Otaua and Pollok. Maggie kept in close contact with her parents and family, as is evident from the letter reprinted on the following page, written on 14th October 1896 from Maggie to her sister Mary (Polly).

Charlie had a team of 16 bullocks, and he carted logs and timber all around the Peninsula, and well beyond. It was his team that was working up at Kennedy Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula, and he also walked them from Awhitu down to Rotorua where they had some work to do for several months. Their daughter Kathleen recalls these memories, and I quote from her letter -"Father had a team of 16 bullocks and Carlos also handled them, drawing the bullock wagon with a load of kauri, rimu or totara logs - no pines then. The sawmill was below our house, and I can remember the huge engine, and the wells that were there to supply water for the mill. After one of the children slipped in a well and nearly drowned, they had covers put on them. From that mill the timber was built into the Presbyterian Manse at Awhitu Central by Father". We note when reading through the booklet 'Awhitu Central Horizon' it states -"Mr Charlie Short accepted a contract to build the Manse for five hundred pounds". We also understand that he built the wharf at Orua Bay, and timber from this same mill also was carted by barge from Awhitu to Waipipi, then by bullocks up to Jim and Emma's house-site on their farm.

With a large family, it was a very busy time for Maggie and Charlie just keeping body and soul together and maintaining the household, and this they achieved with great credit. Then about 1915/16 they left the old home and went to Otaua to sharemilk for Tom McDonnell near Waikato Heads, and they used to send milk to the old cheese factory, now disappeared, at Otaua.

Click here for the letter from Margaret Short

During the winter period when the cows weren't milking, they packed up and returned to Awhitu, then in the spring packed up again and went back out to Otaua. The following winter they repacked and went back to Awhitu only to move again in the spring, this time to the West Coast Road at Pollok where they milked on J. Hamilton's farm, right at the end of the road. During this time some of the older children were helping them out on the farm too, as well as with the household chores. Also their very popular grandmother Margaret Aspin, stayed with them for quite some time when they were at Pollok. Alice McNamara remembers the fun she and Agnes had with their grandma. Margaret helped with the cows and used to wear a big black apron, and Alice and Agnes used to 'drive' her to the cowshed by her apron strings! Two herds of cows were milked by the family, one herd on the coast farm, and one on the flats, the cream being sent to Hamilton's factory. Alice and Agnes began their schooling while at Pollok, both starting more or less at the same time. Kathleen recalls, and I quote from her letter again - "At this time Carlos enlisted and went off to war, then soon after our uncle Owen came to say his good-byes. He died in England with pnuemonia. Uncle Bill died in Waiuku about that same time, 1919, with black flu". We also note that illness struck Maggie and Charlie's family at this time too, several of them being very sick, and Eileen recalls that in 1917 she was very ill and spent some months in hospital.

About 1920, the family moved back to Awhitu, this time to stay. Those children still attending school continued at Awhitu Central, and Alice and Agnes went on to attend St. Mary's Convent in Ponsonby. Maggie, who was shy and retiring by nature, never sought the limelight, and hers was a life of dedication to her family. She seldom travelled through to Auckland, in fact we understand that in one particular 10 year period, she only got to Auckland once, and that was to buy a wedding present for Sam Dickey and Rubena Morrison  - she also came home sporting a brand new hat for the occasion as well.
It seems it was a habit of the Shorts to be off away from the house, or wherever, without actually letting anybody know they had gone, or to where, or for how long. We believe Charlie and Jim's mother, Mary-Anne Short, could tell who was home by the number of saddles on the rail outside the kitchen window. If someone was not handy, she would look out on the rail, 'Oh yes, Henry's saddle is missing - he's away' or 'Henry's saddle is there, he must be about someplace', and this was how she kept tabs on who was about. It was not uncommon for someone to be gone several hours, or days, maybe longer, without anyone knowing just where they were. Such an inborn habit is hard to break, and we understand Charlie continued this all his life, much to Maggie's consternation. He might be off down the back of the farm working somewhere, then decide to have a bit of a chat with a neighbour or someone and off he would wander, sometimes down to Grahams Beach to see his in-laws, and may be gone for a day or two, then just as happily wander back home again. Sometimes he was gone for a week or more, but always managed to make it back home safely. He loved to have a chat, and really was the most amicable of characters, a very easy-going gentleman, and one wonders if he ever understood the real concern he must have caused his family on these occasions.

