E.C.F. Kettle

Francis Fosbery was a landowner in County Limerick, Ireland and he and his wife Sarah had nine daughters. Sarah died, aged only 39, and Francis married again.

Perhaps in resentment, even embarrassment, at having a step mother not much older than themselves the nine daughters immigrated; eight to New Zealand and one to USA.

At least three signed the 1893 petition Laura Ronalds (Sheet 183), Emma Kettle (Sheet 477) Sarah Mills (Sheet 168).

Emma Fosbery arrived in New Zealand dramatically. She was aboard the Queen Bee which ran aground.

In 1875 one of Emma’s sister, Mary, and her husband, surgeon Henry Maunsell, had returned to foe a visit to Ireland. They returned to New Zealand in 1877 aboard the Queen Bee with their two children Ada (five), and Alice (three) and accompanied Emma (18). 

The Queen Bee was a 726t three-masted barque ran aground on Farewell Spit on the 6th of August and was abandoned. Passengers and crew took to a gig, a cutter and a raft. The Maunsell party were on the cutter which with 22 on board was totally overloaded. They had no water, or food and had only three oars which were nearly useless. They created a sail from a rug and were pushed well out into Tasman Bay and eventually managed to land at Savage Point just above French Pass and were rescued from there on the 11th of August. Remarkably all 30 passengers and all but the carpenter of the 24 crew survived this ordeal. Wee Alice Maunsell, Emma’s niece died three months later from the effects of the exposure.

Three years later Emma married Charles Cargill Kettle at St Paul’s Church, Dunedin; she was 21 and he was 30. Charles was the son of Charles Edward Kettle an early explorer and surveyor. He had been admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1873 and was subsequently appointed a Judge.

Emma and Charles had a son Desmond and twin daughters Olive and Cicely. Desmond Kettle was killed in the First World War and Judge Kettle died soon after, aged only 68, having only recently retired from the bench.

Emma remarried a John B Reid owner of Elderslie stud farm, near Oamaru. They both returned to live in England where Emma died in 1936, aged 77.

Biography contributed by Robert Wynn-Williams

Source

Brett, Henry. White Wings Volume 1. The Brett Printing Co Ltd, 1929

Image

Emma Clarence 18, Florence Emily 26, Sarah Gertrude 21, Eva Constance 19, Ethyl Mary Fosbery 12 and Mary Augusta Maunsell (née Fosbery) 25 in Dublin, 1877 (Image courtesy Desmond Fosbery CMG)