the Pearns Hotel, Kumara, has a collection held at Christchurch City Libraries which states ...

The records consist of one Cash Book and two oral history tapes, the tapes dating from 1990. The Cash Book is a bound photocopy, which also has diary entries.

Charlotte Mary Josephine Lewis, nee McGill, came to Hokitika about 1900 and worked at Pearns Hotel until her marriage to David Lewis. After her husband's death ten years later she bought the Hotel and ran it from 1917 until 1931, when the family moved to the Recreation Hotel in Greymouth, taking the original cash book with them. From about 1932, the diary entries are made by Mrs. Lewis' daughter, Maureen.

The cassettes record Brian Michael Fitzgerald, Mrs. Lewis' great-grandson, talking about Kumara, the Lewis family and others.

Hi, thanks for that. I do have that info, but unfortunately that is where it stops. The Maureen mention doesn't give any leads as it is not a name registered in the births. I am still looking for Brian. And are planning to go to the library for the tapes.. they are finding out if they survived the EQ. We will see. Thanks for you help

Hello One Big family - yes indeed it is One Big family if you are referring to the one big family that i know of.... who was/is your father/grand father? We share the same great grand parents it would seem ALSM

Hell ALSM, It is on my mother's side, but Father is a Gilroy and same with Grandfather. What and where is your connection to the Lewis/Magill etc. Not an easy family to put together. J

Hello one big family.... is your mother's name Denise by any chance? Are we able to email privately?

Hi, I have emailed you via the private messaging system on this site. Let me know if you don't get it and I'll just post it on here.

hi - have sent you an email to the account given.....

Did Maureen have a brother named David (Dave) as they lived together all their lives in Christchurch and basically helped raise my dad who has the last name Woodley, he was born in 1931 in Greymouth and Maureen's last name was Lewis.

Mary Ellen and John Charles are my dads parents, my grand parents. John Charles was a Lawyer. All i know about Mary Ellen is that she died when my dad was young, My dad was raised by Maureen and her brother Dave whom served in world war 2, they have both now passed.

Yes, yes and yes. Mary Ellen died when my Mum was two, due to a unfortunate mishap while carrying a child. So that was 77 years ago. She was married to Allen Allfrey at that time. There is actually some information on the NZ Past Papers about some of the family. And there is a hotel journal in CHCH NZ that was first kept as a accounts book but ended being a diary about family events, down to when Charlotte, your GGM died and time. There I must admit quite a few hidden secrets in the family (as a lot of families)that make some connections quite hard to combine. You can email me personally, but just wait a day or so, cause it is an old one I believe. I'll change it now but not sure how long this site takes to update.

My brother tane woodley was the greens candidate for ohariu in Wellington this election, he has alot of info on our family tree,
I have 5 siblings one of my sister's name is Mary Ellen. My dad is still alive he is 86.

Just saw one of your post's from a few years back with regards to County Antrim, well my brother Tane actually went to Antrim in Northern Ireland and traced a couple of Lewis's to a cemetary their, he did take photo's of the small plaques or head stones but i'd have to talk to him for more details. Fitzgerald rings a bell to was their a Patric Fitzgerald?

I know my dad has 5 other siblings, 4 sister's and a brother.

Your mother is a half sister to my dad, my brother emailed family tree goes back as far as 1869 to David Lewis.

hello paratrooper
i have just seen your post from about 9 months ago
we are first cousins
is your dad still with us?
please pm me thanks

Yes he is he has just turned 87 on the 19th Aug, his name is David and lives in Wellington. My brother Tane has run for various seats over the last few elections for the Green Party you may have seen him in the last election on tv as he was a late call up when Peter Dunn dropped out of Ohariu Electorate.Anyway my dad is in a care home in Johnsonville and suffers from Multiple Sclerosis but still has all his marbles haha. We used to call Maurine and Dave her brother Aunty and uncle not sure why maybe because they raised my dad, they lived togeather all of their life's and never had children of their own as i under stand it but yeah i have fond memories of talking to them on the phone also Pat Fitz (Fitzgerald) used to visit us from time to time growing up.

Hi Paratrooper
I am so pleased to hear Bud is still here. I am on my way south for Christmas and was thinking of stopping in to say hi to him. are you in NZ

yes i am, Whakatane actually, moved up from wellington a few years ago, still have a brother and sister and a half brother living in Wellington.

Just thought i'd mention, my dad David Woodley had passed away on the 30th August 2019, 11 days after his 88th birthday.

Hi there
I am sorry to hear that Bud has passed. The family grapevine had told me. When my son and I went through Wellington last Christmas we stopped by for a visit with him.... and I had to tell him that his sister (my mum) had passed in the October. It is a bit sad to farewell our elders. Take care

Hi all,

Charlotte and David Lewis were my great-grandparents too. Their daughter Charlotte Mary married Gerhard Fitzgerald and their daughter Charlotte is my mother. Love to learn more of the Lewis side ... many visits to Aunty Maureen and Uncle Dave's back in the day.

I have all of my dad's photo albums, loads of photos going back to the 1920s, plenty of aunty Maurine and uncle Dave whom are really my dad's aunty and uncle but they raised him from young so yeah not sure how we ended up calling them that, got quite a bit of the family tree as well.