I'm currently researching Joseph & Ann Matilda and have started with the following, will need to be updated with more information as it is received.

They are an interesting couple, related to me through my husband's family. Ann Matilda is a sister to Levi Sarten who is my husband's Gt Gt Grandfather. Many of the Sarten family are easy to track as they stayed in New Plymouth. Ann Matilda on the other hand is not.

ANN MATILDA SARTEN (1846-1887)

Ann Matilda Sarten, seventh child of Edmund Sarten & Lucy Rodd Lye b: 03 Nov 1846 at Currie Street, New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Ann married Joseph Hanley on 03 Sept 1863 at the St Mary's Church in New Plymouth, New Zealand. This is now confirmed as the same person as Joseph Cudd. Ann died with the surname Cudd in 1887.

TODO - Ann Matilda Sarten
1: Separate journal entry on Ann Matilda's parents Edmund & Lucy Sarten
2: Obtain Birth Certificate for Ann Matilda Sarten - confident I have details of birth correct
3: Obtain Marriage Certificate for Ann & Joseph - confident I have details correct
4: Obtain Death Certificate for Ann Cudd - confident I have details correct but need actual death date and location.


JOSEPH CUDD (1840-1880)
Said to be born in Dublin Ireland, but as yet I have no evidence to prove this and apparently there might not ever be evidence to prove it. Some family history researchers have Joseph as Joseph Hanley Cudd. This is incorrect. I have been advised that Joseph was born to parents Joseph Cudd (Birmingham) & Eleanor Dignam (likely Ireland). Joseph Snr died young 1852 and Eleanor married again to Patrick Hanley. This is where the surname Hanley comes in. It seems that Joseph started using Hanley as his surname instead of Cudd. I have have given the above information from a Cudd family member, but as yet I have not been given appropriate documents to

Joseph joining the British Army. Unknown when he enlisted, but he has an occupation in the 1871 Census (where he and Ann can be found in Devon with the surname Hanley) is with the 57th Regiment. This makes alot of sense as I can not currently find a record of Joseph coming to New Zealand on a ship. But the 57th Foot Regiment did come to New Zealand in 1860 via Ireland. So Joseph could have enlisted either in Ireland or in England. Most likely in England. There were three ships (Star Queen, Castilian & Prince Arthur) that brought the 57th Regiment to New Zealand leaving in November 1860 and arriving in New Zealand in January 1861, but only one (Star Queen) went from Auckland to New Plymouth to fight the Maori wars in Taranaki. It is on the Star Queen that I believe Joseph came to New Zealand on. While in New Zealand Joseph meet Ann and they married. In Feb 1867 an article in a paper advises that the 57th Regiment has been recalled back to England. It was not until September 1867 that they actually went. It is very likely that Ann went to England with Joseph, they had no children as the two (one confirmed, 2nd not yet) children had died as infants. In the 1871 census John Hanley (Joseph & Ann's son) is noted as being born at sea. This would make sense, as he would have been born on the boat back to England.

The name change from Hanley to Cudd may have been one to leave the past behind. It seems a Joseph Hanley was convited of Larceny and we sentenced in 1874. By this time he would have left the 57th Regiment as they had left for country. I can find one conviction that I believe is definitely this Joseph Hanley as he is in Devon, but the one in 1874 would be a guess. But it could be a fairly accurate one and a good reason to change his surname back to his actual birth name, as he would leave his record behind.

Joseph & family immigrated to New Zealand in 1875 on board the Mataura. One of the children died at sea. The record I found does not state which one, but I can not find a death record for John Cudd (eldest child) in New Zealand. He may have gone back to England/Ireland, I'll need to search school records to determine whether he actually arrived in New Zealand alive. Further investigation is required.