At Awhitu Alice recalls they milked 88 cows at one stage, she and Vaughan milking the cows, and Evelyn working in the house. Vaughn left for a time, then came back to manage the farm when Charlie and Maggie retired to the house that Carlos had purchased in Martyn Street, Waiuku. They had purchased a home in Mellsop Avenue, but rented it out. The farm at Awhitu was sold in 1943. They lived in this cottage for the rest of their lives, and Maggie died on 3rd March 1944, aged 70 years. After Maggie's death, their daughter Evelyn came to live with her father then and took care of him until his death. Charlie still enjoyed a good walk, and on one occasion when walking from Waiuku to Awhitu, he called enroute to visit Jim and Emma at Waipipi, carrying two lemon trees with him. Emma asked what he was going to do with the trees and he replied "plant them in the bush at Awhitu. A man never knows when he'll get a cold you know". We understand he would have been in his 80's at this time.
Note:  You’ve really got to think that one through a bit, don’t you.  The gentleman was in his 80’s !!!

He was also noted for the wonderful walking sticks that he made. Way back earlier in his life, he would go down into the bush at Awhitu, select several pieces of various vines, and plait or twist them together so that eventually they grew into a tangled knot and all twisted, and maybe 15 or 20 years later he would go back, knowing just exactly where every lot of vines that he had 'tied' were, and select a part of one of these vines that had now grown all crooked and tangled, and cut out pieces to make walking sticks with, and splendid creations they were too. Charlie passed away on 30th May 1952, aged 88 years, and is buried alongside his wife at Waipipi.

Note - because we have two Short families included here, and also because this information is to hand, we have taken the opportunity to include now a few paragraphs on the family of William and Mary-Anne Short, parents of Charlie and Jim as we believe this will be of interest and value to their various families. This information is taken directly from the booklet 'Awhitu History' compiled by the Awhitu Branch of the Plunket Society.

"William and Mary-Anne Short came originally from Cork, Ireland, then from Manchester, England, by the full-rigged ship 'Matoaka' arriving at Auckland on 3rd January 1865 after a voyage of 102 days. She left Blackwall Docks, and carried 441 passengers - there were two deaths and six births during the voyage. Captain Barnett got a bonus of twenty pounds for each person landed. Shorts lived at Te Papapa for a while during the Maori Wars, then left Onehunga by the boat 'William Eck', and took four days to reach Waiuku. After a few months at Waiuku the Shorts went to Kohekohe for a while, but as prospects did not look very promising, Mr Short decided to try Awhitu. He left Kohekohe very early one morning in 1868 when the flax was in bloom (probably in November), went down to the beach and came up at what is still known as Shorts' Gap at the Central. He obtained work with Mr John  S. Graham, whom he had known in England, working from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. for the sum of one pound ten shillings per week for six days of the week. On Sunday he walked to Kohekohe and returned in time to start work again on Monday morning. Then the family moved down to Awhitu and lived on Graham's property on the hills above the beach (later owned by Irwin Brothers). The house consisted of three rooms, built of slabs, split on the West Coast and carried up the cliff face on the men's backs. It was built by William Short, assisted by William Aitcheson. After living there for some years, the family shifted over to Millett's flat, where they had a two-roomed house and a nikau whare. It was in this nikau whare that Jim Short was born. They continued to live here for about two years, until their home was built. A tailor, named Benjamin Lowe, owned the farm of 120 acres and Mrs Short bought a section for twenty pounds. The remainder was bought later from the Government. It was all in bush except a bit opposite the present house. Mr Palmer took the contract to fell the bush where the first house stood and the house was built in about 1880. For some time Mr Short worked for Mr Arrowsmith and was paid for just the number of hours worked. He worked ten hours a day for about four shillings. Garlands boat ran to Onehunga once a fortnight and people went to town and brought back a three months' supply of goods. The stuff was landed on the beach up the creek behind the store, the storehouse being known as Te Mungi, and from there the goods were carried home on the back or by horse. About 1885 they used to get their groceries from Onehunga by the boat 'Manukau' and one trip she landed half-a-ton of flour. The weather was bad for several days, and when they went to collect the flour with the bullock dray, it had all disappeared! Later Mrs Short used to ride to Waiuku for groceries, spend the night with a shipmate, at Ponsfords Road, Kohekohe and return on foot along the West Coast the following day, with the groceries in a pack on the horse" - and we believe the baby in a pack on her back.

