Biographical information provided by Bernadette Siebert
Lydia Mary Steventon was born in 1850 in London, England, one of seven children of Alfred and Mary Alice nee Syers. In 1862, Lydia arrived in Auckland with her parents and four siblings, on board the ‘Matilda Wassenbach’ the first of the ships bringing non-conformist settlers to Port Albert. Both Lydia’s parents were well educated, and shortly after they had settled in Wharehine, north of Auckland Mary Alice started a small private school, to which the settlers were only too glad to send their children. Later, when the Government established a State school in the district, Alfred was appointed the schoolmaster and remained a teacher until nearly seventy years of age.
On 10 February 1876 at the Steventon’s house at Wharehine, Lydia married 31y old John Holloway, a widower. It was a double wedding as it was the same day and place as her sister Julia married Robert Boler.
John was born in 1843 in Oxfordshire, England, the son of Emmanuel and Mary nee Wheeler. He arrived in Auckland in October 1864 aboard the barque ‘Steinwaerder’ with his brothers 24y Charles and 17y Emmanuel. John was previously married to Sarah Charlotte Purchase in 1872 in Auckland, who died three months later.
John and Lydia had five children:
- Charles Alfred (1877 –1959)
- Mabel Alice (1879 -1963)
- Lilian Doris (1882 -1968)
- Clive Steventon (1884 -1970)
- John Noel (1886 -1981)
They lived in central Auckland where John worked as a storeman and by 1892 they had moved to Devonport, on Auckland’s north shore. The family next lived in Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland where John had a grocer and carrier business known as J Holloway and Son. In 1909 John advertised that he had sold his share in the business to his son Charles. He may have been in ill health, as John died in January 1911. He was buried in Waikumete Cemetery. In his probate, he left an estate worth 700 pounds to his dear wife Lydia for her “sole and separate and absolute use and benefit”.
Lydia moved to Mt Albert and lived with her daughter Mabel. In 1922 Mabel married Alfred Stainton and Lydia moved in with the couple until her death in 1924 aged 74. She was buried with her husband in Waikumete Cemetery. The headstone reads: “Until the day break". Lydia’s estate was valued at 2000 pounds which she left to be divided amongst her five children, or their heirs
L M is a sister to #24 Jessie STEVENTON and sister-in-law to #407 Isabella HOLLOWAY
Sources
- Intentions to Marry 1876
- Findagrave
- Archway probate Lydia John
- Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com)
- Historical BDMs
- PAPERS PAST New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 289, 15 October 1864, Page 4
- PAPERS PAST Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 3965, 14 April 1883, Page 2
- PAPERS PAST New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13990, 20 February 1909, Page 8