G. Tregea

This could possibly be Mrs G Tregea but I couldn’t see any trace of a Mrs.

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

George Tregea was born in 1861 in New Zealand – the son of John Tregea and Grace Menhennett.

He married Annie Ada Elizabeth Bowman in 1885 and they had three children.

In 1889 George, who was the landlord of the Ship Hotel in Nelson, was declared bankrupt. After this the family moved to Dunedin and when George signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Forth St and his occupation was given as tinsmith.

George also worked as a billiard marker in Dunedin hotels.

In 1902 Annie applied for a summary separation order on the grounds that George 'was guilty of persistent cruelty, and was addicted to drink, and failed to support children'. She 'wished to have the custody of two of the children, and also a reasonable sum for maintenance'. Their son also gave evidence and George failed to appear at the hearing – the order was granted.

In 1905 Annie again applied for a separation order on the grounds of ill-treatment which included 'personal violence, drunkenness, and the use of foul and abusive language' against Annie and their daughter – the order was again granted.

George applied for a re-hearing and after an adjournment it was announced that 'the parties had come to a settlement'. George 'did not object to the order so much as to the allegation of drunkenness' which was preventing him from gaining employment – the allegation was withdrawn.

George died on 14 August 1937 in Dunedin he is buried with their daughter in the Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.

Annie later moved to Invercargill where she died in 1943, she is buried with their elder daughter in the Invercargill Eastern Cemetery.

Sources

BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/

DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search

Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz