Hi Ngairedith,
dont know much and will post a few itm
ems as I renber more that may be of help/interster. cover i do know in a fuller post ie about my DAD and his brothers sisters and the very little bit about his mother.
I note though for his Father ie the Frank Lawton 1876-1931 that drowned and was married in Foxton the children your list is incomplete and may be a bit wrong.
I understood he had Cecil, Reginald as listed but have never heard of the others though it may be that they were not around ie not in WEllington in the 1950s when my memory dates from. Anyhow in addition are Leopold ( my father) and Alexenader (twin brother) and Patricia - the youngest. I also assumed there were only these 5 and maybe 1 other sister _ Violet???

Hello Ngaireedith,
James LOVELL and Ann nee BROWN are my GGG Grandparents.
Their daughter Mary Ann Emily LOVELL was bap 1837 St James Parish Church, Mangotsfield, Bristol, GLS, ENG
Cheers, Glen

Hi Ngaireedith
I am the gg grandaughter of a Mary Jane Lovell from Motueka. She is definitly the daughter of Benjamin and Hester and the sister of Christine. I have just been playing about on the internet and not doing this seriously at present but here are some facts about her that I have gleaned. She appears to be a character!
She must have been born about 1845 because she married Charles Woolcock aged 20 in ?1865 from memory. She was staying with Christine in Nelson when she found a dead baby in the harbour.
She moved to Greymouth and Charles Woolcock became an MP. She had 6 children to him and divorced about 1877. In 1880 she married Frederick Bullot in New Plymouth and had more children. She too died in Wellington.(My ggrandfather was her eldest son Charles who took his mother's maiden name.)

I have gleaned this from papers past at the NZ National Library.
This may open up some interesting questions for you.
Cheers
Fiona

please read the ** NOTES at the end of the above journal and see if you can help us with the Albert Victor Kings and their marriages ..

Hi
I'm a gg grandaughter of Mary Jane and Frank Lawton and am looking for any information on Frank - we know he was born Rochester (New York?) 1837 and that's about it. Any info on his origins would be much appreciated..... from anyone.

Also, am g grandaughter of Rose Lawton who married Edward (Ted) Nicholas. Update on your entry on them is that Inez died in infancy (I think) and also they had another daughter Phyllis after Alvina - not sure of dates, but can get them if anyone interested. And am looking for info on Ted - he disappeared in the 1920s and no-one knows what happened to him......

Their daughter Zillah Rose was my grandmother - she married Murdoch Hector McKay of Coroglen, and died 1977 in Auckland.

Cheers
Sheryl

Was your Mary Jane Lovell called Jane? There is an article in Papers Past which refers to Jane Lovell as the younger sister of Mary Jane Lovell Woolcock. She is definitely a daughter of Benjamin and Hester and must have been born some time between 1845 and 1847. At her wedding she stated she was 20 according to the divorce comments in the press, but I suspect she was only 18.

Did you also know that Christina Spicer Lovell was the first female child christened in the Nelson Province?

Cheers

Fiona

a very big 'thank you' to Peter Sharpe for his message received 3 Dec 2011;
(concerning child 2 in above journal, 1876-1931 Frank Lawton)

... My name is Peter Sharpe and Frank Lawton was my Grandfather.
There are a few things I can help you with.
My Mother's name was Patricia Edith Lawton, born 26/4/1919 - died 15th August 1984 (Her Dad's Birthday).
She married Lionel Sharpe - born 26th October 1920 - died 15th March 1978.
They had 2 boys - John Francis Sharpe - born 9/11/43 and Peter James (me) - born 14/12/58.

On other members of the family -
Spot - on with Uncle Ces' information. He never married, as he was a chronic asthmatic (although he smoked like a train & eventually died of Throat Cancer) and didn't want to burden a woman with looking after him. He worked in the Bond Store in Wellington.

Frank's daughter was Gwendoline Gladys Lawton (not Gladys Gwendoline). She became estranged to the family, for what reason I'm not completely clear.

Violet Olive, who's occupation was Milliner, remarried to William Griffith David Davies and they had a son - David,
born in 1945, I believe, now living in Sydney.
She died of complications after a botched Appendectomy when David was young & he went to live with his Uncle Reginald Dundas - born 12/7/1905 - died 15/5/1986. his trade was a Painer & Paperhanger and his wife Winifred, who died of Cancer in the early 1960s. Whereupon, David's father reclaimed him.

The names of Frank's other children were:-

Twin brothers - Leopold Hector Francis Lawton (also a Painter & Paperhanger) and Alexander Henry Lawton (Qualified as a signwriter).
Leo married Dorothy Evelyn Fisher, Lex married Mary Elizabeth Jones. I'm sorry, I don't have the dates.
They both had 2 children - Leo a son & daughter - Leigh Frances and Frank Murray.
Lex 2 girls - Jennifer and Vivienne Glynis.

On Frank's death - the gravestone says he drowned... he didn't. He was one of the last to abandon ship. Eye witness accounts tell of him being picked up by a large wave and smashed against the side of the ship, a large bloodstain appeared in the water and that was the last the crewmen saw of him. In those days it was kinder & easier to say he 'drowned'.

