MICHAEL MARR (1849-1943)
- born in Killarney, County Wicklow, Ireland
- son of Michael MARR & Mary Ann GASGOYNE

MARY ANN FOLLETT (1853-1942)
- born in Alderney, Channel Islands
- daughter of Charles FOLLETT & Sarah Ann GUDGE

MICHAEL MARR married MARY ANN FOLLETT 3 Aug 1874 in Wanganui

the 9 known children born in Marton, Manawatu

... 1
1875 - 1953 Kathleen Eliza Marr
- Kathleen married William Gideon WOODHAM (1873-1934) in 1898
- born in Christchurch, William was a Tailor in Palmerston North
- they are buried in Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North

... 2
1876 - 1934 Mabel Jane Marr
- Mabel married Joseph Clement WINTER (1875-1958)
- their known 9 children:
1895 - Sidney Herbert Claude Winter
1896 - Norman Wilfred Joseph Winter
1898 - Cecil Colin Reginald Winter
1899 - Monte William Bernard Winter
1901 - Gerald Nelson Winter
1903 - Harold Clement Winter
1905 - Olive Myrtle Winter
1907 - Winnie Ruby Winter
1911 - Gwendoline Alice Winter

... 3
1878 - 1882 William Lewis Marr
- William died aged 4 from accidental poisoning (see timeline)

... 4
1880 - 1881 Marion Ivy Marr
- Marion died aged 16 months accidental poisoning (see timeline)

... 5
1881 - 1882 Claude Reginald Marr
- Claude died aged 11 months accidental poisoning (see timeline)

... 6
1883 - Florence Adelaide Marr
- Florence married Cuthert James POWELL (1879-1935) in 1903
- their 3 known children:
1904 - John Wilfred Powell
1905 - Roy Douglas Powell
1907 - Olive Florence Powell
Florence died in Auckland aged 56 & buried in Palmerston North

... 7
1884 - 1963 Olive Enellda Marr
- Olive married Douglas ABEL (1893-1973) in 1918

... 8
1886 - 1945 Wilfred Follett Marr
- Wilfred married Mary Ann Nellie MARSH in 1911

... 9
1889 - 1945 Sydney Claude Lewis Marr
- Sydney married Myrtle Irene Constance HUMPHREY (1891-1966) 1924 in Wanganui
- Myrtle & Sydney had the same grandparents Charles Follett & Sarah Ann GUDGE


TIMELINE
14 Feb 1878
... In the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning (held in the R.M.'s office in consequence of the repairs going on in the Court itself) - Maria Cogger was charged on the information of Michael Marr with having yesterday stolen a shawl, value 5s, from his wife.
The accused in defence stated that she had picked the shawl up.
The arresting constable, however, deposed to the woman having declared the shawl to be her own property when questioned with regard to it.
The R.M., saying that the prisoner must be more careful in future with regard to what she picked up, sentenced her to 14 days imprisonment with hard labor (emphasis mine in regard that 130 years ago the theft of a shawl meant 14 days hard labour,!!)

14 Aug 1882
... A mysterious and fatal outbreak of disease is reported by the Rangitikei Advocate as having occurred at Marton, in the household of Mr M. Marr.
The mother and children had for some time been in weak health, but nothing serious was apprehended. On Thursday, however, a fine boy over four years of age was attacked with violent convulsions. The poor little fellow never rallied, but succumbed to the disease during the day.
At a subsequent period, an infant eleven months old was smitten with symptoms similar to those that had carried off his brother, and shortly after one o'clock in the morning the unfortunate sufferer died.
Another child, a fine little girl about two and a half years old, is also dangerously ill of the same disease.
Whatever the mysterious disease is, it is supposed to be due to the water used by the family, and which is procured from a well lined and covered with wood.
Though the well was cleaned out not long ago, it is suspected that fungi have grown on the wood on the sides and that these have got into and poisoned the water.

16 Aug 1882
... The mysterious outbreak of disease at Marton, we learn from the Rangitikei Advocate, has carried off still amother of Mr Marr's children, a girl aged about two and a half years, making three in all.
The two remaining children of Mr Marr, who had shown signs of sickening, and also Mrs Marr, were by lastest accounts improving and there seems to be no danger of further fatalities.

