# Gillespies Beach Beginnings

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By Vonnie Alexander
Published by Alexander Publications, Christchurch, NZ valexander@xtra.co.nz
Printed by Microfilm Ltd 65 Victoria Street Christchurch, NZ
Copyright © 2010 Vonnie Alexander
ISBN: ISBN 978-0-473-17756-0
Cover Bluff, Gillespies Point
GILLESPIE’S BEACH BEGINNINGS A FOX GLACIER FAMILY SAGA
Foreword
This publication, is, unapologetically, a mixture of geography, anecdote and memories plus historical extracts from various sources. Critics generally do not like such a mixture, but I want readers who may well be mainly kith and kin to gain a greater understanding of the starting point of their New Zealand heritage, be it on the maternal or paternal side. It is, for the most part, a record of one family’s descendants, with emphasis on those who lived out all or part of their lives in South Westland. It also aims to highlight the New Zealand starting point of Gillespie’s Beach.
A considerable amount of material about the Sullivan and Williams families is contained in Black Sands & Golden Years, 1877-1979, that wonderful book compiled by Margaret Hall of Hokitika to celebrate the Weheka-Fox Glacier School Jubilee. There have also been articles in other books and magazines published over the years. I added to this in one chapter of my book, Westland Heritage. Most sources are no longer in print nor are they easy to locate except in the New Zealand Room of public libraries. Whilst some repetition cannot be avoided, I have endeavoured to expand on previous writings, including historical newspaper reports obtained via the Internet not readily available when earlier accounts were written. Dates quoted sometimes differ by a year or so in different accounts because precise dates can be difficult to pinpoint unless they exist in official records. Researchers also tend to repeat mistakes made when their source material contains errors of which we have all been guilty.
As I know from my childhood years in South Westland in the 1930s, the lilt of the Irish brogue was once a familiar sound on the ​Coast. Because of the great Irish potato famine beginning in 1846/1847 which continued for almost five years, many migrants coming to New Zealand exchanged one set of hardships for another, but here they had opportunities to acquire land which they would never have had, had they remained in Ireland.
Today, those of us in the twilight of our years can still recall first-hand memories of our New Zealand born grand-parents, the offspring of the original gold-seeking pioneers. Before we too, disappear into the mist of yesterdays, it is timely to add another contribution to their story and fill in some of the gaps. The photographs herein have originated over time within the circles of kith, kin and local residents in South Westland and I extend hearty thanks to all those who have been of assistance in providing requested material. Should museums now claim copyright of any one photo due to later acquisition, with original ownership becoming blurred, any infringement is unintentional.
Vonnie Alexander
When miners walked the beaches Of this rugged coast of ours, And faced the scourge of sandflies, The solitude, and showers, There was history in the making When they found within the sand, An ounce or two of finest gold That anyone had panned. So they pitched their tents and settled On this isolated reach; Built pubs and school and chapel And a town - Gillespie’s Beach. But the mining dwindled right away, The township lost its pub, And down the years the settlement Was swallowed by the scrub.
(Extract - ‘The Ballad of Gillespie’s Beach) With thanks to Margaret Hall
GILLESPIE’S BEACH GOLDSEEKERS
LAURENCE SULLIVAN b. 1833 County Limerick d. 1917 Hokitika Married MARGARET VAUGHAN b. 1830 County Clare d. 1917 Hokitika 8 offspring in order of birth
* Mary m Henry Williams* Henry m. Mascotte Golding Margaret (d) Charles m. Winifred Conroy Lawrence m. Annie Lyons Elizabeth (Marie) m. James Kennedy Thomas m. Lillian Kelly Patrick m. Eileen Kennedy
* Julia m Fredrick Williams* ⁺Thomas (Harry) m. Brigid Sweeney ⁺Mary (May) Sister M. Aloysia ⁺Elizabeth (Liz) m. Albert Weenink ⁺Margaret (Mag) m. Robt. Emmett Clarke ⁺Lawrence (Lawn) m. Irene Condon (d) ⁺Lawrence (Lawn) m. Mary McGavin ⁺Anne (Nan) Sister M. Lawrence ⁺Patrick m. Kathleen Condon ⁺Frederick m. Gwen McCormack ⁺Julia (Sheila) Sister M. St John
* Patrick* - unmarried, died age 29
* Margaret m George Head Elizabeth m William Owens Margaret m Arnold Fisher Arthur (Derby) m Mary Houlahan Patrick m Alice Deacon George (Priest) Mary (Maisie) m Geoffrey Piesse Vincent m Gladys Pickering Lawrence m Edna Borlace
* Annie m Mick McGavin. *Mary m Lawrence Williams Patrick m Olga Gomez (div) Patrick m Margaret Nicholls
* *Lawrence - unmarried
* *John (Jack) m Anastasia Cleere *Kathleen m Stephen Nolan *Patricia m Kevin Nolan *John m Mary (Molly) Punch
* *Michael (Mick) m Agnes Boyle *Mary m Douglas Kerr *Michael m Joyce Whitehead *James m Kathleen Scott
m=married (d)=deceased (div)=divorced
Originally compiled by Anne Williams (Sister M. Lawrence). Those offspring marked with an asterisk spent all or part of their lives in South Westland. Others moved throughout New Zealand. When Margaret Head died age 39, George remarried Edith Allardice who already had 3 children - there were no offspring of this second marriage. Alice Williams, Fred & Henry’s sister, married Frank Priest, and lived in Melbourne. Eliza, their mother who remarried Charles Chesterman in 1874, following the murder of her husband, Henry Williams, by Australian aboriginees, had 7 more children, Frank, Thomas, Charles, Arthur, George, Elizabeth and Lillian Chesterman being half-brothers and half-sisters to Henry, Alice and Fredrick Williams.
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