Post on 20-Jul-2020
transcript
The Carlin and Gill Families
and
Julia Nicholls
In December 1899 James Ducker jnr. Married Mary Frances Louisa Gill
Mary Frances Louisa Gill was the daughter of an early New Zealand photographer
named Carlin Gill.
This is a scrapbook record of the family history of Carlin Gill.
(Mary’s mother was Julia Nicholls, the daughter of Mary Ann Roebuck whose family
history is recorded in The Roebucks of Omata)
Contents
Page 1 The Carlins of Selston
Page 2 Thomas Skinner Carlin, Gentleman of Wren Hall
Page 5 George Gill
Page 7 The Marriage of George Gill and Mary Carlin
Page 13 Birth of Carlin Gill
Page 19 Carlin Gill, Photographer, in New Zealand.
Page 26 Marriage of Carlin Gill and Julia Nicholls
Page 30 The Fraud Case
Page 36 The Death of Carlin Gill
Page 38 New Plymouth
Page 44 The Marriage of Mary Gill and James Ducker jnr
Page 46 Appendix 1 Further information on the Gill Brothers
Page 67 Appendix 2 A brief history of photography in New Plymouth and Nelson
Page 71 Appendix 3 The Photography of Carlin Gill
Page 75 Appendix 4 The estate of Old Luke Gill of Selston
Thanks to:
Carol Moor
Ann Linda Hansen
David M. Grundy who live in Derbyshire and provided much assistance…
Thanks also Martyn and Carol Taylor-Cockayne of the Jackson Heritage Society
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 1
The Carlins of Selston
“Selston is situated on the Erewash border with Derbyshire, eleven miles north-west
of Nottingham and five miles east of the Derbyshire town of Alfreton. The Domesday
Book says 'there is a church and three acres of meadow' and from earliest times
agriculture was the main occupation, but beneath the soil lies coal, indeed, no less
than 16 seams outcrop at the surface within the boundaries of the parish.
For centuries it has been populated by folk who worked the land either above or
below ground. The original lease for coal dates from 1206 and for generations carts of
grain from the Trent valley were exchanged for Selston coal. Initially the mine
workings were shallow and small-scale but, with the coming of the Nottingham to
Newhaven turnpike and the development of canals and railways, deeper shafts were
sunk and the pace of industrialisation in the parish increased.
By the 1850s Selston had taken on the aspect of a modern colliery village.
Alongside agriculture and coal-mining, ironstone mining and frame-work knitting
provided employment from time to time. Frames were expensive and were usually
hired from the large warehouses like Brettles of Belper and Morleys of Nottingham.
(Frame-work knitting) was demanding, the hours long and the wages scandalously
low and most families were obliged to put their children to learn the trade from the
age of six or seven, the boys winding the yarn on to the bobbins and the girls learning
seaming from their mothers.……”1
Our first person of interest in this narrative is a gentleman residing at
Wren Hall, Selston, by the name of Thomas Skinner Carlin.
Newspaper records of the Carlins in Selston first appear in 1782
H. Carlin won prizes at the
Riddings Horticultural
Show for his peas, onions,
spring onions, turnips,
cucumbers and
cauliflowers. Derby Mercury 31 July 1782
Henry Carlin, of Selston,
was a Hosier (a person who makes or deals in
hose or goods knitted or woven
like hose.)
Derby Mercury 09 October 17832
On 24th February 1778 a baptism was recorded for Thomas Carline, whose father is
Henry Carline of Selston, Nottingham. (England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975).
We do not know for sure if this refers to our Thomas Skinner Carlin.3
1 Taken from “The Nottinghamshire Village Book,” written by members of the Nottinghamshire
Federation of Women's Institutes and published by Countryside Books.
Further information may be found at http://www.visitoruk.com/Mansfield/selston-C592-V14328.html 2 In this article George Carlin testifies as to the efficacy of T. Page’s “reftorative medicine” . 3 It seems likely. In 1844 Thomas Skinner Carlin made a testimony which implies he had lived in
Selston since his early childhood. See Appendix 4 “The Estate of Old Like Gill of Selston”.
2 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Thomas Skinner Carlin, Gentleman of Wren Hall.
From his memorial plaque (see over page) we know that Thomas Skinner Carlin was
born around 1778, and we know that his wife’s name was Mary.
Thomas Carlin of Selston married Mary Skevington of Awsworth, on April 2nd 1804.
The event took place at Nuthall, Nottingham. (Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973)
The marriage was also recorded in Pallot’s Index:
This is quite possibly our Thomas Skinner Carlin.
In 2016, in response to enquiries, I received the following letter from David M.
Grundy, a resident who has local knowledge of Selston - he wrote:
In the Congregational (later renamed United Reformed Church) there was a
plaque dedicated to (Mary) and Thomas Skinner Carlin which remained on display
until the church closed in April 20124……..
The Carlins were devout Congregationalists who attended and helped in the
Congregational Church in many ways. They held various Church offices and gave
generously to its funds. Carlin was a master hosier at a time when the
framework industry was the main industry in Selston until shortly after the 1851
census. He lived at Wren Hall situated only 200 yards from my father’s home.
It is now a nursing home, greatly extended since Carlin lived there.
Carlin owned considerable land in the vicinity of Wren Hall, which after his
death was sold in stages to various people mainly farmers.
Carlin was – unlike so many who attended the Congregational Chapel – quite
wealthy and was able to provide a good education for his children.
The Gill family are occasionally mentioned in church records. Gill was a common
name in Selston so the relationship with the Carlins is uncertain.5
No other stalwarts of the Congregational Church were honoured with plaques, a
fact which suggests that their contribution in service and finance was
outstanding.
In 1843, at the time of the Luke Gill court case (see appendix) Thomas Skinner Carlin stated
that he had an income of £500 per year which he had accumulated in the hosiery trade,
and that he had retired from business four years previously.6
4 Describes the plaque which is shown on the next page. 5 No evidence so far of any family relationship between Thomas Skinner Carlin and the Gill
families of Selston. T.S. Carlin knew Luke Gill of Selston, in fact wrote his will. See Appendix. 6 Thomas Skinner Carlin’s will (see later section) describes his estate including property owned.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 3
Thomas Skinner Carlin and his wife Mary, had at least four children:
George Ludlam CARLIN7 born about 1805 m. Ann Coupe 1842, then m. Elizabeth Coupe 1850
Mary CARLIN born 1806 bap 26 Jun m. George Gill 29th May 1837 d. 7th May 1867
Fanny CARLIN born 8th June 1808 m. J. R. Burton 24th Dec 1838 d. 23rd Sep 1874
Benjamin CARLIN8 bapt. 29th May 1810
Some of these were spotted by Ann Linda Hanson. Birthdates confirmed in England,
Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (Sometimes Carlin is spelled Carling, Carline or Karlin.)
Our person of interest is the eldest daughter Mary Carlin of Wren Hall, Selston.
7 Birth place Butterley in the Parish of Ripley – noted by Carol Moore 8 Record of Baptism of Benjamin Carling at Selston Parish Register - sighted by Linda Hanson.
Probably did not survive to adulthood. (Will of TS Carlin refers to Mary, Frances and George only)
4 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Wren Hall as it is today, now a nursing home. Road sign on the right, and down the driveway.
The white building on the left is The White Lion tavern.
Facing Southwest from Nottingham Rd.
below: Google map satellite view
The old map below was sourced by Martyn and Carol Taylor-Cockayne.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 5
George Gill
Mary Carlin of Wren Hall, Selston, married George Gill of South Normanton.
(South Normanton is about 2 miles north of Selston.)
George Gill’s parents William Gill and Ann (nee Purdy) were married on 30th June
1802 in South Normanton. They had a large family.9
Recorded baptisms to parents William and Ann Gill in South Normanton 1800-1825:
William 15 Nov 1802
Hannah 09 Jan 1804
Sarah 22 Jan 1805
Mary 14 Mar 1806
Harriet 18 Mar 1807
Jamima 04 Apr 1808
George 09 Feb 1810
Saml. Purdy 29 Apr 1811
Frederick 18 Sep 1812
John 02 Dec 1813
Jemmi 23 Jan 1816 From the original document for George Gill,
Pinday 09 Apr 1817 Parish of South Normanton, St Michael.10
Letia Eliza 09 Jun 1818
Herbert 16 Jan 1821
The original baptism records for Jemmi, Pinday, Herbert and Letia have also been
found in scanned form, and give the additional information that the father, William, is
a farmer of South Normanton – and confirm that the mother was Ann (nee Purdy.)
England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1970 for Jemmi Gill
RG4: Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths Derbyshire Wesleyan Piece 0494: Belper Chapel
(Wesleyan), 1790-1819.
9 Carol Moore found the marriage record and the subsequent baptisms in a transcript of the General
Register of St. Michael, South Normanton 1755 - 1812 10 Parish of South Normanton Register containing Baptisms, 1778-1812, and Burials, 1810-1812 held by the Derbyshire Records Office.
6 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
George Gill grew up to become a surgeon, somewhat remarkable given that his father
was a farmer of 24 acres, in a small village. Evidently the family was moderately
wealthy and William Gill was able to see to it that his son was educated, and that he
learned Latin to a level of acceptance into the Royal College of Surgeons.
George Gill received his diploma in 1834.
News clipping found by Martyn and Carol
Taylor-Cockayne.
London Medical and Surgical Journal,
Volume 6 Page 479
The following year George Gill was granted a certificate of qualification from
“Apothecaries’ Hall.”
London Evening
Standard - Friday
10 July 1835
An apothecary today might be called a pharmacist.
(A Surgeon Apothecary approximates to today’s general practitioner.)
In 1836 Mr. Gill, surgeon, is reported as having his house at Alfreton and his surgery
at Codnor Park Ironworks.
In this article he saved the life of a young woman who had overdosed on laudanum.
(George Gill sent an emetic and instructions by a messenger, then rode his horse from
Codnor Park to his home in Alfreton and then back to Selston “in a very short time”
to successfully administer a stomach pump.)
Nottingham Review
and
General Advertiser
for the Midland
Counties –
Friday 24 June 1836
(Sourced by Martyn and Carol Taylor-Cockayne, Jacksondale Heritage Group. )
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 7
The marriage of George Gill and Mary Carlin took place on 29th May 1837.
Derby Mercury – 31st May 1837
Mary Carlin lived at Wren Hall, Selston. The certificate records that at the time,
George Gill was living in Alfreton, Derbyshire, about three miles ( five kilometres)
Northwest of Selston.
Selston parish register for George Gill and Mary Carlin on 29 May 1837 records that
the marriage was by licence, and the witnesses were Samuel Purdy Gill and
F Carlin. (The above scan was sourced by Linda Hanson.)
F. Carlin is most likely to be Fanny (Frances) Carlin, Mary’s younger sister.
Samuel Purdy Gill is George Gill’s brother.
Samuel Purdy Gill (about 1811-1871) was a corn miller and farmer of 20-odd acres.
He was born and lived his life in South Normanton.