(1) CHARLES WILLIAM (CARLOS) - Charles, more commonly and affectionately known as 'Carlos' was born on 26th March 1895 at his parents' home, Awhitu, on the Manukau Peninsula, and as with his cousins, it can safely be assumed that they were bought into the world with the aid of their grandmother, Margaret Aspin, who also acted as the local mid-wife. Carlos, being the eldest child of thirteen, became a prominent paternal figure to many of his younger brothers and sisters. He spent his childhood years at Awhitu, attending the Orua Bay and Awhitu Schools, and then he left school to begin working on the farm, and also milling and logging timber in the local bush. The outbreak of the First World War affected Carlos like so many at that time, and he gave National Service, spending his time at Gallipoli, as well as other countries, for a period of approximately two years. He served in the Third Auckland Regiment of the New Zealand Infantry, where he obtained recognition for his services, by receiving several war medals. On his return home he worked during the 1920's in the Mamaku and Mokau logging and timber milling areas.

Note: I wonder if this should read “Mamaku and Mokai logging and timber milling areas”?  Mokai happens to be just at the end of our road, here in Tirohanga, and within reasonable distance of Mamaku and had a huge mill during the early part of this century through to the 1950’s.  Alma)

In 1929/early 1930's he started work for the Public Works Department as a carpenter, working on the Waikaremoana project at Tuai, then to the Waitaki Power Schemes in the South Island, and back to Tuai. In 1939 Carlos married Phyllis Craven (nee Rink) who was originally from Turakino, Wanganui, and they settled in Piripaua, Hawkes Bay.  Piripaua/Tuai – are basically the same place.   Here is a brief outline of how they met.  We didn’t include this in the original edition.

While Carlos was working on the Kaimata Dam near Greymouth, he met a couple who were Albert and Phyllis Craven.   Albert was the Civil Engineer (the boss) on the job and Carlos the Assistant Engineer.  He became good friends with both Albert and Phyllis.  In 1938 Albert died of double pneumonia, leaving Phyllis widowed. The friendship between Carlos and Phyllis continued to develop and as they say, the rest is history.  

Phyllis had two children, Georgina and Bert Craven. Georgina is now married to Jack Sanderson and they have made their home in Karori, Wellington, with their children John and Tonya.
Bert married Iris Crann, and they live in Waiuku with their children Lochlyn, Mark and Sharleen.

While at Piripaua, Carlos was employed on the Waikaremoana Hydro Power Scheme as an Engineer. The family moved to Kaitawa, Lake Waikaremoana, which was a small transit village, created by the hydro schemes, being a temporary settlement for the men and their families until the completion of the project. Whilst living here, their five children were born, Elaine in 1940, Margaret in 1941, Charlie in 1943, Jack in 1948 and Sheryl in 1952. Sometime in the 1920's he purchased farm land at Awhitu which was part of the original Short farm. He had a succession of sharemilkers on the farm for many years. Other blocks of land were also bought over the years, and in the 1950's it totaled 388 acres.

