William STALKER b.2 Jun 1811 Uldale, Cumberland, England; d. 19 Jan 1888 Torpenhow, Wigton, Cumberland, England
m. 28 Aug 1841 Gilcrux, Cumberland, England;
Margaret DAVIDSON b.31 Mar 1820 Cumberland, England; d. 12 Aug 1907 Woodend, North Canterbury, New Zealand

William & Margaret were from 'Highwood Nook' farm, Mealsgate, Wigton near Carlisle, Cumberland, UK. This was the family estate of 200 acres. This property is of historic interest, having been built in 1852, and is under the Historic and Preservation Places Trust of Cumberland in the north of England (7 miles from Wigton). When it was auctioned on 8 September 1970 it comprised just over 63 acres (From 'The Life & Times of the Bennett Family of Canterbury,1862-1979' by GE Bennett)


children:
*John - b.2 Nov 1842 Whiteheadbrow, England; d.9 Feb 1917 Tinwald, Ashburton, NZ
m.21 Jun 1882 Asburton, New Zealand
Eliza Jane MCCLURE b.1859 Co. Donegal, Ireland; d.1 Jan 1900 Tinwald, Ashburton, NZ
John a Cumberland man, the son of a farmer. He came out in the 'Queen of the Mersey' arriving in 1862. He worked for Stephen Morrisey/Maunsey at Rangiora till 1864 and bought with his savings a threshing mill. Finding that there were too many of them round Rangiora, he moved to Ashburton in 1896. He bought a farm of 150 acres and leased another 60 next door. He invented a straw elevator with a central pulley. He was always thinking of new labour saving ideas. He was a brother of Joseph Stalker of Woodend.

*Joseph - b.24 Aug 1844 Highwood-Nook, Torpenhow, England; d.25 Feb 1914 Woodend, North Canterbury, New Zealand
m.15 Sep 1863 St Jame's Church, Ireby, Cumberland, England
Elizabeth GATE b.1845; d. 1921 Woodend, North Canterbury, New Zealand

Canterbury
Ship: 1223 tons
Captain: Clare
Surgeon Superintendent: Dr Young
Sailed London September 21st 1863 - arrived Lyttelton January 10th 1864
Our appreciation to Betty Enticott for her help with this list
Stalker Joseph 23 Cumberland Farm Labourer
Elizabeth 22

He was a farmer and for 2 years resided between Woodend and Rangiora, but later moved to Church Bush and remained there until the flood in 1868. On that occasion he narrowly avoided drowning, his house being nearly under water and he had to escape through the window and by means of a canoe. All of his small stock were drowned. He made a fresh start on the swamp land near Rangiora, but after another year or two he took a farm near Fernside for a term of 2 years and in 1872 he finally settled at Woodend. In 1883 he went to Britain in the ship 'British King' which took the first shipment of frozen meat from Lyttleton.
Took another trip to Britain in 1910 - he had a paralytic stroke on the way there.
He bought 18.8.91 the beautiful farm of 100acres known as Smarts farm from the exor's of G Kinley.
He had a family of 5 sons and 7 daughters.
'Joe is still struggling along' was typical of his well-known sense of humour.
Left estate of 21,010 pounds

The Lyttelton Times - Friday July 8th 1921
Mrs Elizabeth Stalker who died on Monday evening after a brief illness, was one of the early settlers in the Rangiora district.
She arrived in Lyttelton with her husband, Mr Joseph Stalker, who died seven years ago, in the ship 'Canterbury' in 1864 and they at once made their home on the selection between Woodend and Rangiora. At the time of the great flood in February 1868, they had changed their place of residence to Church Bush, where they met the full force of the flood. The house was nearly under water, and they were saved from drowning by means of a canoe. They lost all their small stock and had to make a fresh start on some swamp land near Rangiora. Eventually thye settled for good on their well-known farm bordering on the sea beach at Woodend. Mrs Stalker proved an ideal settler's wife, and a worthy colonist. Her family consisted of five sons and seven daughters, all of whom with a good number of grandchildren attended her funeral. It is interesting to note that in rearing her large family, Mrs Stalker never used a perambulator or a go-cart. The large attendance at the deceased lady's funeral, testified to the esteem in which she was held in the district.

Obituary-The Lyttelton Times Feb 27 1914
Mr Joseph Stalker, who was well-known figure in North Canterbury for fifty years, passed away at his residence, Woodend, on Wednesday. H was a Cumberland man and came to Lyttelton in 1864. He first settled between Woodend and Rangiora for two years and then moved to Church Bush and remained there until the great flood of 1868. On that occasion henarrlowly escaped being drowned, his house being almost under water, and he made a fresh start in swamp land near Rangiora, but after another year or two he took a farm at Fernside for a term of two years. Finally he settled at Woodend near the sea beach. In 1883 Mr Stalker took a trip to England in the steamer 'British King' which took the first shipment of frozen mutton from Lyttelton. Some three or four years ago, he made another visit to England and during his stay in the Homeland he was seized with paralysis, from which he never fully recovered. Mr Stalker was well known as a breeder of horses, cattle and stud sheep, and for many years was a successful exhibitor at the agricultural shows in Canterbury. He took a keen interest in public matters affecting the welfare of the district, and served for a very long time on the Manderville and Rangiora Road Board, until failing health compelled his retirement. He was held in general esteem for many good qualities and his friends missed him very much from the weekly market at Rangiora and other gatherings when illness laid him aside. He leaves a family of five sons and seven daughters.

*William - b.22 Apr 1847 Highwood-Nook, Torpenhow, England; d.25 Apr 1881 Anama, Ashburton, New Zealand
The details of his arrival in NZ are not known. c1866
He married Jane Smith d/o Hamilton & Ellen nee Major on 21 Feb 1871 at Rangiora and the "Horrell land ownership records' state they went to Ashburton, but it appears they farmed at Tinwald. It is recorded that a William Harvey Bell was his farm manager, who Jane married a year later after William died
William Stalker 1847-1881 Pioneer farmer-settler
South Road, Tinwald 1874
Footstone - William & Margaret Stalker
Ashburton Cemetery

m.21 Feb 1871 Parish Church, Rangiora, NZ
Rose Jane SMITH b.2 Mar 1849 Bangor, Ireland; d.30 Aug 1926 Tinwald, Ashburton, NZ
5th child of Hamilton & Ellen Smith
Travelled to NZ with her parents and other members of the family on the ship 'Himalaya' which left London on 2 Nov 1866 and arrived at Lyttleton 10 Feb 1867. The family settled at Fernside where Hamilton was a farmer. He died on 19 Oct 1873 as a result of a farm accident. At this point she seems to have dropped her first name Rose.
On 25 Aug 1869 she gave birth to an illegitimate daughter Isabella Robson, and on the registration of the birth at Rangiora the informant was Ellen Smith, grandmother of the child.

*Margaret - b.1872 Torpenhow, Wigton, Cumberland, England; d.11 Feb 1894 Ashburton, New Zealand
Record no. A003394
Surname STALKER
First Names MARGARET
Plot No 1 8
Type of Grave SINGLE DEPTH
Cemetery ASHBURTON CEMETERY
Plot Size 29
Age at Time of Death 22 years
Date of Internment 11/02/1894
Date of Purchase 9/02/1894
Name of Purchaser J STALKER

*Nancy - b.1855 Highwood-Nook, Torpenhow, England; d.10 Nov 1884 Torpenhow, Wigton, Cumberland, England; buried St Michaels Churchyard cemetery, nr Wigton, Cumberland, England
never married.