researching HOBDAY in New Zealand (on request)

the following was taken from "The Cyclopedia of New Zealand" (Canterbury Provincial District) and was written about 1903:

Captain Henry Smart Elgar Hobday, District Adjutant for the Canterbury Volunteer District was born in England in 1858, and was brought to Otago by his parents at the age of five years. He was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne, where, as a member of the College Cadet Corps, he took part in the reception of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. On returning to New Zealand, Captain Hobday settled in Christchurch; he joined the Christchurch Rfles, and obtained a commission as lieutenant of the Sydenham Rifles in the following year. In 1887 he went to England on special leave, and joined the School of Military Engineering at Ohatham, where he studied and passed two courses of instruction for officers in military topography and field fortification, in both of which subjects he obtained army certificates. Captain Hobday returned to New Zealand in 1889, and was subsequently transferred to Wellington, and took the command of the Wellington Rifles as captain in January, 1891. Two years later he returned to Christchurch, and in March, 1894, took command of the A Company, a combination of the Sydenbam and Irish Rifles. The name of this company was altered soon after to the Christchurch City Rifles, under which it is now known to the North Canterbury Battalion. Captain Hobday was appointed adJutant to the North Canterbury Battalion in June, 1897. He relinquished the adjutancy of the Battalion, and was placed on the Active Unattached List, on the 1st of March, 1901; was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, and Member of the Central Board of Examination for New Zealand; and appointed District Adjutant for Canterbury on the 27th of February, 1902

Henry married Nellie Maud REECE (1864-1933) in 1885
- Nellie was born in Christchurch

the known children
1886 - ? Violet Beatrice Hobday
- July 2008 ... The engagement is announced of Miss Violet Hobday to Mr H. C. (sic) Chapman of Wellington
- Violet married Harry Eynon CHAPMAN in 1911

1904 - 1922 Geoffrey Edgar Hobday
- Geoffrey drowned 6 June 1922 aged 18 in a yachting accident at Redcliffs when he fell into the deep channel
- he is buried with his parent

Nellie Maud HOBDAY died 24 March 1933 aged 68
- her last address was 83 Bealey Ave, Christchurch
Henry Smart Elgar Hobday died 3 October 1933 aged 77
- his last address was 324 Papanui Rd, Christchurch
- they are buried together in PLOT 8 - BLOCK 36 at Bromley Cemetery with Geoffrey

NOTES
from the site: LONG SERVICE MEDALS of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Smart Hobday

photo & description of his medals at above link
... Volunteer Force Long Service (India & the Colonies), V.R. (Major Henry S. E. Hobday, Active List (Unattached) N.Z. Vols. (1906)) engraved naming; New Zealand Volunteer Service Medal, E.VII.R., 2nd type reverse (Major H. S. E. Hobday, Active List (Unattached) N.Z. Vols. (1906)) nearly extremely fine (2) ?200-250

Footnote
Henry Smart Hobday was born in the Old Kent Road, London, on 7 December 1857. At the age of 5 he went to New Zealand with his parents and was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne.
He joined the Christchurch Rifles in about 1886 and then obtained a commission as Lieutenant with the Sydenham Rifles. During 1887-89 he went to England on special leave, attending a course at the School of Military Engineering at Chatham.
Returning to New Zealand, he transferred to the Wellington Rifles and was appointed to the command as Captain in January 1891. In 1894 he was appointed a Captain of ?A? Company, Canterbury Rifles (later renamed Christchurch City Rifles).

In June 1897 he was appointed Adjutant of the North Canterbury Battalion of Infantry Volunteers.

In 1901, Captain Hobday transferred to the Unattached Active List of Volunteers; later in the year he was promoted to Major.

He was appointed District Adjutant for Canterbury in February 1902.

For his long service, Major Hobday was gazetted the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (New Zealand Gazette 10 January 1907) (See note below). A few months later he was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers? Decoration (New Zealand Gazette 1 August 1907).

Hobday was also awarded the New Zealand Volunteer Service Medal, published in G.O. 171 of 21 May 1906.

Major Hobday continued to serve on the Unattached List until he retired with the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 31 August 1911