In 1953 the family moved again, this time to Mangakino, on the Waikato River power project and at Atiamuri, Carlos still working as an engineer. This position he gained through his own self-taught merits, and it was a position he held for many years, until his retirement in 1960. At this time he moved back to Waiuku with his family, occupying the house where his parents had previously lived in Martyn Street. In his retirement he worked the farm at Awhitu with the aid of sharemilkers until his death in 1961 at the age of 66 years. He was survived by his wife Phyllis who remained living in Waiuku, his five children and many grandchildren.  Eventually Phyllis retired, still in Waiuku, and passed away on 20^th March 1996, at the age of 84.

Elaine - was born on 29th February 1940 in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, when her parents were living at Piripaua. They shifted to Kaitawa, and this is where Elaine attended the local primary school, with a roll of about 60. Her first year of high school was taken by correspondence, and then in 1954 they moved to Mangakino, where she was able to attend the District High School. In 1957 she started work in Mangakino in the stores office of the Ministry of Works, and then transferred to the Auckland Ministry of Works office in 1960. Elaine worked here for 18 months until the bright lights on the other side of the globe beckoned her and she left for England and a working holiday, spending the next three years plus, in various temporary office and nanny jobs. She travelled to the continent several times, and arrived back in Auckland in December 1964, in time to attend the C. W. Short family reunion in January 1965, which was most enjoyable. In 1965 another set of bright lights beckoned, and on the 15th May that year Elaine married Harvey Thomson at Ellerslie. Harvey had a food business in Penrose and they lived there until late 1965 when they bought their home in Papatoetoe and lived there for some considerable time.   They moved to the ‘Harp of Erin’ area in Greenlane and changed their business to furniture retailing owning the outlet known as Otahuhu Furnishers.    They sold that and Harvey carried on making furniture, and still does this today.   Elaine passed away on 23^rd October 1995.
They have two children, Andrew born on 22nd July 1968 and Kim, born on 4th December 1970.
Andrew, born on 22^nd July 1968, gained his schooling at Papatoetoe.   When he left school he worked for Fletcher Challenge and has continued there in the field of either computer programming or data entry, but with computers anyway.  He married Donna  Munro on 20^th November 1999 and have made their home at Pt Chev.
Kim also gained her schooling at Papatoetoe.  She completed her training and became a Kindergarten teacher.   At the end of 2000 the travel bug hit her and she is now off on the BIG OE like so many others. 

Margaret - was born at Wairoa on 9th October 1941, and she attended Kaitawa Primary School, and Mangakino District High Street. She left school in 1957 and moved to Auckland where she took up a position as a typist/clerk. The travel bug must be well established in this Short family, for Margaret travelled to Australia for a working holiday for three months in 1960. She met and married Kerry Geen on 31st March 1962 (not all on the same day!) in Auckland, and they made their home here, working together in Kerry's metal polishing business. After Kerry's death in 1978, Margaret continued living in Pakuranga with her two children, Kirk and Amber.  Margaret passed away on 15^th April 1986.
Kirk was born on 3rd October 1968 gaining his primary schooling in Pakuranga, and was a student of Edgewater College when he passed away on 30^th December 1984.
Amber, who was born on 29th November 1973 attended Papuranga Heights Primary School.  After her mum passed away, she went to live with her aunty  Elaine.  She left school and worked in office administration and continues in this field today.

