NZ PEDERSEN BURROW PARDY

PARDY BURROW and HIS FAMILY

By VICKY ALEXANDER

I have looked in all my “trees” hoping to find “Vicky”.  I would love to have someone like her in the family.  I may have to adopt her.  

Vicky has been researching and publishing Wainuiomta History for over 30 years.  Lucky for our family, she shares her work, pictures and records.

Halvor sailed off to New Zealand while my grandfather, Andrew came to Utah but we never lost touch.  Halvor’s daughter, Mary married James Burrow, a son of Pardy Burrow. 

Vicky said, If we look back through Valley records from around the turn of the century, we find that the name Burrow features in many aspects of Valley life.  Although the name has moved on, there are a number of descendants who have carried on the traditions laid down by James (Pardy) Burrow over ninety years ago. 

What brought Pardy Burrow and his wife Ann to Wainuiomata?  The Family Bible shows that James and Ann Burrow, (nee Litt), left Liverpool, England for New Zealand in February 1876, together with three year old James and eighteen month Ann(ie).  A third child, Joseph, is listed as being born on 6 May, 1876, "On the High Seas"! 

The Burrows resided in Wellington for the next 18 years, and it was here that the rest of the children, Mary Ellen, Robert, Jane (known as Jeannie), Hanna, John, William and Elizabeth (Betty) were born.  Then on 14 December, 1894 James Burrow, described as a Letter Carrier of the City of Wellington, borrowed 225 Pounds from a Wellington Civil Engineer by the name of William Ferguson and, on the same date, paid William Burdan, farmer of Wainuiomata 220 Pounds for 20 acres, being part Wainuiomata Section 1. 

Water Works Cottage, Wainuiomata

If we refer to the Neill Chapter we will find that the portion of Section 1 bought by James Burrow had a one and half storied dwelling known as, " Ivy Cottage", on it and it was here that James installed his wife and younger children of his family.  At the same time it would seem very likely that his eldest son, James Jnr, (Jim) was manager of the Wakeham Family Farm, a smaller portion of which we know today as "Woodhatton".  In 1894 the younger half of the Burrow Family, John, William, Jeannie and Hanna were enrolled at the school with Betty following in 1897. 

Water Works Cottage James & Mary Burrow
visited by Colin Peterson and family

By 1900 James Burrow was arranging to lease the McIlvride property in Moores Valley road.  If we take up where we left McIlvrides, we find that on, 4 May, 1900, John McIlvride arranged to lease Wainuiomata Section 79 and Part Section 2 to a James Burrow for a period of ten years from 1 April, 1900, at a yearly rent of 30 Pounds.  James is described as a "settler" of Wainuiomata and it would seem that he was already living in the McIlvride homestead at the time of the Lease Agreement.  Wainiomata Post Office records, as far as can be ascertained, show that a James Burrow took over the position of Postmaster "about the turn of the century" and in fact, for the next 24 years Section 79 and Part Section 2 Wainuiomata, together with the Post Office, were to be home to the Burrow Family, an arrangement finalized on 30 September, 1905 when, still describing himself as a of Wainuiomata, James purchased the properties outright from John McIlvride for the sum of 475 Pounds. 



Mary Anne Fredericksen Pedersen, Halvor James Burrow
Mary Pedersen Burrow, Mary Anne Fredericksen

On 26 August, 1902 James Burrow Jnr. borrowed 600 Pounds from the widow Elizabeth Collier, and together with 50 Pounds of his own, purchased the Wakeham property. 

The land in question was described as "All that 209 acres, 9 perches being Part Sections 3, 42, 40 and 4 on the Plan of the Wainuiomata District excepting that piece being Part Section 3 (on which the Coast Road Church stands), and a portion of section 4 (which had been sold to Thomas Scholes in 1901)". 