TODO - Joseph Cudd
1: Separate journal entry on Joseph's parents Joseph & Eleanor Cudd, including Eleanor's second husband whom had a last name Hanley
2: Obtain Birth record for Joseph Cudd - May not be any details of his birth
3: Obtain Death Certificate for Joseph Cudd - confident I have details correct but need actual death date and location.
4: Obtain enlistment record for Joseph into the British Army. This may have occurred in England or Ireland.
5: Obtain service record for Joseph if obtainable. Belonged to 57th Foot Regiment.
6: Obtain birth & marriage details for Joseph Cudd Snr
7: Obtain birth & 2nd marriage details for Eleanor Dignam (marriage to Patrick Hanley)
8: Research the names of the boats that sailed the 57th Regiment back to England in 1867
9: Research Joseph's live in New Zealand and add details



Joseph & Ann Matilda HANLEY/CUDD Family Time line

5 Sept 1865 Alice Letitia HANLEY was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand. She is noted in the NZ BDM site as Alice Letha HANLEY (record number 1865/3174 ) I do not have a birth certificate to confirm that Alice is actually a child of Ann & Joseph and there are no parents noted on the online record. The Sarten Family History book "The Sarten Story - Taranaki Pioneers" does have Alice as a child of Ann & Joseph HANLEY. The family history was reserched and the book printed in 1997. Alice is the only child noted in the book, and there is no birth or death records for Joseph only a birth year 1840, which is inline with what other researchers have. There are no other children noted in the Sarten Family book. I imagine this is because they moved to England.

5 Nov 1865 Alice Letitia died.

Sept 1867 Joseph & Ann sailed back to England with the 57th Regiment. They are still going under the name HANLEY.

1867 John HANLEY born at Sea, so must be after or during Sept 1867

1869 Emma Lucy HANLEY (1869/1924) born in Aldershot, Hampshire, England (Military) : Regiment 57th Foot ; year 1869 : Volume 1239 : page 42 : GRO Regimental Birth Indices

1871 George Edward HANLEY (1871/1925) born in Devonport, Devon, England
- married Margaret BOYLE in 1897 in New Zealand
- Children -- Ida Dorothy b 1898
-- Cecil Francis b 1899
-- George Edward b 1901
-- John William b 1903
-- Lillian May b 1906
- Died 1925 in New Zealand Age at death puts birth year in 1873, but not sure this is correct.

1871 English Census - Joseph, Ann, John, Emma L & George E HANLEY living in Devonport, Devon England.

Between 1871 & 1873 Joseph reverts back to his birth surname CUDD.

1873 Alice Maud CUDD (1873/1956) born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
- Married Amos Williamson on 27 Apr 1897 in Bell Block, New Plymouth, New Zealand
- Children -- Alice Williamson
-- Andrew Williamson
-- Ethel Williamson
-- James William Williamson
-- May Williamson
-- Walter Claud Williamson
-- Amos Edward Williamson
-- Charles Williamson
- Died 5 Dec 1956 in Opunake, Taranaki, New Zealand

20 Oct 1875 On board the Mataura from England Mrs Cudd is confined and a child has died. It does not say that a child of Joseph & Ann Cudd has died, but one assumes that because Mrs Cudd is confined that it was her child that has died. The name of the child is not known.

11 Nov 1875 Joseph, Ann, John (8), Emma (6), George (4) & Alice (1) arrived in New Plymouth on board the SS Taranaki after arriving in Nelson departed from Gravesend on 8th August 1875. Joseph is noted as a Ropemaker with Dublin next to occupation. unsure if this means he was born in Dublin or that is where he travelled from

5 Oct 1877 Daughter of Joseph Cudd still born - Devonport, Taranaki - article in Taranaki Herald. I can find no record on the NZ BDM website.

1879 William CUDD born in New Zealand
- died before 21 Nov 1883, as this was the date he was buried. He is buried at Te Hunui Cemetery, New Plymouth, New Zealand.

19 Feb 1880 Joseph CUDD Died at Colonial Hospital New Plymouth New Zealand of Heart Disease.

8 Nov 1880 Mrs Joseph CUDD has a narrow escape almost being hit by a train. I wonder whether this shows the start of her mental decline after loosing her husband so young. She also has a young baby boy, so there could be some post natal depression in there as well. All circumspectual of course.

19 Dec 1883 Ann is brought before the courts to determine if she is of sound mind. She is not eating and is apparently addicted to intemperance. I believe this may be because she lost her son William one month prior. She has 4 children ranging in age from 9 to 16. Which proves that John is still alive in 1883.

1887 Ann died in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Any further information would be greatly appreciated to extend this part of the family tree