Edmund Israel Matthews - Employer and Family Friend

One of the key early influences on the career of Edward Bartley was Edmund Israel Matthews.

Edmund Israel Matthews was born January 1810 at Queensborough, Isle of Sheppy. In 1842 he was Foreman of works, Department of Royal Engineers, Chatham, where his brother was also employed. He was sent out to Hong Kong in 1845 and promoted to Clerk of Works.

During 1848 he was brought to Auckland to replace Government Clerk of Works, George Graham. His first work was to supervise the completion of the Albert Barracks wall.[i] This wall enclosed an area just over 21 acres in the centre of the town.

Albert Park is now laid out on part of the Barracks enclosure. The two gates opened into what is now Princes and Symonds Streets.
Inside the wall was accommodation for 900 rank and file in wooden barracks.
A stone building known as the Grenadier Barracks, housed a further 100.

Image from Cyclopedia of NZ Sn 5 p 32

Facilities included a military hospital, sergeant’s mess room, commissariat, treasury and orderly room. The ammunition store was also of stone construction, surrounded by its own stone wall.

Officers of the 58th outside the newly completed barracks, including Matthew SLATTERY at extreme left, forebear of Wilma Amy Slattery, wife of George F Bartley. Original Image Ak Museum P660 with thanks.

The parade square was laid down in grass.
Although the citizens of Auckland had, thankfully, no cause to seek shelter behind the barrack wall, they did make use of the level green space for sports and public events.

Matthews designed and erected Wynyard Pier with the assistance of Royal Engineers and troops of the 58th Regiment.
Later he retired from service to conduct business on his own behalf as a contractor. His contacts and reliability ensured him the lion’s share of Government work. Edward was now 18 years of age.

In that year work began on the Mt Eden Gaol, under the supervision of architect Mr Reader Wood.
Matthews, with Edward under his wing, was one of the contractors involved in the construction.

Trading as Matthews and Bartley builders they were responsible for completing Rumsey's Supreme Court building in Auckland, which was originally begun by Amos and Taylor.

The Supreme Court Building with the Barracks visible in the left background BFA

Edmund Matthews was one of the original eleven who formed the first Congregational Church in Auckland, under Rev MacDonald.
His wife was Elizabeth Austin PIKE, christened 1 October 1812 Brixham, Devon, England. They were the parents of five sons and two daughters:

The eldest son was Seering Hall Matthews, was just a little younger than Edward Bartley. After working first in the departmental offices of the Colonial Secretary, he worked with Edward Bartley under his father. When Edmund retired Seering Hall Matthews and Edward continued the contract building business on until the depression of the 1870s.

Seering Hall Matthews married Amelia WALL 27 August 1862.
His son Seering Frederick Matthews ( b1870, Worcester), married Sarah Jane COURT, (b 1874, Birmingham, to John Court and Sarah BABINGTON.)
We know of two children born to Fred and Sarah- Rita May Matthews (b 12 December 1897 Auckland, d 1980) and Seering John Matthews (b 21 March 1900, d 1978)

Siblings of Seering Hall include: Frederick William Matthews was born 1845 in Hong Kong of Mangawhare; also Alfred James Matthews, of Auckland, who married Ellen POTTER; Edward Matthews of Auckland, Mrs A JOHNSTON, Mrs Rob MACDONALD of Sydney

Edmund ,Israel Matthews, his wife Elizabeth, and their infant son were interred at Symonds St Cemetery[ii]

More family information may be found at : http://www.myheritage.com/site-129822151/stewart

This clipping from the Auckland Star 13 June 1895 was found with Bartley family memorabilia.

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[i] Auckland Waikato Historical Journal Sept 1991 No 59 p16 G B Abel

[ii] NZH 14 October 1895 p5 col 13 

May Bartley and William (Bill) Allen & Eva Bartley and William (Bill) Cotes

May Bartley and William G Allen 

May Elizabeth Bartley was the ninth child of Edward Bartley and Elizabeth Hannken. She was born at Devonport 21 July 1875. Like her siblings she attended Devonport Primary School. She shared the family love of music and theatre.  

May as Queen of the Fairies - an early stage triumph reported in the Observer 20 June 1891 page 14

 At the age of 26 May married Bill ALLEN owner of the stationery firm W. G. Allen & Co. The wedding took place on 13 November 1901 at Holy Trinity Church in Devonport.The couple met through music and shared that interest all their lives.

Observer 21 November 1901

The light operas and musicals of this period made for popular programming. The Christmas performance of HMS Pinafore in 1903 proved a sell out show and a successful fundraiser for the Devonport Band.

May and Bill welcomed a son Bryan William 18 May 1902, followed soon after by their daughter Lois

Bryan William Allen in full command of his vehicle, from the Album of George F Bartley

May and Bill lived in Mt Eden all their married life. May died there in January 1951. Bill followed her a few years later, in May 1956.

Eva Bartley and the Cotes Family

Eva with her brother Percy who died in early adulthood Photo by Josiah Martin & E Partington Auckland.

Eva Rosine Bartley was the tenth child of Edward Bartley and Elizabeth Hannken. She was born 16 May 1877 at Devonport.

The younger Bartley children found good friends in the Cotes household. They were also Devonport residents and attended the Devonport Public School. Amy Cotes was a good friend of both May and Eva. Her brother Bill, Des Grattan and Bill Allen and the Bartley brothers all shared musical and social connections.


Observer 9 September 1905

Eva was late to marry. Her brother Percy (born 1878) was physically frail from just after his primary school years. He required nursing care. Eva became his inseparable nurse and companion by the time he died of consumption in 1907. Four years later, aged 34 she married William Proctor COTES on 2 February 1911 at Holy Trinity Church in Devonport.
Eva and Bill had one daughter Marjorie Eva



 Bill, as he was known was born in 1881 in Dudley, Worcester, where his family were living at 107 Stourbridge Road (RG11 2878/152p52). Bill's father, Arthur Edward Cotes was a native of Matlock in Derbyshire employed as a traveller for a drapery firm. Bill's parents Arthur and Annie were married in Manchester, Annie's home town, on 27 June 1874. The family emigrated soon after Bill was born and settled in Devonport. Bill had an elder brother Henry (known as Harry). Harry became engaged to Florrie COURT in 1898, a daughter of John Court.


Observer 12 February 1898


The romance did not prosper, however, and Florrie married another of their circle, Charles Rainger. Harry remained unmarried.
Bill's sister Amy Cotes married Desmond GRATTAN  3 October 1900. The couple had four children. 

Observer 13 October 1900