Exploring Heritage Matters

Auckland is into the second week of its Heritage Festival  now with plenty of events for enthusiasts of our built heritage. There is an overall theme of transportation in this year's festival but I noticed two events coming up of relevance to Bartley and Devonport researchers.

St Matthews in the City. Image Postcard Collection BFA

Peter Reed, architect, leads an exploration of St Matthews in the City next Saturday 14 October. Edward Bartley was supervising architect for this 1905 landmark as part of his role as architect to the Anglican Diocese of Auckland.
Tour details here
Information on the construction of St Matthews here

Torpedo Bay 1879 Image APLSGGSC4-2979

For those whose Auckland roots lie in Devonport there is an opportunity to tour the earliest sites of commercial activity. Details of the Maritime self guided tours on all week are here and information on the pioneer boatbuilders here
Edward Bartley's first home on the North Shore was on the foreshore at Devonport. He was a neighbour to William Holmes whose house and family feature in the promotional material for this event. Edward's eldest son Arthur married William's neice Polly Holmes

Holmes family home and boatyard about 1880. Image APL SSGSC

If you are going to Devonport by car please do visit O'Neill's Point cemetery and see Edward Bartley's grave restored. There are several other Bartley graves in the cemetery.

Judging by the response to our post Frank and Dorothy's project has inspired  other families to identify and care for family plots. Well there is good news. It has never been easier.

Bartley Archive holds some information on family graves, and a few photographs of plots. Do get in touch at the start if you have Bartley Channel Islands links. We may be able to help if other researcher's contributions included burial records.

The first step in fresh research is to obtain an 'address' for the plot. Many cemeteries now have an online database available to search. For example Auckland Council has access for burials and cremations in the region on this page

Image BFA 2014

Most of the larger public cemeteries have maps online or available at the office for the second step -which is locating the plot itself. On the basis of past experience I would recommend a party of two or more people, good walking shoes, good humour and an openess to synchronicity. Keep your ancestor in mind and your camera in hand-some of these places are very beautiful landscapes too.

Purewa Cemetery, St John's Auckland. Image BFA 2012

Edward Bartley's Grave Restored

It is a great pleasure to be writing this post. On behalf of Edward's descendants we give a great bouquet of thanks to Frank and Dorothy Bartley who have undertaken and carried out the restoration of the Bartley gravesite at O'Neill's Point Cemetery, Devonport in Auckland.

With the site cleared Dorothy discusses the state of the headstone. Image F&D Bartley 2017

As visitors to the cemetery will know the plot was in a sad condition. Time and some vandalism during the late 20th century left us little to be proud of. Fortunately Frank and Dorothy were on hand in Auckland to closely oversee the project from the outset. The work was carried out by Steven Webb, of Monumental Headstones and Plaques Ltd,  who was able to salvage the marble and some surviving iron fittings.

Marble reinstated, remaining ironwork cleaned and returned to original placement, with work proceeding on re-erction of the headstone. Image S Webb 2017

The completed reinstatement and restoration of the gravesite September 2017. Image F&D Bartley 2017

Edward's wife Elizabeth Hannken also lies in this plot, along with their sons Percy and Claude  (husband of Cassie Tooher). Edward's daughter Bertha Bartley, wife of Frank Mason, lies nearby in the Mason family grave.

Frank Bartley stands with the reinstated headstone. The buff pink marble obelisk behind his shoulder is the Mason family plot where Bertha Bartley is interred. Image F&D Bartley 2017

Edward Bartley and Family Image BFA

Once again thank you Frank and Dorothy.

Bertha Bartley - fifth child of Edward Bartley and Elizabeth Hannken (1869-1944)

Emily Bertha Bartley (Tottie)

Emily Bertha Bartley was born at home in Union St, Auckland on May 9, 1869.[i]

She was the fifth child of the family and the eldest surviving daughter. She was known to family and friends as Tottie.

When she was still a toddler the family moved to Devonport on the North Shore, where the Bartley children enjoyed a seaside environment away from the public health issues of Auckland itself.

Devonport was a fledgling rural community at that time, but still a commutable distance for her father’s work and social engagements.

Like her siblings, Tottie was a talented musician. She enjoyed performing, was a gifted soprano, and was often in demand as keyboard accompanist or for string ensembles with her violin or viola.

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[i] Daily Southern Cross 7 June 1869 page 10

Tottie photographed by her brother Fred, about 1890

In February 1884 SS Doric berthed in Auckland. Amongst the new immigrants on board were Philip Hawe MASON and his wife Martha ROBINSON. Coming from Swindon, Wiltshire in England, they brought all their surviving children with them. The Masons settled at Kerr St Devonport where their similarity of social circumstances, religious and political views laid the ground for a solid and lasting friendship with the Bartley family. Their ninth child was Frank Ernest Mason. He was three years older than Tottie Bartley and a best friend of her older brothers. Frank was especially close to Fred Bartley, sharing his interest in the new dance music and new technology of photography.

Frank Mason about the time he arrived in Auckland, aged 17, in 1884

NZ Herald 2 March 1891

Frank trained as an accountant. From the beginning of his adult life and continuing into old age, he was active in church, school and district affairs. Both he and Tottie were so community focused there was hardly an organisation, interest group or charity in Devonport deprived of their energy. In this they were following the example of their respective parents, who were of a generation to whom community service was grounding principle of daily life.

Devonport School Committee Meeting Auckland Star 28 April 1891

Tottie and Frank had five children, all born at Devonport. They were Bertha Eileen 1892; 
Dorothy Hazel 1894; Marjorie Estelle 1897;  Norah Kathleen 1903 and Philip Hawe 1909.

Tottie died 27 May 1944 and was interred in the Mason family plot at O'Neills Point Cemetery, North Shore, Auckland.

Hazel photographed by her cousin George Bartley about 1913

Hazel in costume as an Egyptian Princess, from the album of George F Bartley

Marjorie Mason photographed by her cousin George Bartley about 1913

Marjorie Mason, from the album of George F Bartley

Nora Mason about 1913 from the album of George F Bartley

Frank's sister Ada married Bill Barrach in 1890

Frank's sister Ellen married Samuel Craig in 1889

the Mason plot O'Neills Cemetery North Shore Auckland New Zealand