Samuel Purdy Gill married Sarah Clarke of Codnor Park, in 1843.
He is listed on the electoral register for South Normanton in 1868 and in the 1849
Postal Directory as a farmer and miller (the only Gill listed in S. Normanton in 1849.)
He died 16th October 1871 in South Normanton.11
South Normanton is located about 2 ½ miles (four kilometres) north of Selston.
11 Index of Wills and Administration 1858 - 1956
8 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
In 1838 and 1839 George Gill, surgeon, was associated with the Mansfield Poor Law
Union, which was formed in 1836.
“In 1834 the Government set up a new system for dealing with the poor and
homeless. Parishes were grouped together in Unions which made payments to the
poor who were too old or sick to work. Those who were able bodied had no choice
but to enter the workhouse. Here conditions were kept deliberately harsh to act as a
deterrent. The Mansfield Workhouse opened at 105 Stockwell Gate in 1837 replacing
a smaller one on Nottingham Road. The former workhouse hospital is now part
of Mansfield Community Hospital.”12
“The poor-law union of Mansfield comprises 18 parishes or places, of which 9 are in
each of the counties of Nottingham and Derby, the whole containing a population of
27,627 inhabitants: the workhouse is a large building on the Sutton road, erected in
1837, at a cost of £7000, and containing accommodation for 300 paupers.” 13
The following two letters from Mansfield Poor Law Union to the Poor Law
Commission were sourced from the National Archives by
Martyn and Carol Taylor-Cockayne (Jacksondale Heritage Group)
14th September 1838 George Gill Surgeon to Mansfield Poor Law Union
Folio 212. Letter from W E Goodacre junior, Clerk to the Guardians of the Mansfield
Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Commission.
He informs the Commission that the following have not got copies of their
regulations; Paulson and Furness, Surgeons, George Gill, Surgeon, Reverend T L
Cursham, Chaplain, Henry Carpenter, Relieving Officer and Anne Winter, Matron.
Annotated: the regulations should be sent.
Paper Number: 8703/C/1838. Poor Law Union Number 337.
Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
9th July 1839 George Gill was replaced as surgeon for Mansfield Poor Law Union
Folio 346. Letter from W E Goodacre junior, Clerk to the Guardians of the Mansfield
Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Commission,
stating that Messrs Furniss and Paulson have again been appointed surgeons to the
first and second districts of the union at a salary of £130 per annum being an increase
of £40 as compared with the last year. Mr James William Valentine of Sutton in
Ashfield has been appointed to the third district in the place of George Gill with a
like increase of £40, the salary being now £100 per annum instead of £60 as before.
Paper Number: 5436/C/1839. See also: 5235/C/1839.
Poor Law Union Number 337.
Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
Mansfield Workhouse was located at Stockwell Gate, about 15km to the North East of
Alfreton where George and Mary Gill resided.
12 from http://www.ourmansfieldandarea.org.uk “Mansfield Workhouse” by Liz Weston. 13 from “A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848)”, pp. 247-251.
10 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
One day in 1838 while riding “on the High Road”, George Gill was assaulted by a
crowd of drunken men who had been attending a prize fight.
“… it appeared that the prisoners, together with a great number more, had assembled
to see a prize-fight at Selston, and afterwards retired to the Black Horse, at Riddings,
where after much riotous conduct, they abused the constable, who was saved from
further mischief by being secreted; that they afterwards left the public house, and, on
the high road, assaulted Mr. Gill, surgeon, of Alfreton, who was passing on
horseback…” (Derby Mercury 11 July 1838)
Black Horse Inn today,
358 Lower Somercotes
Road. (Google Maps.)
The building is said to
date back to the 1790s.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 11
On 6th July 1840 Mary Gill’s mother (Mary Carlin) died. Nottingham Review and
General Advertiser for
the Midland Counties -
Friday 10 July 1840
1841
In the 1841 census, George Gill was at his home at Coates Yard near Alfreton.
This is probably where he now had his surgery.
George Gill, surgeon, in the 1841 census. (Y = Born Derbyshire.)
The other person present, Elizabeth Hoplington, 30, “F. S.” is probably his assistant.
(“F. S.” = Female Servant “M. S.” = Male Servant)
Evidently on this day his wife, Mary Gill, was with her father Thomas Carlin (60,
Ind.) and her brother George Ludlam Carlin (35, Farmer), and 2 servants, at Wren Hall,
Selston.
George Gill’s parents William and Ann Gill, and four of his siblings, were recorded in
South Normanton on that day in 1841.
The census clerk for South Normanton took a route from “Townend Farm”, near
“Cornfield”, passing through “Woodhouse”, “Rough Close House”, then evidently
moving east, the farm of William Gill – after that the next landmark being “Ball Hill”
with the route ending at “Fullwood Farm.” Most of the families were coal miners,
farmers, agricultural labourers, framework knitters and the occasional tradesman.
In the Pigot & Co.’s Directory of Derbyshire 1842, page 28, George Gill is listed as a
surgeon in Alfreton. (Pointed out by Carol Moore)
12 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
21st May 1843 Death of George Gill’s father William Gill
“This is the last Will and Testament of me William Gill of South Normanton in the County of
Derby Yeoman made this twenty eighth day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty
two.
First I will and direct that all my just debts, funeral expense and the expenses of proving and
carrying out the provisions of this my Will, be paid and discharged by my Trustees and
Executors, hereinafter named and in that respect I charge whatever I have in this world with
the payment thereof.
Also I do hereby constitute and appoint my two sons Samuel Purdy Gill and Herbert Gill,
Trustees of this my Will, to act for themselves, and their Sisters, and to whom I state
underneath leave my property after my death..
Also I give devise and bequeath unto my son William Gill of Stoke Bardolph in the County of
Nottingham Yeoman, and my son George Gill of East Bridgford also in the County of
Nottingham Surgeon, the sum or legacy of one shilling apiece.
Also my Will and meaning is, that my wife Ann Gill shall have a reasonable maintenance out
of my real and Personal estate at the discretion of my Trustees and Executors. Also I give
devise and bequeath unto my son Samuel Purdy Gill the sum of twenty pounds and to my
daughter Hannah Gill I give devise and bequeath the sum of ten pounds to be paid to them on
the division of my personal property hereafter named.
Also as soon after my decease, as conveniently may be the whole of my personal property of
what nature or kind soever where soever found at my decease, shall by my Trustees and
Executors be converted into money and after all reasonable expenses are paid and all my
Legacies discharged be divided in equal shares among the following of my children viz;
Hannah Gill, Sarah now the wife of John Page of South Normanton in the County of Derby
aforesaid Grocer, Mary Ann Gill, Harriet now the wife of Samuel Stephenson of Leatford in
the County of Leicester Yeoman, Samuel Purdy Gill, Jemmi Gill and Herbert Gill, subject
nevertheless to the provision of above assured for my wife Ann Gill.
Also I give devise and bequeath my Grandchild Mary Ann Page the daughter of my daughter
Sarah Page above named the sum of ten pounds to be paid to her on her attaining the age of
twenty one years, or sooner if my Trustees and Executors see fit…..”
(The Will was sourced by Carol Moore, Marg Thorne and Joy at Derbyshire Ancestral Research Group)
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 13
1844 Birth of Carlin Gill 16th June 1844 Selston.
George and Mary Gill had a son they called Carlin Gill.
Taken from a certified copy of his birth certificate, GRO
16th June 1844, Carlin, Boy, (father) George Gill, (mother) Mary Gill formerly Carlin
(occupation of father) Surgeon, (informant) Mary Gill Mother Selston.
1850 Death of George Gill
George Gill died young, just 40 years of age, after a 3 month illness.
Taken from a certified copy of his death certificate, GRO
17th October 1850, General Hospital of Nottingham, George Gill, Male, 40 years,
Apothecary, Ill 3 months Effusion beneath Arachnoid. Cavities of Liver, Tubercules
of each Lung. P.M. Certified. Joseph White in attendance General Hospital Nottingham.
Here are some further fragments on the life of George Gill, received from
Carol Taylor-Cockayne:
“I followed (George’s siblings) through the census records and they are living in Riddings (scene of where George was assaulted). They are farmers, flour dealers and Butchers. All way above poor and working class at the time. His mother in 1851 is an 'Annuitant' i.e. someone who earns a pension and is living in Scalford, leicestershire near her son William……” “He had a house near to Alfreton on the Nottingham Turn Pike Road towards Somercotes, owned and rode a horse, worked for the Mansfield Poor Union and the Butterley Company at their Codnor Park Ironworks, who appear to have been his main employers…..” The main and probably only road in those days was the present day B600 which runs from Moorgreen in Notts and links to A610 Nottingham City at that end and at its other end is the market town of Alfreton, Derbyshire….. ….through Somercotes to Coates Yard where George is residing in 1841. There was also the Coates Park Colliery, so he probably lived near that and perhaps George was the surgeon there, dealing with some pretty ghastly accidents. So on horseback from Wren Hall to Coates Colliery area, would be I estimate maybe a 20 minute easy ride and very convenient to reach being on the Nottingham/Alfreton Road the B600. And I would pay a thousand pounds to see his world through his eyes then!”
14 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
1851 Census
Thomas Skinner Carlin Head Widower 73 Farmer 42 acres Notts Selston
Mary Gill daur Widow 43 House Keeper Do. Do,
Carlin Gill granson 6 Scholar Do. Do,
Mary Bond Serv U 17 House Servant Do. Bagthorpe
John Roberts Serv U 19 Agricultural Labourer Do. Mocegreen
Thomas Blcent Burton ?? Mar 64 Independent Nottingham
Elizabeth Bond Servant U 15 House Servant Derbyshire Anley
George Ludlam Carlin Head Mar 46 Farmer 43 acres Do. Butterley
Eliza Carlin Wife Mar 31 Notts Tevershall
Thomas Coupe Carlin Son 5m Do. Selston
Mary Gill is now a widow. Her son Carlin Gill is 6 years old.
Next door is George Ludlam Carlin, Mary Gill’s brother (he is a son of Thomas Skinner Carlin.)
The address is given only as Selston. These two neighbouring households are probably at Wren Hall.
1855 Thomas Skinner Carlin died. He made his will14 in 1853 and it is interesting now to consider some of the contents.
He was a wealthy man when he died, owning a number of properties and with a large
amount of cash out on loan as mortgages. The beneficiaries of the will were his son,
George Ludlam Carlin, his daughter Mary Gill, his other daughter Frances and her
husband John Robert Burton, a wine merchant of Surrey.
(Presumably the son Benjamin did not survive to adulthood, as neither he nor any
family is mentioned in the will of Thomas Skinner Carlin.)
The property appears to have been divided in roughly equal proportions.
George Ludlam Carlin was bequeathed a substantial part of the real estate: all
freehold real estate at Rosemary Hill (Selston), Blue Bell Estate (South Normanton)
and The Scholes (Selston) and other real estate at South Normanton, as well as
household furniture, plates, wines, linen and other household effects, growing crops
and livestock “in and upon my dwelling house at Selston,”
Frances was bequeathed £3,050 being money which was due and on loan as
mortgages.
