LAWRENCE FRANKLIN
THE HALCIONE
LAWRENCE FRANKLIN (parents THOMAS FRANKLIN and SARAH WARREN)
b. 2 April 1819 in Milton under Wychwood, Oxford, England. Baptised 2 April 1820.
d. 28 March 1893 in East Clive, Hastings.
Married HANNAH SPARKES (parents JOSEPH SPARKES and ELIZABETH MOSS, they were married 30 November 1823 in England) on 14 May 1842 in Oxford, England.
b. 13 June 1824 in Ascott Under Wychwood, Oxford, England. Baptised 13 June 1824.
d. 27 August 1899 in East Clive, Hastings.
LAWRENCE FRANKLIN
Marriage Certificate: LAWRENCE FRANKLIN and an ANNA SPARKES. LAWRENCE was of full age whilst ANNA was a minor. LAWRENCE's father was THOMAS FRANKLIN, whilst HANNAH's was JOSEPH SPARKES (both were laborers). Both signed the marriage certificate with an 'x'. The marriage was witnessed by Richard Franklin and Isaac Castle (both signed with an 'x'). The marriage was solemnized at the Parish Church in the parish of Shipton, in the registration district of Chipping Norton. As Hannah was illiterate this is likely to be the correct marriage certificate just with her name spelt incorrectly.
Death Certificate: Ref - 1893/717. He was 74 years old when he died of stomach cancer and exhaustion. His father was THOMAS FRANKLIN and SARAH (her maiden name is difficult to read, but could be WARREN). He was born in England but had been in New Zealand for 18 years. He had been married in England at the age of 22 to HANNAH SPARKS. The age of his children when he died was: M - 50, 39, 36, F - 45 and 43.
HANNAH SPARKES
Death Certificate: Ref - 1899/1464. HANNAH was 76 and a widow when she died of cancer of the digestive organs and exhaustion. The names of her mother/father were not known. HANNAH was born in England and had been in New Zealand for 25 years. She was married in England at the age of 18 to LAWRENCE. Children living when she died: M - 56, 45, 43 years, F - 51, 47 years.
Children of LAWRENCE FRANKLIN and HANNAH SPARKES are:
i RUTH FRANKLIN b. 31 December 1847 in Chipping Norton, Oxford, England; d. 1 July 1929 in East Clive, Hastings. Married WILLIAM JACKSON 19 January 1867 in Milton Under Wychwood, Oxford, England.
ii GEORGE FRANKLIN b. 31 August 1843 in Milton, Oxford, England; d. 13 June 1925 in a Mental Hospital, Porirua. Married EMILY SMITH on 14 October 1869 in the Parish Church, Milton Under Wychwood, Oxford, England. Imigrated to New Zealand on 12 September 1872 on the ship Chile.
iii SARAH FRANKLIN b. 16 February 1850 in Milton under Wychwood, Oxford, England; d. 7 June 1920 in Dannevirke. Married HENRY DRINKWATER on 14 March 1874 in the Upper Baptist Chapel, Milton, Oxford, England. Also emigrated to New Zealand on the Halcione.
iv JOSEPH FRANKLIN b. 14 May 1853 in Milton, Oxford, England; d. 17 October 1928 in the Hawkes Bay. Married ELIZABETH HOLLOWAY. Also emigrated to New Zealand on the Halcione.
v WALTER FRANKLIN b. c. 1856 in Milton, Oxford, England; d. 13 November 1928 in Hastings. Also emigrated to New Zealand on the Halcione.
vi ELIZABETH FRANKLIN b. c. 1856 in Milton, Oxford, England. Died 15 January 1886 in New Zealand. Married ISAAC THOMAS. Also emigrated to New Zealand on the Halcione.
CENSUS
1841 Census:
Possible census for Hannah Sparks (Link):
1851 Census: (Link)
Milton: Lawrence Franklin, Head, Married, 30, Ag. Lab; Hannah Franklin, Wife, 27; George Franklin, Son, 7, scholar; Ruth Franklin, Daughter, 3; Sarah Franklin, 2 weeks.
1861 Census: Part 1 (Link), Part 2 (Link)
Lower Milton, Shipton: Farm House, Lawrence Franklin, Head, Married, 39, Ag. Lab, born Oxfordshire, Ascott; Hannah Franklin, Wife, Married, 36; George Franklin, Son, 17, Ag. Lab; Ruth Franklin, Daughter, 13, Scholar; Sarah Franklin, Daughter, 10, Scholar; Joseph Franklin, Son, 7; Walter Franklin, Son, 5; Elizabeth Franklin, Daughter, 2.
1871 Census: (Link)
Milton: Lawrence Franklin, Head, Married, 50, AG. Labourer; Hannah Franklin, Wife, Married, 48; Joseph Franklin, Son, 17, Labourer; Walter Franklin, Son, 14, Labourer; Elizabeth Franklin, Daughter, 12, Scholar.
IMMIGRATION
LAWRENCE and HANNAH arrived in Napier on 10 July 1874 on the Halcione (1869 tonnes). It sailed from London on 24 March 1874. The Captain was originally Captain Wright, but he was found dead in his bed on 31st May, and buried at sea on 1 June. The First Mate took command of the vessel. Please go here for an account of the ships arrival into Napier. The ship made 26 voyages to New Zealand!
On the passenger list, the Franklin family was: Lawrence (45, Oxfordshire, Farm Labourer), Note: His age was lowered for the passage), Hannah (45), Walter (17) a labourer, Elizabeth (15) a servant.
The cost to the Governament was sixty-six pounds for their passage.
There was also another Franklin Family: Joseph (22, Oxfordshire, Farm Labourer) - a son of Lawrences', Elizabeth (20), Sarah (1).
Elizabeth's maiden name was Holloway, and a Christopher Holloway from Oxfordshire was employed by the New Zealand Governement as a paid agent to recruit suitable immigrants for the Vogel Immigration Scheme. He may have been a relation of Elisabeth's and recruited her and Joseph Franklin as suitable immigrants.
Henry Drinkwater and his wife Sarah are also on the passenger list, Sarah Drinkwater was a daughter of Lawrence and Hannah.
William Jackson and Ruth Franklin are also on the ship with the family (please refer to Ruth's page for further information).
The passenger list was therefore: Lawrence and Hannah and their two sons, three daughters, two son-in-laws, one daughter-in-law and five grandchildren.
The book 'The Farthest Promised Land' by Professor Rollo Arnold of Victoria University, Wellington, gives an insight into the Agricultural Farmers Union situation in Oxfordshire England and the Wychwood villages in 1870. A large number of people from this area took up the opportunity to immigrate to New Zealand under the New Zealand Governments Vogel Scheme from 1871 to 1888. George Franklin (Lawrence's son) nominated Lawrence and William Jackson on 13 November 1873 for a free passage to New Zealand.
Lawrence is listed on the 1876 - 1877 Clive Electoral Roll as living at Big Bush. The Wises Directory 1883 - 1884 lists Lawrence as L Franklin Settler West Clive.