The Griffiths Family

The Griffiths Family

SUMMANN Page

This is how one family immigrated to New Zealand.

This starts with John Griffiths, he was born in 1845 at Legge, Coseley in the Parish
of Sedgeley, Staffordshire, England, in 1861, a town of about 36,367. Served his time
as a blacksmith in England. John was then described as a boiler-maker, living in St Peter's
Parish, Derby. John Immigrated to New Zealand in 1871 onboard the Zealandia, arriving in
Lyttelton on 22 Dec. He immigrated to New Zealand with his wife, one child, two brothers and
two or three sisters with their mother, who, in the 1890's was living in Riccarton, Christchurch,
N.Z. He worked at his trade with F.W. Delamani, Yaldhurst, Canterbury. He then moved to
Timaru and worked for Mr. Peter Sinclare, and while there handled all the iron work for Timaru
Breakwater. He was a member of the life-saving crews in Timaru surf-boats, and was also
employed later by the contractors for Timaru's water-supply. John was keenly interested in
the Manchester Unity Oddfellows and the Order of Foresters, and passed through the various
Chairs. Devoted Primitive Methodist, he was given a watch for conducting the Methodist choir
in Timaru, was in the choir of the old Leet St. Church, then in Wesley Church, Teviot St., and
finally with St. Peters. He Frequently wrote (letters or articles) to the newspapers, and
contributed articles under the pen-name "Trelawney" to the "Southern Cross".
John's father was also called John, a blacksmith, also described as a boiler-maker his mother
was Mary ((Griffiths) Wyer) Harker or Harper.

John Griffiths

Sp Hannah Saunders

Sp Emma Hodder