Mary Gill was bequeathed some real estate and also £590 on loan as mortgages.
14 The copyright of the full document belongs to the Borthwick Institute, University of York.
borthwick-institute@york.ac.uk
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 15
The following are extracts which relate to Mary Gill:
“I give and devise that all my Freehold Estate with the House Gardens and
Appurtenances thereunto belonging situate at Green Hillocks near Ripley in the said
County of Derby now in the occupation of Robert Lowe, Samuel Barsly and others.
And also all my shares parts or interest of and in All that Freehold Estate situate at
Mansfield Woodhouse in the said County of Nottingham purchased by me of the Poor
Law Commissioners and now occupied by Job Cox and others unto my daughter
Mary Gill her heirs and Assigns for ever…..
And I give and bequeath the sum of three hundred pounds the remaining part of the
aforesaid Mortgage debt of six hundred and fifty pounds unto my daughter Mary Gill
absolutely I give and bequeath the sum of two hundred and ninety pounds due to me
from the representatives of the late George Nass(?) and secured by a mortgage…
unto my said daughter Mary Gill absolutely…….”
There is no mention of “Wren Hall” in Thomas Skinner Carlin’s will.
The executors of the will were George Ludlam Carlin, Mary Gill and John Robert
Burton.
An attachment to the will, dated 7th December 1855 reveals that on this date Mary
was residing near London – she is recorded as Mary Gill, widow, living at 189 Great
Dover Street, Southwark, Surrey – the same address as her sister and brother in law,
Frances and John Robert Burton, wine merchant.
This may have been a temporary arrangement, as the 1861 census records that Mary is
again living at the residence of her brother George Ludlam Carlin.
The address is not Wren Hall however, but a neighbouring address “Wood Nook”
(which may have been part of the farm or estate associated with Wren Hall.)
16 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
1861 Census
George Carlin Head Mar 66 Farm
Eliza Carlin Wife Mar 40
Thomas Carlin Son Un 16 Scholar
France Mary Carlin Dau Un 7
Catherine A Carlin Dau Un 4
Esther S. Carlin Dau Un 3
Ada E. Carlin Dau Un 7m
Mary Gill Sister Widow 54
Martha Buxton Serv. Un 31 General Servant
In the 1861 census Mary Gill, widow, is recorded present in the household of her brother, George
Ludlam Carlin. Their address is Wood Nook, Selston
(Wood Nook is neighbouring Wren Hall and at that time possibly part of the same estate?)
In 1861 Carlin Gill, now 16, was away from home, staying with the Timothy family at
St. Mary in the town of Reading, Oxford.
Carlin Gill is recorded as an apprentice chemist.
Thomas N. Timothy Head Mar 39 Chemist
Eliza Timothy Wife Mar 42
Thomas N. Timothy Son 8 Scholar
James C. Timothy Son 7 Do
Elizabeth C. Timothy Dau 5 Do
Carlin Gill App Un 16 Chemist's App
Mary A. Tagg Serv Un 22 General Servant
Mary Sparkes Serv Un 19 Do
No further record has been found relating to Carlin Gill in England.
He next appears on record in 1866, in Taranaki, New Zealand.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 17
Here is a summary of the Gills and Carlins and relationships identified to date:
Researchers should note that there is another couple in Selston by the names of
George and Mary Gill. (In the 1841census this George Gill of Selston is recorded as
40, framework knitter and he has a wife Mary, 30 and son Mathew.)
This couple should not be confused with our George and Mary Gill in the diagram
above, and they are probably unrelated.
Recall that George Gill, the surgeon, who married Mary Carlin, was from South
Normanton (not very far away) and on the day of the 1841 census he was at his home
in Alfreton while his wife Mary was at Wren Hall with her father and brother.
The Gill families in Selston can not be assumed to be related to George Gill, surgeon,
of South Normanton, even though the places are only a few miles apart.
However the Gills and the Carlins of Selston did know each other of course, and there
was a connection of sorts.
Thomas Skinner Carlin was once called upon to write the last will and testament of an
old man he had known all his life, one of the Gills from Selston, called Luke Gill.
And George Ludlam Carlin was appointed as one of the executors.
Thomas Skinner Carlin was later to regret the involvement because when old Luke
Gill died the family descended on the estate and considerable drama arose, leading to
two rather surprising court cases which were reported in detail in the newspapers at
the time. The newspaper reports of the Luke Gill case seem to me to be interesting
enough to include in this narrative, and accordingly they are provided in the appendix.
After her husband died Mary (Carlin) Gill was recorded in both the 1851 and 1861
census as living with her brother, George Ludlam Carlin.
For this reason, the following page gives a brief outline of what we know of the life of
George Ludlam Carlin of Selston:
18 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
George Ludlam Carlin of Selston
Mary’s brother George Ludlam Carlin married Ann Coup on 18th Oct 1842 at
Pinxton.
Ann Carlin died in 1848 Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties - Friday 10 November 1848
There is a monumental inscription at St. Helen, Pinxton:
"Sacred to the memory of Ann wife of George Ludlam Carlin of Wren Hall who died
November 3 1848, aged 31 years". (reported by Carol Moore).
Evidently George Ludlam Carlin and Ann Coupe had no children.
George Ludlam Carlin then married Eliza Coup on 1st January 1850 Nottinghamshire Guardian - Thursday 10 January 1850
They registered the births of five children: Thomas Coupe Carlin 1851; Frances Mary
Carlin 1854; Catherine A Carlin 1857; Esther S Carlin 1858; Ada E Carlin.
George’s only son, Thomas Coupe Carlin, died at age 16 on 31 August 1867.15
Perhaps this event caused his father to become seriously depressed. Two months after
Thomas’s burial, on 16th October 1867, George Ludlam Carlin was found shot, after
going out on his own to hunt a rabbit. The news item (see later) reported that he had
been in depressed spirits for some time past and that the night before the fatal
occurrence he had dreamt that “he had committed suicide and that blood had poured
from the side of his head.”16 He was found with a fatal bullet wound in the head.
We now leave Selston.
The next record we have of Carlin Gill is in New Zealand, in 1866.
We do not know how, why or exactly when Carlin Gill emigrated from England.
15 Recorded burial: Thomas Coupe Carlin 31st Aug 1867, Selston Parish register sighted: Linda Hanson. 16 See later. Derby Mercury - Wednesday 23 October 1867
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 19
1866 Carlin Gill, photographer, in New Zealand.
The first record of Carlin Gill in New Zealand was in September 1866. He had been
established in Taranaki for long enough to qualify for selection on a jury.
CORONER'S INQUESTS Taranaki Herald, 8 September 1866
Taranaki Herald,
8 September 1866
Carlin Gill’s selection on the
jury that day may have been
due to the convenience of his
being in court anyway,
prosecuting a matter of his
own.
It is hard to imagine a more
ridiculous scene in court than
that described here:
From this clipping we can learn that in 1866 Carlin Gill was a photographer, possibly
on an assignment at Stoney River, near Okato, then a remote spot some miles south of
the settlement of New Plymouth.
Frederick Warner reappeared
the next day, after 24 hours
on bread and water, and was
sentenced to two months’
hard labour.
Stoney River in 1866 was
merely a military outpost,
Okato being a mail drop-off
point a few hours horse ride
south of New Plymouth. Most
of the early settlers had fled,
the second Taranaki war
being still in progress.
This would not have been a safe place for an unarmed photographer. An ancestor of mine,
Joseph Hawke, had been ambushed, shot and tomahawked, just on the wrong side of Stoney
River, not 18 months before.17
Perhaps Carlin Gill, with his three tents, had been at Stoney River on a photographic
assignment for the military.
17 The incident is described in New Zealand Herald, 1 May 1865 and other newspapers.
20 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
In 1866 Okato had been surveyed and Military settlers were being allocated land in
the area. It is most likely that the phrase “…of Stoney River” in the article above was
intended to apply to the military settler Frederick Warner, not the photographer Carlin
Gill, who would normally have been residing in relative safety in the town of New
Plymouth some miles to the north.
The next episode in the life of Carlin Gill was his acceptance for the position of
leader of a Gold Prospecting Party, sponsored by the good citizens of New
Plymouth in a somewhat optimistic attempt to discover gold.
On the West Coast of the South Island gold had been recently discovered and fortunes
were being made. Something of the kind would do no harm to businesses and land
prices in the Province of Taranaki.
Soon after the September court case, a public meeting was held in New Plymouth to
consider the advisability of sending out a suitable prospecting party to search for a
payable gold field in the Province.
The meeting was reported in great detail, and the opinion of the 50 or 60 people who
attended was that such a prospecting party should comprise properly qualified persons
“who had experience in mining matters.” It was unanimously agreed that a fund
should be set up for the purpose.
A few days later Carlin Gill was chosen as the leader of the prospecting party.
Having served an apprenticeship as a chemist, Carlin Gill may have been a useful
person to have on the team. The fact that, at age 22, he was chosen as leader suggests
he may also have had prospecting experience.18
(We do not know what Carlin Gill had been doing between 1861 when serving his
chemist apprenticeship in Reading and September 1866 when he appeared in Taranaki
as a photographer. Perhaps he had already spent some time on the Australian
diggings, or the newly discovered goldfields of South Island’s West Coast.)
The newspaper report is worth reading in full (see next page.) 19
Aside from the somewhat misplaced optimism of the citizens, there are other
interesting insights to be gained. The settlers were evidently still feeling insecure as a
result of the recent bitter fighting in Taranaki and the subsequent confiscation of
much Maori land.
An attitude which would be shameful today was openly expressed in the comment
made by one of the settlers that “if gold were found in payable quantities we should
have such a flood of population here as would extinguish the natives in 3 months.
(Hear hear.)”
18 In Taranaki Herald 17th November he was described, perhaps a little over-enthusiastically, as:
“Mr. Carlisle Gill, a practical and experienced miner, and in other respects well fitted for the post….” 19 Dr. Hector, sarcastically referred to in this article as “a great oracle”, was derided by some people in
New Plymouth at the time as he had recently cast doubts on the future of the region’s oil prospects.
A geologist, almost forgotten today, but well known in the 1860s, Hector managed the Colony's
premier scientific society, the New Zealand Institute, for thirty-five years, and from 1885 was
Chancellor of the University of New Zealand. He controlled virtually every aspect of state-funded
science. Today he is remembered only through having given his name to the “Hector’s dolphin.”
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 21
Taranaki Herald, 10 November 1866
In compliance with the request of a
number of the inhabitants of New
Plymouth, His Honor the
Superintendent convened a public
meeting to consider the advisability
of sending out a prospecting party to
search for a payable gold-field in this
Province, which was held at the Taranaki Institute on Friday evening, the 2nd instant,
at 7 o'clock. Between 60 and 60 persons were present; but the inclemency of the
weather doubtless prevented many attending.
His Honor the Superintendent was expected to preside, but as he did not
appear, the meeting, after waiting | a considerable time, elected W. M. Crompton,
Esq., chairman in his place. The Chairman, after stating the object for which the
meeting was called, invited all persons who might wish to express their views on the
subject to do so.
