E Thoms

Signed family name

Thoms

Signed given name

Given address

Marton

Sheet number

521

Town/Suburb

Marton

City/Region

Whanganui region

Notes

Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert

Elizabeth Thompson was born in 1835 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, daughter of Richard and Mary Ann. Before she was 20, she married Charles Toms (Thoms) in 1855 in London, England. Charles was born in the same town, the same year, the son of John and Mary Toms. In June 1855 John and Mary Toms arrived in Wellington, New Zealand on board the New Era. They came with four of their five children, including newlyweds Charles and Elizabeth.

Eventually they all settled in the Rangitikei area. Charles and his father John Toms are listed as labourers with freehold property entitling them to vote on the 1853 – 1864 Electoral roll.

Charles and Elizabeth settled at Porewa and had 12 children:

Emma Thompson (1857–1922)
Kate (1859–1932)
Laura (1860–1928)
Frank (1862–1905)
Mariane (1864–1867)
Eliza (1866–1936)
Ellen (1867–1890)
Arthur (1869–1941)
Alfred William (1871–1943)
Edwin (1872–1938)
Charles Ernest (1874–1938)
Herbert Henry (1877–1958)

In 1867 their daughter Mariane died aged three and a-half. She was playing on the edge of the Rangitikei River with her little brother. She laid herself down on the grass at the brink of the stream to drink and unfortunately slipped in and drowned. Charles was the Inspector of Roads for the Highway Board and County for close on thirty years. He was a prominent member of The Foresters. Their daughter Ellen married in May 1890 to Samuel Henry Bartlett, and died just two months later.

Charles died in Marton, November 1891, aged 56 of influenza. and was buried in the St Stephens Anglican Cemetery, Marton. 'The news of his death was received with amazement and alarm, as he has always appeared to be in the best of health, and capable of contending against what has generally been considered a slight ailment when taken care of. Indeed, it is said that, only a few minutes before his death, no danger was apprehended. His brother died about two years ago of a similar epidemic, and it would appear that he and his brother were predisposed to the disease.' He died intestate and his wife administered his estate worth 6500 pounds.

Elizabeth and Charles’ son William married in 1894 in Porewa. When the couple left by the afternoon train to Wellington, they were accompanied by Elizabeth, who was going on a trip to England, nearly 40 years after she left there.

Elizabeth died in 1909, aged 74, at the home of her daughter. She was buried with her husband at St Stephens Anglican Cemetery. In her probate, she left son Herbert 450 pounds, son Charles 350 pounds, and niece Ella Watson 25 pounds. She paid for the repainting of the fence at the grave and the addition of her inscription to tombstone. Then everything was to be sold and shared equally amongst 10 children or their heirs, worth 3100 pounds.

E TOMS is the mother of 520 Emma T COX Opunake Taranaki and mother-in-law of 521 J MCNICOL Marton