Charlie - was born in 1943 at Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, and he too attended the Kaitawa School and the Mangakino District High School, leaving school in 1958 at the age of 15. His first job was as an assistant in the local butcher shop in Mangakino, and he worked until the family moved back to Waiuku in 1960. He worked for a time with his father, helping with farm work on the farm at Awhitu and after the death of his father he found employment on various construction jobs in and around the South Auckland area. In 1965 Charlie married Gloria Cowell, a local girl from a well-known Waiuku family. They have four children, Carlos born in 1966, Dean in 1967, Shane who was born in 1970 and Treena, born in 1971. During the early stages of married life, they lived at Glenbrook where Charlie was employed on the construction site of the Glenbrook Steel Mill. On completion of construction and the initial production of the steel mill, he was employed by New Zealand Steel as transport foreman - a position he held for four years. In 1971 he bought an 'off-way' dump truck business that was worked at the steel mill. Having purchased further trucks, his area became very extensive, with contracts gained for these machines at the Kopuku open-cast coal mines, and the construction site of the present Carrington Technical Institute, Auckland. With the increased workload, more drivers had to be employed, with further contracts being gained with Green and McCahill at Mangatangi. Then in 1977 the earthmoving business was sold, allowing a 'short' well-earned break. (I like that!) In 1978 Charlie and Gloria purchased a second-hand shop in Waiuku, known as Waiuku Mini Mart. Besides the business, they have many outside interests, Charlie being a committee member of the Waiuku Businessman's Association and past member of Jaycees.   After selling the business, he went back to truck driving for a while, and Gloria had a position in the office of the Country Club in Waiuku.  After visiting the Brisbane Expo in 1988, they made the decision to move to the warmer climate, and made their home on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane.  Both Carlos and Dean have been past Counties Rugby representatives, and Dean represented Waiuku in the Counties Roller Mills rugby team in 1980. All the family enjoyed rugby, and Shane  played cricket.  Treena was a very keen netballer, being coached in this sport by her Mum.  The children all attended View Road School and Waiuku College.
Carlos travelled and worked “all over the world”, including England and Africa, working as an “international construction worker” and now lives in Perth.
Dean was away on the BIG OE when he travelled to meet up with the family at the Brisbane Expo in ’88 and returned to England, working in construction as a rigger.  He came back to NZ and graduated from the Waikato University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Business Management, with Honours, and has made his home in Perth where he works as a human resource manager for a construction company.   He married Marie Nielson , who comes from Waverly, in Perth on 11^th November 2000 with all the family travelling to Perth for the occasion.
Shane travelled with his parents to the Gold Coast in 1989 and has made his home there.
Treena worked in administration at the Heards factory in Waiuku.   She met Paul Sixsmith and they were married in 1992.  Paul is from England and emigrated when he was 9 years old.  He works as a fitter at the steel mill at Glenbrook. They made their home in Waiuku for some time before moving to their home which overlooks the Manukau at Grahams Beach in 1998.   They have two children, Lauren born on 11^th October 1998 and James who was born on 11^th September 2000.

John Short (Jack) - was born in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, in 1948. He attended Mangakino Primary School, and then Waiuku Primary and later Waiuku College. On leaving school he worked on various construction sites in the Auckland area for a number of years until that familiar travel bug got him, and he left for Australia where he travelled on a working holiday for two years. When he returned home he worked with his brother-in-law Kerry Geen in Otahuhu as a metal polisher, later buying the business himself. Jack was married to Karen Leathart in Auckland in 1973, and they have a son Clinton, who was born in 1972. The family resides on the North Shore.

The youngest in this family, Sheryl, was also born in Wairoa on 8th October 1952. She attended Mangakino and Waiuku Primary schools, then Papatoetoe High where she was accredited her university entrance. Upon leaving school, Sheryl chose a career in haemotology and began her training at Auckland Hospital. The travel bug had well and truly got a hold on this family by now, and in 1972 Sheryl left New Zealand and travelled to Australia, South America, Europe and England settling in Surrey, England, where she married Peter Cawley in 1978. Sheryl continued with her training, and obtained her Higher National Certificate in haemotology in 1979. She travelled home by herself in 1981 for a family visit, being able to attend the Aspin Reunion at that time, and upon her return to England, she and Peter decided to make their way back to settle permanently in New Zealand, and this they did the following year.   They lived in Mt. Eden, Sheryl working within her field and Peter as Public Relations manager for Arnotts Biscuits.  Their son Martin was born while there were here.  With a transfer for Peter the family settled in Sydney and are there today, he working as Public Relations manager for Cerebos, covering the South Pacific area. 