Hi there I just wondering if anyone has any information about frank Lawton and Mary Jane lovell son William Henry Lawton? My grandmother past and she handed down old war metals and letters of his to me.. And now that I acquire them I'm curious to know his history.. Any information would be much appreciated I know he is my relation some how but don't really know how. I also want to know if he has kids/grandkids I can pass these metals on to. Thankyou.

by robynandgraham@gmail.com
Hi i recently did a search for my father in law : Alfred William Henry Lovell-father William Lovell and grandfather Charles Woolcock
MHR who's wife was Mary Jane Woolcock/Lovell married 1865 In Nelson. We were seeking information regarding Alfreds Father William Henry Lovell- born Woolcock and his siblings as I?m finding their whereabouts elusive.

Very accurate details provided by my cousin, Peter Sharpe, as above.
Violet Olive Davies was my mother. She died on 15 April,1951 in Wellington from complications following the removal of gall stones.

Mary Jane Lovell is a very confusing character genealogically as there are two of them. Many trees and the information here have Mary Jane Lovell, the wife of Frank Lawton, as the daughter of Hester and Benjamin Lovell. I am certain that Mary Jane Lovell born is Nelson Province between 1845/1847 and married to Charles Woolcock in 1865 is the daughter of Hester and Benjamin who arrived on The Lord Auckland in 1842.

Although I have not found her christening record, there are several facts that make this clear
1. She names her daughter born in 1866 Mary HESTER Thirza
2. She names her brother Thomas Lovell as surety for her children at the Wallis orphanage in Motueka when she is planning to leave the country
3. Paper past notes that her son Lionel James who drowns in 1899 in New Plymouth is with his cousin Alfred Bliss, the son of her sister, Angelina. It is clear from NZBDM that Angelina is the daughter of Benjamin and Hester.

I hope this may clear up the confusion and numerous people who have the Lawton, Benjamin and Hester Lovell connection incorrectly on their family trees will correct this error.

thank you to figikk for the following message:
Subject: Mary Jane Lovell Lawton
To: ngairedith
From: figikk
Date: 2014-03-15 22:34:46
I am convinced that Mary...Lawton is in no way connected with the Lovell family who came to NZ on The Lord Auckland. This error seems to be all over the internet. Are you able to edit your journal in some way to make it clear that this Lawton/Lovell connection is inaccurate?

thank you figikk, I am sure this will be of great help to others of this family who are trying to decipher the branches of this tree

Thought it was about time I joined in the fun.Haven't done much rellie stalking for a while but here goes;Re Benjamin b22/5/1808,d26/8/1873+Hester b1812,d1898.Their children:Frances b27/5/1831/32,Benjaminb16/12/1834,Sarah Spicer b28/5/1840,Mary Jane b1853? d1932,Christina Spicer b24/5/1842,ALFRED b19/2/1840 d12/12/1888,(H)Ester b13/3/1850/51,Angelina b24/3/1852,Thomas Spicer b1845?
ALFRED as above is my GRANDMOTHERS FATHERS Father......ALFRED m Mary Ann Pope 28/12/1862 and their children were;George William 28/12/1863,Alfred George 21/8/1865,Mary Ann Crista 15/11/1868,Emily 16/9/1871,JAMES BENJAMIN 14/6/1874,Thomas Edward 9/9/1878/79,Rose Isabel 28/2/1885.JAMES BENJAMIN is my great-grandfather.He died 1/1/1945,before I was born.His wife Jessie(Gran Lovell to us)passed away in 1968.Feel free to comment + cc any mistakes re dates.Cheers.

My grandmother May Lawton born Westport NZ 2/11/1884.She married my gfather James Tanner in Welligton19/2/1906.Her father Frank Lawton died 23/8/1906.He was naturalised 17/12/1904.I know he was born in Rochester New York1837c but cant get Rochester birth records yet. Mary Jane was born in NSW March 5th 1853.All her children's birth certs say mother born NSW.Her father Charles Lovell I think was a convict.Her mother came out from Ireland on the Thetis in 1850.She was Margaret Crothers.My gparents children were Harold James b 1907 NZ.Daisy Lillian May b 1908 NZ.Then Cyril Charles b1911c.Gladysb1913,Cecil William,my father Feb 6th 1918.George Samuel 1918.Beryl Audrey b 1922,and Sydney Edward 1924.Nana and Pop lived at 39 Henry st Greenslopes.Pop had an iron foundry.Nanas death cert.20/5/1962 has Frank Lawton as her father.

Hi. Ive just started researching for relatives of my family. My parents were Earnest Ogilvy Featonby and Ivy Eyre. Earnests parents were Ethel Lawton and George Featonby. Ethels parents were Mary Jane Lovell and Frank Lovett.
My Mum Ivy Featonby passed away when I was only 15 and I have no info regarding my family tree. I would love to have contact and meet any decenants of the above
Regards
Sharon Wilson nee Featonby
email sharon.wilson467@gmail.com

Hi. Ive just started researching for relatives of my family. My parents were Earnest Ogilvy Featonby and Ivy Eyre. Earnests parents were Ethel Lawton and George Featonby. Ethels parents were Mary Jane Lovell and Frank Lovett.
My Mum Ivy Featonby passed away when I was only 15 and I have no info regarding my family tree. I would love to have contact and meet any decenants of the above
Regards
Sharon Wilson nee Featonby
email sharon.wilson467@gmail.com

Hi, Ethel Lawton was my great grandmother though it is her brother William Henry Lawton that I would like to research. I have his war medals and would love to know his story. I believe he had a son Cecil and spent some time in an asylum after the war. I have found out a bit more about him and he seemed to be quite a character. Im not sure if Cecil had children and if he did it would be nice to pass his medals on though I would really like his story. If anyone has more information on him I would love to hear it, thanks

Hi I'm a great grandson of William Henry Lawton wondering if anyone has any information about him