Genealogy Chat

Dawn, I have a couple more addresses which I will message direct to you. None still in Hawera, but some not far away, and for a small place there are a heap of Browns! Christine in NZ

Christine The ones I have are for Timaru. What I know of Henry he was a plumber in Hawera before he joined up and he died in the public hospital; there so presume he went back there. Knowing my luck after all this it wont be him but what the heck wont know unless I try will I . His sister lived in Hawera with the surname Brown? If you find anymore is worth a try. Thanks Dawn

Dawn, Do you have addresses for Geraldine or for Hawera? Do you want me to have a look for more for you? Christine in NZ

Christine, Thank you for that, have been given a couple of addresses for Maslins in the area and all I have to do now is pluck up the courage to write, just don't want to upset anyone. Dawn

Dawn, you say he was born in Geraldine, there was a Maslin family (Caleb and Charlotte and children) arriving at the port of Lyttleton in 1858. This would be the arrival point for people going to Geraldine, it is where some of my lot arrived and they all lived in the Geraldine area. There are not many Maori in that part of the country, he may be Maori but he could just as easily be olive skinned European. My grandfather was described as Dark complexion on his WW1 documents and there was no Maori in him. Christine in NZ

where there any army clubs in the area were your gran was born. working out the dates she must of been conseived just after the new year, a time for partys ect and guests might of had to book in and who with. Its a long shot but its worth a try.How you go about it is another thing. Have you also looked for embarcation ships and there passenger lists You would need to look from Jan/March I would say as it took sevral weeks to get to NZ. He must of been posted localy so find out What NZ troops were in the Area say with in a 10 mile radius or less, more likely they were in town as there was no transport exsept trains or bus. Find out who was there and cross match with what you have. I will keep looking.

Ok ok you win yours are worse than mine will still consider giving mine away though. Dawn

You think mine are. One line ends in adoption another in a basterd birth and thers a line that did moon lights when they got in to debt (A LOT) And I'm not out of the 1900s with most of them.

Peter, My Gran was born 20/9/1919 so war had ended and he had already gone back to NZ by then. Name my Gran heard was Stanley Masculin but NZ archives had noone of that name in the forces so they did a search on soundalikes using Stanley as either first or second name and the one that is the closest is Henry Stanley Maslin. Have a few other possibilities but nothing that was as close. The records I got today had as far as I can make out him in the right area and he left england in march 1919 and arrived in wellington april 1919. Why aren't my family simple do you want to swap!!!! Dawn

Have you cross checked with NZ records (enlistment rolls and so on) If you need help take a look at My 'contact ME for' thread some one on there might be able to.

I do not whant to make your life even more complex but you say that he could not of died in WW1 becuse of dates but when was your reele born early or late 1919 as WW1 did not finish untill late 1918. 11/11/1918 and even after that date soliders died owing to not hearing about the ceasefire. So she could of been born up till July and he still died in the war (Just) Also Is it the name MASLIN you are after as there are sevral in the London Gazette or is it the name HENRY MASLIN spasificly.

Maureen, Thanks, He was in the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade. will try googling that. Dawn

Jane, both sides of dads family are giving me trouble so at the moment could quite happily swap families. I haven't tried anything in NZ yet as only got the records through today. Looks like I've got a lot of looking up to do. He died in the hospital of the town he lived in when he enlisted so hopefully that will make it a bit easier . Did try and rule him out as he was 5ft 6 and my gran is 6ft but have just looked at the photo I have of her and her mum and they are the same height so that threw that one out of the water as well. Oh well suppose had better start trawling. Dawn

Dawn, And I thought I had problems ... this is a knotty one! Thoughts: 1) Have you tried looking for pension records in NZ - most WW1 soldiers got some kind of pension, that's why UK records survived at least. 2) Have you tried looking for a marriage record for him in NZ? 3) Have you got his death cert and does it say who registered the death, there might be a clue in that? 4) Does it say on his papers where he was born? UK ones generally do? Regs Jane

Dawn, Sounds like the truth about him was 'adjusted'! As to complexion, I would guess it just means he had dark rather than fair coloured skin, not that he was of other than caucasian origin. Ian

Ian, couldn't find any reference to him on the cwgc site so thought maybe he didn't die in the war. These records say he left the army in sept 1919 which is when Gran was born but he didn't die until 1955 in New Zealand. He has left me stumped. Dawn

Dawn, don't see a name on CWGC that matches, and the period coverd by ww1 goes on into the 1920's. Ian

Peter , Name was Henry Stanley Maslin was born Geraldine says Yes against British Subject living at Hawera. Haven't got a clue on NZ places i'm afraid could mean a bit of delving. Dawn

I know nothing about him am trying to find my gt grandfather who gran never knew. As little girls do she was listening when her mum was talking to her dad about him and overheard a name. Gt gran was meant to join him in NZ and he sent the money and ticket but her mum found them and tore ticket up and kept money. Gran was always told he died 2 weeks before she was born in the war, she was born sept 1919 so he can't of been killed in the war for starters so maybe he didn't die then either. Gave the name and details to the archives and sent me a list back of possibles and this is the closest and he was over here at the right time and in the right area. Know I am clutching at straws but would of loved this to be him just so my gran could know for definite but now not sure. Dawn

That could fit both even the religion. What about were he sighed up I beleve that there are some Mori only towns you will have to check. And the name might give a clue. think William, Jhon, simple names and biblical, Archebaled and the like or non biblical were rear for Moris. Surnames were taken from people who had been well known or famous when the brits came so that could be a small clue if you know were the family lived in NZ