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With those who came
first
by Beryl Maultby
The following article is extracted from the publication
"With those who came first" - A history of the Kennard Family in New
Zealand, 1840-1990 by Beryl J. Maultby (nee Kennard)
| The Kennard family from which we are descended
hails from South-west Kent. The name is variously spelt Kenard, Kennard
and Kenward. Kennard is an English surname derived from the Middle English
given name, Keneward, and the Old English Cyneweard, composed of the
elements cyne royal plus heard hardy, brave, strong or weard guard.
Kennard seems to be a very apt name for a pioneer family such as ours.
The family has indeed turned out to be hardy, brave and strong, if we
consider the dynasty established.
The Kentish parishes that the family lived in were Cranbrook, Rolvenden
and Tenterden. These are all fairly close together. Nearby is a hamlet
aptly named Kenardington. Thus far we have not discovered any connection
between our family and Kenardington.
The Kennard families appear to have been living in Cranbrook from the
seventeenth century. The parish registers records that a Mary, daughter of
John Kennard, was baptised in 1614. Unfortunately there is no indication
of the father's profession. As we are faced with researching in parish
Registers, we also have to bear with the inadequacies of these.
The eighteenth century saw a growth in the population of the area, a
growth which had been occurring steadily since Tudor times. The Kennards
of the time were agricultural labourers working on the farms owned by
local yeoman and magnates. Until the middle of the eighteenth century the
condition of this labouring class was reasonable. While their wages were
low, food and fuel were plentiful and housing adequate. However from this
time on the local economy deteriorated leading to massive recession.
It is from the middle of the eighteenth century that the ancestry of
the Kennard family can be definitely traced. On 30 December 1742 Nicholas
Kenward was baptised at Cranbrook, unfortunately he died on 23 January
1743. His parents, Nicholas and Martha Kenward, were the great
grandparents of our ancestor William, who emigrated to New Zealand.
Nicholas Kenward was buried at Cranbrook on 15 February 1784, he had been
preceded by his wife Martha on the previous 8 May 1783.
|
| Nicholas and Martha Kenward had six sons, three of whom
survived infancy, John, Thomas, and William. Our descent is through
Thomas, who was baptised at Cranbrook on 5 June 1750. Thomas married a
Sarah, and continued to live at Cranbrook. It was at Cranbrook that our
ancestor, their sixth child Thomas was born and baptised on 17 October
1784.
Thomas Kenard, a farm labourer, moved to the nearby town of Rolvenden
where he married a local girl Sarah Blanch on the 29 April 1812. Here his
eldest son, William, was born on the 23 March 1813, and is recorded as
having been baptised on the 23 April 1813. Thomas and Sarah Kenard had two
other sons, Thomas (1816) and George (1820). The family moved to Tenterden,
where a daughter Sarah was born on the 21 October 1824, and registered at
the Honey Lane Baptist Chapel on the 19th December 1824
|
Brede
Church, Sussex
|
| Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753 had
stated that no marriage was valid unless celebrated by an ordained priest
according to the Anglican liturgy in a parish, and after due public notice
had been given. Unless a licence had been obtained from the Bishop, no
ceremony could be performed until the Banns had been read on three
successive Sundays.
So William and Maria would have had to be living in Brede, Sussex for
about a month at least, before the marriage. It is possible they were
there working and actually met there. Brede is on the main south road from
Cranbrook. So even though William's parents were dissenters by this time,
there were no special marriage arrangements for them, so they had to
submit to an Anglican ceremony.
|
"This is to certify that William
Kenward & Mada Baker
were married in this Parish Church of Brede In the
County of Sussex by Banns on the 2'1 Day of Feb 1834.
By the Rev. Peter Winch, Off. Minister.
Banns Published by the Rev. S. Hue, Rector of Brede.
Feb. 9, 16, 23." |
William Kenward married Maria Baker from Ewhurst, Sussex, on
24 February 1834 at the parish church of Brede in the County of Sussex, by
Banns. Their two eldest children, Eliza and William, were born in
Tenterden. So it was that on 23 July 1838, William and Maria Kennard and
their two children Eliza and William, as well as William! 5 brothers,
Thomas and George, sailed on the ship Lady Nu~ent from London for New
South Wales. They were embarking on a whole new episode in the family's
history, but they were far from alone. Friends and neighbours, and indeed
relations were also heading in the direction of New South Wales. They were
looking for a better life for themselves and their descendants. |
The colony of New South Wales had been founded
in 1788 as a penal settlement, to receive criminals from overcrowded
British gaols. It soon became obvious that able-bodied settlers were
needed to settle Australia's vast continent. For this reason the Governor
of New South Wales, Sir Richard Bourke, introduced the Bounty System of
Emigration in 1836. The essential feature of this was that the colonists
who were to employ the emigrants on their arrival would choose the
emigrants in England and bring them to the Colony. Emigrants received from
the colonial government a Bounty, which in 1838 and 1839 was:
Man and Wife, without family 36 Pounds
Each unmarried male 18
Each unmarried female 18
Children from 7 to 14 years 10
Children from 1 to 7 years 5
It is easy to imagine the hope with which this call for emigrants,
particularly for farm workers, was received among the poor in England.