Mr. Sharland said he thought it was much to be regretted that at a meeting of
this kind His Honor the Superintendent was not present (hear, hear), and he should
have preferred to adjourn the meeting to a day upon which it would be convenient for
His Honor to attend, and when the weather would allow a larger number of persons to
be present. In this dull period of Taranaki the discovery of any mineral stores, or any
source which would employ labour or furnish a fresh article of export was a matter of
the deepest importance to us all. He hoped there were some persons present who had
had experience in mining matters, and could state to the meeting that there were signs
of gold in this district, and they could base their movements upon it. At any rate, the
object was one worth attention and discussion. A resolution had been placed in his
hands, which he would now propose : —
" That this meeting is of opinion that it is desirable to ascertain, as far as may
be practicable, whether a payable gold-field exists ia this Province or not."
Mr. Nelson seconded the resolution.
Mr. J. L. Newman said he should have liked to have seen a greater number of
persons present. It was a pity to think there should be an apathetic feeling in this place
in getting up a prospecting party, because it would be the making of every one in
business, and indeed of every one in the Province if a gold-field were found here.
The benefit resulting from the gold-fields in the other island had been very great.
Mr. Newman then quoted certain Customs returns to show the large revenue derived
from the gold exported from the West Coast. He did not see why we should not be in
the way of getting gold here. It was well known now, from experience in other parts
of the world, that if you struck gold at one end you would find it at the other, that is,
if you were to put a parallel ruler from one end of the island where gold was found to
the other you would find gold all along the line, either in payable quantities or
otherwise. A great oracle had been brought into town to examine the country to see if
it were likely that a payable gold-field would be found here, but that gentleman had
stated no gold would be found on the West Coast, and had the hardihood to say that
no kerosene would be found in our district. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Newman) need not
say what good a gold-field would do this place. Many people fancied it would bring a
rowdy set of characters into the place. You would never get a finer character in the
world than the genuine gold-digger: there was no more honorable man in the world
22 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
than the genuine gold-digger. Ofcourse there were always camp followers: you could
not help that. He would move the following resolution :—
"That in order to give effect to the foregoing resolution, this meeting considers
that a fund should be subscribed to send out a properly qualified prospecting party,
and that the said fund should be received and dealt with by a committee appointed by
this meeting."
Mr. Vivian seconded the resolution, but could not agree with the remarks that
had been made upon Dr. Hector. That gentleman had reported there would be no gold
found on the west coast of the Province of Otago, but did not say there would be no
gold found on the west coast of Nelson and Canterbury, Mr. Nelson thought it would
not be in good taste for the meeting to criticise Dr. Hector's scientific abilities; but all
practical gold miners knew from experience that theoretical knowledge was of no use
in discovering gold-fields. Geology might take in the natural features of a country,
but could not be depended upon to state whether gold would be found in restricted
localities. One advantage which would arise from the discovery of a gold-field in this
Province had not been touched upon by previous speakers. If gold were found in
payable quantities we should have such a flood of population here as would
extinguish the natives in three months, (Hear, hear).
Mr. B. C. Lawrence was not conversant with the subject, but he knew that it
was very probable indeed that gold was in the Province, and unless we looked for it
we should never find it. He had heard it stated that gold had been found on the other
side of the White Cliffs. By sending out a prospecting party, even if they did not find
gold they might find something else. They knew this country was rich, very rich in
minerals, and therefore it was well worth while to send out a prospecting party. He
knew of no better plan. Under ordinary circumstances, the offer of £1,000 might be
sufficient inducement for parties to go out prospecting on their own account; but
many circumstances prevented it being a sufficient inducement at the present time.
The country was in a very unsettled state, and many persons might fear to go out on
account of the natives; the Province was also very poor and the labouring population
not in a very prosperous condition, so that many of the most suitable men to go out
were not in a position to do so on their own responsibility. It would be a good thing
for the meeting to form a committee to raise funds and make the necessary
arrangements for sending out a prospecting party. If there was a chance of finding
gold, it was our duty and interest to find that gold.
Mr. Nelson said he had inquired of two or three practical diggers as to the
probable expense of fitting out a party of five or six men, and they thought that £50
would cover it. That would include the cost of one or two pack-horses, blankets,
provisions, &c. Of course the packhorses and some other things could be given over
to the committee when the party returned.
Mr. Newman thought it would take nearer £150 than £50 to fit out a
prospecting party, as it would be impossible to prospect the broken country at the
back of the ranges in less than three or four months.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
The following gentlemen were then appointed to act as a committee : —
Messrs. R. Snell, J. Henderson, S. Hunt, J. D. Nelson, E. Hughes, A. Boss, and
W. Watkins.
The meeting then broke up.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 23
Taranaki Herald, 17 November 1866
Taranaki Herald, 24 November 1866
Taranaki Herald, 1 December 1866
Taranaki Herald, 8 December 1866
Taranaki Herald, 12 January 1867
The last two reports from the gold prospecting party are on the following page.
As history now tells us, no gold in payable quantities was ever found in Taranaki.
24 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Taranaki Herald, 15 December 1866
Gold. - We have received for
publication from Mr. Snell,
chairman of the committee, the
following report of Mr. Gill, in
charge of the gold prospecting
party :— "We started from New
Plymouth about 8 a.m. on 27th
November, and arrived at the
Waitara between 12 and 1 — full tide, waited till 5; crossed and reached Waihi late
28th; Started at 4 a.m., and got early to Captain Good's, Urenui; made a depot of a
whare near the river — got half a hundred weight of potatoes of the natives; Captain
Good tried to communicate with the natives, but the civil natives saying it was not
safe would not take his message. 29th: As Captain Good could not see the native, he
recommended us to try a gaily called Kakapo, vanning into the Onaero river — no
wash; clay bottom.
30th : Fine weather ; the half-cast William Hough not being able to come, we decided
to wait till Sunday morning when Mr. Atkinson oould spare him, and then start up the
Urenui.
Dec. 1- Raining heavily; the half-caste William did not come.
Dec. 2 -Went up in a canoe to Mr. Atkinson's, and from there started with William
and took a Course about S.E. to strike the rebel track running to the river; went
through some deep gullies and came on to a scrubby flat; kept on S.E., and coming on
rainy; camped, the rebels being between us and camp; bad travelling.
Dec. 3 : Came on raining heavily; tent kept the rain out well; W. Breunard and
William Hough went some miles to ascertain our position— came back late,
drenched; I went out and cut a track about a mile E.
Dec. 4: Started early on my track, and in an hour struck the rebel track; followed it up
a mile or two on the top of a range— thinking the Urenui was under us, we descended
a spur; very steep, but marshy; down by swag ropes; not the river, but a small creek
running into it; no prospect; waded down the bed of the creek up to our middle for
four or five-miles, raining heavily same time; W. Hough and myself went over a high
range and down other side, but could not find the Urenui; took our bearings and
decided to go N.W.
Dec. 5: Raining heavily all night; could not start as creek up and things wet.
Dec. 6: Raining again, as usual— course N.W.; climbed one or two ranges and came
down on Ureuui 2 p.m.; camped — got another pig and some eels.
Deo. 7: Took half-caste and went up Urenui; left three to cut a track down; got about
six miles; very bad travelling — where the supple-jacks were thin we had cliffs for a
change; got plenty eels at night.
Dec. 8: Went farther up river, and came across a small stream running from the east
with some good wash in — colour, blue and in all respects identical with the West
Coast wash, but too small creek for any amount of wash to come down; on rounding a
few turns of the river, we found the natives had been fishing there in the night, then
we followed their tracks on the sand an hour or two only; crossed the river and saw no
indication of the late stream we wished to try; got some good wash in the Urenui, but
had come down a great way; river is navigable for canoes, if cleared of snags, for
many miles — very sluggish; clay everywhere; river keeps N.E, as near as we could
judge.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 25
Dec. 10: Started back, got to old camp 10.30; came on to the survey line and got to
William Hough's; Stopped there and came down river in boat this morning. During
our absence Captain Good had sent to two bodies of rebels, and they assured him they
would be blind if we came near. The natives we were so close to are the ones Captain
Good was unable to, communicate with; the messenger being frightened to go there.
We found the half-caste very intelligent and useful. Everything has gone on cordially
in the party, and all are in good spirits. Captain Good has throughout helped us to the
utmost in his power."
Taranaki Herald
29th December 1866
Letter to the Editor
“… and I, for one, hope
with all my heart that
they may succeed in
finding a paying field….”
Taranaki Herald
12th January 1867
“No signs of the precious
metal were found…”
In February another party set out, crossing the path of Gill’s party.
They, too, were unsuccessful in finding gold.
Taranaki Herald, 2 February 1867
26 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
A month later, Carlin Gill’s mother died.
Nottinghamshire Guardian - Friday 17 May 1867
Of course, it would have been some months before the news would have reached New
Zealand. Sadly, Mary Gill was never to know that her son Carlin was about to marry,
and was soon to be a father.
Carlin Gill (22, chemist) married Julia Nicholls (16) June 1st 1867.
Carlin Gill’s home (at the time they married) was in a central location in New
Plymouth known as Devonport.
The marriage celebrant was the well-known Wesleyan missionary, John Whitely. 20
Julia Nicholls, a recent migrant from Australia, was the daughter of Mary Ann
Roebuck. Julia’s step-father had been a Taranaki Military Settler named Stephen
Johnson Roebuck, who had been shot the year before by a fellow soldier,
in broad daylight and at point blank range.21
20 Tragically the Rev John Whitely was to become a victim of the Taranaki wars, shot a couple of
years later at Whitecliffs, along with a soldier, his wife and children and a small army garrison, by
war party led by Wetere Takerei of Mokau.
This event was front page news throughout New Zealand at the time, headlined “The Whitecliff
Massacre”. See my scrapbook “Dark Days in Taranaki.” 21 See “Mary Ann Roebuck and the Family History of Julia Nicholls” for this story.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 27
Their first child, John, was born five months later.
1867/589 Gill John Julia Carlin NZ BDM
However the child lived for only three weeks, and died in New Plymouth on
November 14th of an “obstruction of the liver.”
The informant was Mary Ann Roebuck, the child’s grandmother
From “home” – further bad news:
It would be interesting also to know when Carlin Gill received the news from Selston
of the death of his cousin Thomas Coupe Carlin at the age of 16 –
- followed soon after by the demise of the boy’s father, Carlin’s uncle,
George Ludlam Carlin……
Derby Mercury - Wednesday 23 October 1867
28 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
By 1869 Carlin and his wife Julia had left New Plymouth and were now living in
Nelson, where their second child Mary Eva was born.
BIRTHS Colonist, 12 February 1869
Sadly, Mary Eva died two weeks later.
DEATHS Nelson Evening Mail, 9 February 1869
In the same year they had a son he named George Carlin, perhaps in memory of the
Uncle George Ludlam Carlin who had died the previous year back in Selston.
