hi Flower,

Kenneth Ernest Adams was a son of:
Feltus Ernest ADAMS (1865-1958) & Hannah Maud HALE (1867-1912) who married in 1892
- Feltus was a mining engineer & surveyor who lived in Albert St, Thames
- their known children:
1894 - Kenneth Ernest Adams
1896 - Osmond Cedric Adams
1899 - Eulalie Mary Gwendoline Adams
1900 - Alfgar Vivian Adams
1902 - Nellie Eunice Maud Adams
1904 - Trevor Alwyn Adams
1907 - Cicely Vida Constance Adams
1909 - Leslie Roland Adams

Feltus's wife, Hannah Maud, died in Thames Hospital on 29 March 1912 aged 45 (her children were then aged 3 to 10). Kenneth remarried in Thames on 13 April 1914 to Ellen Mary CLARE (possibly nee Hall)

Jessie's father, James Henry Whittaker (1868-1947) was the founder of Whittakers Chocolate in 1896. In 1913, he established a partnership with his two sons, Ronald and James, based in Wellington

Jessie's known siblings:
1891 - Edith Aotea Whittaker
1893 - Ronald Tawhio Whittaker
1894 - James Whittaker
1895 - Leah Annie Whittaker
1898 - Jessie Whittaker
1900 - William Whittaker (twin, born 8 Jan)
1900 - Frank Whittaker (twin, born 8 Jan)
1909 - Nancy Whittaker
1911 - Stephen Henry Whittaker


see also J. H. Whittaker

Thank you so much ngairedith, You've given me heaps to work on! I believe Ellen Mary Clare (Ernest Feltus Adams's second wife) was indeed nee Hall, elder sister of Hannah. Kenneth also remarried or had a partner.
Thanks also for the information on the Whittaker side, It's easy to find the Chocolate history but harder to find anything on the family.
James Henry's parents were James and Annie Whittaker and he was married Leah Alice Whittaker (nee Hopkins) daughter of Frances and Nellie Hopkins.
I also have a Maurice Whittaker could he also be one of their children?
Also I found a Miss Joyce Whittaker receiving her 'Grand priory' award for St Johns (Papers Past)any clues there?
At least I know I've got my generations right
Thanks

Maurice Whittaker is Jessies brother, he's in the line up on the Whittakers Chocolate site.

I'm doing a story on Whittaker's and after many hours of trying to trace basic information on James Henry Whittaker which has been bloody hard to find - I think I am making some progress. Do we know anything more, such as - where exactly he was from (presumably Lancashire, UK) when he married (also assuming in Britain) and what his wife's name was? I did find something somewhere that he had apparently spent some years working for Cadbury's in Britain which would explain a lot of things. Thanks.
PS I am wondering how many dozens of times we are going to keep bumping into each other gairedith...everywhere I go there you are AGAIN...lol

James Henry Whittaker was born 1868, Macclesfield, England. His Parents were James and Annie Whittaker.
According to a wedding anniversary announcement in 'papers past' He and Leah Alice Hopkins, daughter of Francis and Nellie Hopkins, were married on March 18 1890 at All Saints Church, Kings Heath, Birmingham, Eng.
Leah Alice Whittaker 1870-1954

Great, thanks! I had just got there and figured out which record I was looking at and changed my mind from Lancashire to the other option which was Manchester/Macclesford. It has been hard digging to piece this together. Actually he and his brother were born in Manchester and then the family moved to Maccleston. I've found some interesting stuff! Stay tuned.

A Sticky Business: Whittaker?s

http://longwhitekid.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/a-sticky-business-whittakers/

I think there were 10 children The twins born 1900 Frank and William died same day and are buried Addington Cemetery CHCH. The golden Wedding article 'Papers Past' says the celebrations were attended by there 8 children 4 boys and 4 girls. No names of course but there is a Maurice in one of the Whittakers photos to add to ngairedith list.

With reference the James Henry Whittaker side of that family one internet genealogy profile is http://www.geni.com/people/James-Henry-Whittaker/6000000019009982130 I hope this could also be of help.I have used you in research for completing its tree.

Im currently helping Coromandel Heritage Trust restore a photo montage of Thames High School pupils who served in WW1 - it's been badly water-damaged & many of the photos are ruined. Kenneth Ernest Adams is one of those & we're trying to get a replacement (in uniform preferred but any photo at any stage of life, apart from childhood, would be fine). Any assistance, much appreciated.

I have also been researching the Hall family (Ken's mother's side) regarding Hall's Arboretum; now a well-known Thames landmark. For info, see http://www.thetreasury.org.nz/Hall/hall2.htm. We recently held a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of John Hall's death, at the arboretum and several Hall family members turned up. At least a couple were descendants of James & EF Adams as well.

Kenneth Ernest Adams was my Grandfather. I would dearly love to have a photo of him. I fear that the only person who would have had photographs of him would have been his only child Jacqueline Nancy Mary Adams. She was my birth mother. Unfortunately I never met her and do not know what happened to her personal estate. If you are lucky enough to track down any photos of him from Thames cousins I would appreciate a copy.

By a wild fluke, we have just acquired a photo of Ken Adams! Came via a genie colleague who asked on all the different genie forums that she's on. What's the best way to get it to you? - off-list I guess. My email is d.r.wilton@massey.ac.nz so if you make contact, Ill email you a jpg file. When I was growing up in Thames, we lived about 200m up the hill from Ken & his wife, so I could say I knew them, although only saw them occasionally when they were in their garden. Mrs A was very friendly and talkative. The house is still there - not sure who owns it now.

It looks like Kenneth Ernest Adams was a son of Ernest Feltus Adams, who was a passenger on the ss Great Britain in 1871