16 Aug 1882
... Dr Skerman of Marton, has contributed to the Rangitikei Advocate, the following timely letter on the recent extraordinary deaths:- The sudden deaths of Mr Marr's children from a form of germ poisoning produced by drinking polluted tank water has doubtless given rise to feelings of apprehension in the minds of many of the inhabitants of this town who are in the habit of drawing their water supply from underground cisterns.
For two reasons I consider it my duty to lay before the public the facts of the case - in the first place, that these feelings of alarm may be allayed or mitigated, and secondly, that such an unfortunate and distressing calamity may mot be without its good fruits of warning for the future.
The case is simply this: -
(1) - The tank from which the questionable water was drawn is a wooden one, such that worms and other grubs may penetrate between the interstices of the boards which constitute its sides, and which also allow of the leakage in of drain water from the surface
(2) - the water in the tank had not been renewed for five months, as during repairs and alterations to the back premises the supply pipe from the roof had been disconnected
(3) - the tank had not been cleaned for eighteen months.
The conditions which obtained were therefore these: The water in the cistern was becoming exhausted; a slime and fungus growths had collected round masses of discomposing animal and vegetable matter in the water; and leakage from drains which were supposed to carry away refuse water had soaked into the tank through the interstices between the upper boards of the sides
The water was thus in every way a suitable home for the prolific increase of all those infusorial germs to which modern science attributes most of the epidemic diseases of the present day.
The lessons to be learnt from this terrible warning are these:-
Wooden tanks, unless they are properly lined wither with a thick coating of cement or pitch, are to be condemned. All underground tanks of whatever description, should be inspected summer and winter, and should any leakage be known to exist, the use of the water should be stopped at once. The top of the tank should be raised at least a foot above the surface of the ground, and should be rounded, not flat; if flat the pump should be at the corner or near the side, and no traffic or slopping about should be permtted on the covering of the cistern.
It is advisable to have the tank situated at some distance from the back door, and care should be taken that the surface drains into which the refuse water used for domestic and dairy purposes is poured should not start near or pass by the cistern, lest any leakage into the tank should occur when the water in the reservoir is low.
I would also suggest that where the water supply of a house is taken from an underground cistern the down pipe from the roof should always load into a small receiving tank, the overflow pipe from which should feed the large reservoir. In this way all the filth which accumulates on the roof of the house and in the gutters is caught in the small tank, and does not get into the reservoir at all.
In conclusion sir, I may state that I inspected the premises in conjunction with Dr Frood, of Bulls, and that his view of the cause of the recent calamity in Mr Marr's family is quite in accordance with my own - I am, &c., SYDNEY SKERMAN

17 Dec 1885
... Mr. M. Marr, the handicapper for the Marton Racing Club, has declared the follwoing weights ... etc etc

15 May 1906 OLD CAVALRY CORPS REUNION
... To be held on May 23rd
This meeting, which takes place on the 23rd inst., promises to be a much greater success than was first anticipated.
In answer to circulars sent out, a large number of old troopers, many of them dating as far back as 1860, have signified their intention of coming to the meeting.
As the names of the different men who had written saying that they were coming were read out at the Committee meeting held last Saturday, the comment ran, "Why, I thought he was dead long ago!"; but it seems that these old warrior do not die so easily.
A very largely attended Committee meeting was held in Foster's Hotel on Saturday, and all the details necessary for making the meeting a success were duly arranged.
The men will meet on the Putiki Rifle Range at 1p.m. on the 23rd, and many of them will there make their first acquaintance with the .303 magazine rifle.
The idea is for two prominent men to toss up for first pick, taking in everybody on the range, making, as it were, a team match. The range is to be 200 yards, seven shots and two sighters, the latter not counting.
We do not expect that the shooting made will break any records, but there are some youngsters of 60 years of age who, we hear, are practising daily.
Some lady friends will kindly supply refreshments on the range.
In the evening a smoke concert will be held in Sheriff's studio, when we are sure, a pleasant evening will be spent.
Reminiscences and speeches are limited to ten minutes each, and all tales of bygone days are to be accepted as being perfectly correct and beyond the shadow of a doubt.
The following visitors from outside Wanganui are coming to the meeting:-
- NOTE dates are my additions -
* William Lingard (1845-1922), N.Z., Kai Iwi Troops, Wellington
* Thomas Adamson (1846-1913), N.Z.C., Wanganui Cavalry, Turanagarere
* Anthony Nathan (1843-1932), Finnemore's Troop, Taihape
* William Strachan, Alexandra Lancers, Taihape
* Francis 'Frank' Morris Deighton (1836-1914), Wanganui Cavalry, Mangaweka
* William Campbell, Wanganui Cavalry, Hunterville
* Michael Marr (1849-1943), Alexandra Lancers, Marton
* George Campbell, Alexandra Lancers, Mangamahu
* Joseph Charles Nathan (1847-1908), Finnimore's Troop, Palmerston North
* Edward Byrne (1846-1913), Alexandra Lancers, Hawera
* Andrew Watt (1843-1918), Kai Iwi Troop, Hawera
* Robert Davis (1847-1915), Finnimore's Troop, Raetihi
* Thomas Armstrong, Finnimore's Troop, Marton
* Robert Evans, Kai Iwi Troop, Wellington
* William Christie (1843-1918), Wanganui Cavalry, Wellington
* William Pawson (1837-1911), Cameron's Troop, Dannevirke
* James Durie, Alexandra Lancers, Waitotara
* Alexander Strachan (1846-1928), Alexandra Lancers, Waverley
* Thomas Morgan, Finnimore's Troop, Hawera
* Alexander McMinn (1842-1919), Cameron's Troop, Masterton
* James Williamson, Alexandra Lancers, Kakaramea
* George Johnston, Kai Iwi Troop, Waverey
* William Nichols (1842-1923), Kai Iwi Troop, Masterton
* Charles Robinson, Finnimore's Troop, Wellington
* William Brewer (1845-1912), Camerson's Troop, Waitotara

The following have intimated that they will be unable to attend the meeting:-
* Captain the Hon. John Bryce, late commanding Kai Iwi Troop, will endeavour to be present on the Putiki Range to meet once more many old friends of days gone by, but medical advisers will not allow of him going out at night
* Lieutenant H. S. Toogood, late Alexandra Lancers, notifies that his health is not good enough to enable him to attend
* Lieutenant Roland Garrett, late Kai Iwi Troop, is absent in Wellington on business
* Lieutenant H. N. Harrison, late Alexandra Lancers, also notifies that his health is not good enough to attend
* Messrs David Lind,
* George Small,
* J. W. Armstrong (Finnimore's Troop), and
* Samuel Oliver (Captain Cameron's Troop) will also be unable to attend