Thomas Jnr

Thomas Edward Smith

(1889 - 20 January 1917)

Thomas Edward Smith at the wedding of his step-sister Alice, in 1907.
Photographed by Mrs Cobb
(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)

Thomas Edward Smith was born in Waipawa, in 1889. His parents were English immigrants to New Zealand, Thomas George Smith (1851 - Dec 1919) and his second wife Jane Simmons (c16 Nov 1851 - 9 Jan 1917). Thomas had one full brother and ten step-siblings. Six of the half-siblings came from his mother's first marriage to George Gardner (9 May 1856 - 24 Dec 1886):

• Mary Elizabeth Jane Gardner (1878 - 1961) 
• Francis (Frank) William  Gardner (1879 - 1943)  
• Clara Lorraine Gardner (1880 -  6 Aug 1920)
• Alice Maud Gardner (11 June 1883 - May 1950) 
• Emily Annie Gardner (Jan 1884 - 19 Feb 1972)
• Mabel Gardner (1885 - 31 Aug 1968)

Thomas was the elder of two sons born to Thomas and Jane Smith:

• Thomas Edward Smith (1889 - 20 January 1917) 
• Frederick (Fred) James Smith (24 October 1890 - 1 August 1961) 

Thomas was also the step-brother of the four children born to Thomas Smith Snr and his first wife Bridget Callighan:

• Thomas Smith (9 June 1871 - 1873)
• Henry Smith (1877 - 4 Sep 1959)
• James Patrick Smith (11 Jan 1879 - 30 Dec 1932)
• Mary Smith (1884 - 1935)

Around 1890 Thomas Snr moved the family to Ormondville where he worked as a shoe maker and repairer. He advertised his business in The Bush Advocate from at least May 1892 until July 1893. By this time, Thomas was attending the Ormondville School along with his step-sisters, Alice, Emily and Mabel. His oldest siblings had probably finished their schooling. The girls would have been helping their mother with domestic duties at home while Frank may have helped his step-father at the shop. A measles epidemic during 1893 may have affected the children.

Scandal
Unbeknownst to Thomas Jnr or his siblings, their mother had received a strange letter from the Dead Letter Office addressed to 'Mrs Thomas Smith, Oamaru' and sent from Thomas Smith in Ormondville. Jane had opened the letter and read it. To her horror she discovered that her husband had another wife and family in the South Island. For whatever reason, Jane decided not to tell a soul about the contents of the letter. However, shortly afterwards, Thomas Snr disappeared without warning.

In September 1893 Thomas Snr was arrested for failing to comply with a court order to support his first wife and children and as a result his bigamist activities came to light. They were reported publicly, in The Bush Advocate, Volume XI, Issue 831, 14 September 1893:







The court case was reported on 23 September 1893. At his trial, Thomas Snr pleaded guilty to bigamy and was sentenced to two years hard labour at the Napier Prison (New Zealand's oldest prison). The Bush Advocate, Volume XI, Issue 835, published on 23 September reported the following facts from the trial:








The New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9312, 22 September 1893 reported the case succinctly, as follows:







It is not clear what happened to Jane and the children after Thomas Snr was sent to prison. We believe she moved back to Waipawa at the end of 1893 as four of her children, including Thomas, completed the school year at Ormondville. We also know that she continued to use the surname Smith because her son Fred named Mrs T Smith his next of kin when he enlisted for war. It appears that although Thomas Snr returned to his first wife, Bridget, after he was released from prison, he kept in touch with his youngest sons, and for a time, lived in Waipawa.

Jane Gardner with four of her children, outside of her home.

Photo by W Billows. Date c1890s.

(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)

Family weddings
Thomas Jnr would have attended several family weddings in the early 1900s. Firstly, his sister Clara married George Henry Arrow (Oct 1879 - 29 Mar 1926) in Waipawa in 1904. Later that year, on 8 December, his sister Mary married William Matthew Hazlehurst (12 Nov 1874 - 13 Mar 1943) in Christchurch.

On 18 July 1906 Thomas's brother Frank married Ellen (Nellie) Burke (dates unknown) in Waipawa. The following year, on 4 December 1907 his sister Alice married Robert (Rob) Charles Cobb (20 Oct 1870 - 20 Dec 1949) in Waipawa. The following photo is one of the few we have of Thomas:

The wedding of Robert (Bob) Cobb and Alice M Gardner. Waipawa, 1907.

Back row: George Arrow, Mary Hazelhurst (nee Gardner), Robert (Bob) Cobb,

Alice Cobb (nee Gardner), Mabel Gardner, Thomas Smith Jnr, Emily Gardner

Front row: Clara Arrow (nee Gardner) with daughter Joyce Arrow,

Jane Smith (nee Simmons), and sitting on the ground is Fred Smith.

Photo taken by Mrs Cobb.

(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)

In 1909 Thomas's sister Emily married John (Jack) Barnes (? - 7 Aug 1964).


The War Years
The 1914 Electoral Roll shows that Thomas was living at Morris Street, Palmerston North, with his sister Alice, her husband Bob Cobb, and their young family. Thomas was employed as a cycle agent at this time. Also living at the Cobb home was Bob's widowed mother, Harriet Cobb.

On 11 November 1915, Thomas's  sister, Mabel, was married (possibly in Waipukurau). She married Scotsman, James (Jim) Preacher (14 July 1883 - 5 Oct 1918) who worked as a carpenter. The wedding would have been a simple affair since it was wartime.

Thomas's brother, Fred Smith, enlisted for war on 6 March 1916. He served as a Private with the 14th Reinforcements Wellington Infantry Battalion, B Company. Fred departed from Wellington on 26 June 1916 on the troopship 'Maunganui' bound for Devonport, England. Thomas may have been there at the departure. Sadly, it would be the last time they saw each other.

During 1916 the Cobb family resided at 20 Carroll Street, Palmerston North. Bob opened his own butchery, Cobb and Co, in the square, Palmerston North. Thomas worked for Bob in his shop.

Thomas lost his mother on 9 January 1917. She died in Waipawa, aged 60. The family buried her in the Waipawa Cemetery with her first husband, George Gardner.

Thomas Edward Smith c1917.
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)

Death
Less than two weeks after his mother's death, Thomas (28), tragically died in Palmerston North Hospital as the result of a motorcycle accident. Thomas' death notice was printed in the Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13604, 22 January 1917:




There was an inquest into the cause of Thomas's death. The findings were printed in the Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10568, 23 January 1917:









Thomas was buried at the Terrence End Cemetery, Palmerston North, Block 9, Plot 33.

Sources of Information
Family held records and photographs courtesy of G J Bland
Palmerston North Cemetery & Cremation Search
Papers Past
Ancestry.com