Winifred Jarvis

Biography contributed by Joyce Hislop, Winifred's great-granddaughter.

Winifred Jarvis was born 13 May 1842 in Ragnall, Berkshire, England to agricultural labourer Joseph, and Mary (nee Haines) Titchener. Winifred married John Jarvis, a cellarman on 20 August 1866 at Chobham, Surrey. 

Four children Edith Susannah (1867) William John (1869–1872) Agnes Winifred (1871) and Ethelbert William (1873) were born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent prior to the family deciding to leave England for New Zealand because of Winifred’s poor health. They left with their three surviving children on the Waitara in 1874. Unfortunately, Ethelbert died at sea.

The family first settled in Carnarvon where John was employed as a shepherd and later as estate manager. During this time a further six children were born Bertha Louisa (1875) Harold Titchener (1877) Edna Henrietta (1878) Ernest Haines (1880) May Olive (1882) and Decima Rose (1884). 

In 1886 the family moved to Campbelltown (now Rongotea) where John had purchased some land which he cleared and in 1897 a new home was built and the property named 'Ethelhurst'. Both the Athletic and Sports Club events were held at 'Ethelhurst' from 1905 and that year both Winifred and John were presented with gifts in appreciation. 

Winifred enjoyed good health until 1907 when she contracted rheumatic fever and she died on 22 March that year in a Palmerston North hospital age 64 years. In her obituary it says 'her goodness of heart and complete unselfishness were well known, in cases of sickness or death she was always ready with assistance and kindly counsel, while she was an indefatigable worker for the sufferers in hospital in India'. Her funeral cortege numbered seventy vehicles. John died in 1925 age 79 years. Both Winifred and John are buried in the Rongotea Cemetery.

Sources

UK Census, birth, marriage & death certificates

Shipping records

NZ birth & death certificates, Electoral Rolls

Newspapers