Selina Bradnam

Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert.

Previously transcribed as Selina Bradman.

Selina Grimmer was born in 1846 in London, a daughter of Rebecca and John Grimmer, who would be early pioneers of the Warkworth district.

The family migrated to New South Wales where three more children were born, before moving to New Zealand in 1854. Two more children were born in Mahurangi.

See 379 Rosina Chamberlain

In 1869 Selina married Henry Bradnam, a Londoner who migrated to Auckland in 1863, in Warkworth. They had five children: Edwin James in 1869, Laura Rosina in 1871 (died in childhood), Ada Louisa in 1873, Henry Trantum in 1877, and Eleanor Constance in 1882.

They lived for some years on a farm, then Henry started a general store in Warkworth. He was also involved on the local school and road committees.

By 1905 Henry and Selina were probably living without children and they sold up and moved down to Paparoa, Cockle Bay where Henry was a farmer.

He died 6 August 1908 aged 68. He was buried at St Andrew’s, Howick. In his will he left estate worth £1,650 to his wife.

Selina moved on, first back to Streamlands, Warkworth and then Auckland City, living with her daughters.

When she died 30 September 1919, aged 73, the obituary remarked that, “Mrs Bradnam was of a kindly social disposition, though not afraid to speak her mind if occasion demanded, but always willing to give a helping hand”.

She was buried with her husband with a substantial gravestone monument in St Andrew’s, Howick. Selina’s will, made in 1911 after Henry died, forgave debts owed her and shared her estate amongst her four children, but allowing her son Edwin to have house in Howick as his share, if he so wished.

Sources

BDM Online NZ

Find a Grave

Ancestry

New Zealand Society of Genealogists Cemetery Information

Archives New Zealand

Papers Past

• "School Committee Elections", New Zealand Herald, 25 April 1895
• "Dome Valley", Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 22 October 1919