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From: Denis Wederell <>
Subject: All quiet?
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 13:54:42 +1200 (NZST)


Tania is right, let's stir things up a bit.

My latest contribution was from the State Library of South Australia,
contacted following Judy Jerkins' advice. They were great.

But I'd dearly like to know how George Baron PACKER arrived in SA, and it
would be interesting to learn how they crossed to NZ about 100 years ago.
Here's a summary of what I've got:

Name:George Barron PACKER

Birth:ca 1860
Death:1903/1928
Occupation:Artist (Probably Commercial Artist/illustrator). In 1885
Photographer.

Research
Georges names, and occupation, come from the marriage register entry for
his daughter, Beryl. He was living in Cross Street, Auckland, in 1903,
described as an artist (Wises Post Office Directory) with Laura, his wife.
A George PACKER reached South Australia in 1865 in the Lincoln: described
as a farmer (Biographical Index of South Australia 1836-1885 Vol III, in
State Library). Doesn't sound like my George. No George [Barron] PACKER
found in Australasian GI (1998) either birth or marriage.
Adelaide Post Office Directory shows George PACKER, photographer, at Romney
Rd, Mariatville, in 1885.1
Wises (NZ) Directory 1904 shows that PACKER, George, artist, was living in
Cross St, Auckland. He was Beryls father, and Audrey was born in Cross St.
Laura was described as a widow when living at 78 Oriental Pade, Wgtn, in
1928 (electoral roll)
No G or G B PACKER found on Com War Graves Com website, but a Pvte Delroy
Baron PACKER d 15 Jul 1918, served with 2 Bn Canterbury Regt. Buried at
Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery, Foncquevillers, grave III.D.6

Spouses

1:Laura Russell POWER (GILMAN)
Birth:ca 1859Unknown place, but in Australia (death reg.)
Death:21 Jun 1946Wanganui Public Hospital. NZ #1791
Burial:24 Jun 1946Aramoho Cemetery, Wanganui.
Religion:Anglican
Father:Thomas/Harry POWER (-<1882)
Mother:Mary COLEMAN
Marriage:23 Jun 1882South Australia #125/319
Children:Unknown (ca1882->1946)
Beryl/Bride Russell (1883-1944)
George Stuart (1885-<1946)
Unknown (ca1897->1946)

Sources
1. State Library of South Australia: Tom Lawlor., 2 June 1999,
Correspondence file.

Name:Laura Russell POWER (GILMAN)

Misc. Notes
Part of e-mail 24/9/98 to Jill Morley <>:
Also, Lauras death registration is identifies a son, born ca 1897, as one
of her two survivors. [So that is presumably not Delroy Baron PACKER, B
Melbourne, killed in France on active service on 2 August 1918.1] Oddly, it
says she had been 68 years in NZ at that time (1946), yet Beryl and George
Stuart (b 1885) who you found for me, were both born in SA, and she was
married there (in 1882) before that supposed departure. That same death reg
also identifies a son born ca 1882. Oh, dear.

Research
Marriage info from BDMs South Australia, NZ death reg.
No Laura GIL[L]MAN, POWER, or PACKER found in Australasian GI (1998) either
birth or marriage.
Lauras surname GILMAN comes from the 1903 marriage register entry for her
daughter Beryl, but does not appear elsewhere. A letter from the BDM
Registration Office for South Australia, 17 December 1996, notes that
Lauras surname was not GILMAN but POWER when she married George PACKER
(125/319), on 23 June 1882, place unknown. Her father was said to be Thomas
POWER, then deceased. See also Beryls 1917 marriage registration, and her
death registration. At Lauras death her reg. said her father was Harry
Power, but her mothers first name and maiden name were not given. (The
informant was the undertaker.) Harry was described as a photographer. She
is described as a widow, aged 87. She is said to have married at the age of
20, and to have lived 68 years in New Zealand, so arriving 1878 (that
conflicts with Beryls stated arrival in NZ in 1894.

Cheers,

Denis Wederell, NZSG #10213, 6 Monaghan Avenue, Karori, Wellington 6005,
New Zealand. Ph/fax +64 4 476 6432; e-mail <>
Researching:
Essex: JONES, NOBLE, MILLER, WEDERELL,
London: CONEY, CRACROFT, DE LA TECHFORD, ELLIS, SMITH (bless their hearts),
TWEMLOW, WILSON (upper crust only). Staffordshire: COTTERILL. Lancashire:
NELSON. Northumberland/Yorkshire/Borders: BELL, HEATLEY, ROBERTSON, SELBIE.
All Scotland: MONRO, SELBIE. N Ireland (Co Down): CAMPBELL. All England &
(Southern) Ireland: RONALDS. Ireland: DINES/DYNES, McCULLY.
Australia (mostly SA): GIL(L)MAN, MONRO (Tasmania), PACKER, POWER.

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