With the deprivations of the depression of the 1820s and early 1830s and a
vivid memory. It is also easy to understand what encouraged William and
Maria Kennard to join this flow of emigrants to the far-off land of
Australia.
During 1838, the Blanch family who were cousins of William and Maria
Kennard emigrated to New South Wales. The first to go were Robert, James,
Thomas and Isaac with their wives and families. They sailed on the ship Westminister
from Gravesend on 25 March 1838, and arrived in Sydney on 26 June 1838,
after a voyage of 92 days.
Two days before the Westminister arrived in Sydney, on 24 June
1838, the Maitland sailed from Gravesend carrying amongst its 205 adults
and 110 children the patriarch of the Blanch family, Edward. (The uncle of
our William Kennard). Edward Blanch was one of some fifty emigrants from
the Rolvenden area on board. He was accompanied by his youngest children;
Elizabeth, Philadelphia, Samuel, Mary and Anne. Edward Blanch being over
the age for assisted emigrants paid Twenty pounds for his passage. This
was an amount equivalent to almost a years income. Where he got the money
is unknown but it could well have represented the savings of his family
for several years.
Some six months later on 18 June 1839, the Cornwall sailed from
Gravesend carrying 148 adults and 60 children. It called at Plymouth on 29
June 1839, then after a lengthy but unremarkable voyage arrived at Port
Jackson on 26 October 1839. About forty of the passengers on the Cornwall
were from the Rolvenden area. Members of the Blanch family on board were
John and George with their wives and families, and also Stephen and
Edward.
The Lady Nugent carried 240 emigrants bound for Sydney.
According to the ships Surgeon, G. Roberts, she "was well calculated
in every way for the conveyance of emigrants", there was ample room
for all, the luggage was stowed away in the hold leaving the between decks
clear, thus allowing for easy cleaning and free ventilation. There was
some seasickness early in the voyage, especially amongst the woman and
children. Diarrhoea was also prevalent. The Kennard children made several
visits to the doctor with this condition.
During the voyage Maria Kennard gave birth to a daughter, Alice, born
on the 7 September 1838. Unfortunately, after the birth, complications set
in and Maria was ill for several days. Fortunately she was of a
"robust habit" and pulled through. The Lady Nugent
arrived in Sydney on the 27 November 1838 after a voyage of 124 days.
There had been four births and two deaths during the voyage. The Surgeon
reported that the passengers "all landed in excellent health".
On arrival in Sydney, William Kennard was engaged by Mr. R. Stark of
Botany Bay (near Sydney) for wages of 25 Pounds per year, plus rations.
The Blanch family remained in New South Wales. As did George Kennard
who settled at Wellington, NSW. Contact appears to have been lost with
these families around the turn of the century. Recently with the interest
in family research we have renewed contact with the Blanch family. They
held their own reunion to celebrate 150 years in Australia, during
Australia's Bicentennial year. Their family history in which we feature,
is called "A Forest of Blanches"
In New Zealand Johnny Jones "purchased" from the Maoris a
large tract of land for the purpose of forming a settlement to coincide
with his whaling station at Waikouaiti. He wanted men to till the ground
and rear cattle and sheep, so that the settlement might become
self-supporting, as he found the cost of bringing supplies from Sydney to
be considerable. With that purpose he went to Sydney and engaged several
families from the south of England, who had been in New South Wales a
short time, and who, not liking the heat, were glad to try a change of
climate. William Kennard applied and was one of those selected. They
agreed to come to Otago with Mr. Jones, who engaged them for twelve months
certain, at 35 Pounds a year each, rations found.
According to the Sydney newspapers the brig Magnet sailed for
New Zealand on the 12 March 1840. So after a voyage of three weeks,
prolonged by calls at Ruapuke and Bluff the Magnet settlers arrived at
Waikouaiti in early April 1840. The farm they established was called
Matanaka.
We can therefore say that our ancestors contributed to the
establishment of the Otago Province and were truly "With those who
came first".
William and Maria and their three children were housed in temporary
barracks for a time but after a fire in this building they moved for a
short time to "Tuamai" where Thomas Baker Kennard, "The
First White Boy in Otago," was born. He was the first of nine
children to be born to them in New Zealand, completing the family of
twelve. |
| For the first six months William worked for Mr. Jones he
received as payment one Shorthorn cow valued at Sixty pounds. This cow was
the prized animal from which his bullock teams were bred. Still working
for Mr. Jones, he cared for a flock of sheep on Mt. Durden for two years.