1869/23152 Gill George Carlin Julia Carlin
The following year tragedy struck for the third time:
DEATHS. Colonist, 8 April 1870
1870/6398 Gill George Carlin 5M
The next child, Carlin, was born in 1871, and he was destined to survive and later to
become a pioneer farmer in Taranaki, coincidently not far from Stoney River, and a
veteran of the Boer War.
1871/23542 Gill Carlin Julia Carlin
Carlin Gill advertised as a photographer at Takaka, near to the town of Nelson.
Wise’s City and Area Directories 1872/73
Frank Ludlam Gill was born in 1873.
(He too grew up to become a pioneer farmer in the same area as his brother Carlin.)
Nelson Examiner and New Zealand
Chronicle, 26 March 1873
1873/456 Gill Frank Ludlam Julia nee Nicholls Carlin
Sad news from England. Carlin’s Aunt Fanny (Frances Carlin) died in 1874.
Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield
Herald - Saturday 03 October 1874
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 29
By now the Gills seem to have moved back to New Plymouth.
Julia had some problems.
Debts were mounting and there is some evidence Carlin was taking solace in alcohol.
RESIDENT MAGISTRATES
COURT. Taranaki Herald, 14 Nov. 1874
Carlin Gill was also
experiencing health problems at
this time.
Taranaki Herald, 9 January 1875
Taranaki Herald, 23 October 1875
Hartley Webster, “Auckland’s first resident professional photographer” (Keith Giles),
appears to have relocated to New Plymouth.
Carlin Gill seems to have moved too – by November 1875 he is now back in Nelson.
Nelson Evening Mail,
20th November 1875
and
Taranaki Herald,
20th November 1875
Nelson Evening Mail,
10 December 1875
30 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
In 1875 Carlin Gill and his wife became the subject of a serious fraud case.
The Gills had been borrowing sums of money on the promise of a family inheritance
of £1,000 which they had been claiming was due to them.
THE CASE OF MR. AND MRS. GILL IN NELSON. Nelson Evening Mail 16th December 1875 and Taranaki Herald, 22 December 1875
In the Resident Magistrate Court
in Nelson, Carlin and
Julia Gill were charged with
obtaining from Joseph Auty
Harley in July last, a cheque for
£19, by falsely representing that
a large sum of money was
coming out from England to
them through Messrs. Adams
and Kingdon.
Carlin Gill was absent, and after , some discussion it was agreed to proceed
with the case against the wife only.
Mr. Acton Adams appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Pitt for the
defendants. Mr. Adams in opening the case said that since the order was given by
Gill, £1,000 had come out to the defendants, but it had previously been conveyed, to
Mrs. Gill and a trustee and they had no power to draw upon it.
Mr. Bourke, the ledger keeper at the Union, Bank, produced the cheque, which
had been duly paid on presentation.
J. A. Harley: In July last I was landlord of the Ship Hotel. Previous to the 8th
July Gill frequently came to me to borrow money. On that date both husband and wife
came, and said that they were in distressed circumstances then, but had some
thousands - coming out from England through Messrs. A. Adams and Kingdon.
They gave me an order on Adams and Kingdon for £30, and as they owed me £11,
I gave them a cheque for £19. I should not have given them the cheque had it not been
for the representations which were made by both of them. Mrs. Gill came to my house
with her husband for the express purpose of signing the order. I presented the order
but it was not paid. I have since heard from both the defendants that the money has
come out. Mrs. Gill has told me that if her husband were in town I could get the
money.
Cross-examined: I wrote out the order which both signed. Gill had frequently
before asked me to lend him money, and said that he had a large sum coming out from
England. I asked Mr. Acton Adams whether this was true, and he said ' it was.
Gill had told me that he had executed a deed of settlement upon his wife, but that he
was going to get it upset. About two months ago Gill told me that the money had
come out. I have given them credit for £6 or £7 since the order was signed.
William Acton Blakeway Adams: I am a solicitor, and one of the firm of
Adams and Kingdon. The answer made to Mr. Harley was, "There is money coming
out." The money that came from England was a little over £1,000, and was sent out to
the trustees, but through our firm with the accounts to see that Gill examined and
signed them, and endorsed the draft before the money was paid to the trustees.
The draft was handed over to the trustees without deduction, these being our
instructions. The trustees are Robert Clinton Hughes, solicitor, of New Plymouth, and
Mrs. Julia Julia Gill. The draft was drawn in favour of the trustees, ourselves, and
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 31
Julia Gill. When Gill's order was presented we first declined to receive it, but
afterwards at Harley's request marked it and let it remain, in our office.
Cross-examined : One draft of a little over £1,000 came out. Adams and
Kingdon had advanced about £1,000 to Mr. Gill. The draft was finally sent to Mr.
Hughes at New Plymouth, I believe at Mrs. Gill's request. Mr. Sylvester, the solicitor
to Mr. Gill's mother's trustees, sent it out. We took Mr. Robert Martin Smith's
guarantee for money advanced to Gill. Mr; Pitt contended that the prosecution had
failed to make out any case whatever. It really was most painful that upon such slight
grounds so serious a charge should be made against a respectable woman. Mr. Harley
as a matter of fact had not given the cheque upon their representations, but had taken
the trouble to make enquiries, had learned that money was coming to the defendants)
and was aware of the deed of settlement. The Bench at once dismissed the case
against Mrs. Gill, and Mr. Acton Adams stated that he was instructed to withdraw the
charge against Mr. Gill.
The plaintiff was a creditor, a publican named Joseph Auty Harley.
It was found that the money had indeed arrived in New Zealand, but had been
temporarily tied up in a trust. A solicitor named Adams stated in evidence that the
trustees were Robert Hughes, the solicitor of Julia Gill, and Julia Gill herself.
The sum had been sent out to New Zealand by a Mr. Sylvester, the solicitor of Carlin
Gill’s mother’s trustees. (Mary Gill, Carlin’s mother, had died in May 1867.)
The case was dismissed.
10 months later, as we shall see, the Gills counter-sued Harley.
During 1876 Carlin Gill seems to have continued operating as a photographer,
advertising some times in Nelson and sometimes in New Plymouth.
Nelson Evening Mail, 13th January and 23 February 1876
Wises City and Area Directories
1875/76 Taranaki
Wises City and Area Directories
1875/76 Taranaki
It was also during the year of 1876 that their last child, Mary Francis Louisa Gill was
born, in Nelson.
BIRTHS Nelson Evening Mail, 11 May 1876
1876/6672 Gill Mary Frances Louisa Julia Carlin
32 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Nelson Evening Mail, 11 September 1876
The Gills now began some litigation of
their own.
John James had a general store, selling
furniture, household appliances, pianos etc
on Bridge St., Nelson.
26th Dec Nelson Evening Mail reported that
the judgement went in favour of the
defendant.
Carlin and Julia Gill now took a case against Joseph Auty Harley, the publican of the
Ship Hotel in Nelson, who had the previous year laid information against them and
unsuccessfully prosecuted them for fraud.
Nelson Evening Mail, 7 December 1876
Gill and wife v. Joseph Auty Harley.
This was an action for damages for
malicious prosecution in
consequence of defendant having
laid an information against plaintiffs
for having obtained money under
false pretences, and caused them to
be arrested and. imprisoned, after
which they were brought before two
Justices of the Peace, and the charge
was dismissed. The arrest and
imprisonment were admitted, the
question at issue being whether the proceedings were malicious and without proper
cause. Mr Pitt appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr Acton Adams for the defendant.
The following jury was sworn:— Messrs J. Bolton (foreman), C. Smith,
Thomas Snowdon, R. Boddington, D. Whiting, J. Schwass, J. Robb, P. Leahy,
W. Lines, J. Glover, T. Brooks, and J. Braddock.
Having opened the case for the plaintiff at some length, Mr Pitt called
Carlin Gill, who said: My wife and I are the plaintiffs. We were marred in 1867.
We came to Nelson from New Plymouth in 1865. I executed a deed of settlement in
December of certain property coming to me under my mother's will, making my wife
and Mr Hughes of New Plymouth the trustees. Under that will certain property was to
be mine on attaining the age of 30 years, which was in June, 1874. My mother died
before I married Before making the settlement I had been receiving money from home
for some years. In 1874 Messrs Adams and Kingdon prepared a power of attorney to
forward to England, authorising an agent to receive money for me. In 1875 I used to
frequent the Ship Hotel, of which defendant was landlord. In July I owed him about
£11. He proposed to me that instead of scoring up the items against me I should give
him an order on Messrs Adams and Kingdon, which he could cash, and I could then
pay as I went. I gave him an order for £30, signed at his request by myself and wife.
He gave me a cheque for £19, and kept the balance in payment of my account. He and
I had had several conversations about my money affairs, with which he was perfectly
acquainted. I was expecting £2,000. I had had advances from Adams and Kingdon,
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 33
and owed them money. I was surprised to find it amounted to between £800 and £900.
In December, 1875, a draft for over £1,000 came out. In that month I was arrested by
Sergt. Nash on my returning from town to Nelson. I was taken to the lock-up, where I
was detained 24 hours. It had been raining, and I was wet through. I had been an
invalid for over two years, and caught cold and was very ill in consequence. My
solicitor's bill for defending me was £4 16s l0d. My credit was seriously affected by
the proceedings taken by Harley. (Letter put in from Mr Pitt to defendant, claiming
apology and reparation for arrest.)
Cross-examined: When I was frequently at the Ship Hotel I was on very good
terms with Harley, and remained so until he took the proceedings. I was not in very
distressed circumstances about that time. I did not tell Harley that my landlady had
threatened to turn me out on account of my owing her money. I used to borrow small
sums from Harley. I told him there was a considerable sum coming out to Adams |and
Kingdon for myself and Mrs Gill, and out of that the order I gave him for £30 would
be paid. It was on the strength of this that he gave me the cheque for £19. I had signed
an account showing the amount I owed Adams and Kingdon, but am not able to say
whether it was before or after giving the order to Harley. I made no effort to obtain
bail at the time of my arrest and imprisonment.
Re-examined: It was Harley 's proposition that Mrs Gill should sign the order
for £30. Sergeant Nash proved the arrest, and on cross-examination stated that
on Gill being brought before the Justices he was remanded because it appeared that he
had been drinking and was not in a fit state for the case being proceeded with.
H. C. Baddeley, clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court, produced the
depositions in the case in that Court.
Julia Gill: I am wife of Carlin Gill. In July, 1875, I signed an order for £30 in
favor of J. A. Harley. I had never spoken to him before the day on which I signed the
order, which was lying on the table all ready for signature when I got there. I had no
conversation at all with him about any money coming from England or the deed of
settlement. I, made no representations of any kind whatever to him. I saw Mr Harley
after the money had arrived, and told him of it. I never gave any instructions to
Adams and Kingdon not to cash the order. I went to New Plymouth, in November,
1875, and returned in December,, and two days after I was arrested and taken to the
Police Court, brought before the Magistrates, and remanded. On the case being heard
the charge was dismissed. In the Court, Harley said he had seen Mr Adams before I
signed the order, and that it was owing to information received from him that he lent
us the money. He also said that Mr Gill told him he was going to get the settlement
upset. I saw Harley some time after the charge was dismissed, and asked him if he
would make a public apology, as, if so, I would be satisfied. He replied that I was a
dishonest woman, and he would have nothing to say to me. The sum that came out
was £1029, which came to Mr Hughes as co-trustee with myself. The money has been
devoted to paying Mr Gill's debts. I authorised Mr Akersten at one time to offer
Harley £20 toward the debt.
