Albert James Bray's grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family at his grave.
Albert James Bray's grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family at his grave.
The life of a Whangamomona settler was celebrated this month.
Joan McIntyre says she and other grandchildren and extended family of Albert James Bray travelled to Whangamomona on King’s Birthday weekend to celebrate his life.
“We had people from Whanganui, Dannevirke, Kaikohe, the South Island and even Australia. It was very humbling to see.”
The event was organised by Joan and Sharyn Burling, the granddaughter of Albert’s wife Minnie Ada Smith and her second husband Sidney Charles Bell. Minnie married Sidney after the death of Albert.
Joan, from Dannevirke, says while the celebration was for the life of Albert James Bray, it was also a tribute to her own father, Ernest John Bray.
“My father died a couple years ago at 102 years old. Before he died he talked about doing up his father’s grave. At that point he was the last of Albert’s children still living. We cleaned up the grave but decided to host a memorial for Albert as well. We made the memorial for 2023 as it would be 150 years since his birth and 100 years since his death.”
“It has the name of his children on it. The ceremony was attended by his grandchildren and extended family members.”
The new headstone on Albert James Bray's grave.
She says Albert had an interesting life, which started in Cheltenham on May 14, 1873. He lived there for two years before his family sailed to New Zealand and moved to Akaroa. It wasn’t until 1905 that Albert moved to Whangamomona.
“He and Richard Smith took up a 25-year lease on 944 acres of Heavy Bush in the Taranaki Land District. This land was part of the Mohoe sub-division section three, block six, near Whangamomona. No rates could be levied for four years. The rent was 23 pounds 12 shillings for six months.”
The land was seven miles up the Whangamomona Rd, through two tunnels and over bridges. She says Albert worked the land and Richard ran a boarding house in the town. In 1908 Albert married Richard’s third daughter, Minnie Ada Smith, in November 1908. They later had 10 children.
“As the family got to school age, they had to leave their family home and move to the village to go to school. This meant living in Whangamomona with the Smith family. They later purchased a house in Whangamomona and Albert would travel to the land during the week and spend the weekends with his family.”
Albert continued working for the council and managing the land.
On June 2 he injured himself while attempting to lift a heavy piece of timber. He died from his injuries early the next morning and was buried in Whangamomona at the age of 50.
After his death, the family stayed in Whangamomona for a further two years before Minnie sold the lease to William Rice of Dannevirke, and obtained a rental property there.
Sharyn says that weekend they also celebrated the life of Myrtle Ellen, the daughter of Minnie’s parents Richard and Ellen Smith.
“She only lived for six months. She has been in an unmarked grave in Stratford and on that weekend the family unveiled a headstone for her.”