Georgina Craven was born in Masterton on 23^rd October 1933 and had moved to Greymouth when her Dad Albert was employed as the Civil Engineer on the Kaimata Dam.   After his death, her Mum Phyllis remarried Carlos Short and thus they became the one family.  She finished her schooling at Tuai and worked as a waitress at the Lake House Hotel at Waikaremoana.  This hotel has since burnt down.   She married Jack Sanderson at Waikaremoana.  He was a chef and they moved to Wellington to make their home in Karori, Jack continuing to work as a chef.  He passed away on 31^st August 1984.   They had two children.
John, born on 19^th April 1967, attended schools in Karori and then took up a panelbeating apprenticeship.  He married Christine Barker in 1992, she working for the Airways Corporation.   After his death on 13^th February 1996, she continued living in Wellington.
Tonya was born on 5^th August 1968, and worked in office administration in Wellington for some time before settling in  Sydney.

Bert Craven was also born in Masterton, on 23^rd May 1935, and like his sister, became a member of Carlos’s family after his dad Albert Thomas Craven passed away, and Phyllis remarried Carlos.   Bert was at school in Tuai when the school closed, so he finished his studies as a boarder at Napier Boys’ High.  After leaving school he worked as a carpenter’s labourer for the MOW at Waikaremoana, then to Wellington, driving trucks, to Mangakino driving trucks, and then to Waiuku driving buses.  He married Iris Crann on 17^th August 1963, Iris being a Waiuku girl.

Actually, Iris works at the Franklin Memorial Hospital with Karen Aspin, and helped nurse Kath in her time there as well.  Bert worked for a plumber for a while, then developed his own business ‘Waiuku Contractors’ and had that until 1985.   He worked at the Steel Mill for a while, and retired in 1996.  They have three children, all born in Waiuku, and  gained their schooling here.
Lochlyn was born on 24^th January 1964, and did his fitter and turner apprenticeship at the Steel Mill.  He married Tracey Duncan and they had two children, Amy who was born on 22^nd August 1989 and Oliver who was born on 14^th November 1900    Eventually they divorced and he remarried Donna Peterson and they have made their home in Waiuku with their three children, Jamie Lee, born on 18^th April 1992, Blair who was born on 23^rd July 1999 and Wade, born on 6^th January 2001, as we go to press with this. 
Mark was born on 5^th August 1965 and he and his partner Joanne McCallum have two children, Dillon who was born on 31^st December 1989 and Stevie Lee who was born on 22^nd July 1991.   They live in Auckland.
Sharlene married Barry Lowe and they had a son Hayden. who was born on 19^th April 1988. She remarried Mark Jennings and they have twins Jordan and Shane who were born on 27^th January 1995.

(2)  AGNES MAY - born at her parents' home at Awhitu on 9th May 1896, Agnes was the first daughter of Charlie and Maggie. However, she was to be theirs for such a very short time, and sadly she died at their home in December 1896, aged just seven months.

(3) JOHN - born also at his parents' home at Awhitu, on 22nd August 1897, and like his brothers and sisters, gained his education at the Awhitu Central Primary School. After leaving school, John found work to do about the farm and home, helping out with all that had to be done, then eventually found employment milking cows for a next-door neighbour, Mr George Irwin. However, when he was just 13 years old he contracted diptheria (apparently the disease was spread by some rabbits which they were keeping for pets), and tragically John died from this on 10th March 1910.

(4) WILLIAM CALLAN (CRUSOE) 

Bill, or Crusoe as he was known, was born at his parents' home at Awhitu on 24th September 1898. Apparently as a wee toddler he fell out of the highchair, landing soundly on his arm. There being no doctors available, and no transport, it was not officially diagnosed as being broken, and not treated for this, but mended itself, resulting in his bent arm he had all his life. He gained his schooling also at the Awhitu Central School, and left to continue working at home on the farm, and in the bush and mill. Sometime later he moved down to Rotorua, staying with his Uncle Jack and Aunty Nellie Short and family, and working in the mills down there. While in Rotorua he met Mavis Arnold, and after their marriage they made their home in Rotorua. Then it was some time later, with his two sons Bill and Greg now staying at Charlie and Maggie's home at Awhitu, Crusoe purchased a small farm by the Orua Bay turn-off and lived there for a time. After some more time he sold this farm, purchasing a business in Waiuku, then eventually he retired to a home unit in Pukekohe, and lived there until his death on 15^th June 1980.

William John (Bill) was born on 11th January 1926. For a period of about four years, he and his brother Greg lived with their grandparents at Awhitu and it was here that he commenced school. He then went to live with his mum in Auckland, continuing his schooling there, and after his Mum's marriage in 1938, Bill was adopted by her husband, Stanley Bradburn, thus his name became Bill Bradburn. After leaving school, he took up an apprenticeship in the printing trade in 1940 with Whitcombe and Tombs. In 1953 he married Nell Hoffman, Nell having completed her nursing training at Auckland Public Hospital in 1952. She is the daughter of a dairy farmer from Otorohanga. Together they built a home in Northcote, Auckland and their family of three, Lea born on 26th June 1954, Glenn born on 9th March 1957 and Jill born on 5th June 1959, were all born in Auckland. Bill transferred to Hamilton branch of Whitcombe and Tombs in 1961, and then in 1965 he left this firm and moved to Morrinsville to work with the Morrinsville Star. When this paper and printing business was bought by the Waikato Times in 1968, Bill was moved back to Hamilton and became overall manager of the branch shops scattered throughout the Waikato area. Bill has enjoyed a neat interest in music, particularly brass bands, and this he has passed on to his family, for Glenn and Jill also played in a brass band. Bill played Eb bass for many years, and played saxaphone in a big band. In his youth he also played in both brass and dance bands. He  enjoyed indoor bowls and  also outdoor, using his fathers' new set of bowls bought shortly before he died. Bill's other interests are landscape painting in oils and golf. Nell returned to nursing in 1966 as relieving District nurse, then became a nursing tutor at Waikato Hospital in 1969.    She slowed down a little bit to do some part-time nursing before eventually retiring to enjoy the rewards of a full life.    Bill changed from painting in oils to water colours and continues his roll as “super handyman” to kith and kin whenever his skills are required.    They remain living in Hamilton

