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GRIFFITHS familyImage by SandyEmIn loving memory ofPenelopebeloved wife ofAustin GRIFFITHSwho departed this lifeMarch 28th 1903 aged 40 years[cemetery online database states 50 years]Rest peacefully, peace after painalsoPenelopeThe beloved daughter of the abovewho died July 2nd 1906 aged 26[of Wilsons Road, Domestic duties and born in Christchurch]Forever with the Lordand their 3rd sonEdward Albertwho died May 12th 1910 aged 19 years[of Brougham Street, painter and born NZ]A patient sufferer gone to restalso ofIris Pearlinfant daughter of W & C GRIFFITHSDied December 31st 1921[aged 16 days, of 109 Colombo Street]andAustin Secundusbeloved husband of Penelope GRIFFITHS Senrwho died October 13th 1923 aged 70 years[of 136 Brougham Street, painter, born England]Austin’s probate is available:www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=20181428From Richard GREENAWAY’s"Tour of Sydenham Cemetery"Austin Secundus Griffiths was born in England about 1851. On 27 June 1874 he left Plymouth as one of 33 government-assisted emigrants bound for Canterbury on the ‘fine clipper vessel’ Merope. The vessel also carried a large number of saloon passengers and the British astronomical expedition for observing the transit of Venus. As on other occasions, the passengers were further to keep diaries and Austin’s has survived. A copy is held at Christchurch City Libraries.The fact that the diary is an example of copperplate handwriting shows that Griffiths had a sound basic education. Alas, the diarist concerned himself mainly with the wind, rain, speed of the vessel and its latitude and longitude.Some entries read:Wednesday 8th: upwind very fine, making headway from 10 to 12 knots ….Friday 10th: got up at 5 a.m. We sighted the peak of Teneriffe. We had a fair wind all day, 10 knots a hour …. Wednesday 3rd, very rough winds. The boiler started to work again. Latitude 13.42 S.., Longitude 35.25 West.Occasionally Griffiths commented briefly on the highlights, discomforts and tragedies of shipboard life:We entered the Bay of Biscay when almost all the passengers were sick ….Sighted some rocks called the 12 Apostles. Passed a wrecked vessel at 4 a.m. laying bottom side up …. A female child born on board …. At 7.30 a.m. a male child born. Light southerly winds all day and night in Latitude 48.20 S Longitude 146.20 E …. At 8 p.m. another male child innate …. Light fair winds all day and night. At 3 p.m. divine service on board. Two christenings on board in the first class saloon …. We had an assize trial on board over Mr. Paris, the agent, for [being] very drunk and disorderly …. Trial still continues …. Child died …. Buried the child.On 28 September the ship reached Lyttelton and commenced ‘discharging emigrants and luggage to the depot and different parts of the country.’The diary ends with a tribute to the migrants’ ‘constable’:We think it our duty to make Mr. George Hale some little acknowledgement of his meritorious conduct as constable on board … the … Merope. We found him a very civil, industrious, clean, honest, sober man. He was considered by all a very worthy man and one that we hope will prosper in his new home, New Zealand.The newspapers stated that, during the voyage, there had been ‘no serious cases of sickness’, that there had been ‘two deaths (of infants) and six births’ and that, at Lyttelton, the immigrants had presented testimonials to Captain Williams, the surgeon-superintendent and officers.’ The immigrants themselves appeared ‘a very healthy lot of people’ who would doubtless make good colonists, while the single girls were ‘mostly domestic servants.’In Christchurch Griffiths worked as a painter and paperhanger. He experienced several domestic tragedies. Penelope Griffiths, 43, died on 28 March 1903. A daughter, Penelope, 26, died of ‘melancholia’ on 2 July 1906. The couple’s third son, 19 year old Edward Albert, also a painter, died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 12 May 1910. An infant grand-daughter, Iris Pearl, died on 31 December 1921.Passionate about bowls, Austin Griffiths was, for many years, a member of the Sydenham Bowling Club. In 1922 he served as president. On Saturday 13 October 1923 he was sitting on the bank watching a match at the opening of the club when, suddenly he collapsed. Dr. Currie, long-time Sydenham physician, was called and pronounced that life was extinct, after which the body was removed to Griffiths’ home at 136 Brougham Street. The death ‘cast a gloom over the proceedings at the green and all the games were immediately stopped.’An inquest was deemed unnecessary as the doctor who had attended Griffiths was prepared to certify that, for six months, he had been suffering from heart disease.