Cross-examined: I knew that Mr Gill was on good terms with the defendant.
I did not know Harley had lent him small sums at various times. Previous to the 8th
July we were boarding at Mrs Hamilton's. She was not pressing us for payment. I do
not remember Harley asking about the money coming from England before I signed
the order. The reason of my signing the order was to enable Mr Gill to get the cheque
for £19. The cheque was given to me, and I handed it to Mr Gill,for which Mr Harley
blamed me. I did not tell Mr Harley how the money was tied up by the deed of
settlement. The £30 is still owing to Harley. I believe Mr Gill incurred a further debt
34 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
of £8 to Harley between the date of our signing the order and that of our arrest. Re-
examined I was quite willing that the money should be paid to Mr Harley if I could
have had my way.
William Akersten: I know the plaintiffs. In July, 1875, defendant was keeping
the Ship Hotel. About September I had some conversation with him about the Gills.
They owed both of us money, and he told me that he had made his right, as they had
money coming out, and he had an order signed by Mrs Gill. He said he was sure of
getting his money, as he had seen Adams and Kingdon about it. In the last
conversation I had with him about it he did not seem so hopeful, and said he should
take proceedings to empower payment. Shortly after the proceedings against the Gills,
I offered at Mrs Gill's request to pay him £20, as £19 was owing him for money
advanced, and the balance of £10 to stand over at interest. He refused to take it, as he
said he would get the whole amount.
Cross-examined : I don't think the money was offered in settlement of the
whole claim.
This closed the case for the plaintiff. Mr Acton Adams then opened his case,
the gist of which was that at the time plaintiff gave the order he was well aware that
he had already settled away the money that was coming to him towards the payment
of his debts, and that even up to the present time no money had ever come to Adams
and Kingdon out of which the order could be paid.
Joseph Auty Harley was then called, who said: In July, 1875, I was landlord of
the Ship Hotel. I had then known Gill for a few months, and was on intimate terms
with him. Gill frequently stated that he had money coming out to him. I used to lend
him small amounts from time to time. In July he told me that he was in very bad
circumstances, that his landlady was pressing him for money, and that he was very
hard pressed, although he was expecting money very shortly. On the 7th July he
bothered me a good deal about money, and asked me for £30, for which he and his
wife 'would give an order on Adams and Kingdon, through whom money was coming
out to her. Next morning he came and said if I would go to his lodgings Mrs Gill
would sign the order. I said, No, if it was worth having she must come to me. He
brought her, and I told her all that had been said, and she said it was true, and signed
the order, when I gave her a cheque for £19. I gave the cheque on the strength
of Gill's representations, and for the purpose of assisting him. Previous to that I had
never gone to Adams and Kingdon's for the purpose of making enquiries about Gill’s
affairs. I knew, nothing of the settlement or its provisions. A day or two before laying
the information I went to Adams and Kingdon's, and found out from them that the
order would not be honored. I heard that the money had come out, and Gill told me
that his wife had gone to New Plymouth to arrange with her cotrustee about the
payment of the money. On enquiring at Adams and Kingdon's I learnt that there was
no chance of the money being paid. I had no ill-will whatever against Gill until I
found that he had swindled me. Cross-examined: I did not speak to Gill about the
affair between us, hearing from Mr Hughes that I should not get the money at the time
of taking proceedings. Before signing the cheque I had asked Mrs Gill whether her
husband’s yarn about getting money was true. She said yes. I did not order the
warrant for his arrest to be issued. This concluded the evidence, and, counsel on both
sides having addressed the jury, His Honor commenced to sum up, and had not
finished when we went to press.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 35
Some of the details are interesting.
According to Carlin Gill the money had come to him under his mother’s will.
(Recall that the Carlin family was wealthy. Carlin’s mother and two siblings had
inherited considerable property on the death of her father Thomas Skinner Carlin.)
We can learn that when his mother died in 1867 property had been left to him to
which he would be entitled on reaching the age of 30 (which occurred in 1874).
When his recent sum arrived ( £1029.00) Carlin Gill had settled it as a trust in the
name of his wife Julia and her solicitor.
(Prior to this settlement he had been receiving money “from home” for a number of
years.)
SUPREME COURT. Nelson Evening Mail, 8
December 1876
The Gills won their case
and were awarded
damages of £150
Although he won the Supreme Court case in which he and his wife were sued for
fraud, Carlin Gill was still experiencing financial and health problems.
Nelson Evening Mail
20th December 1876
RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Colonist, 9 January 1877
John James, who had been
unsuccessfully sued by the
Gills
(see 11th Sept 1876), now
sued Carlin Gill.
Carlin Gill did not appear.
He was found liable for the
sum of £37.5s.9d plus
costs and threatened with
gaol if he failed to pay.
For the next few years nothing more seems to have been reported regarding the Gills.
Evidently the family had shifted back to New Plymouth.
36 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Death of Carlin Gill
Nelson Evening Mail
14th March 1883
Carlin Gill had recently returned, on his own, from New Plymouth and was staying in
a hotel Nelson while an out patient of hospital.
Nelson Evening Mail,
14 March 1883
The inquest of 15th March found that he had died as the result of an accidental
overdose of morphine.
Nelson Evening Mail,
15 March 1883
It seems Carlin Gill’s financial circumstances had diminished, he was dependant on
friends, and his health problems may well have been the result of having “fallen a
victim to drink”. He had committed himself to hospital, as an outpatient, and
Had died while staying at the Rising Sun Hotel.
The coroner’s report follows:
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 37
SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. GILL AT NELSON.
Taranaki Herald,
20 March 1883
38 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
New Plymouth
Evidently Julia Gill and the three children were living in New Plymouth at the time of
Carlin Gill’s death - perhaps near to Julia’s mother, Mary Ann Roebuck.
(Mary Ann Roebuck had a house in Gill St. from which she rented out a room - and
sometimes she stayed at nearby Okato on the Stoney River, where the Roebuck
children had by now settled.22 )
At this time (March 1883) Carlin jnr was 12 years of age, Frank 10 and Mary Frances
Louisa was 7. There are newspaper records of Frank and Mary attending New
Plymouth Central School, but no mention of Carlin jnr. Until 1887 (see below.)
ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE CENTRAL SCHOOL. Taranaki Herald, 17 December 1885
CENTRAL SCHOOL EXAMINATION. Taranaki Herald, 23 December 1886
JUBILEE EXHIBITION. HOME INDUSTRY. Wanganui Chronicle, 5 July 1887
Carlin Gill (16 years)
representing
New Plymouth School in
the Boys’ Under 17 Class B
(Maps).
CENTRAL SCHOOL PRIZE LIST. Taranaki Herald, 16 December 1887
BREAKING UP OF THE CENTRAL SCHOOL. Taranaki Herald, 24 December 1888
22 See scrapbook on the family history of Mary Ann Roebuck
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 39
Mary Frances Luisa Gill
went to a Convent School
for her secondary
education.
Taranaki Herald, 17 December
1890
JUBILEE SPORTS. Taranaki Herald, 20th March 1891
C. Gill (now 20 yars of age) was selected to represent New Plymouth in a number of
athletic categories.
New Zealand Tablet, 2 January 1891
“Miss Gill’s work consisted of a neatly finished cushion an embroidery work and
stitching…..” And Mary was also showing music ability: “…Duet (2 pianos and
organ, “Misses Hamond, Gill, Sullivan and Paul …. (organ) Miss Gill”
40 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Taranaki Herald, 17 December 1891
The above article interestingly testifies to Carlin Gill’s local reputation as an artist.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. New Zealand
Tablet, 8
January 1892
Miss Gill
Music
Taranaki Herald, 6 December 1892
Carlin Gill takes a lease on a
farm at Omata
Taranaki Herald, 14 February 1893
The boys Carlin (junr) and
Frank were now farming at
New Plymouth, and the
electoral list for 1896 records
the entire family living at
Frankley Road.
It has been said that Mary Frances Louisa Gill was sent back to England to stay with
an Aunt and finish her education. This has not been verified. It is possible, but seems
unlikely that the following shipping notices refer to our Mary Gill.
SHIPPING departures ARRIVALS. New Zealand Herald, 22 April 1893 Auckland Star, 12 October 1893
We do know from the following news clippings that our Mary Gill was actually a
Governess at a Girls “Finishing School” in New Plymouth in 1894, and that she was
in New Plymouth in 1896 as part of a music orchestra.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 41
Auckland Star, 8 March 1894
Taranaki Herald, 12 March and
2nd May 1894
.New Zealand Herald,
26 April 1894
Two records of Mary Gill
travelling from New
Plymouth to Auckland.
Taranaki Herald,
27 June 1894
PASSENGERS BY THE DORIC. Star , 12 December 1894
From London 1894.
Unlikely to be our
Mary Gill.
42 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
By 1896 the musical talent of Mary Gill of Frankley Rd. was well known around the
town of New Plymouth
PUBLIC HALL AT OAKURA.
Taranaki Herald,
24 April 1896
The significance of this clipping is that it establishes Mary Gill as a
musician in New Plymouth in 1896.
It also refers to her performing in
association with the Ducker Brothers.
The Ducker Brothers (James jnr and
Alfred) were also living at Frankley Rd
at that time.
Hawera and Normanby Star 18 August 1896
1896, the Ducker brothers (Alfred and
James jnr.) and the Gill brothers
(Frank and Carlin jnr.) successfully
tendered for three adjacent sections of
newly opened land at Newall, near the
upper Stoney River.
Taranaki Herald, 20 August 1896
The Gill brothers and the Ducker
brothers, previously neighbours on
Frankley Rd., were now neighbours
again, this time breaking in new farm
land near Stoney River, at Newall, a
few miles south of New Plymouth.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 43
The sections of land (1 and 2) tendered for by Carlin Gill jnr were bounded by the
Stoney River to the north, and by the Ducker Brother’s section (3) to the south.
The unsurveyed portion to the east of these properties is the quickly rising slope of
Mt. Egmont (today called Mt. Taranaki) which was designated reserve land.
Sections 8,9 and 10 were also taken by the Duckers, who built a timber mill and
developed a farm there, on Upper Newall Rd. 23
OMATA. Taranaki Herald 13 April 1897
Mary Gill and the Ducker
bothers formed an instrumental
trio.
PLAIN AND FANCY DRESS
BALL AT OAKURA. Taranaki Herald, 15 May 1897
Taranaki Herald, 11 October 1899
23 Part of a map provided by Richard and Margaret Cardiff in relation to the Ducker family history.
44 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
In December 1899 James Ducker jnr. and Mary Frances Louisa Gill were married.
