Mrs. Barrett

Biography contributed by Kat Jenkins

Mrs Barrett (or Fanny Ann Fleet Barrett nee Atkinson) was born in July 1854 in Kensington, London to William Henry Fleet Atkinson and Frances Ann Atkinson (nee Barnes).

In May 1876 at the age of 21, Fanny married William Barrett (27), a labourer at St Jude’s in Kensington, London. Soon after on 10 September, the newlyweds left England, setting out for a new life in New Zealand. They arrived in Hawke’s Bay on 16 December 1876 onboard the Waitara.

After their arrival, they moved into a government cottage on Munro Street, Napier where they lived until about 1880, when they moved to Faraday Street.

Fanny and William had nine children together: Edward William (1877-1877), Frederick Charles (1878-1951), Arthur William (1881-1894), Ellen Kate (1894-1947), Alice Sarah (1887-1964), James Alfred (1889-1893), Albert Thomas (1892-1949), Stephen Percy (1895-1942) and John Henry (1896-1918).

Fanny experienced the death of four of her sons during her lifetime. Edward her firstborn died at 6 weeks old; Edward was 12 years; and James was aged 4. John Henry Barrett died in action during World War One in France, aged 22. His war records listed his mother as living at 6 Faraday Street, Napier, which is how the connection to the petition was made.

Fanny lived in the house at 6 Faraday Street for most of her life. Electoral rolls show her living there in 1893, 1894, 1896, 1897, 1899, 1903, 1905-6, 1908, 1911, 1914, and 1919.

During the first Anzac Day commemorations in 1916, her second-youngest son Stephen Percy Barrett was accused of stealing gold jewellery and cigarettes from a nearby house. Fanny stood as witness for him, providing an alibi. Stephen was found not-guilty by the jury who found testimony given by the police to be unreliable.

Fanny died 20 December 1920 in Napier and is buried with her husband and sons in Old Napier Cemetery.

After the Napier Earthquake, 6 Faraday Street became 23 Faraday Street. It remained in the family for 87 years until 1967 when it was sold by Fanny’s granddaughter Dorothy Margaret. It is now a carpark.

Sources

Birth:

London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920 for Fanny Ann Fleet Atkinson Westminster, St Mary, Paddington Green, 1845-1861, page 245.

Marriage:

England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 for Fanny Fleet Atkinson 1876 Q2-Apr-May-Jun (Chelsea Vol 1a. p.451)

London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936 for Fanny Fleet Atkinson, Kensington and Chelsea, St Jude, Chelsea, 1874-1884 page 97

Immigration: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FS14-94Z

Electoral Roll records:

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1893, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1894, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1896, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1897, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1899, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1903, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1905-1906, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1908, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1911, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1914, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 for Fanny Barrett, 1919, Hawke´s Bay, Napier

Death:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83619782/fanny-fleet-barrett

Other and supporting:

Birth print-out: Ellen Kate Barrett b. 11 August 1884 (1884/19826)

Marriage print-out: Ellen Kate Barrett and Henry Louis Schaeffer m. 23 January 1905 (1905/339)

Record of title HB97/18 issued 16 September 1936 (6 or 23 Faraday Street land title)

BARRETT, John Henry - WW1 12128 – Army. Code: R22272852, Years: 1914 - 1918, Box number: 55, Record number: 0011923 https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE10053205

Hastings Standard, 7 June 1916, page 6. 'The Burglary Charge'. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAST19160607.2.40

Image

Mrs Barrett's house on Faraday Street highlighted. (MTG Hawke's Bay)