 

Elizabeth Collier had come by the land through her parents, William and Elizabeth Wakeham, in 1890, but with the death of her widowed Mother in 1901, and that of her own husband, Elizabeth left the Valley to reside in Wellington.  The last mention we find of her is on 22 August, 1908 when she acknowledges receipt, "of all monies owing" from Jim Burrow.  Three days earlier Jim, described as a farmer of Wainuiomata, had arranged with a John Thomas Hawthorn, builder of Lower Hutt, and Peter Hatton Miller, gentleman of Wellington, to sell the farm.  In a somewhat complex arrangement James was to convey to John Hawthorn for 1254 pounds, who in turn was to sell to the "gentleman" Miller for 1880 pounds.  One would hope that in the course of the transaction John Hawthorn had used his building skills to enhance or expand the dwelling on the farm, thus justifying the 626 pound price difference!

Mary Pedersen Burrow, James Burrow

Having quit his farm at almost double the purchase price, Jim Burrow then turned his eyes toward a part of Section 2 Wainuiomata comprising 65 acres, this particular acreage running from the Wainuiomata River between the bridge below the School and where the water pipes cross the river further up, across the flats where the present day Homedale and Hine Roads and Poole Crescent now lie, and up over the hills behind lower Hine Road.  Although the Deeds of his purchase appear to be missing, it would seem that this farm was Jim's next purchase.  The house now known as No. 8 Poole Crescent was built by him, and it was here that Jim and his wife Mary, nee Pedersen, farmed and lived.
While we don't know exactly when Mary married Jim Burrow, we do know a little about the Pedersen Family:

Halvor Pedersen and his wife Mary officially came to the Valley on 30 October, 1883 when Halvor borrowed 270 pounds and purchased Lot 1 of the "Wainuiomata Small Farm Settlement" from Henry Fitzherbert for 438-10 pounds.  The transaction lists Halvor as a "farmer of Wainuiomata" so he may in fact have already been working the property before the purchase. 

James   Mary Anne Fredericksen Pedersen, Halvor Pedersen, Mary
in Wainuiomata Cottage unknown

Lot 1 comprised 87 acres, 2 roods and 30 perches, and ran left from the Fitzherbert Road back across present lower Wellington Road, Dover Road and the low range behind.  Four years later, on 6 May, 1887 Halvor, described as a farmer of Wainuiomata, paid Henry Fitzherbert 358 pounds for 104 acres, 2 roods and 23 perches (more or less!) being lot 28 of the same subdivision.  Despite the difference in numbers, Lot 28 actually lay over the (Fitzherbert) Road from Lot 1, and ran back across the present Nelson Crescent area and up onto the hill.  In 1891 Halvor's daughter, Mary enrolled at the Wainuiomata School to be followed, in 1893, by her brother, James, known familiarly as Jimmy Pete. 



Halvor James Burrow

On 8 June, 1909 Halvor arranged to sell both Lot 1 and 28 to the Hansen Brothers, George, Arthur and Albert.  For the sum of 1900 pounds the brothers gained over 190 acres, while on the 17 June Halvor arranged with a Wellington storeman, John Elliott, to purchase "one hundred and fifty acres, thirty three perches and seven-tenths of a perch being Section 63 and part of Section 5, 6 and 64 in the Wainui-o-mata District".  This tract included the present day Boys Brigade Camp, 202 Coast Road and a large acreage over the road and slightly to the North adjoining the present sewage treatment plant.  The old Collis Cottage became the Pedersen home, if only for a few short years.  On 16 July, 1920 Halvor arranged to sell his property to William Richard Scholes, Halvor himself was to die within the next twelve months, leaving his wife, and son Jimmy acting at the time as roadman to the lower Coast Road. 

1911 had seen the birth of a son to Jim and Mary Burrow, Halvor James Burrow.  Unfortunately, however, this child was to die of peritonitis on 7 March, 1917, and there were to be no more children to James and Mary. 

