Minnie Marsh

Signed family name

Marsh

Signed given name

Minnie

Given address

Wharehine

Sheet number

Town/Suburb

Wharehine

City/Region

Auckland region

Notes

Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert

Minnie Louisa was born in 1869 in Port Albert, the eldest child of Henry Marsh and Elizabeth Ann nee Jerome. Elizabeth, her brother and her widowed mother Sarah came out with the Albertlanders Scheme in 1862 on board the Matilda Wattenbach. Sarah married a fellow-traveller John Becroft. He was a widower who sailed on the same ship with nine of his children. He also bought land at Port Albert. Henry and his William Marsh emigrated aboard the Ida Zeigler in 1863. Although not part of an organised group, they still qualified under the 40-acre scheme. Coming from a family of tenant farmers in Shropshire, this was their chance to own a farm.

In 1895 at the Registrar's Office, Port Albert, Minnie married James Halfpenny. He was 36-years-old, born in Lurgen, Belfast, Northern Ireland. He arrived in Auckland, aged 18 with his parents James and Margaret nee McCartney on board the Carisbrooke Castle in 1875. They settled on a farm in Tuakau, south of Auckland.

After they married, James and Minnie returned to James’ farm at Wharehine. He was involved in the Minniesdale Chapel and served on the Wharehine School committee for some years.

They had only one child:

Cyril James (1898–1927)

Minnie died in May 1922, at the residence of Mr. J. S. Moffatt, in Avondale, Auckland, aged 53. She was buried in the Minniesdale Chapel Cemetery at Wharehine, near Wellsford, where her parents were buried.

James died at Wharehine in November 1926, aged 70 and was buried with Minnie at Minniesdale Chapel Cemetery. He left a will, with 'everything I may be possessed of, to my son Cyril'. His estate was worth 650 pounds but went unprobated until February the next year. His son Cyril was probably already ill, and died in March 1927, aged 29. He left his estate in trust with two friends from Wharehine, for his wife Kathleen and two young children.

Minnie is related to 24 E S BECROFT