Alice Bartley and Stephen Gilbert

This is the last of our posts on the children of Robert Bartley and Esther Kerby.

Today we are with Alice Bartley who was born at home in Chapel St, Auckland on 21 February 1858. We know very little about Alice herself. It is likely she met Stephen through his family relationship to her brother in law. Their families also shared adherence to the Wesleyan faith.

The Gilbert family travelled to New Zealand on the same ship as their cousins, the Rountree family. (Stephen Gilbert Rountree later married Julia Bartley). Their intention was to take up land north of Auckland. Parents, James and Eliza Gilbert, travelled with four daughters and three sons, one of whom was Stephen. Their ship SS Portland set a record time from Gravesend to Auckland. 181 passengers arrived in New Zealand on 22 July 1863, after leaving port on 31 April of that year.

The Gilberts did not farm their land for long. Their property, around the Waikiekie/ Matakohe area was rough country with poor access. These settlements around Port Albert and the western side south of Whangarei were originally established by immigrants with shared religious and cultural values. Many prospective settlers in this area made a second, more informed decision, about their likelihood of success once they had first hand experience of the conditions.  Instead of farming the Gilbert family moved to Auckland. James worked a few years for the 'New Zealander' before establishing a drapery in Parnell.

Stephen's first employer was the manufacturing pharmacist J. N. Manning. He continued his apprenticeship when the business was sold, working under the new owner James Sharland.
By 1879, when he married Alice Bartley, he was qualified and ready to his set up his own premises.

Ak Star 4 June 1881

The Gilbert Pharmacy opened at 223 Queen St in May 1881. The following year he moved to a better position at the other end of Queen St.

Ak Star 3 June 1882

  He continued to trade there until the business moved to K Rd in 1907. The new pharmacy was in Probert's Buildings on a good corner site which is recognisable today.

A 1909 view of the pharmacy. Image SGGSC 7-A4756

Alice and Stephen had one daughter, Flora who was born in 1882. She later married Reginald Hooton.

Stephen predeceased Alice. He died in 1938, at Epsom, Auckland. Alice followed almost ten years later in 1947.






Research by M W Bartley

Edward Bartley in Whangarei, Northland - Bentley's Pharmacy

Image from Postcard collection, Bartley Family Archive

Edward Bartley was at the peak of his career in the late 1890’s and into the first decade of the Twentieth century.

In early 1899 he came to Whangarei where he was engaged for Mr Bentley, whose premises had been one of several destroyed in a catastrophic fire. 

NZHerald 30 Jan 1899

Edward Bartley was experienced as an insurance assessor as well as an architect. Both the land owner, Mr Mann and Mr Bentley were fully insured. A full clearance was ordered and a new design drawn up for the site in Bank St, next to the BNZ building. In discussion with his client, another fire resistant brick building was decided upon. 

Tenders were called within days of the fire.

Northern Advocate 28 January 1899

 There was keen interest from both Auckland and Northland builders. Building began promptly in March of that year.

Northern Advocate 25 February 1899

Bentley was a pharmacist and stationer. The two storey building which opened in September 1899 showed a sophisticated frontage to Bank St. The detailing in Portland cement and plate glass windows were complemented by interior fittings which reflected Bartley’s long experience in designing for retail pharmacies in Queen St, Auckland.

Designing in the Classical idiom for which he was well known, Bartley placed three arches above the verandah line, with fluted columns delineating the outer edges of the facade.

Premises were let to a dental practice on the upper floor, which were reached by a separate entrance and ornamented stairway from Bank St. Additional space on the ground floor was occupied by medical practitioners, accessed through the pharmacy.

In total, the enterprise offered Whangarei residents a modern, purpose-built medical centre.

Bank St, image from Postcard collection Bartley Family Archive