Nesbitt Family

Mary Ann Nesbitt, wife of Robert Nesbitt, died 9 January 1907, aged 77. Also Robert Nesbitt, died 22 May 1911, aged 82. Also Annie, daughter of the above, died 28 September 1934, aged 70.

Historical information

Robert Nesbitt served in the 65th Regiment, and was part of a veterans parade before the Governor in 1900 (Auckland Star, 7 June 1900, p.6; Death notice, Auckland Star, 23 May 1911, p. 12). According to NZ Herald 11 June 1901 (p. 2), in a complete list of Imperial and Colonial veterans invited to attend a luncheon with the Governor on 12 June 1901, Robert Nesbitt is listed as have the New Zealand Medal -- which was only awarded to veterans of the New Zealand wars who came under fire. He attended the laying of the foundation stone of the Veteran's Home at Three Kings (NZ Herald 26 May 1903 p.6)

Robert Nesbitt was born in Newtownards, County Down,Northern Ireland c.1828. His father was a farmer (Nesbitt's death certificate). According to Hugh & Lynn Hughes in Discharged in New Zealand, Soldiers of the Imperial Regiments who took their discharge in NZ, 1840-1870 (1988 - working from the muster rolls), he enlisted at Glasgow 14 December 1852, having worked as a weaver, and arrived in New Zealand on the Egmont 26 June 1856. He was discharged (with all good conduct pay) 14 December 1864.

On 22 December 1861, he married Mary Ann(e) Elisabeth Darter, a widow, nee Avis. The BDMs and certificate show that he and his wife Mary Ann had four children born and registered: Robert Benjamin in 1863, Ann Flora 1864, William Alexander 1866, and Sarah Ann 1870. Mary Ann was born in London 14 June 1829. "Mary Ann Elizabeth AVIS baptised 14 June 1829 St Mary Lambeth daughter of Robert and Hannah. She married William Edward DARTER 20 Oct 1853 also St Mary's Lambeth.  (info via Garth Houltham) .

According to an email received in February 2015 from John Rapson, 3X great-grandson of Mary Ann, the details of William Darter snr's death are at  present unknown.  A son also named William Edward Darter died in the second  quarter of 1859 in Bethnal Green, London. Her eldest daughter Eliza Jane Darter, according to Rapson, "was born on 28 September 1855 at 2 Back Road, St George’s in the East, Middlesex. Mary and Eliza came to New Zealand sometime between 1859 and 1861, however I have been unable to locate any passenger list recording them.Eliza married George BELLINGHAM on 11 May 1876 at Picton Street, Ponsonby. She died on 11 July 1926 at East Tamaki and is buried at Flat Bush Methodist Cemetery." A book on the history of East Tamaki, Rapson went on to advise, claimed that William Edward Darter snr. died of yellow fever in Panama, and that Mary came out to New Zealand to visit an uncle, as yet unidentified. (Thank you, John, for the additional information).

 Row A, Plot 2: Mary Ann, Robert and Annie Nesbitt

It appears Robert Nesbitt lived in Newmarket for a time after his discharge, then Newton, on Dublin and Cobden Streets. When his eldest son Robert Benjamin came to live in Victoria Road (Victor Street) Avondale with his own family around 1894, the older Nesbitts probably came to live here to be close to them.

Concerning a Dog

Joseph Davis sued Robert Nesbitt for £5 damages for having wrongfully destroyed his (plaintiffs) dog at Avondale. It appeared that the defendant had shot the dog, saying that it had bitten him on the leg. Evidence was called on both sides, but the magistrate decided in favour of plaintiff, holding that it had not been proved that the defendant was bitten by the dog.—Judgment was given for the full amount claimed, with costs £2 11s.

(Auckland Star, 24 October 1898, p. 3)

Despite this incident, Robert Nesbitt was granted his old age pension in 1899. You did need to be of good character to obtain the pension in those days.

ON THE WRONG TRAIN.

A RASH JUMP. VETERAN BADLY INJURED.

A veteran named Robert Nesbitt, aged 82, living at Avondale, met with a serious accident yesterday morning. He intended catching the 9.37 a.m. train to Auckland to attend the parade of the Empire Veterans' Association. He arrived at Avondale station early, and seeing a train standing there he boarded it. This was the special 9.15 train going from Auckland to Henderson. The old man did not discover his mistake until the train had moved out of the station. He then expressed his determination to get off the train, and despite the protests of several boy scouts, who were standing on the platform, he eventually succeeded in throwing himself off. The train was then travelling at a rate of 15 miles an hour. The guard, Wm. Duncan, got the train pulled up at Craig's Crossing, and went back in company with Scoutmaster Duncan, of Ponsonby, and his squad of scouts. The old man had fallen upon his head and left shoulder, cutting his head and face badly. He had also dislocated his shoulder and fractured his left arm. The boy scouts lifted the injured man on to the grass, and rendered first aid. Nurse Hogwood, living in the vicinity, also washed and attended to the wounds. The constable at Avondale, accompanied by some of the boy scouts, brought Nesbitt to Auckland by the 9.45 train, from Henderson. They were met at the Mount Eden station by the St. John ambulance, and Nesbitt was conveyed to the hospital. The conduct of the boy scouts throughout the incident is very highly spoken of by the police. Late last night it was reported that the injured veteran was progressing favourably, although he had been very much shaken.

(NZ Herald, 10 November 1909, p.7)

James Matthew Stanton married the Nesbitt's youngest daughter Sarah Ann on 3 March 1892. (Auckland Star, 21 April 1892, p. 8) It was at the Stanton's home in Taylors Road Mt Albert that Robert Nesbitt passed away, after suffering from exhaustion, nephritis, and finally pneumonia, on 22 May 1911.

The son Robert Benjmin Nesbitt was a highly literate and community-minded man, a printer and typographer by trade who had worked during his career for the Wilsons at the NZ Herald. He was closely associated with the Avondale Presbyterian Church, a founder of the Avondale Horticultural Society in 1897 and the Avondale Fruit and Horticultural Association in 1900. He was a member of the Avondale Literary and Debating Society from 1899, inaugural treasurer of the Avondale Musical Society in 1905, treasurer of the Mt Albert Bowling Club 1910, secretary of the Avondale Orchestral Society 1911, and supported the unsuccessful petition for Avondale to become a borough in 1915. He was the second-to-last chairman of the Avondale Road Board, 1916-1920. By 1923, he had left the district with his wife, heading for Rotorua where he ran unsuccessfully for their first borough council, but became chairman of their Chamber of Commerce in 1924. He died 15 July 1942, and was buried at Rotorua cemetery.

R B Nesbitt's son, grandson to Robert Nesbitt, Harold Lionel Robert Nesbitt, followed in his grandfather's footsteps and served during World War I in the Auckland Infantry Battalion, wounded in 1915. By 1923 he and his wife were living with their own family in Victoria Road, Avondale. "Harold died 1956 buried  Birkenhead Glenfield Cemetery." (Info via Garth Houltham).