Who were the parents of Walter Beckingham 1857-1913 ?

He was a POSSIBLE son of Honeyborn Beckingham ahd Sarah Ann Rock but no records can be found at this time to verify this.

Honeyborn and Sarah's known children were:
George 1835 - 1906
James Edward 1837 - 1905
Anne Elizabeth 1842 - 1925
William 1852 - ?
Emma 1855- 1937

Walter married Mary Donnellan (1861-1946) in 1880.
The children found for them so far are:
1881 - Maud Josephine
1884 - Gleniti Constance Evelyn
1885 - Alice Harriett Ethel
1887 - Kate Emily
1895 - 1978 James Edward Walter
- James served in WWI at the age of 19
SERIAL NUMBER - 3/649
FIRST KNOWN RANK - Private
NEXT OF KIN - Mrs W. Beckingham (mother), Wai-iti Road, Timaru,
EMLISTMENT ADDRESS - Wai-iti Road, Timaru,
MILITARY DISTRICT - Canterbury
BODY ON EMBARKATION - 5th Reinforcements
EMBARKATION UNIT - No. 2 New Zealand Stationary Hospital
EMBARKATION DATE - 13 June 1915
PLACE OF EMBARKATION - Wellington, New Zealand
TRANSPORT - HMNZT 24 OR 25 OR 26
VESSEL - Maunganui or Tahiti or Aparima
DESTINATION - Suez, Egypt (24 July - 6 August 1915)


NOTE - Walter was in the NZ Volunteer Corps, 2nd South Canterbury Regiment as a Lieutenant Colonel:

A Company Timaru City Rifles, Capt John Gillis
B Company Temuka Rifles, Capt E. Richardson
C Company Ashburton Rifles, Capt W. E. Dolman
D Company Port Rifle Guards, Capt Frank A. Raymond
E Company Timaru Rifles Capt. W. Beckingham (made Captain in 1897)
F Company Waimate Rifles, Capt. H.C. Barclay
G Company Geraldine Rifles, Capt. Kenneth Mackenzie
H Company, Ashburton Guards Rifles, Capt E.F. Nichols

In 1869 (aged 12) Walter was in Class III of the Timaru School and came 2nd in his class of 15 for 'very creditable reading'

In 1873 (aged 16) Walter was an apprentice for the South Canterbury Times printing office and his employer took him to court for not obeying orders to roll the press at 11.30 at night (after having worked all day and despite not being paid for about 6 weeks)
- story here: Breach of Masters & Apprentices Act

In 1880 (aged 23) Walter married Mary Donnellan (1861-1946) in 1880.
- Mary was from County Clare
The children found for them so far are:
1881 - Maud Josephine Beckingham
1884 - Gleniti Constance Evelyn Beckingham
1885 - Alice Harriett Ethel Beckingham
1887 - Kate Emily Beckingham

In 1891 (aged 34) he was heading to Christchurch for the District Grand Lodge meeting of the United Ancient Order of Druids

In 1897 (aged 40) Walter was made Captain, from Lieutenant, of the South Canterbury Battalion
- he was also by then, in the furniture trade which adds to the theory he may have been Honeyborn's son

In 1898 (aged 41) Walter built a house on his section at the corner of Grey Road & Sefton street, (Seawiew) Timaru

In 1899 (aged 42) Walter was nominated by Mr Frederic Jaumand Le Cren (1864-1949) and S. F. Smithson as Councillor for the North West Ward of the Timaru Borough Council in lieu of Mr Alfred Targuse, deceased. Being the only nomination he was duly elected

In January 1913 (aged 55) Walter was buried in Plot 17 - Block F (new row 9) of the Timaru General Cemetery. His wife Mary lived to 85 (1946) and was then buried with him

In July 1913 Walter`s estate was valued at ?6358
- (a July 2009 equivalent of $901,814.)