Ida Lillian BALL b. 2 Oct 1869 in Southwark, Surrey, England, the daughter of John BALL, and Abigail CHAPMAN. The Ball family immigrated to New Zealand, arriving in Auckland on the Hermione in August 1881 when Ida was 11 years old. Her father died the following year, in July 1882. Ida’s mother married John Goodyear in 1884 and had a further three daughters.
Perhaps after her mother had re-married, Ida and her sisters left home to work, as in November 1886 Ida married Benjamin HART, son of Nathaniel HART and Dinah now HANSEN in Greymouth. Benjamin, 23, was six years older than his 17 year old bride. They had likely met through church activities. There were no natural children of the marriage, but the couple adopted a daughter Lillian Dorothy Watson in 1903.
Ida lived in the shadow of her husband and mother-in-law, Dinah Hansen. Benjamin had taken over his step-father’s Sailmaking business in Greymouth; Ida possibly helped in the shop. She appears briefly in newspapers entering various home-making or gardening competitions. In 1903, Benjamin was nominated for both Borough Council and the Ratepayers and Householders Association. He was also trustee and treasurer for the Greymouth Methodist church and superintendent of the Sunday school, likely all activities that Ida shared with him.
In 1909 the Harts shifted to Auckland, where they purchased an apple orchard. They had an address in Epsom, but also traded as grocers in Remuera Road. The orchard business, in what is now Newington Road, Henderson, was not always successful. After Benjamin’s nephew Ben Lawn was killed in WWI, Benjamin Hart enlisted, giving his age as eight years younger. He served in the Field Ambulance for the duration. This made life very difficult for Ida and their daughter as she struggled to repay debts on their orchard and run the shop at the same time.
After the war Benjamin became the first chairman of the Henderson Town Board in 1922. A small park in Henderson, named Hart Domain was later developed from the Hart’s land.
Ida Lilian Hart, nee Ball died on Mothers Day in 1950 from influenza, aged 80. She is buried at Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland.
Her life and that of her husband’s family is recorded in the book To Live a Long and Prosperous Life (2016) ISBN 978-0-473-34255-5 by C. McCaughan, further updates at https://inkandstoneblog.wordpress.com
Cynthia L.I. McCaughan, 2018
Sources
Image
Ida Hart, c. 1910 (courtesy Grace Hanley)
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
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