Their daughter Lea was born in June 1954 and attended Melville High school, gaining her university entrance in 1971. She worked in various jobs before becoming involved in a rural women’s community in 1979 and her time was spent working with crafts, designing clothes and collecting animals.     This very creative lady went fully into hand-painting silks for different designers and this was used to make some real special creations.    Her work was used in the uniforms of one of our national sports teams for either the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games I believe.   She eventually made her way to India designing silk quilts for a businessman there and has since made a career out of creating her own silk articles as well as a tourist business she calls “Fabricholic tours” – designed for those people with a passion for fabrics.   This tour fits in well with their backpackers tour that they operate doing a lot of tramping and hiking.   Among her many activities, she began a school for underprivileged girls and ran this for about 2 years.    As a result of this effort she has fostered three Indian girls as her daughters.   They are Manju, Anju, and Babita.   She has had these girls for about 4-5 years now and sponsors them fully.      India has become her home so much so now that she has adopted the name “Yana Lea” and has settled north east of Deli.    Anybody travelling through this region is assured a warm welcome from Yana Lea and to obtain her contact details, phone her sister Jill Austin on 07-8561119.   She would love to have you visit her if you are heading that way.
Glen attended Hamilton Boys' High school, gaining his university entrance in 1973. He worked for five years before commencing his Bachelor of Arts degree at Auckland University in 1979. He studied Political Science and Chinese, and then was awarded a Foreign Affairs Scholarship to China for 18 months to study language (Mandarin) at Peking Language Institute, and culture at either Shanghai or Nanking. On his return to New Zealand he plans to commence study for his Master of Arts.   Well, he didn’t study for his Masters but he did return home…..     He made his home in Auckland, Thames and now Wellington working in the whole field of social work.    For those ‘Sale of the Century’ fans, did any of you notice Glen at all?   I am told he “won the lot” on one of these sessions.    Glen’s daughter Hera Lindsay was born in December 1987 and gains her education in Wellington.     She has just recently spent four months on exchange in Germany.   Son Alex Lindsay was born in 1990 and he too attends school in Wellington.
Jill went to Hillcrest High, gaining her university entrance in 1975, and entered Hamilton Teachers College to train as a kindergarten teacher. She worked at Avon, a Stratford kindergarten for a year before going to Sydney where she worked as a computer data processor in an insurance firm (Lumleys). Her plans were to travel on to Europe in 1982, then maybe back home again, and I quote here "parents hopeful!"
Well Jill tells me that she didn’t travel further, she in fact stayed in Sydney and came home in 1983 to get married.    She married Robert Austin on 30^th July 1983 and they made their home in New Plymouth, Auckland and now Hamilton.    Robert works in management with Pizza Hutt and Jill has returned to university to do some part-time study.      They have three children.
Reuben was born on 25^th November 1986 while they were in New Plymouth. 
Liam was born on 28^th August 1989 at St. Helens in Auckland and he was one of the last babies born in that hospital.
Laura was born in Hamilton on 13^th September 1991 and they are now all attending schools in Hamilton.

Greg - born on 17th November 1927, he too lived with his         grandparents for a few years, and so began his schooling at Awhitu Central, then moved with his mum to Auckland and continued his schooling there. After he left school Greg worked on a number of farms before entering the Air Force, and this he made his career. After Greg and Mary were married, they made their home on Herald Island, which is close to the Whenuapai Airbase, and we understand they continued on living here. Greg retired in the early 1970's and just a year or two later he passed away. Mary continues to live in their home on Herald Island.   Greg and Mary had three children, Jennifer, Geoffrey and Karin.
Jennifer was born on 16^th July 1949, gaining all her schooling at Hobsonville.   She is another adventurous spirit who headed off for the BIG OE travelling through England and Europe.   She was married in 1972 to Garry Ritchie. Garry was an air-force pilot and they  made their home wherever he had been stationed.     After they separated Jenny and her partner John Woolley made their home in Auckland where son Geoffrey was born on 10^th October 1984.   Geoffrey gained all his schooling in Remuera, is now a student at Auckland University studying a Bachelor of Economics and is a very keen sailor having represented New Zealand already.    Jenny  now lives in Remuera and works for Air New Zealand at Mangere International Airport.  
Geoffrey only lived to be 18 years of age, as he lost his life as the result of a motorbike accident, and this was very early in the 1970's.
Karin was born in April 1963.   She is a special needs person who divides her time between North Shore Hospital and with her mum Mary. 

(5) KATHLEEN MARGARET  - also born at her parents' home at Awhitu, on 2nd August 1900, so as she says herself, she is "an old Victorian". Kathleen remembers more, and I quote here from her letter "Aunty Nellie was responsible for taking me down to Jack Kemps' in the bush to have me Baptised, and when she got there she couldn't remember the name I was to have and ended up with Maria Sarah". She started school when she was 6, attending the Orua Bay School for a fortnight, staying with Pachouds, then Awhitu Central and left when she was 13 as she was needed at home with helping with the new baby Agnes, and the other children. She remembers that a lot of schooling was missed through having to help out at home, and this was quite a common occurrence in the large families of that time. She remembers that they were a very large, but very happy family, and all had to help to get the daily jobs done.