Doris (mother) Sandra Mary, Halvor (Chic), Robin, Halvor (Snow)

On 14 February, 1919 Jim Burrow purchased the 20 acres of Part Section 1 belonging to his Father for 250 pounds.  Twenty-five years had passed since Pardy paid 220 pounds for this same block, and by August 1920 it was again on the market, together with the house (no. 8 Poole Crescent) and 65 acres of Part Section 2.  The purchasers were the Frederickson Brothers Charles and James, farmers of Wainuiomata, at a price of 1700 pounds.  Of this purchase price, 1000 pounds was lent by Jim Burrow, to be repaid by 1 June, 1927 with interest at 7-10 pounds per centum per annum!

  



Halvor Pedersen, Halvor Burrow, Mary P Burrow Mary Anne F. Pedersen

From their (Poole Crescent) home and farm Jim and Mary next went to the Waterworks where Jim assisted Jack Drummond with the caretaking of the new Morton Dam and Orongorongo Tunnels. 

ERIC said,  "Uncle Jim was on the farm still after Halvor died.  Then he went up to the Waterworks.  We were up there all the time with the Drummonds and Uncle Jim.  Twomey's were on the farm after he sold it, years later.  Bronc Twomey and his sister.  Somebody told me Tom Twomey kept the farm going with his blacksmith business in the Hutt.  He must have been there a long time!  Twomey's brought that old place, the Church Manse over, shifted it over in Sections and put it up down the Coast Road where they had some land too.  It's still there now, being lived in". 

James Andrew Pedersen

There seems to be no doubt that Jim was a good worker, and Jim and Mary enjoyed their term at the Waterworks, but when the chance of a farm at Otaki arose the two left, leaving an infant son in the Coast Road Cemetery and a valley full of poignant memories. 

Of Pardy and Ann Burrow's other children, Ann married Jack Marshall and lived out of the Valley although their daughter Nellie must have stayed with their Grandparents for a time as Miss Nellie Marshall is shown on Post Office records as being appointed to the position of Postmistress on 1 July, 1913.  Nellie later married a man by the name of Whiffen whose parents had a bach way up the gully opposite Prouses, just before the present tip.
Joseph Burrow married and worked for the Post Office in Wellington, possibly also doing a stint at the Wainuiomata Post Office during the early part of this century. 

Next came Mary Ellen (Nelly) who is also listed as a Postmistress (1 July, 1901) before her marriage to Bill Dick of "Ashfield", The Dick Home in Moores Valley was nearly opposite the Post Office.  A niece recalls knowing Aunt Nell as "her next door".  "when the Development Company took over their farm, Uncle Bill and Aunty shifted to a farm in Shannon and I went to help break in the property.  Their children had married and had lives of their own and Aunty and I used to milk the 35 cows by hand while Uncle Bill stayed in bed, he was that lazy!  They went to a farm at Waikanae but Aunty had been sick a long time and died there". 

Sandra Mary Pedersen Webb

Robert was part of a tragic trilogy in the Burrow family, killed in action in France on 18 December. 1918.  His brother, John, who had been working at Levin before going to the War, had died in Egypt only one month before, while William was killed in action in France September, 1916.  "Uncle Will was doing the mail for Grandfather, taking it into Lower Jutt and collecting it, I forget how many days a week.  He was living in Wainouiomata at that time.  The boys who didn't come back went from the Post Office.  After they went to the War, Pardy took it over, carried on and did it himself."

Eric said: "They started Scouts going up there with Alec Drummond, Bob, Dick and I.  That was the first Scout movement that started up in Wainuiomata.  Bob and I and Uncle John had a photo taken of us in our uniforms just before he went away to the first World War.  Uncle John went to Egypt, the other two went to France.

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More Help--Ainsley Dow has shared pictures, stories and names.  Sandra Pedersen Webb  has shared pictures and stories from her family and the Fredericksen family.  I thank all of you "Down Under" friends and relatives.  Everything has happened so many years ago and they will never die as long as they are not forgotten.
re help

Pig hunting Wainuiomata hills,  Pye, Ken and Ray JONES
Ainslie Dow photo