MARRIAGE. Taranaki Herald, 9 January 1900
The narrative can end here, as the story of James Ducker jnr and his wife Mary Gill is
covered in another family history scrapbook – “The Duckers.”
James Ducker jnr, together with his new wife Mary and his brother Alfred established
a timber mill on Upper Newall Rd and as the timber was cleared from the surrounding
area, they broke in the land and developed a dairy farm.
“The Duckers” documents the family history of the Duckers, and the life of James
Ducker jnr, his wife Mary (nee Gill) and his brother Alfred – their pioneering life at
Newall, and the establishment of Duckers Mill under the slopes of Mt. Taranaki,.
View of Mt. Taranaki (previously known as Mt. Egmont) from the Upper Newall Rd
opposite the farm of James jnr and Mary Ducker. (Photo Aeron Pollard)
Mary Frances Louisa (Gill) Ducker died in 1967
1967/38808 Ducker Mary Frances Louisa 91Y
For those interested in further history of the descendants of Carlin Gill,
the following appendix is a collection of clippings which relate to the brothers
Frank Ludlam Gill and Carlin Gill jnr.
46 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Appendix 1 The Gill Brothers
OUR SECOND CONTINGENT. Evening Post, 2 January 1900
Carlin Gill jnr now
prepared to travel to
South Africa to
participate in the Boer
war.
Taranaki Herald, 3 January 1900
The men provided their
own horses. Other
citizens provided
sponsorship.
Taranaki Herald,
12th January 1900
Taranaki Herald,
31 January 1900
Fire at Ripley Cottage
(Ripley Cottage was
owned by
Carlin Gill jnr)
It would be interesting to know why the Gills named this cottage after a village in
Derbyshire. Perhaps there is a story which dates back to the previous century.
Ripley is not far from Alfreston where Carlin Gill’s grandfather George Gill had
practised as a surgeon.
Taranaki Herald,
1 February 1900
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 47
NZ Archives.
Part of attestation form completed by Carlin Gill on 19th January1900, in Wellington,
the day before he sailed on the Waiwera with the 2nd Contingent.
Evidently Carlin Gill was present at the attack on Johannesburg as in later
correspondence relating to a petition for compensation, he claimed to have been
wounded there.
(This claim was denied by the military authorities who pointed out that no such
wound had been reported at the time, nor reported later when he was in hospital.)
The British finally captured Johannesburg on 31st May 1900
In July 1900, Carlin Gill transferred to do Police Duty in South Africa.
LIST OF NEW ZEALANDERS IN S.A.
POLICE.
Wanganui Herald, 24 July 1900
48 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
In Pretoria on 24th August 1900 Carlin Gill was sent to hospital with enteric fever,
described a “a very severe case.” He was hospitalised there for three months
transferred to No 5 Hospital, Cape Town, where he had a relapse and the decision was
made that he should be invalided.
Around this time he must have been able to send this news to his mother, Julia.
The following letter, part of his file held by New Zealand Archives, was written to the
Ministry of Defence, on behalf of Julia Gill, in January 1901, in which she expressed
great anxiety at the news that he was in hospital, and requested further information:
He was back in Wellington in February 1901
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 49
Carlin Gill was assessed by the Wellington medical board on 15th February 1901,
where it was decided he should be granted 6 months leave, and he was finally
discharged on 14th August 1901. As we shall see, in 1905 he suffered a reoccurrence
of the Enteric fever – and was plagued for many years by varicose ulcers which he
claimed were caused by his being wounded in Johannesburg (which was denied by
the authorities.) He did not claim for a war pension within the time fixed by statute
(time period ending 11th Nov 1904) and was denied financial assistance in 1907 when
he was again temporarily unable to tend to his farm. The matter arose again in 1922
and again his petition was unsuccessful.
(See 1905 and 1922 for further correspondence.)
The following, from New Zealand Archives, is a summary of his case:
50 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Taranaki Herald, 16 February 1901
Carlin Gill returns to New Zealand.
Taranaki Herald, 19 February 1901
1901 Wises Directory In fact by 1901 Carlin Gill had shifted
and was part of the Okato community.
The Gill brothers and the Ducker Brother are now neighbours near the upper Stoney
River, not far from Okato.
FOOTBALL. Taranaki Herald, 22 March 1901
Note also along with C. Gill here is
J Roebuck (should be R. F. Roebuck)
half brother of Mary Gill (nee
Nicholls.)
R. F. Roebuck is now the
blacksmith at Okato.
Okato
Taranaki
Daily News
13th Dec.
1901
Carlin Gill jnr farming and participating in community events around the district of
Okato. “…Miss Roebuck, pianoforte solo…..
Mr. C. Gill’s splendid gramophone…”
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 51
WAREA. Taranaki Herald,
11 October 1902
OXFORD ROAD V. WAREA. Taranaki Herald, 25 April 1903
Oxford Rd. is in Okato.
Frank and Carlin Gill score some
useful runs for Warea in a cricket
match against
Oxford Rd.
OKATO. Taranaki Herald, 4 May 1903
In 1903 Carlin Gill jnr made a trip
back to the “old country”
He was accompanied on this trip
by his brother-in-law James
Ducker jnr.
Taranaki Herald, 2 January 1904
They returned to New Plymouth in
early 1904.
52 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1905
Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1905
Evidently this was a relapse of the fever
he had contracted in South Africa.
OKATO. Taranaki Herald, 7 August 1905
Taranaki Herald, 30 November 1905
Taranaki Herald, 24 September 1906
Messrs. Cassie, Davies, Gill and the Ducker Bros. lobby for improved roading.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 53
Unsuccessful petition to the Ministry of Defence. (NZ Archives)
Carlin Gill states that he was wounded at Johannesburg. (He has made an error in the date 1899 when he became ill - it should read 1900.)
54 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
NZ Archives
A support letter sent to Minister of Defence at the time Carlin Gill came out from
New Plymouth Hospital “where he has been laid up for some time from the effects of
this wound….” “…I am satisfied that he will have to give up his occupation which is
that of a farmer. Mr. Gill is a very steady man, about 40 years old, and if it is not
possible to get him a pension for his injuries the Government may have some suitable
position that he could get a living from….”
Writer from Frankley Rd., possibly W. Okey, MP for New Plymouth. Name
indecipherable.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 55
NZ Archives
1908
The Ministry of Defence did not accept that Carlin Gill’s medical condition was the
result of any wound incurred during his military service, as no such wound had been
officially reported at the time. Also the opportunity to apply for a pension had lapsed.
Evidently Carlin Gill jnr was able to return to his occupation of farming.
A FURIOUS GALE. Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1910
56 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
A COAST CATTLE CASE. Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1910
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 59
MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1915
Perhaps because of his own experiences in the Boer War, Carlin Gill maintained a
strongly sympathetic attitude towards soldiers serving in WW1.
OKATO DISTRICT GIFT AUCTION. Taranaki Daily News , 15 April 1916
Donations to
Wounded Soldiers’ Fund.
HELPING THE WOUNDED. Taranaki Daily News , 17 May 1916
60 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Taranaki Daily News , 16 August 1916
BOWLING. Taranaki Daily News , 15 January 1917
R. F. Roebuck (Fred snr.) was said to
have been a keen bowls player, having
established the first bowling green in
Okato.
Here he is in the same team as Carlin Gill. LOCAL AND GENERAL. Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1917
Bush fires were common at the time
and often threatened settlers’ homes.
On this occasion both the Gill Bros.
and the Ducker Bros. both lost a
building.
It was reported that the building lost
by the Gill Bros. had formerly been
used as a dairy factory.
Richard Cardiff writes:
“I think the dairy factory would be the
one on the corner of Puniho and what
was then Okahu, but now Wiremu
Roads. It was called the Royal Arms
Cheese factory, and didn’t operate for
very long before the machinery was
sold and taken further down Puniho Rd to what became Brooklands Factory.
It now has the Tumahu Hall built on it.
The concrete ‘stage’ is still there supporting the toilet block of the Hall.”
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 61
MILITARY SERVICE. Hawera & Normanby Star, 6 June 1917
Carlin Gill received a call-up
for military service in 1917.
Evidently he had already
previously volunteered – and
presumably been rejected on
medical grounds….
There was a very lengthy report of a cattle theft in February 1918 in which Carlin Gill
was a witness. SUPREME COURT. Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1918
TARANAKI COUNTY
COUNCIL. Taranaki Daily News ,
6 August 1918
Taranaki Daily News,
9 April 1919
SUPREME COURT Hawera & Normanby Star,
9 February 1922
62 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
In 1922 Carlin Gill again applied for compensation for war injury.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 63
Transcription:
25th August 1922
Memorandum for: Chairman of Defence Committee, House of Representatives,
Wellington re: Petition No. 277 - Carlin Gill
This Department’s file in relation to the above named is forwarded, as requested in
your letter of 20th August.
Paras. 1 to 3 of the petition are substantially correct.
This man left for South Africa on the 20th January 1900, as a member of the 2nd New
Zealand Contingent.
He was admitted to hospital at Pretoria on 24/8/21900 suffering from enteric fever
(severe) and was under treatment for enteric fever and debility until 14th January 1901.
He arrived back in New Zealand on 15th February 1901, and after being examined by
a medical board was granted 6 month’s leave. He was discharged on 14th August 1901.
In regard to para. 4 of the petition there is no record showing that the Petitioner was
reported as having been injured, nor is there anything to show that, whilst a member
of the Contingent, he was treated for anything except enteric fever and debility.
Further, he did not mention the injury to his leg when he was examined by the
Medical Board on his return from South Africa.
Re paras. 5 and 6 whilst not disputing the statement that Petitioner had to undergo
medical treatment soon after his discharge, the file shows that the first report of any
illness subsequent to discharge was that described in Dr. Lentham’s certificate of
31/5/1905 (tabled “A”). This document shows that Gill was an inmate of New
Plymouth Hospital from 23rd March to 3rd May 1905 suffering from “enteric or
typhoid fever”, and that he was discharged “cured” from the institution.
Re para. 7 – the injured leg, it is submitted, was not due to or the result of active
service. It was not mentioned by him to the Defence Authorities until 14th December
1907. He was not treated at any time for this injury at the expense of the Department.
In regard to para. 8 nothing is known of this man’s present condition of health, not of
his capacity to earn a livelihood.
He did not apply for a pension within the time fixed by statute vis. Before 11th
November 1904, and his case cannot, therefore, now be considered under any
Pensions Act.
Application for pecuniary assistance towards his hospital expenses was made in 1905,
but was declined. In 1907 he applied for a compassionate allowance, but this also was
declined, presumably for the reason that he was believed to be in comfortable
circumstances (vide Tab “B”).
Kindly return the file at your earliest convenience.
The reply was a further disappointment:
“In my opinion the ulcers from which he suffers are the result of varicose veins and
there is no evidence to show that the varicose veins are the result of service.”