The Kennard's stayed around Waikouaiti until after Dunedin was
established. In 1849-50 they lived at Halfway Bush, Dunedin where William
worked at pit-sawing timber. This proved a little too heavy for a man who
in his earlier years had not been used to roughing it. They moved back
north to Goodwood at the end of 1850 and worked for Suisted, then once
more for Johnny Jones until William purchased 90-odd acres of land at
Goodwood adjoining what was later to be known as John Jones Goodwood
Estate. In 1853 he built his home that was also to be known as Kennard's
Accommodation House. The farm was named "Brenzett Farm". William
bred many bullocks on the property and sold them for the teams. |
Puketeraki
Beach and the Karitane
Peninsula
in the foreground, with Waikoualti Bay
and Matanaka Head in the Background. |
| William and Maria were deeply religious, and
brought up all their family to go to church regularly, and to love their
God. William himself at first attended any religious service available. He
later was a stalwart supporter of the early Wesleyan Methodist Church of
Otago. During his trips round the coast by bullock team or perhaps on foot
William Kennard discovered coal at Shag Point on the inland side of the
hill. For a time he mined there but the venture was unsuccessful and was
next taken over by a Mr Allan who worked the mine (known as "Allandale")
for some years. Coal was mined in several places in the area for many
years by various owners and the history of this district is quite
romantic.
William Kennard at all times realised the great importance of education
and though many difficulties and hardships were faced, each of his eleven
surviving children was educated. William himself spent very many hours
coaching them. Some of the wonderful copperplate writing done by his
family is in existence today.
Maria
Kennard was a sturdy, hardy, strong-willed woman, independent, kindly and
with all the virtues needed in a pioneer lady
of her time.
Together, William and Maria faced difficult times,
great joys and deep
sorrows. Little Edwin,
the second youngest
child, was
scalded at the age of three, and
his tiny lonely
grave is
still to be seen from the road on
the hillside above the
site of the original cottage. On 27 September 1873 David, their tenth
child, died at the early age of 19 years. His untimely death, and his
father's action of just crossing him out and writing "dead" on
his will, was to result in problems for the family.
|
Kennard
Accommodation House,
Built
1853
|
Interested all his life in his garden, as his descendants
have been through the generations, William had some two acres cut out of
the solid bush and planted in a wonderful orchard and garden. Although on
the South side of the hill this was a paradise until the sheltering bush
was cleared. It was never so good again. Gum trees were planted round the
accommodation house but these did not provide shelter.
Perhaps as a result of the rigours of pioneer life, William lived only
until 27 July 1875. At the age of 62 he died and was buried at Palmerston.
His youngest son Aaron (with Robert in partnership for a time) felled the
bush and worked the farm. |
| The late Mr J.H.Preston of "Centerwood",
Goodwood, was as a child for a time in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Kennard.
His mother was ill and his father had a broken leg. In his later years he
often used to have long conversations with William's grandson who worked
for him. They spoke about those "First Years", the early history
of the family. His father and William had bullock waggons carting material
for the new farms from Waikouaiti. While Mr Preston was in hospital
William Kennard saw that all his waggons were loaded and on one visit to
Dunedin was able to hand the patient Sixty pounds.Maria lived in a small
cottage built before the Accommodation House near the spring below the
homestead. In her 89th year Maria began to suddenly fail in health and a
doctor was consulted. He could only tell Aaron who had cared for her well
being for many years that her life was almost over. Her bed was brought up
the hill on a sledge to the homestead where she died shortly afterwards.
Maria Kennard, who had stood on the beach at Waikouaiti at the dawn of the
Otago Province, and had borne twelve pioneer children, and had faced
hardships beyond our ken, was wonderfully active and alert into her
eighties. She was one of the Old Identities in the 50th anniversary parade
to celebrate the foundation of the Otago Settlement, held in Dunedin in
1898. Maria Kennard died aged 88 years on 30 May 1903. She was buried
beside her husband William in the grave at Palmerston Cemetery
|
|
WILLIAM
KENNARD Born 23 March, 1813, Baptised 23 April 181 Rolvenden ,Kent
Died
27 July, 1875, Goodwood. |
 |
 |
MARIA
KENNARD (nee Baker) Born 22 June, 1815, Ewhurst, Sussex
Married 24 February 1834, Brede, Sussex, England.
Died
30 May, 1903, Goodwood.
Both
are buried in Palmerston Cemetery, Otago. |
|
Children's Names |
| Name |
Born |
Died |
Children |
| Eliza |
25 May 1834 |
29 Mar. 1927 |
6 |
| William |
23 May 1836 |
14 Jan 1907 |
7 |
| Alice |
7 Sep 1838 |
18 May 1866 |
4 |
| Thomas Baker |
6 May 1841 |
29 Feb 1936 |
12 |
| Alfred |
16 June 1843 |
29 Aug 1916 |
2 |
| George |
23 Feb 1846 |
21 Jan 1928 |
4 |
| Samuel |
25 Aug 1848 |
7 Apr 1896 |
5 |
| Robert |
23 Aug 1850 |
24 May 1940 |
|
| Sara Ann |
11 Oct 1852 |
24 Nov 1934 |
4 |
| David |
26 July 1854 |
27 Sep 1873 |
|
| Edwin |
18 Aug 1856 |
17 sep 1859 |
|
| Aaron |
1 Dec 1848 |
31 Oct 1923 |
9 |
|