[1]His diary [incomplete] during his voyage on the Merope to NZ is held by the Canterbury museum:thecommunityarchive.org.nz/node/69483and a photocopy by Christchurch City Libraries:The diary kept on board the ‘Merope’ on her voyage from Plymouth to Lyttelton, 27 June – 28 September 1874, by A.S. Griffiths of Sydenham, Christchurch.Austin and Penelope’s daughter Henrietta Kate married George DEYELL jnr on 14 September 1905 at St Saviour’s, Sydenham. Info on this family here:christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Cemeteries/Sydenha…The ‘Merope’ was a Shaw Savill vessel which made six voyages to Canterbury under contract to the Central Government bearing assisted immigrants from England, 1871-1875. References:[1]christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Cemeteries/Sydenha…
GRIFFITHS familyImage by SandyEmIn loving memory ofPenelopebeloved wife ofAustin GRIFFITHSwho departed this lifeMarch 28th 1903 aged 40 years[cemetery online database states 50 years]Rest peacefully, peace after painalsoPenelopeThe beloved daughter of the abovewho died July 2nd 1906 aged 26[of Wilsons Road, Domestic duties and born in Christchurch]Forever with the Lordand their 3rd sonEdward Albertwho died May 12th 1910 aged 19 years[of Brougham Street, painter and born NZ]A patient sufferer gone to restalso ofIris Pearlinfant daughter of W & C GRIFFITHSDied December 31st 1921[aged 16 days, of 109 Colombo Street]andAustin Secundusbeloved husband of Penelope GRIFFITHS Senrwho died October 13th 1923 aged 70 years[of 136 Brougham Street, painter, born England]Austin’s probate is available:www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=20181428From Richard GREENAWAY’s"Tour of Sydenham Cemetery"Austin Secundus Griffiths was born in England about 1851. On 27 June 1874 he left Plymouth as one of 33 government-assisted emigrants destined for Canterbury on the ‘fine clipper vessel’ Merope. The vessel also carried a large number of saloon passengers and the British astronomical expedition for observing the transit of Venus. As on other occasions, the passengers were encouraged to keep diaries and Austin’s has survived. A copy is held at Christchurch City Libraries.The fact that the diary is an example of copperplate handwriting shows that Griffiths had a sound basic education. Alas, the diarist concerned himself mainly with the wind, rain, speed of the vessel and its latitude and longitude.Some entries read:Wednesday 8th: weather very fine, making headway from 10 to 12 knots ….Friday 10th: got up at 5 a.m. We sighted the peak of Teneriffe. We had a fair wind all day, 10 knots a hour …. Wednesday 3rd, very rough winds. The boiler started to work again. Latitude 13.42 S.., Longitude 35.25 West.Occasionally Griffiths commented briefly on the highlights, discomforts and tragedies of shipboard life:We entered the Bay of Biscay when almost all the passengers were sick ….Sighted some rocks called the 12 Apostles. Passed a wrecking vessel at 4 a.m. laying bottom rooted up …. A female child born on board …. At 7.30 a.m. a male child born. Light southerly winds all day and night in Latitude 48.20 S Longitude 146.20 E …. At 8 p.m. another male child born …. Light fair winds all day and night. At 3 p.m. divine service on board. Two christenings on board in the first class saloon …. We had an assize trial on board over Mr. Paris, the agent, for [being] very drunk and disorderly …. Trial still continues …. Child died …. Buried the child.On 28 September the ship reached Lyttelton and commenced ‘discharging emigrants and luggage to the depot and different parts of the country.’The diary ends with a tribute to the migrants’ ‘constable’:We think it our duty to make Mr. George Hale some little acknowledgement of his meritorious conduct as constable on board … the … Merope. We found him a very civil, industrious, clean, honest, sober man. He was considered by all a very worthy man and one that we hope will prosper in his new home, New Zealand.The newspapers sta |