66 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
Frank Gill died in 1951
1951/21934 Gill Frank Ludlam 78Y
Carlin Gill jnr died in 1962
1962/37421 Gill Carlin 91Y
NZ Archives
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 67
APPENDIX 2
A brief history of photography in New Plymouth and Nelson
The first photographer
advertising in New Zealand
appears in
Wellington in the
New Zealand Spectator and Cook's
Strait Guardian,
16 August 1848
The process used by Sealy was
probably “daguerreotype”, an
arcane process using copper
plates, iodine vapour and then in a darkroom exposure to mercury vapour, fixing with
sodium hyposulphate and finally washing with water.
A trawl though the New Zealand newspapers on the 1850s shows the daguerreotype
process continuing to be used until the middle of the decade, and gives an
introduction to early photographers such as, in Auckland:
Hartley Webster (New Zealander, 10 September 1853),
Montague Scott (Daily Southern Cross, 30 October 1855)
J. N. Crosbie (New Zealander, 3 November 1855).
By 1855 new technology was
becoming available – the so-called
“collodian process.”
New Zealander,
01 December 1855
Daily Southern Cross,
19 September 1856
By 1856 Crombie had converted to
this new process and was about to
move to Taranaki. Many of the
“photographic artists” of this period
were itinerant.
New Zealander, 1 November 1856
The merits of the collodian process at
Hartley Websters studio, Queen Street.
68 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 6.12.2016
In New Plymouth the well-known
auctioneer and entrepreneur
F. U.Gledhill advertised for sale: Taranaki Herald, 13 June 1857
Another Taranaki entrepreneur,
Newton King: Taranaki Herald, 5 Sept 1857
The professional photographer Hartley
Webster had now moved south from
his studio in Auckland, to set up a
practice in New Plymouth.
Taranaki Herald,
25 December 1858
Dozens of advertisements now regularly in the main papers. At least half a dozen are
offering hardware or professional service.
Hardwicke Knight, in “Photography in New Zealand wrote: “Most of the New
Zealand photographers who were working during the 1860s and 70s… were using the
wet plate collodian process.
Collodian is a mixture of gun cotton, alcohol and ether and forms a film when flowed
onto a sheet of glass. Scott Archer used it to bind the light-sensitive silver salts on to
glass plates and the process became known as the wet-plate process because the plates
had to be exposed and developed before the coating had time to dry……It meant
carrying heavy loads of apparatus such as tent or portable darkroom, chemicals and
glass plates…..
By 1860 most cameras were
made with bellows…exposures
as short as one second were more
satisfactorily made with the lens
cap than with the early roller
blind of flap shutters which
caused camera shake…”
Wet plate camera from the 1860s. Larnoch Castle Collection. Taken from “Photography in New
Zealand” by Hardwicke Knight
J. Wilson (Otago) and a Mr. Mountfort (Christchurch) were advertising regularly.
Newspaper references to “photographic art” were becoming less wondrous, and
commercial advertising was becoming more common.
6.12.2016 graemekenyon@hotmail.com 69
Another photographer set up
business in Taranaki….
Taranaki Herald, 30 April 1859
Crombie, who had moved to Christchurch, now moved again to Nelson where he
attracted reviews from a number of newspapers….
… and for the time being, Hartley
Webster moved on.
Nelson Examiner and New Zealand
Chronicle, 28 September 1859
Taranaki Herald, 22 October 1859
(Later Hartley Webster was to return
to New Plymouth, and in 1975 around
the time he closed down his business
for good, he successfully sued Carlin
Gill for a debt of £5 1s 7d)
Note the price of a photograph
printed on card at this time has
reduced to 5 shillings – about the
price of half a day’s work for a
labourer.
The early 1860’s was the time of the first Taranaki war.
A new photographer established in
New Plymouth at this time. Taranaki Herald, 16 Feb 1861
Hoby (or his son) was still
advertising in 1866 when Carlin
Gill arrived in New Plymouth.
Cartes de visites 5s, copies for2/6.
T. Tuffin had arrived from
Wanganui and was advertising…. Taranaki Herald, 4 February 1865
….to be replaced by George
Jackson in July the same year.
Taranaki Herald, 22 July 1865
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By the time Carlin Gill arrived in New Plymouth, photography was no longer a
novelty.
In fact the term “photographer”
had first appeared as early as
1862. Taranaki Herald, 8 November 1862
Taranaki Herald 30 June 1866
Druggists were advertising
photographic materials and
chemicals, which suggests by
now photography also existed
as a hobby, and Carlin Gill
would have been able to
purchase his materials in town,
over the counter.
Taranaki Herald
22 September 1866
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APPENDIX 3 The photography of Carlin Gill
Name Gill, Carlin
Studio
address
Takaka 1872, 1872/3;Nelson 1875, 1876,
1880;Wakefield 1881
Known
years of
operation
1866 1872 1873 1875 1876 1880
Source Wise's NZ Directory (1872/3), p181; H Knight,
Photography in NZ (1971) p183.
Remarks Born in Selston, Nottinghamshire in 1844. (Note that the
Taranaki Herald, 9 January 1900, p2 says 'of Wren Hall,
Pelston'.) Apprentice chemist in Reading in 1861
(cenusus). Married Julia Nicholls 1867 (ref. 5791). C
Gill, photographer of Stoney River, charges Frederick
Warner of stealing 3 Bell tents (Taranaki Herald, 8
September 1866, p3). Former patient at New Plymouth
hospital (Taranaki Herald, 9 January 1875, p2). Taken to
court by photographer Hartley Webster (Taranaki
Herald, 23 October 1875, p3). Landscape photographer -
Orders to be placed with Mr Bonnington, Trafalgar
Street, Nelson (Nelson Evening Mail, 24 November
1875, p2) Knight lists a Carline Gill in New Plymouth in
1875. Photographer living in Wakefield (1880/1 ER -
Waimea). Death reported at Nelson (Manawatu
Standard, 17 March 1883, p2), caused by "an overdose
of morphia unintentionally" (Nelson Evening Mail, 15
March 1883, p2). See also Sascha Nolden, 'Hochstetter
collection Basel. Part 2, New Zealand Photographs and
Prints' (2012), p29.
Studio addresses Takaka 1872, 1872/3; Nelson 1875, 1876, 1880; Wakefield 1881
Nelson Evening Mail, 10 December 1875
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Photograph held at Puke Ariki Museum, New Plymouth
Accession No PHO2008-1875
Name/Title William George's Thatched Farmhouse at Waitara
Primary
Maker Carlin Gill
Primary Prod
Role Photographer
Brief
Description
Landscape carte-de-visite photograph of a thatched
farmhouse at Waitara. The farmhouse was owned
by William George and the land was originally
owned by Captain Corbett. The farmhouse has four
windows, two on either side of the door. There is a
pathway leading up the he house. Fences and trees
in background.
Classification Documentary Artifact/Communication Artifacts
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By: Carlin Gill Description: Two men pictured sitting outside a surveyors tent in bush area.
They have a camp fire in front of them and various tools are pictured.
Photograph has been hand tinted. Puke Ariki
(from the collection of Sue Sharman)
Family photograph probably taken by Carlin Gill around 1867/69
Mary Ann Roebuck and her six children:
L to R: Fanny Roebuck, Julia Nicholls, mother Mary Ann Roebuck, Samuel Roebuck, Annie
Nicholls, Frank Roebuck and Robert Frederick Roebuck.
If Fanny’s age is estimated as 6-8 years, then the photo must have been taken around 1867-69.
Julia Nicholls (top left in photograph) married photographer Carlin Gill in 1867.
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Source: Hochstetter Collection (part 2) Basel
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Appendix 4 The Estate of Old Luke Gill of Selston
This story refers to Luke Gill of Selston, a man described by Thomas Skinner Carlin
as being “of very penurious habits” – and later by Martha Spencer’s legal counsel as
“a miserly man”. This may have been a little unfair. Although known to be thrifty -
and tight-lipped about the future disposal of his property – his will, when it was
finally revealed, showed a generous treatment of his ten nieces and nephews.
He had no children of his own, and his wife had predeceased him.
When Luke Gill died (in fact even before he died) his family descended on the estate
but found little of the expected cash. However the housekeeper Martha Spencer was
found to be in possession of rather more money than a person in her position might be
expected to have. The money was confiscated (by Thomas Skinner Carlin), and the
unfortunate lady locked up and held in custody for three months until her case was
heard. When she faced her accusers in court, they were unable to prove their case and
the old lady was acquitted.
Thomas Skinner Carlin who had drawn up the last will and testament for old Luke
Gill, was later to state that it was the first time he had drafted a will, and it would be
the last!
Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties - Friday 28 July 1843
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The story does not end there.
The following year, Martha Spencer sued the family for the return of “her” money.
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Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties - Friday 22 March 1844
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The old lady won her case, no doubt to the surprise and chagrin of Thomas Skinner
Carlin, who was alleged to have been officious in the confiscation of the money.
An important point of interest in the above reports is that Thomas Skinner Carlin
testified to having known Luke Gill for sixty years.
Since he (Thomas Skinner Carlin) was 65 years of age at the time, we may infer that
he (Carlin) had grown up (and had probably been born) in Selston.
This makes the baptism record 24th February 1778 Thomas Carline, father Henry
Carline of Selston, Nottingham – referred to at the beginning of this narrative – very
likely to refer to Thomas Skinner Carlin.
The will of Luke Gill is held by Borthwick Institute, Univ.York. As another matter of
interest, it is evident from the names mentioned in the will, that there is no family
relationship between our George Gill the surgeon, and the Gill families of Selston –
and no family relationship between Luke Gill and Thomas Skinner Carlin.
Evidently there was a bond of neighbourly trust and respect between old Luke Gill
and Thomas Skinner Carlin, as not only did Luke ask Thomas Skinner Carlin to draw
up his will – he also appointed Carlin’s son, George Ludlam Carlin, as a trustee.
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Old Luke Gill himself was illiterate. For a couple of years he had been requesting
Thomas Skinner Carlin to draw up the will for him, which Carlin finally did, a couple
of weeks before the old man died – and added a codicil for him just two days before
he died.
The old man, who was now bed-ridden, began his testament on a humble and pious
note, thankful “for all his Blefsings”
He bequeathed his property, in equal shares, to his ten nieces and nephews, children
of his brother John Gill. And in an aside, which may say something of his character,
he referred in his will to the nephew Jarvis Gill who had been born “some time after”
John Gill’s death and was regarded as not a true nephew – insisting that Jarvis Gill
should be treated equally with the others.
The will was drawn up by Thomas Skinner Carlin in the presence of Thomas Rawling
and William Sedgwick, on 12th May 1843 – then a codicil added on 21st May.
(The Codicil referred to a beneficiary, a nephew called Luke Gill, whose death had
just come to the attention of old Luke Gill. The purpose of the addition was to ensure
that the share that would have gone to Luke Gill would instead go in equal shares to
his legal heirs. It also included a repeat of the earlier request that Jarvis Gill should be
treated equally to his other nieces and nephews.)
Luke Gill died on 23rd May 1843.