Chris Korte’s NZ Genealogy Project website was updated on 26 August 2023. The update resulted in addition of over 800 people to the family tree, plus a number of corrections, addition of over 280 people photos and 35 headstone photos. The text of almost 200 death notices from New Zealand were added for people who died in 2010-2016. Full details of changes and updates can be seen on the Site History page that lists website changes.
During the five months between site updates, a number of people contacted me with additions and corrections to add to the family tree. Thanks to those who have contributed to the website by providing information. I list all those who get in touch to contribute to the website on the project Site History page.
Death notices provide valuable information for building family histories, mentioning the names of partners, children, grandchildren and sometimes parents and siblings. They have the death date, death location and funeral arrangements. New Zealand newspapers back to about 2006, with images of death notices, are available on PressReader.com and accessible in Australia through the local library. This has been the source of many death notices added with the August site updates. The text of more recent death notices are often available from legacy.com.
Ancestry.com recently updated the New Zealand Electoral Rolls available on their website, adding the rolls for 1987, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. This has greatly assisted with finding additional information about children mentioned in 2010-2016 death notices, especially finding second christian names, with usually only one first name being given in death notices.
Additional descendants of William McAllister CRAIG (b 1872-1952) were added to the website following receipt of some family information from Cheryl Yates in Ashburton (my sister’s sister-in-law). William and his sons were coal miners in Scotland. All his children immigrated to New Zealand between 1924 and 1930 and settled in Southland and Otago, most of the men working in the coal mines around Nightcaps.
A mystery from about 2012 was solved for the August 2023 site update, involving the children of Hilda Eunice WALLACE (1898-1968) and Eric Hugh TEMPERTON (1894-1971). Hilda’s 1968 death notice listed 10 children but there were thought to be 13 children. Some of the children’s death notices also mentioned 12 siblings. After review of electoral rolls, death notices, and the NZ online birth register, the 13 children were identified. It appears one child was missing from the death notice, but also two commas between children’s names in the notice! Hilda also conceived an additional daughter during WW1 while Eric was overseas, the daughter presumably being given for adoption.
Chris Korte's Genealogy Blog 