ABRAHAM BUSH (born London England, c 1800 died 1873, Nelson, NZ) married MARY TINKER (born 1800 Kent, Eng, died 1877, Nelson, NZ) in 1821 at Erith, Kent, England.

Their son THOMAS BUSH Snr (born c 1829, Eng, died 1905) married in 1846, England to Eliza Clark (born c1817 - 1820, Eng, died 1903, Wanganui).

THOMAS & ELIZA and their 4 children boarded the "John Masterton" on 17/10/1856 in London and arrived in Nelson, New Zealand on 8/2/1857. Thomas's brother Abraham William Bush also travelled with them. (Not sure yet as to when the parents Abraham & Mary came to New Zealand.

ABRAHAM set up life in Nelson as Innkeeper of "The Travellers Rest", Appleby. He went on to run other establishments over the years.

THOMAS BUSH (Abraham's son) worked his trade, Cabinet Maker in Nelson before turning to running the "Victoria Hotel" in Nelson and later "Old House at Home" in Westport. In the 1870's they moved to Wanganui where he was Undertaker for a couple of years. They ended back in Nelson where he died in Nelson Hospital in 1905.

THOMAS & ELIZA's son THOMAS JAMES BUSH (born c 1852, Eng) married a daughter of HENRY ANTHONY NATHAN & JANE (HEARN) - MARY ANN NATHAN (bc 1856, Wanganui) on 17th March, 1876 at her fathers residence, Wanganui. Children:

1. GEORGE WILLIAM 1877 M Joan Susan Swan Watt? in 1896
2. ALICE MAY MARION 1877 died 1/6/1879 18 months old
3. CHARLES R 1879 Victoria Ave, Wanganui
m Dec, 1914 to Ruby Wilson
died 1936
4. WALTER STANLEY? b 1881
5. SYDNEY FRANCIS b 1883 Christchurch. d 1932
m 1907, Muriel O'Grady
6. ERNEST PIRIE b 1889
d 1965, South Australia.

THOMAS & MARY ran T. Bush's Drapery store in "Alpha House" Victoria Ave, Wanganui. They then moved the premises to Ridgway Street opposite the Princess's Theatre and was noted regularly for his outstanding window displays. After many years they moved to Wellington where he was Manager of the Union Clothing Co. He was President of many Clubs over the years from Bowling Clubs to Regatta's to School Boards and was involved in Wellington council. He was very well known in Bowling circles.

His wife MARY ANN died in 1925. The following year in 1926 THOMAS JAMES BUSH married his wife's sister - SUSAN HEARN (NATHAN) COKER. He being c 74 yrs and she c 68 yrs. They enjoyed 4 years of marriage before SUSAN died in 1930. THOMAS JAMES BUSH died in 1931.

I am still gathering information on the following:


SYDNEY FRANCIS BUSH b 1883 Christchurch. d 1932
m 1907, MURIEL AUGUSTA O'GRADY
Sydney & Muriel had 1 son who is my Grandfather:

ERIC CHARLES HAROLD BUSH B 1908, Auckland, NZ


MURIEL AUGUSTA O'GRADY'S parents were:

PATRICK O'GRADY b 1864, Galway, Ireland
d 1922, Wanganui?


MARY AGNES GLASSAD b 1863, Mellow, Cork, Ireland
or (Glassett) d 1897 Takapau, NZ, 33 yrs old



There is still so much to be found out regarding the family tree, but day by day I'm getting there!

Enjoy!